120th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Brief History
The 120th Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, by consolidation of 7 Companies recruited for 120th Infantry at Vienna, Illinois, and 3 Companies recruited for the 132nd Infantry at Shawneetown, Illinois. It was mustered in October 28, 1862. They mustered out September 7, 1865. .

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 120th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 15 June 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with County of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The following counties of origin are taken from the Adjutant General's Report, found on the Illinois Civil War Rosters web site. Roster pages are from the same report found on the Internet Archives web site. The rosters show the men who served in each regiment, their residences, dates of enlistment and mustering out, and other remarks.


 * Company A - many men from Pope County - Pope County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 345.
 * Company B - many men from Johnson County - Johnson County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 347.
 * Company C - many men from Johnson County - Johnson County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 349.
 * Company D - many men from Gallatin County - Gallatin County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 351.
 * Company E - many men from Pope County - Pope County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 354.
 * Company F - many men from Saline County - Saline County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 356.
 * Company G - many men from Johnson and Williamson counties - Johnson and Williamson county web sites - Roster, vol. 6, page 358.
 * Company H - many men from Gallatin and White counties - Gallatin and White county web sites - Roster, vol. 6, page 360.
 * Company I - many men from Johnson County - Johnson County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 362.
 * Company K - many men from Johnson County - Johnson County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 364.
 * Unassigned Recruits - Roster, vol. 6, page 366.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,583 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources
WEB SITES


 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Illinois in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Illinois in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Illinois, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Illinois Civil War Rosters from the Adjutant General's Report, 120th Regiment(accessed 22 Feb. 2011) includes rosters of all the regiments and information on the different companies in each regiment.


 * Illinois State Archives - Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database (accessed 14 June 2011). Search by residence, unit, regiment, company or soldier.

BOOKS AND FILMS


 * Hewett, Janet B and United States. War Department. Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. (Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1994-2001). Part II v. 12 (Union Infantry 50th-60th). FHL US/CAN Book 973 M29u ser. 1 supp. pt. 2 v. 12. Other libraries with this book.
 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations. (Washington, District of Columbia: The National Archives, c1964). 48th-53rd Infantry FHL US/CAN Film 1488474 . Other libraries with this microfilm.