81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Brief History
The 81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Anna, Illinois, and mustered in August 26, 1862. It moved to Chicago, Illinois, via Meridian and Vicksburg, Mississippi, July 19-August 5, 1865 and mustered out August 5, 1865.

For more information on the history of the 81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, see the following:

• Wikipedia, (accessed 30 Dec 2010) article on the 81st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

• The Civil War Archive. (accessed 30 Dec 2010) Brief history of the 81st Regiment Infantry.

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 Perry County - Perry County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 73-75.

Company B - many men from Jackson County - Jackson County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 75-77.

Company C - many men from Perry County - Perry County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 77-79.

Company D - many men from Jackson County - Jackson County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 80-82.

Company E - many men from Union and Williamson counties - Union and Williamson county web sites - Roster, vol. 5, pages 82-84.

Company F - many men from Jackson County - Jackson County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 84-86.

Company G - many men from Williamson County - Williamson County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 86-88.

Company H - many men from Williamson County -Williamson County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 88-90.

Company I - many men from Pulaski County - Pulaski County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 90-93.

Company K - many men from Perry County - Perry County web site - Roster, vol. 5, pages 93-95.

Unassigned Recruits - Roster, vol. 5, pages 95-96.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,977 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources
WEBSITES


 * 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, 81st 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


 * Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois. Illinois Military Units in the Civil War. (Springfield, [Ill.]:Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois, c1962). . FHL US/CAN Book 977.3 M2im and FHL US/CAN Film 6334558. Other libraries with this book. Includes military units by county, infantry, cavalry, and artillery regiments, including independent artillery.


 * 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). 76th-82nd Infantry FHL US/CAN Film 1488478. Other libraries with this microfilm. View online at Internet Archives.


 * Vance, Joseph W and Illinois. Adjutant General's Office. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, 1861-1866. (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1957, 1980). FHL US/CAN Film 1670784. Other libraries with this book. View online at Internet Archives. Rosters of officers, enlisted men, and historical memorandum of the regiments.


 * Doctorman, Jo Ann Roberts, John Palmer Reese and United States. Army. Illinois Infantry Regiment, 81st. Company E. Letters Home a Collection of Civil War Papers and Letters.(Carterville, Illinois : Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, c1991) Includes full-name index, family group sheets for the O'daniell family and relations and muster and descriptive list of Company E. . FHL US/CAN Book977. 3 M2d. Other libraries with this book.