123rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Brief History
The 123rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Mattoon, Illinois, and mustered in September 6, 1862. They moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee., May 23; thence to Nashville and duty there until June 27. It mustered out June 27 and discharged at Springfield, Illinois, July 11, 1865. .

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 123rd Regiment Infantry, (accessed 15 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 123rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (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 Coles County - Coles County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 396.
 * Company B - many men from Cumberland County - Cumberland County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 398.<
 * Company C - many men from Coles County - Coles County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 400.
 * Company D - many men from Coles County - Coles County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 402.
 * Company E - many men from Clark and Putnam counties - Clark and Putnam county web sites - Roster, vol. 6, page 404.
 * Company F - many men from Clark County - Clark County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 406.
 * Company G - many men from Clark County - Clark County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 408.
 * Company H - many men from Coles County - Coles County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 410.
 * Company I - many men from Coles and Fulton counties - Coles and Fulton county web sites - Roster, vol. 6, page 411.
 * Company K - many men from Coles County - Coles County web site - Roster, vol. 6, page 413.
 * Unassigned Recruits - Roster, vol. 6, page 415.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,596 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, 123rd 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). FS Library US/CAN Book 973 M29u ser. 1 supp. pt. 2 v. 12. Other libraries with this book.


 * Morgan, Nicholas G. (Nicholas Groesbeck). Civil War route map : 123d Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers. (Salt Lake City, Utah : N.G. Morgan, [19--?]),.


 * 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 FS Library US/CAN Film 1488474. Other libraries with this microfilm.