GREATEST PERCENTAGE OF LOSSES. 751 The 16th cavalry lost the remarkable number of 157 men who died in confederate prisons.* In most or all of the engagements of which lists of the killed and wounded are presented in this chapter, some one or more of the Illinois artillery companies performed gallant and efficient services, often stemming the tide of rebel charges and saving the day. The heaviest loss in killed and mortally wounded of any Illinois battery during the war was 15 each, in Wood's Battery A and Houghtaling's C. These batteries, also lost the most in particular engagements, the former at Shiloh, 4 killed and 26 wounded; the latter at Stone's River, 5 killed and 20 wounded. Bridge's Battery at Chickamauga lost 6 killed, 16 wounded, and 4 missing. Taylor's Battery B was renowned all through the South for its efficiency, and the same is true of the famous De Gress's Battery of twenty-pound Parrot-guns, captured and recaptured so bravely at Atlanta.* The three infantry regiments which sustained the greatest numerical losses in battles were the following: 5th New Hampshire, 18 officers, 277 men; the 83d Pennsylvania, 11 officers, 271 men; the 7th Wisconsin, 10 officers, 271 men. Many other regiments suffered nearly equal losses, that of the 9th Illinois, which heads the list of this State, having 5 officers who were either killed or died of wounds and 211 men; the 36th Illinois, with a loss of II officers and 193 men, not being far behind. The largest percentage of loss in killed and mortally wounded in any infantry regiment was sustained by the 2d Wisconsin, which, out of 1203 names enrolled, lost 238 or 19.7 per cent. The 57th Massachusetts sustained the next heaviest percentage of loss. The heaviest losers among Illinois regiments in killed and mortally wounded were as follows: that of the 55th, 15; the 93d, 14.9; the 36th, 14.8; the 9th, 14.4; and several others reaching to between 10 and 14 per cent. The greatest percentage of killed, wounded, and missing, the latter supposed to be killed or wounded, in any infantry regiment in any single engagement, was that of the 1st Minnesota at Gettysburg, where, out of 262 engaged, 47 were killed and 168 wounded, equal to 82 per cent. The 141st Pennsylvania lost * Tables containing the losses of all the Illinois cavalry regiments and batteries will be found in the Appendix. 75.7 per cent in the same battle; the 101st New York, 73.8 per cent at Manassas. In a list, prepared by Lt.-Col. William F. Fox, of 62 regiments, which sustained a loss in particular engagements of 50 per cent and over, were the following from Illinois: The following Illinois regiments participated in the celebrated campaign of Gen. Sherman from Atlanta to the sea:† * The greatest percentage of confederate losses sustained in particular engagements -on the same authority-were as follows: 242 38 146 76 26th North Carolina, Gettysburg, 1 120 missing, many of whom were supposed to have been killed. 6th Mississippi, 8th Tennessee, and so on. According to the very imcomplete and imperfect confederate returns 42 regiments are reported to have lost from 50 to 82 per cent in single battles. + A table showing the name of the colonel of each regiment, date of organization, strength, and date of final muster out, with name of officer then commanding and strength; and also, in order that full justice may be done, a complete list of casualties in each regiment, as prepared by Col. Fox in his "Regimental Losses," will be found in the Appendix. Artillery:-1st Regiment Company C, Capt. Joseph R. Channel. 1st Regiment Company H, Capt. Francis De Gress. 2d Regiment Company I, Capt. Judson Rich. Cavalry: 11th Regiment Company G, Capt. Stephen S. Tripp. In all, 45 regiments and 4 companies.—“Adjutant-General's Report," I, 103. The splendid record made by the volunteers from Illinois could not have been accomplished, however, but for their gallant and able leadership. Our State gave to the Nation and the world not only the illustrious Lincoln, but the great commander-in-chief, General Grant, who led her armed hosts to final victory. Eleven other of the major-generals of volunteers were credited to Illinois, namely: John Pope, John A. McClernand, Stephen A. Hurlbut, Benjamin M. Prentiss, John M. Palmer, Richard J. Oglesby, John A. Logan, John M. Schofield, Napoleon B. Buford, Wesley Merritt, Benjamin H. Grierson, and Giles A. Smith. Twenty of those who started out as commanders of regiments were promoted to brevet major-generalship; fifty-three -excluding those named above-rose to be brigadier-generals, and 120 attained the rank of brevet brigadier-generals. To award to each of these gallant leaders his just meed of praise would be impossible without prolixity; to select a chosen few for special encomium would be invidious.* The State was equally well served by the staff-officers and aides-de-camp appointed therefrom, headed by the brave and efficient Gen. John A. Rawlins. To confine the history of the part taken by Illinois in the war to a recital of the meritorious services of her brave volunteers, would be as incomplete as it would be unjust, to that portion of her citizens who, for personal, domestic, or official reasons, did not go to the war and who might be properly classified as the "stay-at-homes." It was just as essential to the success of the Union cause that trade should be carried on, manufactures continued, and that civil and quasi-military offices should be loyally filled and faithfully administered, as it was that armies should be recruited and equipped for the struggle in the field. Many of those who would have distinguished themselves in the military service and would have shared with others in the renown of their heroic achievements, wisely and nobly decided to perform their duties as public officers or private citizens ir. their several stations at home. The backbone of the Union army was the unfaltering support it received from the loyal people who helped to raise and main'tain it; who followed it with their sympathy and aid; who in * A complete list of brevet major-generals, brigadier and brevet brigadier-generals, will be found in the Appendix. THE "STAY-AT-HOMES." 755 fact furnished the sinews of war and made its glorious success possible. To counteract the adverse influences of the disloyal element, which was ever active and untiring; to uncover and defeat their secret machinations; to respond to the frequent calls of sanitary and christian commissions; and to keep brightly burning the flame of patriotism on every home altar- these were the claims and demands which were continually pressing upon the time, purse, and devotion to the Union of the "stayat-homes." As soon as news had been received of the engagement at Fort Donelson, the governor and state officers visited the battlefield, not only for the purpose of rejoicing with the brave volunteers over the first great victory of the Union arms, but also, and chiefly, to look after and care for the sick and wounded. It had been seen long before this that the facilities of the war department were inadequate to the proper care of the sick and disabled soldiers of so vast and hastily-equipped an army. To alleviate the suffering and reduce the mortality consequent upon the imperfect methods of the government, supplementary organizations, sanitary commissions, both national and state, were formed. Through the unwearying zeal of these efforts, large quantities of medical and surgical as well as other supplies were collected and distributed among the wounded and suffering, both in hospitals and camps. Devoted, self-sacrificing, courageous women volunteered their services as nurses and nobly performed their part, not only by the couch of pain in the hospital or tent, but even in the midst of a pitiless leaden hail upon the field. Following close upon the victory at Fort Donelson, came the sanguinary battle of Shiloh, with its appalling list of 7882 wounded Union soldiers, besides the multitude of confederates left helpless upon the field. The army-hospitals were overcrowded, and in pursuance of the recommendation of Governor Yates, hospitals were established at Springfield, Peoria, and Quincy. Within twenty-four hours after the guns of Shiloh had ceased to reverberate among the mountains of Tennessee, Gov. Yates had chartered a steamboat, from the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad, commanded by Col. Charles Goodrich Ham |