Civil War Records 16th Infantry Illinois Volunteers, Company A

The Sixteenth Infantry Illinois Volunteers was organized and mustered into United States’ service at Quincy, Ill., under the “Ten Regiment Act,” on the 24th day of May, 1861. It was mustered in by Captain T. G. Pitcher, U.S.A.

June 12, 1861, moved to Grand River as railroad guard; after which the Regiment was scattered along the line of the road as guard. July 10, Colonel Smith’s force was attacked at Monroe Station by 1,600 mounted Rebels, but held his position until the arrival of reinforcements, when the enemy retired. On the 16th, lost two men wounded at Caldwell Station. August 20, regiment moved under General Hurlbut to Kirksville, and in pursuit of General Green, arriving at Hannywell on September 1.

September 10, ordered to St. Joseph, Mo. On 14th, together with the Third Iowa Infantry, has a skirmish at Platte City. 17th, returned to St. Joseph.

January 27th, ordered to Bird’s Point, Mo. March 3, ordered to New Madrid, where we were attached to the Army of Mississippi, Second Brigade, Colonel James D. Morgan, First Division, Brigadier General E. A. Paine.

On the evening of the 12th of March the Tenth and Sixteenth Illinois Volunteers were thrown forward and erected a line of earthworks, mounting four heavy guns, within half a mile of the enemy’s works.

March 13, the battle of New Madrid was fought, the Sixteenth supporting the siege guns.

April 7th, were landed on the opposite side of the Mississippi, with the Tenth Illinois, and followed the retreating army to Tiptonville, Tenn., where we captured 5,000 prisoners, a large amount of artillery, small arms and ammunition. April 9th, returned to New Madrid; 13th, embarked for Osceola, Ark.; 17th, embarked for Hamburg, Tenn., where we arrived 22nd. Participated in the siege of Corinth.  After the evacuation, pursued the retreating army to Booneville; June 12th, returned and camped at Big Springs.

July 20, moved to Tuscumbia; 29th, crossed the Tennessee at Florence.

September 15, arrived at Nashville, after a seventeen days’ march, with continual guerrilla fighting – loss, one killed and five wounded.

Garrisoned Edgefield, Tenn., guarding railroad bridge. November 5, garrison was attacked by Rebel General Morgan, who was repulsed, leaving many dead upon the field. Our loss, one killed and five wounded.

The regiment remained at Edgefield until the middle of July, 1863, when it broke camp and marched to Murfreesboro, where it remained one month; thence it marched to Columbia, Tennessee; thence to Athens, Huntsville and Stevenson, Alabama, camping a few days at the latter place, when it made a forced march to Bridgeport, where with the brigade, it guarded ordnance stores and pontoon bridge against a threatened attack. The battle of Chickamauga having just been fought, Bragg was threatening the rear of Rosecran’s army.

In October a march was made up the Sequatchie valley, as far as Anderson’s Gap, a distance of forty miles.

The Sixteenth had been in the First Brigade, First Division, Army of the Cumberland. At Anderson’s Gap orders were received transferring it and the entire brigade to First Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. The brigade was commanded by General Morgan, the Division by General Jeff C. Davis, and the corps by Palmer. The regiment remained in this brigade, division and corps until the close of the war. From Anderson’s Gap the regiment marched to Waldron’s Bridge, and for a few weeks guarded a line of transportation on the Tennessee River; thence it moved to Kelly’s Ferry, where it encamped until January, 1864, where it was engaged in the arduous duty of unloading from boats the rations and ammunition sent forward to the enemy which lay at Chattanooga, sixty miles above.

December 20 to 31, the regiment re-enlisted as veterans, and on New Years Day, 1864, left for Illinois on a furlough of thirty days.  Returning, marched to Rossville, Georgia, the latter part of February; went into camp with the rest of brigade and division.

Moved with Sherman’s Army on the Atlanta campaign; was in advance division at Buzzard Roost, where a sharp fight was kept up for one day in which the regiment lost 18 killed and wounded; withdrawing from Buzzard Roost with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth corps, the latter under the command of General Logan, made a night march, fighting the battle of Resaca and flanking the rebels from Dalton. From Resaca the regiment moved with the division which was sent by steamer to capture Rome, an important rebel city which was taken after a fight, in which the Sixteenth sustained no loss. From Rome the regiment moved to Lost Mountain, thence to Kenesaw Mountain, where for a time it lay under the fierce cannonade of a hundred guns on that natural fortress; was afterwards reserve line of the charging corps on June 27, when in a few minutes the army lost 3,000 men; the loss of the regiment was 10 or 15. Thence on to the Chattahootchee river, where the Sixteenth was the first to cross, driving back the heavy picket line of the enemy, losing over 20 men. It participated in the battle Peach Tree Creek, losing a number by wounds and prisoners by marching into the enemy while the regiment was making a night reconnoiter.

After the investment of Atlanta, the regiment held a position on the front and for thirty days was constantly engaged in skirmish firing. Then it withdrew from the front and swung around the city to the west. June 30th was in the thickest of the fight at Jonesboro. In the famous Atlanta campaign, the Fourteenth Army Corps at that place, in which Hardee’s force was broken, a large portion of it captured, and Atlanta won, the Sixteenth charged with fixed bayonets and empty guns. Owing to the ground over which the regiment charged its loss was less than regiments to the right and left which lost twice the number.

After the capture of Atlanta, the regiment went into camp nearly a month. While Hood was making his raid to the rear, the regiment was sent back to Chattanooga, Huntsville and as far as Athens. Hood having moved further west changed the plans of Sherman, the regiment returned to Atlanta. Here the corps was taken from the Army of the Cumberland, and, with the Twelfth Corps, became the Army of Georgia. The regiment participated in the famous march through Georgia to the sea. Being on the most advanced post at the evacuation of Savannah, it had the honor of being the representative regiment of the Fourteenth Army to take formal possession of the city. Marched north during February and March, 1865; assisted in the capture of Columbus and Fayetteville; was in fierce fight at Averysboro, where, during the afternoon of March 16, the regiment lost 15 or 20 killed and wounded, one of whom was Captain White, of Company A, who was commanding the force, and who fell, mortally wounded, while leading a charge across the field.

On the 19th, 20th and 21st of March, at the battle of Bentonville, the division of which the Sixteenth was a part, withstood for five hours, during the first day’s battle, the six times repeated onslaught of Johnson’s entire army. The Sixteenth being in the front line, while repelling a charge saw the rebels, who had been successful at another point, swing around it, and drive the supporting regiment from their works and into the swamp. Having repelled the assault in front, the Sixteenth climbed over the temporary breastworks and opened fire on what five minutes before had been its rear. After a few shots, with the assistance of the Fourteenth Michigan, charged the rebel line, capturing some 800. The second day of the battle the Sixteenth, in conjunction with the Fourteenth Michigan, through a mistake order of the colonel of the latter, made a charge into the center of the rebel forces, and for over a quarter of an hour was under as murderous a front and flank fire as ever rained on troops. In this brief space of time a third of the regiment fell, having less than 300 in line in going into the fight, Company A, with twenty-seven men, lost ten, seven of whom died on the field, or soon after. This was the last battle of the war the Sixteenth was engaged in, but it was the most terrible of them all.

After this battle the Sixteenth was marched to Goldsboro, where it encamped a month; thence to Raleigh and Durham Station, where Johnson surrendered his army to Sherman. Marched with Sherman’s Army to Richmond and Washington; participated in the grand review at the latter place May 24, 1865, after which the regiment proceeded to Louisville, Kentucky, where it was mustered out on the 8th of July, after a term of service of four years and three months, and a week later it arrived in Springfield, Illinois, where it received its final pay and discharge papers. ^[1]History from the Adjutant General’s Report.

Name and Rank	Residence	Date of Rank or Enlistment	Date of Muster	Remarks
Captains.
Virgil Y. Ralston	Macomb	Apr. 26,1861	May 24,1861	Resigned Mar, 13,1862
Benjamin F. Pinckley		Mar. 13,1862		Resigned July 11, 1862
Eben White	Bushnell	July 11, 1862	Aug. 13,1862	Died of wounds May 18,’65.
Ambrose Updegraff	“	July 3, 1865	July 4,1865	Mustered out July 8,1865.
First Lieutenants.
Benjamin F. Pinckley	Bushnell	Apr. 26,1861	May 24,1861	Promoted
H.M. Bartholomew	Macomb	Mar. 13,1862		Dismissed Sept. 7.1863
Henry Gash	“	Sept. 7,1863	Dec. 23,1863	Mustered out Dec. 28, 1964
Ambrose Updegraff	Bushnell	Apr.7,1865	May 1,1865	Promoted
John Mason	“	July 3, 1865	Not must’d.	M. 0. July 8’65, as Serg’t.
Second Lieutenants.
H. M. Bartholomew	Macomb	May 3,1861	May 24,1861	Promoted
Henry Gash	“	Mar. 13,1862	Apr. 6,1862	“
William F. Bain	“	July 3,1866	Not must’d.	M. 0. July 8,’65. as Serg’t
First Sergeant,
Henry W . Gash	Macomb	May 24,1861	May 24,1861	Promoted 2d Lieutenant..
Sergeant,
Clark E. Morse	Bushnell	May 24,1861	June 1,1861	Trans.to 60th Ill.’ Jan. 1.’64
John E. Lane	Macomb	“	“	Rec. officer since Dec 8’63
Charles L. Sanders	“	“	“	Trans. to 60th Ill.. Jan. 1’64
Harlow A. Watson	Augusta	June 1,1861		Died Aug. 25, 1862
Corporals,
Joseph M. Gaston	Macomb	May 24,1861	May 24, 1861	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Marsh B. Burr	“	“	“
William H. Bonham	“	“	“	Mustered out June 23, 1864
John V. Mason	Bushnell	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
John C. Bell	Macomb	“	“	Discharged Sept. 24,1862
William Morrison	Bushnell	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
James S. Hainline	Macomb	“	“	“
William F. Baine	“	“	“	“
Musicians.
Enoch Welker	Macomb	May 24, 1861	May 24, 1861	Re-enlisted as Veteran….
Samuel P. Danley	“	“	“	Discharged Dec. 16,1861
Privates.
Adams, Edward A	Bushnell	May24,1861	May 24,1861	Discharged June 12,1864
Allison, Joshua	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Allaire. Frank	New York	“	“	Promoted Sergeant Major
Brandon, Calvin K	Macomb	“	“	Sick. Jefferson B’k s July 11’62
Boggs, James B	Springfield	“	“	Re enlisted as Veteran
Brownell, Abram	Quincy	June 1, 1861		Discharged Nov. 27, 1861
Bell, James P	Macomb	“		Re-enlisted as Veteran
Brooks, Harrison	“	“		Discharged July 9,162
Chapman, Thomas B	“	May 2,.1961	May 24,1861	Sick at Nashville Jan. 6,’63
Clark, Bentley N	“	June 1,1861		Re-enlisted as Veteran
Doren, William M	“	May 24, 1861	May 24, 1861	Discharged Dec. 16,1861
Disler, Benjamin	Quincy	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Delaney, Patrick H	Bushnell	“	“	“
Ervin, James	“	“	“	“
Fishbourne,Thos. M	Macomb	“	“	Mustered out July 11,1864
Forrest, James M	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Franklin, William J	“	“	“	“
Fitzgerald, Michael	Quincy	“	“	“
Freeman, Bird J	Vermont	“	“
Gordon. Harrison	Macomb	“	“	Trans. to 60th Ill. Jan. 1,’64
Graham, John M	“	“	“	“
Grooms, Nathaniel C	Bushnell
Gash, George B	Macomb	May 24,1961	May 24, 1861	Discharged Feb. 3,1863
Hainline, Baxter	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Hainline, George L	“	“	“	“
Hainline, William H	“	“	“	“
Hampton, Van C	“	“	“	Trans. to 60th Ill. Jan. 1,’64
Hampton, Harrison H	“	“	“	“
Hart, Henry	“	“	“	Died June 2, 1862
Hayden, John	“	“	“
Head, William H	“	“	“	Mustered out June 23, 1864
Hendrickson. Jas. F	Bushnell	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Henderson, Edward F	Macomb			Deserted Oct 24,1861
Hicks, William	“	May 24,1861	May 24, 1961
Hook, Charles	Bushnell*	“	“	Re-enlisted at a Veteran
Hurley, Edward	“	“	“	“
Kelly, Edwin D	“	“	“	“
Kendrick, Nathaniel H	Macomb	“	“	Discharged Jan. 14,1862
King, William F	“	“	“	Discharged Aug. 12,1962
Lea, Archibald T	“	“	“	Discharged July 21, 1862
Logan, William	Bushnell	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Loucks,Wellington	“	“	“
Line, William	Macomb	“	“	Discharged June 3, 1862
Lane, Cyrus	Macomb	Nov. 1, 1861	Nov, 1, 1861	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Matteson, David W	Bushnell	May 24,1861	May 24,1861	“
Morrison, Robert	“	“	“	“
Montague, Charles	Macomb	“	“	Discharged Dec. 16,1861
McCartney, John Y	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Merrick, John L	Quincy	“	“	Tr. by promotion 1st Kas., Nov. 1, 1861
Merrick, Charles W	Industry	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
McCurdy, Martin	“	“	“	“
Mickey, Pierce F	Vermont	“	“	Died June 10, 1862
Magee, James	“	“	“	Deserted at Big Spring
				Miss. July 19, 1862
Overstreet, Wm. W	Bushnell	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Odell, Alfred C	Huntsville	June 30,1861		Discharged Dec. 2, 1861
Palmer, George E	Quincy	May 24,1861	May 24,1861	Discharged Aug. 2, 1861
Price, Miles	Macomb	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Prentice, William H	Bushnell	“	“	‘I’rans. to 60th Ill. Inf
Ralston, James H	Quincy	May 24, 1861	May 24,1861	Discharged Oct. 15, 1862
Rutherford, Robert A.	Macomb	“	“	Discharged Nov. 17, 1861

Sackett, Charles	Bushnell	“	“	Discharged July 29, 1862
Shannon, Aaron	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Slocum, George	“	“	“	“
Speake, Richard	“	“	“	Discharged July 9, 1862
Spear, James T	“	“	“	Sick at Nashville Jan. 6,’63.
Spencer, Benjamin F.	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Sperry, Oren	“	“	“	“
Stainbrook, James H.	Macomb	“	“	Discharged July 29, 1862
Strenge, George	Bushnell	“	“	“
Simmons, Fletcher C.	“	June 30, 1861
Shrader, John B	Macomb	May 24, 1861	May 24, 1861	Died Aug. 25,1 861
Taylor, Thomas B	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Taylor, Albert	Bushnell	“	“	“
Thomas, Lloyd, Jr	“	“	“	“
Thomas, Able	“	“	“	Died, Andersonville, June
				24,1864. Grave 2424
Thompson, Ellis	“	“	“	Trans. to 60th Ill. Jan. l,’64
Undegraff, Ambrose	“	“	“	Re-enlisted as Veteran
Waters, Charles	Macomb	“	“	“
Wheeler, George	“	“	“	“
Wood, Wesley W	“	“	“	Trans. to 60th Ill., Jan. l,’61
Williams, Benjamin F	“	“	“	Discharged Nov. 30, 186l
White, Eben	Bushnell	“	“	Appointed Q.M. Serg,. July
				24,1861, and prom. Capt..
Veterans
Allison, Joshua	Macomb	Dec. 23, 1863	Dee. 23, 1863	M. O. July 8 ’65. as Corp’l.
Boggs, John B	“	“	“	M. O. Absent on furlough
Bell, James P	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Bain, William F	“	“	“	Prom. Sergt. Mustered
				out; absent on furlough.
Clark, Bentley N	“	“	“	M. O. absent on furlough.
Delaney, Patrick H	“	“	“	Trans. to N. C. S. Mar. 3,’64
Disler, Benjamin F	“	“	“	Died Jan. 10, 1865
Erwin, James	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Franklin, William J	“	Dec. 30, 1863	Dec. 30, 1863	“
Fitzgerald, Michael	“	Dec. 23, 1863	Dec. 23. 1863	“
Forrest, James M	“	“	“	“
Gaston, Joseph M	“	“	“	“
Hainline, George L	“	“	“	Killed at Bentonville, N.C.
				Mar. 20, 1865
Hainline, Baxter	“	“	“	M. O. absent on furlough
Hainline, James L	“	“	“	Disch. June 30,’65: wounds
Hainline, William H	“	“	“	M. O. July 8, ’65 asCorp’l.
Hendrickson, Jas. F	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Hurley, Edward	“	“	“	“
Hook, Charles	“	“	“	“
Kelly, Edwin D	“	“	“	Killed at Jonesboro, Ga
				Sept. 1, 1864
Lane, Cyrus	“	“	“	Missing since battle of
				Bentonville. N.C.
Logan, William	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Morrison, William	“	“	“	Prom. Corp’l. Mustered
				out; absent on furlough.
Morrison, Robert	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8,1865
Mason, John V	“	“	“	“
Matteson, David W	“	“	“	Absent on furlough; M.O.
McCurdy, Martin V	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8,1865
McCartney, John Y	“	“	“	Absent on furlough M. 0.
Merrick, Charles W…	“	Dec. 30, 1863	Dec. 30, 1863	Killed at Bentonville, N.C.
				March 20,1865
Overstreet, William W	“	Dec. 23, 1863	Dec. 23, 1863	Died Mar. 22, ’65: wounds.
Price, Miles	“	“	“	Trans. to 1st U. S. Eng. Vet.
Shannon, Aaron	Macomb	Dec. 23, 1863	Dec. 23, 1863	Disch. June 2, ’65; wounds
Stainbrook, James H.	“	“	“	Mustered out July & 1865
Speake, Richard H	“	“	“	Disch. June 10,’65; wounds
Slocum, George	“	“	“	Absent on furlough; M. 0.
Sperry, Orren	“	“	“	Died May 31, 1861
Taylor, Albert	“	“	“	Mustered out July & 1865
Taylor, Thomas B	“	“	“	“
Thomas, Lloyd	“	“	“	Absent on furlough; M.O.
Updegraff, Ambrose	“	“	“	Disch. and prom. 1st Lieut.
				Co. A. Apr. 30,1865
Wheeler, George	“	“	“	Disch. June 30,’65. wounds
Waters, Charles	“	“	“	Died Apr. 24,’65. wounds
Welker, Enoch	“	“	“	Trans. to N.C.S., Dec.23,’63
Recruits.
Alfred, Martin L	Shabbona	Feb. 14, 1865	Feb.14,1865	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Crook, Samuel H	Camp Grove	Feb. 1, 1864	Feb. 1, 1864	“
Crowl, John H	Bushnell	Jan. 28, 1864	Jan. 28, 1864	Killed at Bentonville. N.C.
				March 20,1865
Campbell, John T	“	Feb. 9, 1864	Feb. 9,1864	Mustered out
Cresey, George W	Hero	Mar. 22, 1864	Mar. 22, 1864	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Clark, Richard J	Macomb	Feb. 17, 1861	Feb. 17, 1864	“
Chaffan, Joseph		Oct. 23, 1862		“
Craig, Charles W	Eastern	Nov. 10, 1864	Nov. 15, 1864	“
Crook, Reuben J	Camp Grove	Dec. 23, 1863	Dec. 23, 1863	Mustered out
Donar, Joseph	Augusta	Feb. 22, 1865	Feb. 24, 1865
Donaldson, Reuben	Shabbona	Mar. 28, 1865	Mar. 30, 1865
Donaldson, Russell	“			Mustered out July 8, l865
Dwyre, Michael W I	“	Aug. 7, 1862	Sept. 2, 1862	“
Ellis, Alvin D	Emmett	Feb. 4, 1864	Feb. 4, 1864	Mustered out
Ellis, Josiah	Shabbona	Mar. 28, 1865	Mar. 28, 1865	Mustered out July 8, 1865..
Edmonds, John W	“	“	“	M. O. absent on furlough
Ford, Lyman W	“	“	“	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Fox, Hugh	Bethel	Feb. 6, 1864	Feb. 6, 1864	“
Griffit, Edward	Ellington	Feb. 15, 1864	Feb. 15, 1864
Gilbert, Henry D	Eastern	Nov. 10, 1864	Nov. 15, 1864	Mustered out July 8, l865..
Holder, Curtiss	Augusta	Feb. 2, 1864	Feb. 2, 1864	“
Hastings, George F	Prairie City	Feb. 5, 1864	Feb. 5, 1864	Died Apr. 21, 1865; wounds.
Hamilton, George A	“	“	“	Mustered out June 8, 1865
Hoskinson, William 0	Rushville	Feb. 8, 1864	Feb. 8, 1864	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Holdter, William	Augusta	Feb. 22 1865	Feb. 24, 1865	“
Hainline, Nathan T	Emmett	Feb. 4, 1861	Feb. 4, 1864	“
Harper, Andrew G	Chicago	Oct. 24. 1864	Oct. 24, 1864	“
Kelly, William	Bushnell	Feb. 9, 1864	Feb. 9, 1864	Discharged June 10, 1865
Kendrick, James W	Macomb	Feb. 20, 1864	Feb. 20, 1864	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Keho, Miles		Aug. 1, 1862	Sept. 2, 1862	“
Leighton, George W	Penn	Feb. 1, 1864	Feb. 1, 1864
Lamb, Curtis A	Victor	Jan. 8, 1864	Feb. 8, 1864	Mustered out July 8, 1865
McDonough, John W	Bushnell	Jan. 27, 1864	Jan. 27, 1864	“
Myer, Otto	Rock Island co.	Jan. 3, 1863	Jan. 3, 1863	“
McClintock, Henry	“	Jan. 5, 1864	Jan. 5, 1864	“
Phillips Charles A	Macomb	Jan. 27, 1864	Jan. 27, 1864	Mustered out
Ragan, William M	Emmett	Feb. 4, 1864	Feb. 4, 1864	Absent on furlough; M.0
Smith, Joseph	Quincy	Jan. 18, 1864	Jan. 18, 1864
Spencer, Brainard T	Galesburg	Feb. 2,	Feb. 2,	Absent on furlough: DI. 0.
Smith, Charles W	Macomb	“	“	Mustered out July 8, 1865
Sherwood, Theodore J		Mar. 28, 1865	Mar. 28, 1865	“
Thompson, Charles	Quincy	Jan. 18, 1864	Jan. 18, 1864
Thomas, Winfield S	Bushnell	Feb. 23, 1864	Feb. 23, 1864	Mustered out July 8, 1865