118th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 118th Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. On June 10, 1863, the regiment was converted to mounted infantry
.
August through October 1862 and mustered in for three years service on November 7, 1862 under the command of Colonel
John G. Fonda.
The regiment was attached to 1st Brigade, 9th Division, Right Wing, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, December 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January 1863. 1st Brigade, 9th Division, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee
, to July 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August 1863, and Department of the Gulf to September 1863. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to November 1863. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to July 1864. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to September 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to February 1865. Cavalry Brigade, District of Baton Rouge, Department of the Gulf, to July 1865. Department of Texas to October 1865.
The 118th Illinois Infantry mustered out of service on October 1, 1865, returned to Camp Butler, October 2-10, and was discharged October 13, 1865.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. On June 10, 1863, the regiment was converted to mounted infantry
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
.
Service
The 118th Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Bulter in Springfield, IllinoisSpringfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
August through October 1862 and mustered in for three years service on November 7, 1862 under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
John G. Fonda.
The regiment was attached to 1st Brigade, 9th Division, Right Wing, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, December 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January 1863. 1st Brigade, 9th Division, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
, to July 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August 1863, and Department of the Gulf to September 1863. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to November 1863. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to July 1864. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to September 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, to February 1865. Cavalry Brigade, District of Baton Rouge, Department of the Gulf, to July 1865. Department of Texas to October 1865.
The 118th Illinois Infantry mustered out of service on October 1, 1865, returned to Camp Butler, October 2-10, and was discharged October 13, 1865.
Detailed service
Duty at Camp Butler and guarding prisoners until December. Left Illinois for Memphis, Tenn., December 1, 1862. Sherman's Yazoo Expedition December 20, 1862 to January 2, 1863. Chickasaw Bayou December 26-28, 1862. Chickasaw Bluffs December 29. Yazoo River January 2, 1863. Expedition to Arkansas Post, Ark., January 3-10. Assault and capture of Fort Hindman January 10-11. Moved to Young's Point, La., January 17-23, and duty there until March 9. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., March 9. Operations from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage March 31-April 17. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Thompson's Hill, Port Gibson, May 1. Champion Hill May 16. Big Black River May 17. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. At Black River Bridge May 24-July 6. Regiment mounted June 10. Edwards' Ferry July 1 (detachment). Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 6-10. Near Clinton July 8 (detachment). Near Jackson July 9. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Raid to Brookhaven July 17-20. Brookhaven July 18. At Vicksburg July 25-August 8. Moved to Port Hudson August 8-9, then to Carrollton, La., August 15-16, and to Bayou Boeuf September 5-7. To Brashear City September 16. Western Louisiana Campaign October 3-November 30. Regiment mounted October 11, 1863. Vermillionville October 15. Carrion Crow Bayou October 16-20. Grand Coteau October 19. Reconnaissance toward Opelousas October 20. Barrie's Landing, Opelousas, October 21. Scouting and skirmishing about Opelousas October 22-30. Washington October 24. Bayou Bourbeaux November 2. Carrion Crow Bayou November 3. Bayou Sara November 9. Near Vermillionville November 11. At New Iberia November 15-December 18. Camp Pratt November 20. Scout to Vermillion Bayou November 22-23. Scout to St. Martinsville December 2-3. Moved to Donaldsonville December 18-23, then to Port Hudson January 3-7, and duty there until July 3, 1864. On scout January 12. Capture of Jackson, Miss., February 10. Skirmish February 16. Raid to Bayou Sara and skirmish February 22. Raid to Jackson March 3. Skirmishes March 26-28, April 1 and 5, May 15, June 13 and 17. Bayou Grosse Tete March 30 and April 2. Plains Store April 7. Redwood Bayou May 3. Moved to Baton Rouge July 3. Operations about Baton Rouge July 3-25. Expedition to Davidson's Ford, near Clinton, July 17-18. Olive Branch August 5. Lee's Expedition to Clinton August 23-29. Comite River and Clinton August 25. Hodge's Plantation September 11. Expedition to Amite River, New River and Bayou Manchac October 2-8. Expedition to Clinton, Greensburg, etc., October 5-9. Lee's Expedition to Brookhaven, Miss., November 14-21. Liberty November 18. Davidson's Expedition to West Pascagoula against Mobile & Ohio Railroad November 27-December 13. Outpost duty at Baton Rouge until May 22, 1865. Expedition west of Mississippi River February 2-3. Expedition to Olive Branch, La., March 1-10. Provost duty at Baton Rouge until October. Expedition to Clinton and Comite River March 30-April 2.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 207 men during service; 3 officers and 21 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 182 enlisted men died of disease.See also
- List of Illinois Civil War units
- Illinois in the Civil War