HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 15th regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Freeport, Illinois, and mustered in May 24, 1861.
The 15th Regiment consolidated with 14th Infantry Regiment on July 1, 1864 to form the Veteran Battalion, 14th and 15th Regiment, Illinois Infantry. On April 28, 1865, the battalion was reorganized into a regiment again with new recruits. It mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, September 16, 1865.
The Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 81 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 135 Enlisted men by disease. Total 227.
OFFICERS:
Colonel Thomas J. Turner – Regiment resigned November 2, 1862.
Colonel George Clark Rogers
ASSIGNMENTS:
Ordered to Alton, Ill., June 1, 1861, and duty there until July 15, 1861. Moved to St. Charles, Mo., thence to Hannibal, Jefferson Barracks and Rolla, Mo., July 15-August 7. Advance toward Columbus August 29-September 8. Join Fremont's Army at Tipton, Mo., October 1. Attached to Dept. of Missouri to February, 1862. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, District West Tennessee, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of West Tennessee, and Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of Jackson. Tenn., to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 13th Army Corps, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps, to November, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps, to April, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps, to June, 1865. Dept. of Missouri to September, 1865.
SERVICE:
Fremont's advance on Springfield, Mo., October 13-November 3, 1861. Moved to Sedalia, thence to Otterville, and duty there until February, 1862. Moved to St. Louis, Mo., thence to Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 1-16. Capture of Fort Donelson February 16. Expedition to Crump's Landing and occupation of Pittsburg Landing, Tenn.. March 14-17. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. March to Memphis, Tenn., via Grand Junction, Holly Springs and Lagrange, June 1-July 21. Duty at Memphis until September 6. March to Bolivar and forced march to Hatchie River September 6-October 4. Battle of Hatchie River, or Metamora, October 5. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on the Mississippi Central R. R. from Bolivar to Coffeeville October 31, 1862, to January 10, 1863. Duty at Memphis, Tenn., until May, 1863. Ordered to Vicksburg, Miss., May 13. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 22-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Assault on Jackson July 12. Reconnaissance to Pearl River July 15. Moved to Natchez, Miss., August 15, and duty there until November 10. Expedition to Harrisonburg September 1-7. Near Harrisonburg and capture of Fort Beauregard September 4. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., November 10, and duty there until February, 1864. Meridian Campaign February 3-March 5. Champion's Hill, Baker's Creek, February 4. Movement to Cairo, Ill., thence to Clifton, Tenn., and march to Ackworth, Ga., via Huntsville and Decatur, Ala., and Rome, Ga., April 28-June 8. Atlanta Campaign June 8 to September 8. Assigned to garrison duty at Allatoona Pass, Acworth, Big Shanty and Marietta until November. Regiment consolidated with 14th Illinois Infantry July 1, 1864, as 14th and 15th Illinois Battalion Infantry. Action at Big Shanty October 3 (2 Cos.). Ackworth October 4 (3 Cos.). Morris Station October 4 (Detachment). Allatoona Pass October 5 (Detachment). March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Pocotaliga, S.C., January 14-16. Combahee River January 25. Salkehatchie Swamps February 2-5. Rivers' Bridge, Salkehatchie River, February 3. South Edisto River, Binnaker's Bridge, February 9. Orangeburg, North Edisto River, February 11-12. Columbia February 15-17. Cheraw March 3. Battle of Bentonville March 19-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24, and of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Regiment reorganized at Raleigh, N. C., April 28, 1865, from 14th and 15th Battalion Infantry. March to Washington, D. C, via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 7-10, thence to St. Louis, Mo., and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. March to Fort Kearney July 1-14, and duty on the plains until September 1. Ordered to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 2763 men.