11th Illinois Infantry Regiment

The 11th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was originally formed as a three-month volunteer unit at the beginning of the war, and then reorganized as a three-year unit, in which role it served until the end of the war.

11th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Memorial at Vicksburg National Military Park
Active	30 Apr. 1861 – 30 July 1861 30 July 1861 – 14 July 1865
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union  Illinois
Branch	Union Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Regiment
Engagements	Battle of Fort Donelson Battle of Shiloh Battle of Riggins Hill Siege of Vicksburg Battle of Yazoo City Yazoo City expedition Battle of Spanish Fort Battle of Fort Blakely
Commanders
Notable commanders	W. H. L. Wallace Thomas E.G. Ransom James Henry Coates

Three-month unit

Service

Organized at Springfield, Ill., and mustered in April 30, 1861, for three months' service by Capt. John Pope, U.S.A. Ordered to Villa Ridge, Ill., May 5, and duty there until June 20, and at Bird's Point, Mo., until July 30. Expedition from Cairo to Little River June 22-23 (Cos. "A" and "B"). Mustered out July 30, 1861. Lost 10 by disease during service.

Total strength and casualties

The regiment suffered 10 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 10 fatalities.[1]

Commanders

• Colonel William H. L. Wallace[2]

Three-year unit

Service

The reorganized 11th Illinois Infantry was mustered into Federal service for a three-year enlistment on July 30, 1861, at Cairo, Illinois. It saw service at the Battle of Fort Donelson, where over 60% of those engaged were wounded, missing or killed; the Battle of Shiloh; the Battle of Vicksburg; and the Yazoo River Expedition, among other operations.

Organization

Organized at Cairo, Ill., July 30, 1861. Attached to W. H. L. Wallace's 3rd Brigade, District of Cairo, to February, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, District of Cairo, February, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, District of West Tennessee, and Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, District of Jackson, Tenn., to August, 1862. District of Cairo, Ill., to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Left Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, 16th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, 17th Army Corps, to September, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, to December, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Reserve Division, Military Division West Mississippi, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Reserve Corps, M.D. W. M, February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Army Corps (New), M.D. W. M., to July, 1865.

Detailed service

Expedition to Charleston, Mo., October 2, 1861. Expedition against Thompson's forces November 2-12. Skirmish at Charleston January 8, 1862. Reconnaissance of Columbus, Ky., under Gen. Grant January 25-28. Operations against Fort Henry February 2-6. Capture of Fort Henry February 6. Investment and capture of Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 12-16. Assault on Fort Donelson February 15. Moved to Fort Henry March 4-5, thence to Savannah, Tenn., March 5-13, and to Pittsburg Landing March 23-25. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Moved to Jackson, Tenn., and duty there until August 2. Ordered to Cairo, Ill., August 2, and to Paducah, Ky., August 23. Expedition from Fort Donelson to Clarksville September 5-10. Riggin's Hill, Clarksville, September 7. Duty at Paducah, Ky., until November 20. Expeditions to Hopkinsville, Ky., October 31 to November 13. Moved to Lagrange, Tenn., November 20-24. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on Mississippi Central R. R. November 24, 1862, to January 10, 1863. Moved to Memphis, Tenn., January 12, 1863, thence to Young's Point, La., January 17-24, and to Lake Providence, La., February 11. Expedition to American Bend March 17-28. Passage of Vicksburg and Warrenton Batteries April 22 (Detachment). Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. Battles of Raymond May 12; Jackson, Miss., May 14; Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Expedition from Haines' Bluff to Mechanicsburg May 26-June 4. Action at Mechanicsburg May 29. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4. Expedition to Natchez July 12-13. Occupation of Natchez July 13-October 12. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., October 12, and duty there until July 29, 1864. Yazoo Expedition February 1-March 8. Liverpool Heights February 4. Capture of Yazoo City February 4. Satartia February 7. Occupation of Yazoo City until March 6. Action at Yazoo City March 5. At Black River Bridge until April 28. Expedition to Yazoo City May 4-21. Benton May 7-9. Vaughan May 12. Vaughan Station May 14. Expedition to Pearl River July 2-10. Jackson July 7. Clinton July 7. Moved to Morganza, La., July 29, and duty there until September 3. Expedition to Clinton, La., August 23-29. Moved to mouth of White River September 3, thence to Memphis, Tenn., October 8. Return to White River October 27. Expedition to Gaines' Landing November 6-7. Moved to Duvall's Bluff, Ark., November 8, thence to Memphis, Tenn., November 30-December 4. Expedition to Moscow, Tenn., December 20-31. Moved to Kenner, La., January 1-5, 1865. To Dauphin Island, Ala., February 4-7. Operations against Mobile, Ala., and its defenses February 17-April 12. Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8. Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12. Duty there until May 27. Moved to New Orleans, thence to Alexandria. Moved to Baton Rouge, La., June 22. Mustered out July 14, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 179 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 284 Enlisted men by disease. Total 471.

Total strength and casualties

When the regiment was re-mustered in as a three-year regiment aggregate strength was 288, raised to 801 by November through recruiting. On April 23, 1863, the 109th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was incorporated into the 11th, adding 589 men. The regiment suffered 7 officers and 179 enlisted men killed in action or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 284 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 471 fatalities.[3]

Commanders

• Colonel W.H.L. Wallace - promoted to brigadier general on July 30, 1861.
• Colonel Thomas E.G. Ransom - promoted to brigadier general on April 2, 1862.
• Colonel Garrett Nevins - killed in action near Vicksburg on April 23, 1863.
• Colonel James Henry Coates - mustered out with the regiment.[4]

See also

• List of Illinois Civil War Units
• Illinois in the American Civil War

Notes

1. http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unilinf1.htm The Civil War Archive website after Dyer, Frederick Henry. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. 3 vols. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959.
2. http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/f&s/011-3fs.htm Illinois in the Civil War website after Illinois Adjutant General's muster rolls
3. http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unilinf1.htm The Civil War Archive website after Dyer, Frederick Henry. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. 3 vols. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959.
4. http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/f&s/011-fs.htm Illinois in the Civil war website after Illinois Adjutant General's muster rolls

References

• Dyer, Frederick H. (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: 11th Illinois Infantry Regiment. Des Moines, Iowa: Dyer Publishing Co. pp. 1048–1049. Retrieved November 8, 2020.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.