72nd Illinois Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

The "Chicago Board of Trade Regiment"

Organized at Chicago, II1, and mustered in August 23, 1862. Moved to Cairo, Ill., August 23-24, 1862. Attached to District of Cairo to September, 1862. District of Columbus, Ky., to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, Left Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, 16th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 7th Division, 17th Army Corps, to May, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, 17th Army Corps, to September, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to November, 1864. Unassigned, 23rd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Detachment Army Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 16th Army Corps (New), Military Division West Mississippi, to August, 1865.

SERVICE.--Duty at Cairo, Ill., until September 6, 1862. Moved to Paducah, Ky., September 6, thence to Columbus, Ky., September 17, and duty there until November 21.

September 28-October 5, 1862 - Expeditions from Columbus, Kentucky (4 Companies)

Expedition to Clarkson, Mo., October 6. Expedition to New Madrid, Mo., October 21. Skirmishes at Clarkson, Mo., October 23 and 28. Moved to Moscow, Miss., November 21, and Join Quimby's Command. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on the Mississippi Central R. R. November 21-December 30. Duty on line of the Memphis and Charleston R. R. until January 10, 1863. At Memphis, Tenn., until February 24. Yazoo Pass Expedition, by Moon Lake, Yazoo Pass and the Coldwater and Tallahatchie Rivers February 24-April 8. Operations against Fort Pemberton and Greenwood March 13-April 5. Fort Pemberton near Greenwood March 11-16-25-April 2 and 4. Moved to Milliken's Bend, La., and guard duty from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage until April 25. Duty at Richmond, La., April 25-May 10. Battle of 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
- Expedition to Mechanicsburg May 26-June 4.
- July 4, 1863 - Surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi
Moved to Natchez, Miss., July 12-13, and duty there until October 17.
Action at St. Catherine's Creek July 28 and September 1.
Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., October 17, and Provost duty there until October 30, 1864.
January 29-February 23, 1864 - Expedition from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Waterproof, Louisiana
Waterproof February 14-15.
May 4-21, 1864 - Expedition from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Yazoo City, Mississippi
Actions at Benton May 7 and 9.
Vaughan May 12.
Luce's Plantation May 13.
Vaughan Station May 14.
July 10-17, 1864 - Expedition from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Grand Gulf, Mississippi
July 13, 1864 - Skirmish at Port Gibson, Mississippi

Grand Gulf July 16. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., October 30-November 13, thence to Columbia, Tenn., November 13-21. Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24-27. Spring Hill November 29. Battle of Franklin November 30. Skirmish near Nashville December 7. Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17-28. Moved to Clifton, Ten;, thence to Eastport, Miss., and duty there until February 9, 1865. Moved to New Orleans, La., February 9-21, and duty there until March 12. Campaign against Mobile, Ala., and its defenses March 17-April 12. Expedition from Dauphin Island to Fowl River Narrows March 18-22. Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8. Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Capture of Mobile April 12. March to Montgomery April 14-25, and duty there until May 23. Moved to Union Springs, Ala., May 23, and duty there until July 19. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., July 19. Mustered out August 7, 1865.