Illinois 12th Infantry Regiment

HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 12th Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Cairo, Illinois August 1, 1861. It was also known as "The First Scotch Regiment." It fought in all the major battles in the west, participated in the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, the trek across South Carolina and ended the war in North Carolina. It mustered out July 10, 1865, and was discharged at Camp Butler, Illinois July 18, 1865.

The regiment suffered 5 officers and 143 enlisted men killed in action or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 109 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 260 fatalities. OFFICERS:

Colonel John McArthur – promoted to brigadier general on May 1, 1862.

Colonel Augustus L. Chetlain – promoted to brigadier general on December 19, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Van Sellars – mustered out with the regiment.

ASSIGNMENTS:
Attached to District of Cairo, Ill., to October, 1861. 3rd Brigade, District of Cairo, to February, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, District of Cairo, February, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, District of West Tennessee, and Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, District of Corinth, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, District of Corinth, to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, District of Corinth, 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, District of Corinth, 17th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, District of Corinth, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to September, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, to April, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps, to July, 1865. SERVICE:
At Cairo, Ill., until September, 1861. Expedition to Belmont and Charleston September 2. Expedition to Paducah, Ky., September 5-6. Occupation of Paducah September 6, and duty there until February, 1862. (4 Cos. at Smithland, Ky., until January 25, 1862.) Demonstration on Columbus, Ky., November 8-9, 1861. Reconnaissance from Paducah to Fort Henry, Tenn., January 15-25, 1862. Demonstration on Columbus, Ky., January 25-28. Operations against Fort Henry, Tenn., February 5-6. Capture of Fort Henry February 6. Investment and capture of Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 12-16. Expedition to Clarksville and Nashville, Tenn., February 19-21. Moved to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 1. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 6. Duty at Corinth, Miss., until September. March to Iuka September 16-18, thence to Burnsville September 19, and to Corinth October 2. Battle of Corinth October 3-4. Pursuit to Ripley October 5-12. Duty at Corinth until June, 1863. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November and December, 1862. Dodge's Expedition to Northern Alabama April 15-May 8, 1863. Rock Cut, near Tuscumbia, April 22. Tuscumbia April 23. Town Creek April 28. Moved to Pocahontas June 6, and duty there until October 29. March to Pulaski, Tenn., October 29-November 12. Moved to Richland Station November 25, and duty guarding Nashville & Decatur R. R. until January, 1864. Regiment Veteranize January 16, 1864. Veterans on furlough until March. Moved to Pulaski, Tenn. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Demonstration on Resaca May 5-13. Near Resaca, Sugar Valley, May 9. Near Resaca May 13. Battle of Resaca May 14. Ley's Ferry, Oostenaula River, May 14-15. Rome Cross Roads May 16. (4 Cos. detached at Rome until June 24.) 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 Kennesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Assault on Kennesaw Mountain June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Ruff's Mills July 3-4. Chattahoochie River July 6-17. Decatur July 18-19. Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Moved to Rome September 26, and duty there until November 11. Moved to Allatoona October 4. Battle of Allatoona October 5. Reconnaissance on Cave Springs Road and skirmishes October 12-13. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Ogeechee Canal December 9. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Salkehatchie Swamp, S.C., February 2-5. South Edisto River February 9. North Edisto River February 11-12. Columbia February 15-17. Camden February 24. Little Cohora Creek, N. C., March 16. Battle of Bentonville March 20-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh, N. C., April 9-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 3-6. Mustered out July 10, 1865, and discharged at Camp Butler, Ill., July 18, 1865. ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 2309 men.

Company A - Cook County

Company B - LaSalle County

Company C - Vermilion County

Company D - Rock Island County

Company E - Edgar County and Cook County

Company F - Jo Daviess County

Company G - Perry County

Company H - Bureau County

Company I - Bureau County and Cook County

Company K - Cook County

BIBLIOGRAPHY:


REFERENCES:

REF: Wikipedia
Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion