2nd Illinois Cavalry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized at Camp Butler, Ill., and mustered in August 12, 1861. (Co. "M" mustered in December 30, 1861.) Moved to Fort Massac August 29, 1861; to Cairo, Ill., October 3, 1861 (6 Cos.), and to Paducah, Ky., November 1, 1861 (5 Cos.). Attached to Military District of Cairo, Dept. of Missouri, to February, 1862. Unattached, Army of Mississippi, to April, 1862 (Cos. "G," "H," "I" and "K"). District of Columbus, Ky., to November, 1862 (Cos. "E," "F," "G," "H," "I," "K" and "M"). (Cos. "A" and "B," 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army Tennessee, to March, 1862. 2nd Division, Army Tennessee, to July, 1862.) Cavalry, District of Jackson, Tenn., to November, 1862 (Cos. "A," "B," "C" and "D"). Cavalry, 4th Division, Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. Unattached, 13th Army Corps, Army Tennessee, to August, 1863 (Detachment). District of Columbus, Ky., 6th Division, 16th Corps, to May, 1863 (Detachment). 4th Brigade, District of Memphis, Tenn., 5th Division, 16th Army Corps, to August, 1863 (Detachment). Cavalry Brigade, 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, to September, 1863 (7 Cos.). 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. Gulf, to December, 1863 (7 Cos.). District of Columbus, Ky., 6th Division, 16th Army Corps, to December, 1863 (Detachment). Waring's Cavalry Brigade, Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps, to January, 1864 (Detachment). 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps, to June, 1864 (Detachment). 3rd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf, December, 1863, to January, 1864 (7 Cos.). 4th Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf, to June, 1864 (7 Cos.). Unattached, Defenses of New Orleans, La., to August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf, to February, 1865. Separate Cavalry Brigade, District of West Florida, to March, 1865. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Florida, to April, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division West Mississippi, to June, 1865. Dept of Mississippi to November, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty in Military District of Cairo until February. 1862.

November 6-November 7, 1861 - Expedition to Belmont and Charleston, Missouri
- November 7, 1861 - Battle of Belmont, Missouri
December 11, 1861 - Skirmish at Bertrand, Missouri^[1]
Charleston, Mo., December 13.
December 28-31, 1861 - Expedition to Camp Beauregard and Viola, Kentucky (Detachment)

Moved to Paducah, Ky., January 1, 1862. Expedition toward Fort Henry January 15-26. Operations against Fort Henry February 2-6 (Cos. "A" and "B"). Springfield February 12. Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 12-16 (Cos. "A" and "B"). Advance on Columbus, Ky., March 2 (6 Cos.). Operations against New Madrid and Island No. 10, Mo., February 28-April 8 (Cos. "G," "H," "I" and "K"). New Madrid March 2-3.

March 3, 1862 - Action at Columbus, Kentucky (6 companies)
March 3, 1862 - Occupation of Columbus, Kentucky (6 companies)
Union City, Tenn., March 31 (Cos. "H" and "I").
April 6-7, 1862 - Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee (Companies A/B)

Monterey April 28-29. Purdy April 29. Advance on and siege of Corinth April 29-May 30 (Cos. "A," "B," "C" and "D"). Expedition down Mississippi River to Fort Pillow, Tenn., May 19-23 (Cos. "G," "H," "I" and "K"). Expedition from Clifton in pursuit of Biffle's, Forest's and Newsome's Cavalry July 22-23. Gayoso, Tenn., August 4. Trenton, Tenn., August 7. Merriweather Ferry, Obeon River, August 16 (Co. "C"). White Oak Ridge August 19. Bolivar August 30 (4 Cos.). Somerville September 14. Battle of Iuka, Miss., September 19 (Detachment). Expedition from Bolivar to Grand Junction and LaGrange, and Skirmishes, September 20-22 (Cos. "C," "H," "K" and "M").

September 28-October 5, 1862 - Expeditions from Columbus, Kentucky (Companies D/L)

Battle of Metamora, or Hatchie River, October 5 (Co. "A"). Island No. 10 October 17 (Co. "L"). Woodville October 21 (Detachment). Clarkson October 28 (Co. "D"). Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign October 31, 1862, to January 10, 1863. Reconnaissance from LaGrange to Colliersville, Tenn., November 5 (5 Cos.). Reconnaissance from LaGrange to Lamar, Miss., November 5 (2 Cos.). LaGrange November 6. Worsham's Creek, Miss., November 6 (2 Cos.). Carthage Road, near Hartsville, November 28 (Co. "H"). Holly Springs, Miss., December 20 (Cos. "C," "F," "G," "H," "I" and "K"). Ripley December 23 (Cos. "H" and "M"). Knob Creek, near Ripley January 8, 1863. Horn Lake Creek, February 8, 1863. Moscow Station, Tenn., February 14. Expedition from Young's Point, La., to Greenville, and Cypress Bend, Ark., February 14-29 (Detachment). Fish Lake, near Greenville, February 23 (Detachment). Expedition from Helena, Ark., to Yazoo Pass by Moon Lake, and Coldwater and Tallahatchie Rivers, February 24-April 8 (Co. "E"). Near Bloomington, on Hatchie River, February 27. Operations against Fort Pemberton and Greenwood March 13-April 5 (Co. "E"). Fort Pemberton March 24 (Co. "E"). Operations from Milliken's Bend, La., to New Carthage March 31-April 17 (Detachment). Roundaway Bayou, Richmond, March 31 (Detachment). Richmond April 4 (Detachment). Scout from LaGrange, Tenn., into Mississippi April 10-11 (Detachment). James' Plantation, near New Carthage, April 8 (Detachment). Dunbar's Plantation, Bayou Boeuf, April 15 (Detachment). Expedition from Perkins' Plantation to Hard Times Landing April 25-29. Fort Pillow April 26. Phelps' and Clark's Bayous April 26. Choctaw Bayou, on Lake Bruin, April 28. Turning Grand Gulf April 25-30 (4 Cos.).

May 1, 1863 - Battle of Port Gibson, Mississippi (4 Companies)

Willow Springs May 3 (Co. "C"). Near Black River May 5 (Detachment). Sandy Creek May 5 and 9 (Detachment). Utica May 9 and 10 (Cos. "A" and "E"). Coldwater May 11. Raymond May 12 (Cos. "A" and "E"). Hill's Ferry May 13 (Detachment). Jackson May 14 (Cos. "A" and "E"). Walnut Hill May 15. Champion's Hill May 16.

May 18-July 4, 1863 - Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi
- May 19, 1863 - Assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi
- May 22, 1863 - Assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi
- Haines Bluff May 23 (Detachment).
- Mechanicsburg May 29 (Detachment).
- Expedition to Satartia June 2-8.
- Satartia June 4.
- Coldwater, near Hernando, Miss., June 19.
- Hernando June 20.
- Moscow Station, Tenn., June 29.

Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5-10 (4 Cos.). Ripley July 7. Near Baker's Creek July 7. Bolton's Depot and near Clinton July 8. Near Jackson July 9, Brookhaven July 18. Scout from Fort Pillow, Tenn., August 3 (Detachment). Denmark August 3 (Detachment). Expedition from Fort Pillow to Jackson, Tenn., September 19-25 (5 Cos.). Moved to Dept. of the Gulf August, 1863 (7 Cos.). Sterling's Plantation on Bayou Fordoche, near Morganza, La., September 29.

October 3-November 30, 1863 - The (II) Bayou Teche Campaign

Carrion Crow Bayou October 18. Opelousas and Barre's LandIng October 21. Washington October 24. Carrion Crow Bayou November 3. Rogersville, Tenn,, November G (Co. "M"). Carrion Crow Bayou and Vermillionville November 11. Obion River, near Union City, Tenn., November 19 (Detachment). Merriweather Ferry, near Union City, November 19 (Detachment). Camp Platt, La., November 20. Bayou Portage, La., November 23 (Detachment). Vermillionville, La., November 25. Camp Pratt November 25. St. Martinsville December 3 (Detachment). Okolona, Miss., December 9 (Detachment). Madrid Bend, La., December 9 (Detachment). Expedition from Union City to Trenton, Tenn., January 22-27, 1864 (1st Battalion). Smith's Expedition from Colliersville, Tenn., to Okolona, Miss., February 11-26 (5 Cos.). Prairie Station, Miss., and Okolona, Miss., February 21. Ivy's Hill, near Okolona, February 22. Hopefield, Ark., March 14.

March 14-May 22, 1864 - The Red River Campaign
- March 14-26, 1864 - Advance from Franklin, Louisiana to Alexandria, Louisiana
  - Bayou Rapides March 20.
- Monett's Ferry and Cloutiersville March 29-30.
- March 31, 1864 - Skirmish at Natchitoches, Louisiana
- Crump's Hill, Piney Woods, April 2.
- April 5, 1864 - Skirmish at Natchitoches, Louisiana
- Bayou de Paul April 8. Sabine Cross Roads April 8.
- April 19, 1864 - Skirmish at Natchitoches, Louisiana^[2]
- About Cloutiersville April 22-24.
- Monett's Ferry, Cane River Crossing, April 23.
- April 28, 1864 - Engagement at Alexandria, Louisiana
- May 2-9, 1864 - Skirmishes about Alexandria, Louisiana
- May 13-20, 1864 - Retreat from Alexandria, Louisiana to Morganza, Louisiana
- May 14, 1864 - Action near Alexandria, Louisiana

Mansura May 16. Near Moreauville May 17. Yellow Bayou May 18. Steamer "City Belle" May 30. Regiment united at Baton Rouge, La., July, 1864. Operations near Baton Rouge July 3-25. Near Barton's Ferry, Amite River, July 25 (Detachment). Bayou Letsworth August 11. Expedition to Clinton August 23-29. Olive Branch, Comite River and Clinton August 25. Expedition from Baton Rouge to Clinton, Greensburg, Osyka and Camp Moore October 5-9. Clinton October 6. Lee's Expedition from Baton Rouge to Brookhaven, Miss., and Skirmishes, November 14-21. Davidson's Expedition from Baton Rouge against Mobile & Ohio R. R. November 27-December 13. Campaign against Mobile and its defenses March 17-April 12, 1865. Steele's march from Barrancas, Fla., to Fort Blakely March 18-31. Near Evergreen March 24. Muddy Creek March 26. Near Blakely April 1. Operations against Fort Blakely April 1-9. Expedition from Blakely to Claiborne April 9-17. Expedition from Blakely to Georgetown, Ga., April 17-30. Moved to Mississippi May, thence to Shreveport, La., June 14-21; thence to San Antonia, Texas, July 9-August 2. Mustered out November 22, 1865. Discharged at Springfield, Ill., January 3, 1866.