The One Hundred First Infantry Regiment Illinois Volunteers was organized in August 1862 in Jacksonville, Illinois. The regiment consisted of ten companies of young men mainly from Morgan County.¹ These men served the Union with distinction, motivated by concerns greater than the $13 monthly stipend paid to the soldiers.² The story of this regiment, like the story of the American Civil War, is one of both triumph and tragedy.

        On October 6, 1862, the Wabash railroad took the regiment to Cairo, Illinois. Many men in the regiment became gravely ill or died during their time in Cairo. Corporal Frank H. Wemple wrote from Cairo, telling much about the regiment's living conditions,
"There are quite a number of boys sick... we are surrounded on all sides by Rats abomindable big Rats I never saw the like of Rats in all my life... One night some of the boys went to killing some of them, but some one suggested that the Rats might rebel So they thought they had better compromise and they did so on the following conditions, viz; that the Rats should do as they pleased and the boys let them alone Much the same kind of compromise the Secesh would like...."³

        The next stage of the service of the One Hundred First Regiment is described in a letter from Monroe Masters, dated December 13, 1862 and postmarked at Holly Springs, Missouri,
"...We left Cairo on the 20 of Nov about sunup and landed at Columbus at ten O'clock we stopped there until seven in the eavning then we took the cars we did not know where we were was going until we stopped seven miles this side of Grand Junction we got out of the cars about noon and Camped there for the night Soon as we got our tents up we had orders to cook three days rations that eavning we had to start on the march before sunup next morning we went 14 miles the first day ..."⁴

        A letter from Charley Farmer dated December 18 posted from a camp near Holly Springs relates,
"...I was gone to old Cairo with prisoners you know that it is the fate of the one hundred firsters to guard and ship prisoners; last Sunday some eighty of our regt started with near nine hundred butternuts, we had a very fine time for a hundred miles (although rather too crowded for comfort) when we had gone that far it commenced raining and I being one of the unfortunate who was on top of the cars had to stand a drenching rain... at Columbus we took a boat and went to Cairo there we anchored for the night and us privates had to take deck fare without fire and snowing like fury but I do not mind getting wet and cold only for the time being having got so used to hardships that nothing affects my health... We heard at Columbus that Vicksburg was taken likewise that Burnside had taken and burned Fredricksburg I think if Burnside cleans out Vir that we will soon come home..."⁵

        Holly Springs was captured by Confederate forces on December 20, 1862. Companies "B", "C", "E", "F", "I", and the wounded and ill of company "H" were taken prisoner. Companies "D", "G", "H", and "K" fell back and were tempor- arily attached to the 90th Illinois- the Irish Legion. Together with the 90th, they helped repel an attack of Van Dorn's forces. Then, the remaining active troops were temporarily assigned to the 14th Illinois Volunteers and did a good deal of scouting over Tennessee until February 1863.⁶

        They were ordered to Vicksburg in early March. The individual companies were then given different assignments. Company "K" was assigned as provost guard at General Grant's headquarters. Company "G" was assigned to the Ram "US Switzerland".⁷ Charley Farmer wrote from aboard her in a letter dated June 24 1863,
"We are now laying at anchor about four miles below the courthouse at Vicksburg...to one unused to warfare it would be quite interesting at night to see the shell from our mortars flying through the air and bursting over the rebel forts ... I have no idea how soon this town will be in our hands, would not be surprised to hear of its surrender at any moment neither would be surprised if they held out for a month yet... We hear that our regt has been exchanged and have orders to report to Genl Grant..."⁸

        The 101st did reunite after June 7, 1863 following the exchange of prisoners between the Union and Confederate forces.⁹ The regiment moved to New Madrid, Mo. Then they were ordered to Columbus, Ky; Union City, Tn; Louisville, Ky; and then to Bridgeport, Al. This period of time was particularly miserable for the men. They were plagued by severe rains and a lack of tents.¹⁰

        From Bridgeport, Charley Farmer wrote on October 15, "We are some thirty miles from Chattanooga Can see from the hill of our camp Lookout Mountain a high peak where the rebel army are now fortifying"¹¹. The regiment remained in hte smae calley, participating without loss of life in the Battle of Wautachie on October 28 and 29.¹² They would remain in that valley until November 22, subjected to shelling by the Confederate forces in which the regiment lost two men; one to death, the other to injury.¹³ On November 1, C.M. Masters wrote while on picket duty near Lookout Mountain, "Our men are working day and night makeing rifle pits. We have been expecting to be attacked every night...Let them come We are ready for them We can see the rebs from hear..."¹⁴

        The regiment took part in the Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign during November 23-27.¹⁵ Charley Farmer wrote of this time in a letter dated December 22, 1863, "During the last month, we have been soldiers in every sense of the word... we have marched three hundred miles and have had to undergo hardships and fatigue never before so great...we have participated in causing the demoralizing to a wonderful extent of the combined forces of Gens Bragg and Longstreet... Not a reb is now to be found where four weeks ago I conversed with them on picket, we had not had a change of close or our knapsacks since 22ond of last month. I expect if our mothers had seen us we would have caused tears to flow thick and fast; I was barefoot and both dirty and ragged..."¹⁶

        After a very short rest, the regiment was put to work building roads. On January 1, 1864, they were ordered to Kelly's ferry for the relief of the 16th Illinois. C.M. Masters related this time in his letter of January 8, 1864 from Kellys ford, Tennessee,
"We have been so busy since we came back from the march we had to work on the road that run from hear to where we was camped near Lookout Mountain on Christmas week but soon as we got the road done and our quarters built we was ordered hear to take 16 Ill. place that were doing duty hear they haveing most all joined the vetren service..."¹⁷

        Following the completion of the railroad to Chattanooga, the regiment was ordered into camp at Bridgeport and there they remained until May 2. From there, they were ordered to the front. On May 20, 1864, Charley Farmer wrote,
"...soldiering has been spread on our dish pretty thick, we left Bridgeport on the 2ond marched through to Dalton Ga... our division was shifted from one position to another according to the weekness of our lines but our services were never needed until the 14th inst towards evening of that day we were moved from the centre of our lines to the extreme left where the rebs were thought to be massing... we were formed into a battle line-- our briggade and ordered to charge the hills upon which the rebs were formed and we were formed none to soon for by the time we has got up with one battery the rebs were not more than 4 rods dist. and they would have taken it, as soon as we saw them we set up a yell which nearly drowneded the roar of cannon and our regt made so much more noise than the rest that it gave us the title of the wild regt..."¹⁸

        The action which Charley Farmer described won the admiration of General Joe Hooker who cheered them on with the call, "Go in, my Illinois boys!"¹⁹

        After this, the regiment participated in nearly continuous battles as they fought their way through Georgia, coming to participate in the siege of Atlanta. On August 28, 1864, Charley Farmer wrote,
"Last night, there was a great fire in Atlanta, I cannot say whether or not it was caused by our shells... I tell you we have seen some bloody scenes...ours is the color Co..."²⁰
On September 15, 1864, Charley Farmer again wrote, after acquiring a fresh supply of paper,
"Atlanta did fall as I knew it must and the 101st was the first regt to carry the emblem of the loyal brave and true through the city... this campaign will form an interesting item in our countrys history."²¹

        After the Atlanta campaign, the 101st was part of the occupying force in Atlanta until November 15, 1864, with the exception of the service in the expedition to Tuckum's Cross Roads on October 26-29.²² Then the regiment was with Sherman during his March to the Sea until December 10. From the 10th until the 21st of December, they participated in the Siege of Savannah. Of this period, Charley Farmer wrote from near Savannah on December 21, 1864,
"The 2ond Div of our corps have just this morning entered Savannah...you without doubt know that Sherman and his army have since the 15th of last month effected the greatest and most successful raid of the war... our army tore up 200 miles of track burned all the bridges and ruined the iron railing; the four corps of the army came through on separate roads and thus were scattered over a tract of country varying from fifty to seventy miles and as we subsisted wholly off from the country what was left will do the rebs but little good..."²³

        From January 1865 until April, they took part in the Campaign for the Carolinas. On March 28, 1865, Charley Farmer wrote this description of that time, in a letter posted from near Goldsborough S.C.,
"...we made a feint at Augusta and drew the enemy to that place and then started straight through central S.C. ... Genl Sherman's Congratulatory order to his army read to us since we reached this place stated that we had come over five hundred miles... I guess that we will tarry here no longer than is necessary for clothing the army..."²⁴

        Then the regiment marched to Alexandria, Virginia. On May 24, 1865, the 101st Infantry Illinois Volunteers participated in the grand review in Washington, D.C.. Charley wrote from a camp near D.C. on May 27, "the reception that our army was greeting with here in the capital Oh! 'twas grand and no mistake and I believe Gen'l Sherman and his army will ever hear that day in memory. "²⁵

        The One Hundred First Infantry Illinois Volunteers did their duty to the Union. In doing this duty, they suffered great personal hardships and the loss of many of their number. Of the eight hundred and forty three men who constituted the regiment, sixteen died in battle, one hundred twenty four died from wounds or illness, one hundred ninety three were discharged from service because of disability, thirty two resigned, thirty seven were transfered to other units, sixty deserted, and three hundred eighty one were mustered out on June 7, 1865.²⁶ The regiment was present at some of the greatest victories for the Union. Yet, in arriving there, they were responsible for great devastation of life and property. Their story, like the story of their war, is one filled with moments of great triumph and terrible tragedy.

"Matters at the Fair Grounds," Jacksonville Journal, August 28, 1862:2
An article about the formation of the 101st.

"Morgan County Regiment", The Weekly Jacksonville Sentinel, August 22, 1862:2
Article announcing the formation of the 101st regiment.

"Old Morgan in the field", The Weekly Jacksonville Sentinel, August 8, 1862:2
Article about the services of Morgan Country Regiments in the war.

"Recruits sought," The Weekly Jacksonville Sentinel, August 8, 1862:2
Explanation of the pay rates and bonuses for soldiers.

Reece, J.N., Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, Vol. V, containing the years 1861-1866 Springfield, Illinois: Philips Brothers, 1901.
The official record of the 101st, from organization to disbanding.

"Volunteers received," Jacksonville Journal, August 28, 1862:2
Adjutant general announced receipt of volunteers.

Wemple, William, Civil War Letters 1861-1865. Letters to Holland Wemple and his brother, Edward, of Waverly, Illinois from volunteer soldier friends serving with the 101st Illinois volunteers and other units in the war. Typed copy from the original letters, Scarsdale, NY, 1982.
A good insight into the minds and hearts of some of the members of the 101st.

Dyer, Fredrick H.,A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Vol. III, Regimental Histories. 1908. "101st Regiment Infantry", article digitized in its entirety and found in website http://www.outfitters.com/illinois/ history/civil/cw-101-dyer.html.
An outline history of the 101st which placed battles into their campaigns.

Morrison, R.C., "The One Hundred First Illinois", Jacksonville Daily Journal, May 30, 1910:8.
A Memorial Day retrospective on the service of the 101st.

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