ILLINOIS 7TH CAVALRY (Three Years)

Seventh Cavalry.Cols., William Pitt Kellogg, Edward Prince, John M. Graham; Lieut.-Cols., Edward Prince, William D. Blackburn, George W. Trafton, Henry C. Forbes; Majs., Cyrus Hall, Jonas Rawalt, Zenas Applington, Henry Case, Horatio C. Nelson, Antrim P. Koehler, William D. Blackburn, Henry C. Forbes, John M. Graham, Asa W. McDonald, George A. Root, Miles G. Wiley. This regiment was organized at Camp Butler and was mustered into the U.S. service Oct. 13, 1861, for three years. Col. Kellogg was absent in Nebraska during the early days of the regiment, and the drilling, instruction and discipline were mainly conducted by Lieut.-Col. Prince, until the last of October, when he and Maj. Rawalt, with Cos. A, C, I and G, were ordered to Bird's Point, where the other eight companies arrived on Dec. 25. The first real engagement of the regiment was at the battle of Iuka, and it also fought at Corinth in Oct., 1862, losing about 40 officers and men killed, wounded and missing. In November seven companies fought Richardson near Summerville and captured 70 men and 2 stands of colors. About half of the regiment marched over 900 miles during the month of December, and was engaged with the enemy nearly every day to a greater or less extent. On Dec. 26, 1863, the regiment fought the entire force of Forrest without support, coming out of course second best, and a few days later it was engaged at Moscow, Tenn. In March, 1864, 289 officers and men reenlisted and were furloughed in April. About 120 of the non-veterans were at Guntown under Sturgis, in his celebrated defeat at that place. When Forrest made his raid on Memphis, seven companies of the regiment fought gallantly against the entire force on the Hernando road, losing several men killed, wounded and missing, and with the 6th cavalry followed him to the Tallahatchie river. The loss to the regiment during the first day's fighting at Nashville was 13 killed and wounded, and during the second day it lost 26. After the surrender of the Confederate armies, the regiment remained on guard duty in the south, the greater part of the time at Decatur, Ala., until Oct. 20, when it marched to Nashville and was mustered out. It received its final pay and discharge Nov. 17, 1865, at Camp Butler.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 3

Illinois 7th Volunteer Cavalry (Union)

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