ILLINOIS THIRTY-SECOND INFANTRY (Three Years)

The Thirty-second Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, and was mustered into service of the United States December 31,1861. The command was recruited under the "Ten Regiment Call," and by special authority from the War Department comprised ten companies of infantry, one of cavalry, and a battery of artillery. Previous to taking the field the latter detachments were assigned to regiments of their distinctive arms of the service, Rogers' Battery as Company K, 2d Illinois Regiment of Artillery. January 20,1862, arrived at Cairo and drew arms, smoothbore muskets altered from flint-lock. February 2, relieved Eighth Illinois at Bird's Point, Mo. February 8, ordered up Tennessee River, and on the 9th reached Fort Henry, Colonel Logan being assigned to command of post. Company A, Captain Davidson, escorted the battery to Fort Donelson and participated in the action, with slight casualties. February 15, the same company was detached as sharpshooters on gunboat, proceeding up Tennessee River to Eastport, burning a railroad bridge, and capturing a vessel in course of equipment as a rebel gunboat. Later in the month Companies C and K, Captains Phillips and Rider, were embarked on the wooden gunboats "Tyler," and "Lexington," and on March 1, encountered a rebel battery at Pittsburg Landing. After a sharp action the rebel battery as silenced, and portions of both companies made a landing and were fiercely attacked by infantry end cavalry, and obliged to return to the boats, having lost one killed and several wounded, among the latter Captain Phillips. The gunboats lay in the stream for some days shelling the position and preventing fortification until the arrival of a portion of General Grant's army. March 15, the Regiment debarked at Pittsburg Landing and was assigned to the First Brigade, Fourth Division (Hurlbut) Army of the Tennessee. April 6, at 8:30 A. M. the Regiment went into action in the battle of Shills, and successfully withstood three severe charges with slight loss. The Regiment was then shifted to the extreme left of Hurlbut's Division, the flank of which was hard pressed by Breckinridge. Upon this position the enemy made repeated and most desperate assaults, and here fell General Albert Sidney Johnson , the rebel commander in-chief. The Regiment held its position until about 3 o'clock, most of the time at short pistol range; when having exhausted all its ammunition, down to the cartridges in the boxes of the dead and wounded, it retired with fixed bayonets under a terrible enfolding and reverse fire upon its left flank, which was wholly unsupported. In this action the Regiment lost 44 killed and 212 wounded and prisoners, more than fifty percent of the force which went into action. Here Colonel Logan was wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Ross was killed. The Regiment fell back in confusion, but reformed in the line of battle that evening, and advanced with its division the next morning. The Regiment was engaged in the siege of Corinth, and was so reduced by the casualties of battle and sickness, incident to exposure and severe labor, that it numbered less than 300 effective. After the occupation of Corinth, it was engaged against Price and Van Dorn at LaGrange and Grand Junction, Tenn., making many wearisome marches and participating in several skirmishes. October 5, 1862, as a part of the Fourth Division (Hurlbut) Army of the Tennessee, the Regiment marched from Bolivar and at Hatchie River, or "Matamora," engaged Price and Van Dorn after their repulse at Corinth. Here the Regiment made a gallant charge across the bridge, under a severe artillery fire, losing 7 killed and 29 wounded. The enemy lost several hundred in action, 800 prisoners and their artillery. October 8, returned to camp at Bolivar November 3, moved to LaGrange. November 8, made a rapid march to Lamar, Miss., dispersing a body of rebels and capturing 1 prisoners. November 28, marched southward as a part of the left wing (McPherson) of the Army of the Tennessee, in General Grant's attempt to reach the rear of Vicksburg. December 13, reached Yocona Creek, from which point the army turned back in consequence of the surrender of their supply depot at Holly Springs. During the retrograde march the troops suffered great hardships on account of heavy roads, rain, and want of food, being obliged to subsist entirely upon an impoverished country. The Regiment reached the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, January 11,1863, and until March 11, was distributed along that road, doing arduous picket and scout duty. On the latter date it became a part of the garrison at Memphis, remaining there until May 11, when it moved to Young's Point, La., and on the 16th to Grand Gulf, Miss. Here the Regiment made frequent incursions into the country, liberating large numbers of slaves, many of whom were organized as colored troops by Colonel Logan, Post Commander. June 12, the Regiment rejoined its Division (Lauman) in front of Vicksburg; and took its full share in sedge operations. June 27, marched to Warrenton, on the extreme left of the line of investment. July 4, on surrender of Vicksburg, marched to Jackson, Miss., and participated in the operations against General Johnston, returning afterwards to Vicksburg. August 15, moved to Natchez, Miss., as a part of Gresham's Brigade, Crocker's Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps. September 1, operated against Harrisonburg, La., where a large rebel force was dispersed and nine pieces of artillery captured, after which the command returned to Natchez. November 24, removed to Vicksburg. December 4, the Thirty-second Illinois and Twelfth Wisconsin Regiments, with 500 cavalry, embarked for Natchez, from which place it made a fatiguing march and skirmished with the enemy. December 21 and 22, skirmished near Fayette, afterwards returning to Natchez. January 23,1864, moved to Hebron's Plantation in the rear of Vicksburg, where the Regiment re-enlisted as Veteran Volunteers, and on February 4 began the Meridian expedition. March 16, embarked for Illinois on 30 days' veteran furlough. April 28, re-assembled at Camp Butler, and moved to Bird's Point, Mo. With remainder of Division, under General Crocker, left Bird's Point May 8, by boat, and arrived at Clifton, Tenn., on the 15th. On the 17th marched via Huntsville and Decatur, Ala., and Rome, Ga., and joined General Sherman's army at Ackworth, Ga., June 11. This was a forced march, and the column was greatly annoyed by Roddy's rebel cavalry. June 12, went under fire before Kenesaw Mountain occupying the extreme left. July 2, shifted to extreme right, and after three days, constant skirmishing assaulted the enemy's works near Nickajack Creek, the Thirty-second planting the first colors on the works. The Regiment was under fire daily until July 18, when it was transferred to the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, and ordered to Marietta to guard the supply depot. Colonel Logan commanded the Brigade and Lieutenant -Colonel English the Regiment. September 8, Lieutenant Alex. Campbell, with a foraging party of 50 men, was sharply attacked, and all but 9 captured. October 1, Regiment was posted near Big Shanty, and the later tank one mile south. On the 3d, Jackson's rebel cavalry attacked the force at the former place, capturing twelve men. This was the first assault of the enemy upon General Sherman's communications, and two days afterwards the battle of Allatoona was fought. During November, 1864, the men whose term of service had expired were discharged and sent home. Colonel Logan and Lieutenant Colonel English were ordered to Louisville on courtmartial duty, and the command devolved upon Major Davidson. On the 13th, the Regiment fired their stockade and quarters at Big Shanty, and began the "March to the Sea," having been transferred to the Third Brigade (Belknap) Fourth Division (Giles A. Smith) Blair's Seventeenth Army Corps. Reached Monticello the 20th, and the Oconee River the 26th, where a sharp skirmish took place, with considerable artillery firing. November 30, reached Ogeechee River. Distance traveled from Big Shanty, 300 miles. December 1, crossed Ogeechee River and destroyed railroad. 10th, encountered enemy five miles from Savannah, and drove him two miles. Here endured a severe fire from the heavy guns of the city defenses, by which Captain Lawson and four men were wounded. Shifted to the right and skirmished in face of severe artillery fire. December 16, moved to King's Bridge on Ogeechee River, and on the 18th received supplies from the fleet, having been on scant rations, and some days without food, since the 8th. At 2 p. m., on the 19th, moved toward a rebel fort in front, and fortified within 300 yards under heavy fire. Ordered to assault on the 21st, when it was discovered that the enemy had evacuated. Entered Savannah at 11 a.m., having marched 160 miles during the month. Reviewed by General Sherman on the 29th. Major Davidson resigned and command devolved upon Captain Rider. January 5, 1865, embarked at Thunderbolt Inlet on U. S. gunboat "Winona" and disembarked at Beaufort, S. C., the 7th. February 1, began march into South Carolina. On the 3d, forced the Salkehatchie, wading the stream and backwaters, two miles wide, in ice cold water, varying from two to five feet in depth, engaging in a sharp skirmish on reaching solid ground. 12th, reached the North Edisto River, and forced a passage as at the Salkehatchie, under a severe artillery fire, making a way for the direct column to enter Orangeburg. 16th, reached the Congaree River, and experienced slight loss by rebel sharpshooters in the outskirts of Columbia on the opposite bank. 17th, a company of the Thirteenth Iowa and Company C, Thirtysecond Ill., crossed the river in scows. The flag of the former was displayed from the state house and that of the Thirtysecond from the town hall by Adjutant Hedley. A pair of rebel colors were brought away by the latter command. March 3, arrived at Cheraw; 13th at Fayettsville, N. C., where a portion of the Regiment skirmished with the enemy. Was engaged at Bentonvilie on the 21st, five companies in skirmish line losing severely. Captain Dunn, who led the skirmishers, was warmly complimented by General Belknap for gallantry in this affair. March 22, reached Goldsboro, where Lieutenaut Colonel English assumed command. April 13, reached Releigh and remained in the vicinity until Johnson's surrender. 28th, transferred to Second Brigade, Brigadier General Stalbrand. 29th, marched north via Petersburg, Richmond and Alexandria to Washington, and participated in the grand review May 24. June 6, moved westward by rail to Parkersburg, Va., thence by boat to Louisville, Ky. June 20, the Brigade, consisting: of the Fourteenth, Fifteenth and Thirtysecond Illinois Regiments, was transferred to the Department of the Missouri and moved by boat to St. Louis. Here orders were received dispatching the command to the far west via Fort Leavenworth. After equipping, marched from the latter place the 22d, and arrived August 13 at Ft. Kearney, Neb., where telegraphic orders for muster out were received. Reached Fort Leaven worth September 2, and mustered out September 16, and paid off at Camp Butler. Source: Illinois Adjutant-General's Report, vol. 2, p. 609 Shiloh after battle report: Report of Col. John Logan, Thirty-second Illinois Infantry. HDQRS. THIRTY-SECOND REGT. ILLINOIS VOLS. Pittsburg Landing, April 12, 1862 SIR: I have the honor to make the following report: On the 6th instant, at 8 o'clock a.m., I formed my regiment on the color line of my encampment, and by your order filed in and formed on the left of the Third Iowa, and marched to the first open field on the right of the road. A line of battle was formed, one-half of my command in the field, the other half in the woods, thus marching in line of battle through a skirt of woods to another open field, through which we passed to within 100 yards of the timber. Here our column was halted, and I ordered my men to lie down, and to be sure not to fire till they were commanded, there being no enemy in sight, except some that were filing off to our left . At this time firing commenced on the left of our brigade, all my command following suit except Company B, which was on the extreme left of my regiment. This company fired in a very short time afterwards. I went up to the left and inquired by whose authority the regiment fired. They told me that they fired because the Twenty-eighth did. Capt. Pierce, of Company B, told me he fired after the others had fired by order of one of Gen. Hurlbut's aides. I again cautioned them not to fire without command. At this time the horse of Maj. Hunter was frightened and became unmanageable. The major was thrown, and had to be taken off the field. Here we were ordered by Gen. Hurlbut in person to fall back to the peach orchard, which was done in good order. We were then ordered to fall farther back, and take a position in the edge of the woods behind the fence, which was also done in good order, with a battery on our right and another on our left. I had been notified, however, prior to this time, that you had been disabled and compelled to leave the field; that Col. Pugh was in command of the brigade. At this place I went to the colonel and inquired what arrangements there were to supply us with cartridges. His reply was, none that he knew of. He asked me if I was not supplied. I told him, yes; that we had 40 rounds to the man, but that my boys expected to use more than that if the battle continued. Col. Pugh said that was enough. In this position we remained an hour or more. I frequently cautioned the men to lie flat on the ground, they being in range of the enemy's battery and trying to shell us out. I passed up and down the lines frequently, encouraging the men and telling them not to fire until they had the order, and then not unless they had good sight on a rebel. At length the enemy advanced in the open field and the order to fire was given. The boys gave them such a dose of blue pills that they sickened at the stomach, and changed their course toward the left of our brigade and warmly engaged the Forty-first. At this time Gen. Hurlbut came up and ordered me to take my command and march by the left flank to support the Forty-first: that I would be led by a guide to the proper position. We started immediately following the guide. I marched in advance of my regiment, with the guide, to the place pointed out as our line of battle. By some means, in our march down, the three left companies had outmarched the others and got into position before the others arrived. I sent Lieut. Rider, of Company K, to tell Lieut.-Col. Ross to bring forward the remainder of the regiment to its place in line, which was done in good order, and we engaged the enemy in real good earnest, every officer and man, with one or two exceptions, doing their whole duty. Here we continued between on and two hours, the enemy pouring a most galling shower of balls the whole time. There being no support on the left whatever, the enemy attempted to turn our left flank. Being informed of this fact, I directed Company B to direct its fire obliquely to the left, which for the time being drove them back. At this time the regiment in front of ours and to our right gave way and ran, many of them through our lines. This I feared would cause my men to break, but it had no such effect; they closed up and continued the deadly strife. In a few minutes I was notified we were getting out of cartridges. I rode along the line, and the report was, "We are out of cartridges." I then ordered my command to fix bayonets, being determined to fight them in every way possible. Here, seeing we were neither supported right nor left, and to charge the enemy up the steep hill would be to rush my command into certain destruction, I therefore, as the only means left us to prevent our falling into the enemy's hands, gave the order to fall back over the hill, and, well knowing that my place at such a time was in the rear of the last man, I remained until all had left and then followed them, the enemy's line being within 40 feet of me. I was soon wounded in the left shoulder; saw the adjutant, and directed him to inform Lieut.-Col. Ross that he must take command of the regiment. The lieutenant-colonel had fallen, mortally wounded, a minute before, but I knew it not. My loss in officers was so great that it was difficult to rally and form the regiment. I am aware that I subject myself to the criticism of military men by changing my position without an order from my superior officer, knowing it to be the duty of every officer to remain with his command where he is put until he is ordered from there by the proper officer-believing as I did, for good reasons, that our situation had been overlooked or our brigade commander had fallen, having received no orders during the whole contest. There are many individual cases of merit that I would be glad to mention, but they being so numerous I cannot do it only at the expense of being too tedious. There is one case, however, so peculiar in itself that I will be pardoned for giving it Charles Rogers, a corporal in Company C, a member of the color guard, was severely wounded, the ball striking in above the shoulder, passing deep through the back of the neck, coming out at the point of the opposite shoulder, fell on the field, and was taken prisoner, was placed under guard of a single sentinel, and when the enemy had to retreat he seized the sentinel's gun, wrested it form him, made him a prisoner, and marched him into camp. This closes the matter of the first day's engagement. I learned from my company officers after the battle that they collected what men they could, and fought both Sunday evening and Monday with other regiments. Below you have a list of the killed, wounded, and missing.* Col., my apology for the lateness of this report is my wound. Your obedient servant, JOHN LOGAN, Col. Thirty-second Regt. Illinois Volunteers. Col. N. G. WILLIAMS, Comdg. First Brigade, Fourth Division, U. S. Forces. ----------Report of Capt. Alfred C. Campbell, Thirty-second Illinois Infantry. PITTSBURG LANDING, April 12, 1862. DEAR SIR: Inclosed please find list of killed, wounded, and missing.* I will avail myself of this opportunity to give you a correct statement of things that happened on the battle-field after our order to the left (as to what happened before there is no dispute). I was ordered there by our colonel, who led the way in person to the hollow, where we had the severest part of the action, in which I participated. We fought there until ordered to leave by the colonel in person; then I moved off with my company in as good order as the nature of the case would admit, and can say that a large part of the regiment could have been rallied anywhere, from 200 yards of our position to our quarters, (where all assembled), if we had had only one field officer to have directed the movement. I will also state that my men had shot away all their ammunition and in several instances had robbed the boxes of the dead and wounded. Had we not have been compelled by the enemy to fall back, we could not have held our position longer for want of ammunition. After my arrival in camp I beat towards the river with all my company, all that was not detached to take care of the wounded. When we arrived at the guard I was pleased, for that was the first thing I had seen that looked like a place to stop; here I stopped with my squall, and with others formed and joined other fragments of regiments and marched to the right, where we lay on our arms all night; the next morning I picked up until I had 16 men and my first lieutenant, and with Capt. Davidson (our senior captain) reported to you for duty; as to what occurred after this, you know as well as I do. I have only to add that I went into the action with 54 men and 3 officers; lost, in killed, wounded, and missing 1 lieutenant and 30 men, leaving only 24 to fight and take care of the wounded. And let me be whatever you please to call me, I will say that a braver or better behaved company of men never lived on this continent. You may stigmatize me as a coward, but please make an exception of the brave men under my command. I am getting old and my fighting time is almost done, consequently it makes but little difference about me. I have a son and neighbor in this section action that their parent never expected to be disgraced under my command. I also wear a sword presented to me by an aged soldier father, who is still living to look over the history of the Thirty-second Regt. Illinois Volunteers. What I say of my conduct I suppose to be true of other commanders of companies. I ask of you the favor to appoint a committee, and with Col.'s Pugh and Johnson to examine the battle-field, and obtain such evidence of our conduct as may be had before you make report that will forever ruin us. I fear there is a mistake somewhere, and that you have not been thoroughly informed. It is possible that some one wants an exude for retiring, and would like to lay it on somebody. From some things you said I am led to believe that Col. Johnson has had something to do with this thing. We are ready to compare notes at any time. He is the man that caused us to be placed so far to the left that there was no support left us; there was no support right or left in reach, and Johnson withdrew his troops as soon as he was posted, and the men in front of us broke and retreated through our lines, and still there was nothing like retreating without orders. And now allow me to say, to take everything into consideration, I believe the Thirty-second behaved as well or better than any other regiment on the field that I have heard of. I have only to add that I expect never to behave better in action while I live, and never expect a better set of companies; consequently you need not expect any better work of the Thirty-second than they have done. Yours, with much respect, &c., A. C. CAMPBELL, Capt., Comdg. Company E, Thirty-second Regt. Illinois Vols. Gen. HURLBUT.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 10. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 10

Illinois 32nd Infantry (Union)

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