Saturday, August 25, 2012

Ouch!


Many writers have maligned the trans-Mississippi theater, but John C. Haskell, a Confederate veteran from South Carolina, wrote one of the most poisonous comments. Here goes:
“There was so much less fighting in the Trans-Mississippi area, that, like the one-eyed man in the country of the blind, anyone who was there was a great leader, and heroes were almost as cheaply made as in the Cuban War” (Govan, G. E. and J. W. Livingood, eds. The Haskell Memoirs, New York: Putnam, 1960, p. 19). The Cuban War, by the way, is a reference to the Spanish-American War.
I cringe whenever I read the quote above, but it probably captures the opinions of a number of folks. Alas…

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The 30th Illinois Infantry: From the Trans-Mississippi to the Sea


According to William F. Fox in Regimental Losses In The American Civil War, 1861-1865, Illinois provided 259,092 soldiers; only New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio gave more soldiers to the Union war effort. The number of deaths (excluding African-Americans and naval personnel) in Illinois regiments totaled 34,834 men making Illinois the northern state that suffered the third highest numerical loss (New York and Ohio were higher). The 30th Illinois Infantry was one of the many fighting regiments from that state; altogether twenty-three Illinois regiments are included in Fox’s list of “Three Hundred Fighting Regiments.” Belmont, Missouri, marked the baptism of fire for the 30th Illinois; following that battle the 30th fought at Fort Donelson then in the Vicksburg campaign, the Atlanta campaign, and, finally, the March to the Sea and the Carolina campaign.

For more information about the 30th Illinois Infantry, see the following:

Bibliography of Illinois Civil War Regimental Sources: listing of resources relating to the 30th Illinois as well as other Illinois units

And, last (but not least) here is William F. Fox’s sketch of the 30th Illinois Infantry, one of the “Three Hundred Fighting Regiments.”


 “Dennis’ Brigade —Logan’s Division--Seventeenth Corps.

(1) Col. Philip B. Fouke.
(2) Col. Elias S. Dennis; Bvt. Major-Gen.
(3) Col. Warren Shedd; Bvt. Brig-Gen.

Companies.
killed and died of wounds.
died of disease, accidents, in Prison, &c.
Total Enrollment.
Officers.
Men.
Total.
Officers.
Men.
Total.
Field and Staff
1

1
2

2
15
Company
A
1
14
15

21
21
188

B
1
7
8

19
19
164

C
1
12
13

22
22
173

D
2
8
10

28
28
158

E

18
18

23
23
180

F
2
10
12

17
17
142

G
1
10
11

17
17
170

H

13
13

26
26
161

I

9
9

24
24
147

K
1
14
15

21
21
171
Totals
10
115
125
2
218
220
1,669

Total of killed and wounded, 461; died in Confederate prisons (previously included), 23.
Battles
K. & M. W.
Belmont, Mo.
15
Fort Donelson, Tenn.
29
Britton’s Lane, Tenn.
3
Jackson, Tenn.
1
Jackson, Miss.
1
Champion’s Hill, Miss.
15
Vicksburg, Miss.
5
Big Shanty, Ga.
2
Kenesaw Mountain, Ga.
7
Battle of Atlanta
33
Ezra Chapel, Ga.
2
Siege of Atlanta
10
Guerillas, S. C., Feb. 28, 1864
1
Sherman’s March
1

Present, also, at Siege of Corinth, Miss.; Raymond, Miss.; Bogachitta Creek, Miss.; Meridian March, Miss.; Siege of Savannah, Ga.; Pocotaligo, S. C.; Columbia, S. C.; Bentonville, N. C.
Notes.--Organized at Camp Butler, August 28, 1861, moving from there three days later to Cairo, where it was assigned to McClernand's Brigade. It was engaged in the battle of Belmont, November 7, 1861, where it sustained a loss of 9 killed, 27 wounded, and 8 missing; Major Thomas McClurken was killed in that action. In February, 1862, the regiment sailed up the Tennessee River with Grant’s Army to Fort Henry; after the reduction of that stronghold by the Navy, the regiment, under Colonel Dennis, marched to Fort Donelson, where it took part in the storming of the works. It was then in Oglesbys (1st) Brigade, McClernand’s Division, and lost 19 killed, 69 wounded, and 6 missing. The Thirteenth was present at the Siege of Corinth, after which it remained in Northern Mississippi until the opening of the Vicksburg campaign in the spring of 1863, during which time it was engaged in active service, reconnoissances, and frequent encounters with the enemy. In 1863, it served in Leggett's (2d) Brigade, Logan's Division, Seventeenth Corps. It fought under Logan at Champion's Hill, where it lost 9 killed, and 49 wounded. Reenlisting in January, 1864, it went home on the usual furlough, in March, and on its return joined Sherman's Army on June 10th, at Ackworth, Ga. While in Leggett’s (3d) Division, Seventeenth Corps, it was hotly engaged in the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, in in which it suffered a severe loss. After the fall of Atlanta, it marched with Sherman to the Sea, and thence on the campaign through the Carolinas in the spring of 1865. It was then in Ewing’s (1st) Brigade, Leggett’s (3d) Division, Seventeenth Corps” (Fox, p. 360).