140th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 140th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men
, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war within 100 days.
, Illinois
, and mustered into Federal service on June 18, 1864, for a one-hundred-day enlistment. The unit departed the same day for Cairo, by rail, and proceeded by rail to Memphis
, Tennessee. From there it marched thirty miles east to the Wolfe River, where it was formed into divisions which were posted along the rail line to Holly Springs
. After some three months it returned to Memphis where it did guard duty until ordered to Camp Fry, Chicago, where the regiment was mustered out of service on October 29, 1864.
After having given up their arms, the adjutant general of Illinois
, Allen C. Fuller
solicited them to re-organize and march through Missouri in pursuit of Genral Price, which took some six weeks, after which they returned to Camp Fry and were finally dismissed.
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...
that served 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...
. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men
Hundred Days Men
The Hundred Days Men was the nickname applied to a series of volunteer regiments raised in 1864 for 100-days service in the Union Army during the height of the American Civil War...
, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war within 100 days.
Service
The 140th Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp ButlerCamp Butler National Cemetery
Camp Butler National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located a few miles northeast of Springfield and a few miles southwest of Riverton, a small town nearby to Springfield, in Sangamon County, Illinois. It was named for Illinois State Treasurer at the time of its establishment,...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and mustered into Federal service on June 18, 1864, for a one-hundred-day enlistment. The unit departed the same day for Cairo, by rail, and proceeded by rail to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee. From there it marched thirty miles east to the Wolfe River, where it was formed into divisions which were posted along the rail line to Holly Springs
Holly Springs
Holly Springs is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Holly Springs, Arkansas*Holly Springs, Georgia*Holly Springs, Mississippi*Holly Springs, North Carolina...
. After some three months it returned to Memphis where it did guard duty until ordered to Camp Fry, Chicago, where the regiment was mustered out of service on October 29, 1864.
After having given up their arms, the adjutant general of Illinois
Adjutant general of Illinois
The adjutant general of Illinois is the senior officer of the Illinois Army National Guard and the Illinois Air National Guard. The Illinois Naval Militia was also part of the command, until it was disbanded....
, Allen C. Fuller
Allen C. Fuller
Adjutant General Allen Curtis Fuller was the adjutant general of Illinois from November 11, 1861 to January 1, 1865, during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
solicited them to re-organize and march through Missouri in pursuit of Genral Price, which took some six weeks, after which they returned to Camp Fry and were finally dismissed.