Showing posts with label 54th IL INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 54th IL INF. Show all posts

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, January 29, 1863

The duties of the regiments now stationed at Corinth, are very arduous. Almost every day a regiment or two are called upon to make a trip either to the Tennessee river for forage, or to the Davenport Mills for lumber to construct fortifications. Corinth is becoming quite a Gibraltar. The freedmen are all the while kept busy upon these works. This evening the officers of the Illinois regiments meet in Music Hall to give expression to their views upon modern democracy, and their bitter detestation of the treasonable element that is becoming so prevalent in Illinois. The following are the views of the Illinois soldiers on copperheads and defunct democracy. The object is to show to Governor Yates and to all our friends at home that we are still in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war, and that we will uphold our President and our Governor in all their efforts to crush the rebellion and restore the Union. On motion a committee to draft resolutions was appointed, consisting of the following officers : Colonel Chetlain 12th Illinois Infantry commanding post; Colonel M. M. Bane, 50th Illinois Infantry commanding Third brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Wilcox 52d Illinois Infantry, Colonel Burk, 65th Illinois sharp-shooters, Colonel A. J. Babcock, 7th Illinois Infantry, Colonel Merser 9th Illinois Infantry, commanding Second brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Morrill, 54th Illinois Infantry. The committee submited the following resolutions which were unanimously adopted :

Whereas, Our government is now engaged in a struggle for the perpetuation of every right dear to us as American citizens, and requires the united efforts of all good, true and loyal men in its behalf: and whereas, we behold with deep regret the bitter partizan spirit that is becoming dangerously vindictive and malicious in our state, the tendency of which is to frustrate the plans of the federal and state authorities in their efforts to suppress this infamous rebellion ; therefore, Resolved, That having pledged ourselves with our most cherished interests in the service of our common country in this hour of national peril, we ask our friends at home to lay aside all petty jealousies and party animosities, and as one man stand by us in upholding the president in his war measures, in maintaining the authority and the dignity of the government, and in unfurling again the glorious emblem of our nationality over every city and town of rebeldom.

Resolved, That we tender to Governor Yates and Adjutant General Fuller our warmest thanks for their untiring zeal in organizing, arming and equipping the army Illinois has sent to the field, and for their timely attention to the wants of our sick and wounded soldiers, and we assure them of our steady and warm support in their efforts to maintain for Illinois the proud position of pre-eminent loyalty which she now occupies.

Resolved, That we have watched the traitorous conduct of those members of the Illinois Legislature who misrepresent their constituents—who have been proposing a cessation of the war, avowedly to arrange terms for peace, but really to give time for the exhausted rebels to recover strength and renew their plottings to divest Governor Yates of the right and authority vested in him by our state constitution and laws, and to them we calmly and firmly say, beware of the terrible retribution that is falling upon your coadjutors at the south, and that as your crime is ten-fold blacker it will swiftly smite you with ten-fold more horrors, should you persist in your damnable work of treason.

Resolved, That in tending our thanks to Governor Yates, and assuring him of our hearty support in his efforts to crush this inhuman rebellion, we are deeply and feelingly in "earnest.” We have left to the protection of the laws he is to enforce, all that is dear to man — our wives, our children, our parents, our homes, — and should the loathsome treason of the madmen who are trying to wrest from him a portion of his just authority render it necessary in his opinion for us to return and crush out treason there, we will promptly obey a proper order so to do, for we despise a sneaking, whining traitor in the rear much more than an open rebel in front.

Resolved, That we hold in contempt, and will execrate any man who in this struggle for national life, offers factious opposition to either the federal or state government in their efforts or measures for the vigorous prosecution of the war for the suppression of this godless rebellion.

ResoĊ‚ved, That we are opposed to all propositions for a cessation of hostilities, or a compromise other than those propositions which the government has constantly offered; “Return to loyalty--to the laws and common level with the other states of the Union, under the constitution as our fathers made it."

Lieut. Col. PHILLIPS, 9th Illinois,
President.

T. N. LETTON, Adjutant 50th Illinois.
Secretary.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 135-8

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Diary of 4th Sergeant John S. Morgan: Monday, July 27, 1863

Up frm below the 18 Ill. 54. Ill. 22 O.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 7, January 1923, p. 493

Saturday, February 1, 2014

54th Illinois Infantry

Organized at Camp Dubois, Anna, Ill., as a part of the Kentucky Brigade, and mustered in February, 1862. Moved to Cairo, Ill., February 24, 1862. Attached to District of Cairo to March, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., to September, 1862. District of Jackson, Tenn., to November, 1862. Unattached, District of Jackson, Tenn., 13th Army Corps (Old), to December, 1862. Unattached, District of Jackson, Tenn., 16th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, District of Jackson, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 16th Army Corps, to May, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Kimball's Provisional Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Kimball's Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, to August. 1863. 1st Brigade. 2nd Division, Arkansas Expedition, to November, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, Arkansas Expedition, to January, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps, Department of Arkansas, to May, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of Arkansas to October, 1865.

SERVICE. - Moved from Cairo to Columbus, Ky., March 4, 1862, and duty there till December 18, 1862. Three Companies at Humboldt, Tenn. Expedition down Mississippi River to Fort Pillow, Tenn., May 19-23 (2 Cos). Merriwether Ferry, Obion River, Tenn., August 16. Moved to Jackson, Tenn., December 18, and duty there till May, 1863. (2 Cos. at Mendon Station and 2 Cos. at Toone's Station January to April, 1863.) Operations against Forest In West Tennessee December 20-28, 1862. Union City, Tenn., December 21, 1862 (Detachment). Captured by Forest. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., May 30-June 2, 1863. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., June 2-July 4. Moved to Helena, Ark., July 24. Steele's Expedition to Little Rock, Ark., August 1-September 10. Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock September 10. Duty at Little Rock till March, 1864. Veterans on furlough March and April. Riot at Charleston, I11., March 28. Veterans. Moved to Little Rock April 12-30, thence to Brownsville May 18. Pursuit of Shelby May 19-31. Moved to Duvall's Bluff and Clarendon June 25-29. Action at Clarendon June 25-26. Guard Memphis and Little Rock R. R. till August 24. Actions with Shelby, at Jones' Hay Station, Long Prairie and Ashley's Station August 24. Regiment mostly captured, except Companies "F" and "H." Paroled at Jacksonport, Ark., and reached Benton Barracks, Mo., September 9. Exchanged December 5, 1864. Arrived at Hickory Station, on Memphis & Little Rock R. R., January 18, 1865. On railroad guard duty till June 6. Moved to Pine Bluff June 6-9, and duty there till August 18. March to Fort Smith, Ark., August 18-30. Moved to Little Rock, Ark., October 4-6. Mustered out October 15, 1865, and discharged at Camp Butler, Ill.

Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 11 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 171 Enlisted men by disease. Total 185.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1070-1

Monday, June 27, 2011

St. Louis, Feb. 28 [sic] [1862]

The following is the official report of Gen. Cullum:


COLUMBUS, Ky., March 4.

To Maj. Gen. Halleck, Commanding Western Department – Columbus, the Gibraltar of the West, is ours, and Kentucky is free.  At 4 o’clock this morning the flotilla under Com. Foot, consisting of 6 gunboats, 4 mortar boats and transports, conveyed the 37th Illinois regiment, a battalion of the 54th, the 74th Ohio and the 55th Ill. under command of Gen. Sherman, proceeded to this place.  On arriving here it was difficult to say whether the fortifications were occupied by our own cavalry, or scouts from Paducah, or by the enemy.

Every preparation was made for opening fire and landing infantry, when Gen. Sherman and Capt. Phelps, with 30 soldiers mad a reconnaissance with a tug, steering directly under the water batteries.  Satisfied that our troops had possession, they landed, ascended to the summit, and together planted the stars and stripes, amid the cheers of our brave tars and soldiers.  Though rising from a sick bed to go upon the expedition, I could not resist landing to examine the works, which are of immense strength, consisting of tiers upon tiers of batteries upon the river front, and a strong parapet and ditch.

On the land side the fortifications appear to have been erected hastily.  A considerable quantity of ordnance and ordnance stores, a number of anchors, the remains of the chain once stretched over the river here, and a large supply of torpedoes are in our hands.

The desolation of hasty evacuation was visible everywhere.  Huts, tents and barracks presented nothing but their blackened remains, though the town was spared.  A garrison was left in the works consisting of nearly 2,000 infantry and 400 cavalry.

(Signed,)  G. W. CULLUM, Brig. Gen.


Gen. Halleck has telegraphed the following to Maj. Gen. McClellan:

Our cavalry from Paducah, marched into Columbus yesterday, at 6 p.m., driving before them the enemy’s rear guard.

The flag of the Union is flying over the boasted Gibraltar of the West.  Finding himself completely surrounded on both sides of the Mississippi, the enemy was obliged to evacuate or surrender.  Large quantities of artillery and stores were captured.

Signed, H. W. HALLECK, Maj. Gen.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 6, 1862, p. 1