Historical Memoranda
Of the Fifty-first Regiment Illinois Volunteers
From the Twenty-Eighth day of March 1864 to the Fifth day of August 1865

On the 28th day of March 1864 the 51st Regiment Ill. Vet. Vol. Inf. stepped on board the train at the Union Depot, Chicago, Ill and were soon on their way back to the seat of war, commanded by Col. L. P. Bradley.

It was a pleasant sight to witness the many tokens of respect manifested by the waving of handkerchiefs and the shouts that greeted us by the way.

After a very toilsome ride of two nights and one day over a very poorly conducted and unaccommodating railroad via Lafayette and Indianapolis, the Regt. reached Jeffersonville, Ind. on the morning of the 2d day. Crossing the river we remained at Taylor Barracks until 4 o’clock P.M. next day when the Regiment stepped on board the train for Nashville. On reaching Nashville the Regiment was informed that it must march through to Chattanooga, a distance of one hundred fifty-one miles.

Procuring one six-mule team as the transportation for the entire Regt. the march was commenced which proved rather pleasant than otherwise.

Here the Regiment formed a temporary Camp to await the inspection and turning over of their arms and equipments, preparatory to receiving new ones: (Springfield Rifles).

In a weeks time we were again on the march to Cleveland, Tenn., a distance of thirty-five (35) miles.

As the Regiment was encamped in a beautiful grove of young trees and the men were expecting to remain here some time, they commenced building “huts” — which were abandoned in a week.

Noon of the 3d of May found the Regiment marching as part of Sherman’s army. —The great Atlanta Campaign had commenced in earnest.

The Regiment then was a part of the Third Brigade, Second Division of the Fourth Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland, commanded respectively by Col, afterwards Brig. Genl, L. P. Bradley —Col., afterwards Brig, Genl, C. H. Harker — Brig. Genl. Newton — Major General O. O. Howard — and Genl. George A. Thomas.

Skirmishing commenced on the 5th. — On the 9th at Rocky Face Ridge, Ga., an unsuccessful charge was undertaken by the Brigade, in which two men were wounded.

The enemy fell back on the night of the 12th and on the 13th the Regiment passed through Dalton, Ga. in slow pursuit and engaged them at Resaca, Ga. On the 14th, in this engagement Captain Lester, a tried and true soldier who entered the Regiment as 1st Lieut on its original organization, was killed by a musket ball. Twenty (20) men were wounded.

The enemy evacuated his works on the night of the 16th — and Regiment was ordered to pursue immediately — Skirmishing (occurred) continually until the 19th, when the entire army halted resting there 3 days near Kingston, Georgia.

Resumed the march on the 25th. Found the enemy on the 25th, near Dallas, Ga. After eleven (11) days skirmishing, they retreated and the command rested three (3) days near Ackworth Station. The casualties near Dallas were one officer (Lieutenant Jesse Johnson) and eleven (11) men wounded.

Moved forward on the 8th of June and on the 15th, being on the skirmish line one (1) officer wounded Captain Tilton and twelve (12) men killed and wounded. On the 17th the enemy retreated to his works at Kennesaw Mountain, GA., where nothing but changes of line and light skirmishes occurred till the 27th when we participated in an assault on the enemy’s line, two (2) officers killed, Henry Hall, adjutant, a true gentleman and gallant soldier, and Lieut. A[rchibald] L. McCormick -Two officers wounded, each so severely that they have since been discharged from the service on account of same – Captain Theodore F. Brown and 1st Lieut. Thos. M. Cummings – also thirty-nine (39) enlisted men killed and wounded. The losses from the 15th to this time were eleven (11) men killed and wounded. The enemy left this line on the night of the 2nd of July – and the command marched to the Chattahoochie River without further hindrance than a show of resistance on the 4th. Marched to Roswell 18 miles up the river and crossed, returning to our position I the Corps on the 13th and again crossed the river on the 14th and rested three (3) days. Marched on the 18th in support of the skirmish line. On the 20th reinforced the 88th Illinois Infty of the 1st Brig. engaged in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek and afterwards formed line to the rear and built breastworks. Casualties five (5) men wounded. On the 23rd confronted the Enemy in their works around Atlanta where remained until the night of the 25th of August when the command started on a [illegible] which resulted in the evacuation of Atlanta on the night of the 1st of September.

In the skirmish near Jonesboro on the 1st of September lost (2) men wounded and on the 3rd near Lovejoy three (3) men wounded. Remained at Lovejoy until the 5th when the retrograde movement was commenced. Regiment on picket. Marched triumphantly into Atlanta on the 8th. Capt. A. M. Tilton commanded the regiment since June 27th till present time. Col Bradley having received his appointment of Brig. Genl. commanded the brigade since the death of Genl. Harker June 27th/64. The regiment lost three (3) officers killed, four (4) officers and one hundred and five (105) enlisted men killed and wounded. This campaign is considered by the Regt. to equal in hardship their entire experience before and since in the service of their county.

The Campaign having ended, the Regiment went into camp near Atlanta, and, believing their labor ended for some time, took much pains to make themselves comfortable by building good quarters.

September 28th found the Regiment hastily breaking up camp and loading on the cars to move back to Chattanooga, Tenn. and Bridgeport, Ala. as Hood was getting in our rear. At this time Genl Newton was relieved and Brig Genl Wagner placed in command of the 2d Division, 4 AC [Army Corps]. —Reached Bridgeport Oct 1st and again built winter quarters to be abandoned on the 18th. Here the Regt received the first pay it had seen in eight months. On the 18th Sept on the cars for Chattanooga, remaining there long enough to receive one hundred and ninety-two (192) of (200) drafted men and substitutes assigned to the Regiment and draw their arms and equipment when the Regiment marched to Alpine, GA, a distance of forty (40) miles. On leaving Chattanooga the Regt bade adieu to Chaplain Raymond who remained to await the acceptance of his resignation. He had been from the first a zealous hard working man ever alive to the interests of his flock—leaving now because, being long past the meridian of life, he felt himself unequal to the hardships of a winter campaign. —Here we remained one week, being joined by the other divisions of the corps. A march was immediately commenced for Chattanooga reaching there in two days. Took cars for Athens, Ala., there marched for Pulaski, Tenn, about 20 miles, wading Elk River, a very swift flowing stream and waist-deep, so cold that it almost froze the blood.

At Pulaski the Regiment was engaged in throwing up works and doing picket duty. On the 22d of November left Pulaski, a very cold day, and marched to Lynnville where we remained two nights and one day. On the morning of the 24th made a forced march to Columbia. It having been determined that the army was too small to hold Columbia, on the morning of the 29th the command commenced retreating to Spring Hill some ten (10) miles. The 2nd Div arrived there at 2 P.M. They were hardly there when the enemy made his appearance in considerable force, having crossed the river above Columbia and intending to flank the small army commanded by Schofield, which they will nigh succeeded in doing.

The Regiment together with the remainder of Bradley’s Brigade were formed in line at once to dispute the ground with the enemy and save an immense wagon train concentrating in the town. The loss in the Regiment was twelve (12) men wounded. Captain Geo. I. Waterman, A.A.A. Genl., was severely wounded and also General Bradley.

Colonel Joseph Conrad, 15th Mo., took command of the brigade. On the morning of the 30th at 5 o’clock, the army was moving towards Franklin passing the enemy’s lines so closely that our troops supposed them our own men. Arriving at Franklin at 11 o’clock A.M. the Regiment together with the other regiments of the 3d Brigade and also the 2nd Brigade were posted some five hundred yards in advance of the main line of works. The enemy appearing suddenly in force and this position being indefensible for so small a force, the 2nd Brigade having already fallen back to the main line in good order, we were swept back in confusion to the main line, sustaining a heavy loss.

The ground from the first position to the main line being an incline plane sloping toward the river, destitute of tree stumps, stones, fences, hillocks, or anything behind which a person could take shelter, was the cause of so severe a loss. Lieut Thomas was killed. Captain Tilton, Lieut J. J. Johnson, Lieut Charles Hills wounded, the last two (2) so severely as to be discharged for physical disability. Lieut. O. D. Butler was taken prisoner and fifty-two (52) enlisted men killed and wounded, ninety-eight (98) missing, many of whom were killed and many cannot be heard from. The regimental records still remain open and efforts still being made to ascertain what was the fate of very many of those men.

The same night the army crossed Harpeth River and commenced a gloomy, midnight march towards the entrenchments of Nashville, Tenn. All speak of this night as a night of horror. Men slept as they walked the road; others fell out exhausted and falling asleep by the roadside were picked up by the enemy. About Noon December 1st the command reached Nashville in safety.

Here the command remained quietly till the evening of the 2nd when they moved into position on the right of the Hillsboro Pike.

In this position we remained till the morning of the 15th of Dec. A more disagreeable situation could not well be imagined. A low piece of ground, muddy or frozen — camped, no shelter tents, no “bunks” — little wood and exposed to the cold blasts of December. About this time Brig. Genl. Elliott relieved Genl. Wagner of command of 2nd Division, Genl. Wood commanding 4th A. C.

On the 15th the Regiment was placed in reserve. On the 16th moved out in the front line of battle and lost one (1) man killed, five (5) wounded. It has always been a query with us how we got off so cheaply.

After a “march” of one hundred and thirty (130) miles in pursuit of the fleeing enemy over roads fast becoming impossible for wagon trains or artillery, the pursuit was abandoned and we turned toward Huntsville, Ala. expecting to go into winter quarters there.

We marched this distance of fifty (50) miles only to find our hopes blasted and learn that we were to be placed on out-post duty at Decatur, Ala. Decatur, having lately been occupied by the Enemy, was a perfect ruin. There was nothing with which to construct “huts”, and it was necessary to remain idle and miserable till the wagons came up to haul wood and logs with which to make fires and build “huts”. During two weeks it rained almost daily—cold January rain. At the end of that time we had very fair quarters. The duty was extremely heavy.

A watchful “enemy” being in front the men were compelled to stand “picket” two and sometimes three days in a week and do “fatigue” duty as often as twice a week, making five days out of seven on duty —and poorly supplied with rations.

During this period the remainder of the 4th Corps was doing little or nothing at Huntsville, Ala.

On the 31st of March we gladly crossed the Tennessee River and took cars for XXXXville, East Tennessee, distance three hundred and thirty (330) miles. Here we remained until the 15th of April when we commenced moving toward Nashville, Tenn., distance three hundred and forty (340) miles, arriving there and going into camp on the 25th. (Called “Camp Harker”.) On the morning of April 11th, Company “I”, eighty seven (87) men and three (3) officers, commanded by Captain Henry Augustine, joined the regiment. Here we remained in a most “beautiful camp” until June 15th —Regiment commanded by Capt. Boyd —Brigade by Genl Bradley —Division by Maj Genl Elliott —Corps by Maj Genl. Stanley.

During this time the sixty two (50) troops were mustered out [the 1862 recruits who had not reenlisted]. To become 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, Bvt. Brig. Genl. Joseph Conrad commanding brigade, Genl. Bradley having resigned.

On the morning of June 16th, Company “F” commanded by Lieutenant James Skidmore bade adieu to the regiment and together with the men whose term of service expired prior to October 1st, 1865 were mustered out of the service.

June 16th took the train for Jonsonville, Tenn arriving there on the morning of the 17th. Embarked on the Steamer “Clara Durning” for New Orleans.

After a very pleasant trip of seven (7) days, went into camp on the “battle ground” of 1815 where we remained until July 28th.

This camp was very unhealthy. Embarking on the Steamer “Tillie” we were soon on the Route to Texas. This vessel is very small and was too much crowded, but the weather being very fine, the voyage to Indianola was very pleasant.

On the 31st of July the Regiment was transferred from the “Tillie” to a river steamer and running up to Port Lavaca, disembarked on the same evening.

Afternoon of August 1st the Regt marched out to camp at Placidor, a distance of twelve (12) miles —no water nearer [than] the town of Lavaca.

So here the Regiment remains this 6th day of August awaiting as patiently as they can the result of this Texas movement.

Cyrus A. Anthony, 1st Lieut & Adjutant
James Boyd, Major 51st Ills Inf, Comdg

SOURCE: Descriptive Roll Fifty-First Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Illinois State Archives, (301.023).