81st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Unit History

This information concerning the 81st Illinois Volunteer Infantry is taken from regimental histories recorded on the internet. It’s a little difficult to follow in its original form, so I’ve broken it down into small bites to give an overview of the unit’s history.

The unit was organized at Anna, Ill., and mustered in on August 26, 1862. The unit was ordered to Cairo, Ill., and then to Humboldt, Tenn. on October 8, 1862.

It belonged to various military departments and Corps during its history. It first was attached to the District of Columbus, Ky., Department of the Tennessee, until November, 1862. It became part of, and remained in, the 3rd Division of the Army of the Tennessee, but was moved to the 1st Brigade, 4th Brigade and then finally to the 3rd Brigade, until March of 1864. Over the next 6 months, the unit was detached to the Department of the Gulf and participated in the Sturgis Expedition. Eventually the unit came back to the 3rd Division in December, but immediately became part of the Army of the Tennessee’s Detachment to the Department of the Cumberland where it served until February, 1865. In that month, it was moved back to the 3rd Division in the 3rd Brigade which now belonged to the 16th Army Corps, attached to the Military Division West Mississippi, to July, 1865 when the unit was deactivated and the members mustered out in August 1865.

Battles (which I will try to go into some detail in later issues) were

The unit participated in the Battles of:
Port Gibson, Miss., May 1, 1863.
Raymond May 12.
Jackson May 14.
Champion's Hill May 16, 1863
Big Black River May 17, 1863
Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4, 1863. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22 and June 25. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4, 1863
Non-Veterans (new 81st recruits) went on the Red River Campaign March 10-May 22, 1864
Battle of Pleasant Hill April 9.
Mansura May 16, 1864.
Yellow Bayou May 18, 1864
March through Arkansas and Missouri in pursuit of Sterling Price September 17-November 21, 1864
Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17-28, 1864.
Assault on Kenesaw June 27, 1864.
Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25, 1864.
Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1.
Battle of Lovejoy Station September 2-6.
Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3, 1864.
Battle of Nashville December 15-16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17-28, 1864
Campaign against Mobile, Ala. and its defences between March 21-April 12, 1865.
Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8.
Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9.
March to Montgomery April 14-25, 1865. Duty there until July. Moved to Chicago, Ill., via Meridian and Vicksburg, Miss., July 19-August 5. Mustered out August 5, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 66 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 292 Enlisted men by disease. Total 369.