73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Brief History
The 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, and mustered in August 21, 1862. It moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and did duty there until June, mustering out on June 12, 1865.

For more information on the history of the 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, see the following:

• Wikipedia, (accessed 30 Dec 2010) article on the 73rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

•The Civil War Archive. (accessed 30 Dec 2010) Brief history of the 73rd 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 Sangamon County - Sangamon County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 557-559.

Company B - many men from Tazewell County - Tazewell County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 559-561.

Company C - many men from Vermilion County - Vermilion County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 561-563.

Company D - many men from Piatt County - Piatt County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 563-564.

Company E - many men from Vermilion County - Vermilion County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 565-566.

Company F - many men from Logan County - Logan County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 566-568.

Company G - many men from Schuyler and Sangamon counties - Schuyler and Sangamon county web sites - Roster, vol. 4 pages 568-570.

Company H - many men from Pike County - Pike County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 570-571.

Company I - many men from Sangamon County - Sangamon County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 572-573.

Company K - many men from Jackson County - Jackson County web site - Roster, vol. 4 pages 573-575.

Unassigned Recurits - Roster, vol. 4 page 575.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,593 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * 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, 73rd 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.


 * Gilmore, James Roberts. Down in Tennessee, and back by way of Richmond. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993)


 * Lawler, David F, et al. A History of the Seventy-Third Regiment of Illinois Infantry Volunteers its Services and Experiences in Camp, on the March, on the Picket and Skirmish lLnes, and in Many Battles of the War, 1861-1865 ... (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993). FHL US/CAN Fiche 6084272.


 * Newlin, W. H. (William Henry). An account of the escape of six federal soldiers from prison at Danville, Va. : their travels by night through the enemy's country to the Union pickets at Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, in the winter of 1863-64. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1993), and Address, cherished memories : Illinois leadership in  (Illinois Infantry Regiment).  and A History of the Seventy-Third Regiment of Illinois Infantry Volunteers : its services and experiences in camp, on the march, on the picket and skirmish lines, and in many battles of the war, 1861-1865 ....


 * 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). 65th-75th Infantry FHL US/CAN Film 1488477. 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.