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The 100th Illinois
Volunteers The 100th Illinois Infantry was composed of volunteers from Will and Cook Counties. Most of its members came from Orland, Lockport and Joliet. They became part of the Army of the Cumberland and fought under Generals Rosecrans, Thomas and Sherman in action taking place in Tennessee and northern Georgia from 1862 until the end of 1864. First Encounter With The Enemy Major
General Crittenden reports that the 100th Illinois first
action came during the battle of Stone’s River on Dec. 27, 1862: “…the gallant
charge of the troops of Hascall’s brigade at La Vergne, and the
counter-charge and capture of 25 of the enemy by a company of the
new regiment (100th Illinois), when charged by the
enemy’s cavalry, are worthy of notice.”[1] Brigadier
General Of Volunteers, Milo S. Hascall, First Division further
reports: “I should have remarked that the One Hundredth Illinois Regiment, the other regiment composing my brigade, which was in reserve during the first engagement describe above, had, under instructions of Colonel Hazen, moved to the front, on the left of the railroad, where they fought splendidly in all the actions that took place on the left of the road. There was no formidable attack made on them, though they were almost constantly under fire of greater or less severity, particularly from shot and shell, and suffered quite seriously in killed and wounded. Lt. Morris Worthingham, of that regiment, was killed while gallantly sustaining his men, and 6 other commissioned officers, including Maj. Hammond, were wounded. Their operations being to the left of the railroad and in a wood, did not so immediately come under my personal observation; but their conduct, from Colonel Bartleson down, was such as leaves nothing to be desired.” [2] Later,
they underwent shelling against superior numbers at Murfreesborough,
Jan 5, 1863. Furious Fighting at Chickamauga The 100th was listed in the muster roll of the Army of the Cumberland, under the command of Major General William S. Rosecrans at the battle of Chickamauga, Ga., Sept. 19th and 20th. They were part of the 21st Army Corps under Major General Thomas L. Crittenden, First Division under Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood, First Brigade, under Colonel George P. Buell, commanded by Colonel Frederick A. Bartleson, whose lieutenant was Major Charles M. Hammond.[4] According to Colonel R.B. Snowden of the 25th Tennessee Volunteers, the 100th Illinois under Colonel Bartleson (who had but one arm) was routed and taken prisoner on Sept. 20, 1863.[3] However, this turned out to be only partially true, as indicated by the following Union reports: Colonel
George P. Buell reported to Rosecran’s Chief of Staff, Brigadier
General James A. Garfield (future president), First Brigade, First
Div., 21st Corps, that
Colonel Bartleson was wounded and presumed captured, but that
some of the 100th Illinois returned under Major Hammond. Of enlisted men, 23 were killed, 111 wounded, 22
missing, among the officers there were 6 wounded and 2 missing out
of the total of 26 officers and 313 enlisted men taken into
action. Sept. 27,
1863.[5]
Headquarters
of the One Hundredth Illinois Volunteers, Chattanooga, Sept. 26,
1863 Sir: I have the honor to report
that on the 19th of September, at about 3 pm, the regiment (Colonel
F.A. Bartleson, commanding) lay in position on the right of the
Third Brigade (Wood's division), which was protecting the ford at
Lee and Gordon's Mills.
Orders were received to move at once in the direction of
Chattanooga on the Chattanooga and La Fayette road. As a part of the First
Brigade, this regiment in the advance, it proceeded rapidly about 2
miles and formed in line of battle on the right of the road, a
battery of Davis' division, and the 26th Ohio Volunteers, on our
right and left, respectively, to support the right of Davis'
division, which was being heavily pressed and giving way. But a few moments intervened
for our front to be cleared of our own troops, when the order to
advance and charge the enemy was given and promptly complied with,
under a heavy fire of musketry, and with a loss of nearly 100 men in
killed and wounded, including Lieutenant-Colonel Waterman, who was
severely wounded in the right arm. On the order to retreat
being given, the regiment fell back and made a stand, first behind a
breastwork of rails on the left of the road, and afterward advanced
to the right of the road, driving the enemy before us, making a
stand which was maintained until relieved by troops of Sheridan's
division, when we again retired to the rear of the breastworks and
lay down on our arms for the night. On the morning of the 20th,
at about 3 o'clock, we moved to the left on a road in the rear about
1.25 miles, and at 8 am to the front and relieved a part of General
Negley's division, our left resting on Harker's brigade, and our
right supported by the 26th Ohio Volunteers, and occupied a position
behind a light breastworks.
Skirmishers were now thrown out, and as they met with slight
opposition they were quickly followed by the regiment, which charged
across an open field and through a small ravine up to a masked
battery supported by infantry, both of which opened a fire so deadly
that the main portion of the regiment fell back to its original
position behind the breastworks. A part of it, however, was
rallied, by the colonel commanding, behind a picket fence near the
ravine, checking the advance of the enemy until overpowered, when it
hastily retreated, leaving the colonel and several of the men dead
or wounded upon the field.
At this juncture, I had just returned by order of Colonel
Buell, and found the regiment in a disorganized state without their
commander. I rallied
and formed them behind the rude rail breastworks, and after
remaining in that position five or ten minutes, in the meantime, I
called for volunteers to go and recover Colonel Bartleson, whereupon
Adjutant Rouse, Lieutenant Wicks and 4 men volunteered and
went. Soon after I was
ordered by Colonel Buell to move the regiment by the left flank and
follow the 58th Indiana Volunteers, and we moved across an open
piece of ground to the top of a hill under heavy fire. I here lost sight of the
58th Indiana, but discovered a long line of the enemy swinging
around on our right, which I held in check a short time, but was
forced by superior numbers to fall back. Here portions of General
Negley's division, which was drawn up in line of battle, but
eventually fell back with them and a portion of General Reynold's
division to a point near Rossville, where I found Lt.-Colonel Young,
of the 26th Ohio Volunteers, to whom I turned over the command of
all those of the First Brigade I had succeeded in gathering up. I was then ordered into camp
by Colonel Young with my regiment, now number 98 officers and
men. Respectfully
submitted. Your most
obedient servant, C. M. Hammond, Major, Commanding
Regiment. Captain J.G. Elwood, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First
Brigade.[6] Fallen
Hero Colonel
Bartleson, according to Brigadier General George D. Wagner,
reporting on the campaign to capture Atlanta, “…lost
one arm at Shiloh, was captured at Chickamauga whilst gallantly
leading his regiment on a charge, and had returned from Libby Prison
but a few days before his death” at
Kenesaw Mountain in
1864.[7] Final
Action at Nashville The
100th saw some action, but incurred limited casualties at
Nashville, December 15-16, 1864. They saw no further action
until the end of war. Two who did not come home Two gentlemen in our family tree failed to come home. One, Orson Churchill, died in a hospital in Nashville on April 5, 1864 probably from wounds received at battles in Northern Georgia during the Atlanta campaign. The other, James Beagley was reported missing at the mustering out of the regiment on June 12, 1865. His brothers William and Thorp returned home without him. No further information is currently available. More Info An anecdotal history of the 100th Illinois may be found at the Illinois in the Civil War site. [1] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 20, Part I, pp. 448-453. [2] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 20, Part I, pp. 466-470. [3] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 30, Part II, pp. 487-492. [4] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 30, Part I, pp. 41-44. [5] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 30, Part I, pp. 652-660. [6] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 30, Part I, pp. 659-660. [7] The War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N., Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1890, Series I, Vol. 38, Part I, p. 335. | ||||
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Union soldiers camped along the Tennessee River (Library of Congress [cwp 4a39762]) Note: Grateful acknowledgement is due to the Adjutant-General of the State of Illinois for the images of the 100th's battle flags.
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