42nd Illinois Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized at Chicago, Ill., July 22, 1861. Left state for St. Louis, Mo., September 20, 1861. Attached to Dept. of Missouri, to February, 1862. Flotilla Brigade, Army of Mississippi, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army Miss., to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 13th Division, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Right Wing 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 20th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps to June, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of Texas, to December, 1865.

SERVICE.--Joined Fremont at Tipton, Mo., October 18, 1861. Fremont's Campaign against Springfield, Mo., October 18-November 9. Duty at Smithton, Mo., December 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862. March to St. Charles, Mo., thence moved to Fort Holt, Ky., February 3-20, 1862. Operations against New Madrid, Mo., and Island Number 10, Mississippi River, February 28-April 8. Engagement at New Madrid, March 3-4. Actions at Island Number 10, March 15-16 and 25. Action and capture at Tiptonville April 8. Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17. Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 17-22. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Action at Farmington May 3. Reconnaissance toward Corinth May 8. Action at Farmington May 9. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12. Skirmish at Rienzi June 3 (Detachment). Reconnaissance toward Baldwyn June 3. Camp at Big Springs June 14 to July 22. Moved to Iuka, Miss., July 22, thence to Courtland, Ala. Skirmish at Courtland August 22. Duty along line of Memphis and Charleston R. R. until September 2. March to Nashville, Tenn., September 3-12. Action at Columbia, Tenn., September 9. Siege of Nashville September 12-November 6. Repulse of Forest's attack on Edgefield November 5. Duty at Nashville until December 26. Hardin Pike near Nashville December 3. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Expedition to Columbia March 5-14. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 24-July 7. Occupation of Middle Tennessee until August 16.

August 16-September 22, 1863 - The Chickamauga Campaign
- September 19-September 20, 1863 - Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia
September 24-October 27, 1863 - Siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., and Campaign In East Tennessee November 28, 1863, to January 15, 1864. Camp at Stone's Mill, Tenn., December 27, 1862, to January 15, 1864. Regiment veteranize January 1, 1864. Moved to Dandridge, Tenn., January 15, 1864. Operations about Dandridge January 16-17. Moved to Chattanooga January 21. Veterans on furlough February 21 to April 27.

May 1-September 8, 1864 - The Atlanta Campaign
- May 8-11, 1864 - Demonstration against Rocky Faced Ridge, Georgia
- Buzzard's Roost Gap May 8-9.
- May 14-May 15, 1864 - Battle of Resaca, Georgia
- Calhoun May 16.
- May 17, 1864 - Engagement at Adairsville, Georgia
- Kingston May 18-19.
- Near Cassville May 19.
- Advance on Dallas May 22-25.
- Operations on line of 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. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17.
- Assault on Kenesaw June 27.
- Ruff's Station Smyrna, Camp Ground, July 4.
- Chattahoochie River July 5-17.
- Peach Tree Creek July 19-20.
- July 22-August 25, 1864 - Siege of Atlanta, Georgia
- Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30.
- Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1.
- Lovejoy's Station September 2-6.
Moved to Bridgeport, Ala., September 28.
March to Chattanooga, thence to Alpine, Ga., and return October 19-30.

Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24-27. Spring Hill November 29. Battle of Franklin November 30. Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood, to the Tennessee River, December 17-28. Duty at Huntsville and Decatur, Ala., until April 1, 1865. Expedition to Bull's Gap April 1-22. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., and duty there until June 15. Moved to Now Orleans, La., June 15-18, thence to Fort Lavacca, Texas, July 18-23, thence to Camp Irwin and duty there until August 17. Post duty at Port Lavacca until December. Mustered out at Camp Irwin December 16 and discharged at Springfield, III., January 10, 1866.