Battery "A," 1st Illinois Light Artillery

First known as Smith's Chicago Light Artillery. Entered State service for three months, April 17, 1861, and moved to Cairo, Ills., with Swift's Cairo Expedition. Capture of steamers C. E. Hillman and J. D. Perry, and seizure of arms and munitions of war bound south, April 25. Duty at Cairo. Ills., till July. Reorganized at Cairo, Ill., for three years, July 16, 1861, as Battery "A," 1st Illinois Light Artillery. Attached to District of Cairo to February, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Cairo, February, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, District of Cairo, March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Tennessee, to April, 1862. Artillery, 3rd Division, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. Artillery, 5th Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., to November, 1862. Artillery, 5th Division, Right Wing 15th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee. November, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., 13th Army Corps, to December, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January, 1863. Artillery, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to November, 1864. Garrison Artillery Nashville, Tenn., to December, 1864. Artillery Reserve, Chattanooga, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty in Military District of Cairo till February, 1862. Operations at Ironton-Fredericktown, Mo., October 12-25, 1861. Engagement at Fredericktown October 21. Expedition from Paducah, Ky., to Fort Henry, Tenn., January 15-25, 1862. Operations against Forts Henry and Heiman, Tenn., February 2-6. Investment and capture of Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 12-16. Expedition to Clarksville and Nashville, Tenn., February 22-March 1. Moved to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 1-10. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. March to Memphis, Tenn., June 3-July 21. Duty at Memphis till November. Expedition from Memphis to Coldwater and Hernando, Miss., September 8-13. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November-December. "Tallahatchie March," November 26-December 12. Sherman's Yazoo Expedition December 20, 1862, to January 3, 1863. Chickasaw Bayou December 26-28. Chickasaw Bluff December 29. Expedition to Arkansas Post, Ark., January 3-10, 1863. Assault and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, January 10-11. Moved to Young's Point, La., January 17, and duty there till March. Expedition to Rolling Fork, via Muddy, Steele's and Black Bayous and Deer Creek, March 14-27. Demonstration on Haines' and Drumgould's Bluffs, April 29-May 2. Movement to join army in rear of Vicksburg, Miss., via Richmond and Grand Gulf, May 2-14. Battle of Jackson, Miss., May 14. Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5-10. Siege of Jackson, Miss., July 10-17. At Big Black till September 26. Movement to Memphis, thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 26-November 20. Operations on Memphis and Charleston R. R. in Alabama October 20-29. Bear Creek, Tuscumbia, October 27. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn, November 28-December 17. At Scottsboro, Ala., till May, 1864. Expedition from Scottsboro toward Rome, Ga., January 25-February 5, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May to September. Demonstration on Resaca May 8-13. Battle of Resaca May 13-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills, May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 6-17. Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Ezra Chapel, Hood's second sortie, July 28. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations in North Georgia and North Alabama against Hood, September 29-October 28. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., October 28, and garrison duty there and at Chattanooga. Tenn., till June, 1865. Mustered out at Chicago, Ills., July 3, 1865.

Battery lost during service 15 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 22 Enlisted men by disease. Total 37.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1035