2nd Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery

Brief History
The 2nd Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery was organized at Peoria, Illinois, and mustered into State service May 23, 1861. It had duty in the District of Southeast Missouri until July, 1863. The Regiment mustered out July 28, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, Battery "A", 2nd Regiment Light Artillery, (accessed 14 June 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, Battery "A", 2nd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Light Artillery (accessed 15 June 2012).

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties 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.

Battery "B" organized at Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois June 20, 1861 and mustered out July 15, 1865.

Battery "D" organized at Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois and mustered in December 17, 1861. It mustered out November 21, 1864. Recruits transferred to Battery "K," 2nd Light Artillery.

Battery "E" organized at St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri, as Schwartz's Missouri Battery and mustered in August 20, 1861. It mustered out September 29, 1864.

Battery "F" organized at Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, and mustered in December 11, 1861. It mustered out July 27, 1865.

Battery "G"organized at Camp Butler, Sangamon County, Illinois, and mustered in December 31, 1861. It mustered out September 4, 1865.

Battery "H" organized at Camp Butler, Sangamon County, Illinois, and mustered in December 31, 1861. It mustered out July 29, 1865.

Battery "I" organized at Camp Butler, Sangamon County, Illinois, and mustered in December 31, 1861. It mustered out June 14. 1865

Battery "K" organized at Camp Butler, Sangamon County, Illinois, and mustered in December 31, 1861. It mustered out July 14, 1865.

Battery "L" organized at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and mustered in February 28, 1862. It mustered out August 9,1865.

Battery "M" organized at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and mustered in June 6, 1862. It mustered out April 11, 1864. The men transferred to Batteries "C" and "H."

Chapman's Peoria Independent Battery Light Artillery organized from 14th Illinois Infantry and attached to that Regiment until February, 1862, when designated Battery "B," 2nd Light Artillery.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 5,097 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.