56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

United States     U.S. Military      Illinois      Illinois Military      Illinois in the Civil War      56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Brief History
The 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Shawneetown, Illinois, and mustered in on February 27, 1862. The regiment moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, stayed on duty there until August, mustering out on August 12, 1865.

For more information on the history of the 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, see the following:


 * Wikipedia, (accessed 23 Dec 2010) article on the 56th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.


 * The Civil War Archive. (accessed 23 Dec 2010) Brief history of the 56th 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 website. Roster pages are from the same report found on the Internet Archives website. 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 Massac County (Also known as Wisconsin Company)

Company B - many men fromWhite County (Also known as Ohio Company)

Company C - many men from Hamilton County (Also known as Indiana Company)

Company D - many men from Gallatin and White counties

New Company D - many men from Massac County

Company E - many men from Franklin, Saline and Williamson counties

Company F - many men from Gallatin, Hamilton and White counties

Company G - many men from Hamilton County

Company H - many men from Edwards and Wayne counties (Also known as Ohio Company)

Company I - many men from Franklin County

New Company I - Assorted counties

Company K - many men from Pope County

Other Sources
WEBSITES


 * Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, (accessed 30 Dec. 2010) can be searched by soldier's name or by regiment; includes regimental rosters and additional history of the regiment.


 * Illinois Civil War Rosters from the Adjutant General's Report, 56th Regiment (accessed 19 Feb. 2011) includes rosters of all the regiments and information on the different companies in each.

BOOKS &amp; 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). 54th-58th Infantry FHL US/CAN Film 1488475. Other libraries with this microfilm. View online at Internet Archives.


 * Wood, John and Illinois. Quartermaster General's Dept.; Illinois. General Assembly. Abstracts of Issues to Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, Fifty-eighth, Sixtieth, Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Regiments of Infantry. (Springfield, Ill. : Baker &amp; Phillips, Printers, c1865.) Other libraries with this book. Report of the Quartermaster General of the State of Illinois.


 * 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 and enlisted men and historical memoranda of the regiments.