21st Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Brief History
The 21st Regiment, Illinois Infantry was organized at Mattoon, Illinois, and mustered in June 28, 1861. It mustered out at San Antonio, Texas, December 16, and discharged at Camp Butler, Illinois, January 18, 1866. .

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 21st Regiment Infantry, (accessed 14 June 2012)
 * The Wikipedia article, 21st 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 Macon County - Macon County web site - Roster, vol. 2, pages 187-190.
 * Company B - many men from Coles County, Cumberland County, Jo Daviess County and McDonough County - Coles, Cumberland, Jo Daviess and McDonough county web sites - Roster, vol. 2, pages 190-192.
 * Company C - many men from Piatt County - Piatt County web site - Roster, vol. 2, pages 192-195.
 * Company D - many men from Douglas County - Douglas County web site - Roster, vol. 2, pages 195-197.
 * Company E - many men from Moultrie County - Moultrie County web site - Roster, vol. 2, pages 197-200.
 * Company F - many men from Edgar County - Edgar County web site - Roster, vol. 2, pages 200-202.
 * Company G - many men from Clay County and Marion County - Clay and Marion county web sites - Roster, vol. 2, pages 202-205.
 * Company H - many men from Clark County and Jo Daviess County - Clark and Jo Daviess county web sites - Roster, vol. 2, pages 205-208.
 * Company I - many men from Crawford County - Crawford County web site - Roster, vol. 2, pages 208-210.
 * Company K - many men from Jasper County and Richland County - Jasper and Richland county web sites - Roster, vol. 2, pages 210-213.
 * Unassigned Recruits - Roster, vol. 2, page 213.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,358 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Regimental History and Roster

 * Constitution and by-laws of the Society of the Twenty-First Illinois Vol. Infantry, with roll call of the surviving members. By United States. Army. Illinois Infantry Regiment, . Paris, Ill.: J.M. Sheets, Printer, 1878. Online at: Internet Archive

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, 21st Regiment (accessed 10 May 2011) includes rosters of all the regiments and information on the different companies in each regiment.


 * 21st Illinois Infantry Regiment, (Seventh Congressional District Regiment), Three Year Service, May 15, 1861 - December 16, 1865, has histories and company rosters. (accessed 18 August 2011).


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

BOOKS