74th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

Date: 4 Sep 1862 to 10 Jun 1865
Location: Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Surnames/tags: US_civil_War Illinois

Contents 1 74th Regiment, Illinois Infantry 1.1 Officers 1.1.1 Colonels 1.1.2 Majors 1.1.3 Adjutants 1.1.4 Quartermasters 1.1.5 Surgeons 1.1.6 Chaplains 1.1.7 Sergeant Majors 1.1.8 Musicians 1.2 Companies 1.3 Battles 1.4 Roll of Honor 1.4.1 Killed in Action or Died of Wounds 1.4.2 Died of Disease 1.5 Resources

74th Regiment, Illinois Infantry

The 74th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Most of the companies were made up of men from Winnebago County.

Camp Fuller

The 74th was organized at Camp Fuller in Rockford in August 1862 and mustered into the US Army on September 4. The Regiment had their own Regimental Nurse Mary Jane Brainard who came along with her husband Private Jared Brainard.

On September 30, 1862, the Regiment left by train from Rockford to report for duty at Louisville, Kentucky.

They were attached to 30th Brigade, 9th Division, Army of the Ohio, afterward known as the Army of the Cumberland, - which was then being organized under General Don Carlos Buel.

On October 1 they joined with the Seventy-fifth and Fifty-ninth Illinois, the Twenty-second Indiana, and the Fifth (Pinney's) Wisconsin Battery and formed the Thirtieth Brigade, Ninth Division, Fourteenth Corps, under the command of Colonel Philip Sidney Post.

By Dec. 4, 1862, only 600 of the almost 1,000 men who had left Rockford were able to report for duty.

On Dec 3, 1864, shortly before the final battle at Nashville, there were only 126 men left of the 940 who had left Rockford.

On June 10 1865 the 74th, numbering 343 (some had been recruited since mustering in 1862 at Camp Fuller) were mustered out of service at Nashville, Tennessee. They returned to Rockford on June 29 and were welcomed with a public reception.

Officers

Commanding officers of the Illinois 74th Infantry

Colonels

• Colonel Jason Marsh, Rockford
• Colonel Thomas J. Byron, Durand
• Lieutenant Colonel James Kerr, Roscoe

Majors

• Major Edward F. Dutcher, Oregon
• Major Thomas J. L. Remington, Rockford

Adjutants

• Edward A. Blodgett
• Anton Nieman, Chicago
• First Lieutenant Andrew M. Potter, Rockford
• First Lieutenant John H. Nye, Shirland

Quartermasters

• Gardner Allen, Rockford
• George Dunbar, Rockford
• Lewis Williams, Rockford
• Walter D. B. Morrill, Rockford

Surgeons

• Charles N. Ellenwood, Chicago

• Dr. Henry P. Strong, 1st Assistant, Rockford
• Chesseldon Fisher, 1st Assistant, Freeport
• Albert Coates, 1st Assistant, Chicago

Chaplains

• Timothy B. Taylor, Durand
• Ira Fayette Pettibone, Durand

Sergeant Majors

• Rudophus Peake, Rockford
• William Cain Rockford

Musicians

• Asher Miller, Pipe Major, Rockford
• Shepherd Noross, Rockton
• Joe Blanchard, DeKalb Center
• George A. Hurd, Principal Musician, Howard
• Charles W. Gerham, Winnebago

Companies

A (Winnebago County)

Men from Rockford, Harrison, Harlem, Guilford, Burritt, Cherry Valley, New Milford, and Owen

• Officers

Major Thomas J. L. Remington, Rockford

Captain Josiah Leffingwell, Harrison

First Lieutenant Sylvester Clement

First Lieutenant James S. Cowan, Rockton

Second Lieutenant Alfred Barker, Rockford

Second Lieutenant John Vance, Rockford

Sergeant William Leffingwell, Rockton

Sergeant Norman Robinson, Rockford

Corporal James Hunter, Guilford

Corporal James Robert James Coulter, Harrison

Corporal Edward Dufoe, Rockford

Corporal John N. Smith, Harrison

Corporal Amasa Hutchins, Rockford

Corporal John M. Edes, Harrison

Corporal William H. Hitchcock, Rockford

Corporal Allen Woodle, Harrison

B (Winnebago County)

All men from Pecatonica

• Officers

Captain David Bottolph, Pecatonica

Captian August Thomson, Pecatonica

First Lieutenant Edwin Swift, Pecatonica

First Sergeant James H. Bottolph, Pecatonica

Sergeant James P. Barker, Pecatonica

Sergeant Wilson H. Moulton, Pecatonica

Corporal Benjamin C. Brown, Pecatonica

Corporal Frank Chapman, Pecatonica

Corporal Frank Flynn, Pecatonica

Corporal William E. Lowe, Pecatonica

Corporal George Rugg, Pecatonica

Corporal Henry A. Stebbins, Pecatonica

C (Winnebago County)

Men from Rockford, Harrison, Harlem, Guilford, Burritt, Seward, Winnebago, Cherry Valley and Owen

• Officers

Captain Hampton Sloan, Winnebago

Captain Christopher Brazee, Rockford

Captain John Squier, Rockford

First Lieutenant Hosmer P. Holland, Rockford

First Lieutenant Alexander H. Beatie, Rockford

Second Lieutenant Richard P. Blaisedell, Rockford

Second Lieutenant Robert Simpson, Rockford

Sergeant Ezra Grippen, Winnebago

Sergeant Bradford A. Chaplin, Rockford

Sergeant Charles H. C. Dogwell, Rockford

Corporal Francis H. Fairman, Rockford

Corporal Cyris Miller, Winnebago

Corporal Samuel Washburn, Rockford

Corporal David H. Sacia, Winnebago

Corporal John A. Holland, Rockford

Corporal Thomas P. Treadwell, Winnebago

Corporal Thomas R. Heigley, Rockford

D (Winnebago County)

Men from Rockford, Harrison, Harlem, Guilford, Burritt, Steward, Winnebago, Cherry Valley, Shirland, Rockton, and Roscoe

• Officers

Captain Jonathan H. Douglas, Rockford

Captain Hobart H. Hatch, Rockford

First Lieutenant John H. Nye, Shirland

First Lieutenant John Beatson, Burritt

Sergeant Thomas W. Cole, Rockford

Sergeant William C. McCaughey, Rockford

Sergeant Omri J. Cummings Guilford

Sergeant John G. Morgan, Shirland

Corporal Riley Van Pattan, Rockford

Corporal James Crane, Rockford

Corporal Henry Gilchrist, Rockford

Corporal Edgar G. Day, Rockford

Corporal Otis G. Sanderson, Rockford

Corporal Charles E. Goodspeed, Rockford

Corporal Henry W Smith, Rockton

E (Winnebago County)

Men from Rockford, Seward, Burritt, Harlem, Winnebago, Cherry Valley, Pecatonica, New Milford, Rockton, Roscoe, and Pecatonica

• Officers

Captain Elias Cosper, Rockford (Promoted to Major, Paymaster)

Captain Alpheus Blakesley, Rockford

First Lieutenant William Powell, Cherry Valley

First Lieutenant Charles C. Allen, Pecatonica

Second Lieutenant William P. Sherman, Rockford

Second Lieutenant James C. Babbitt, Seward

Second Lieutenant Morgan J. Conradt, New Milford

Sergeant William E. Lippitt, Cherry Valley

Sergeant James McAffee, Harlem

Sergeant Ebenezer Webster, Seward

Corporal Barkley Butler, Rockford

Corporal Norman Clothier, New Milford

Corporal Edward H. Cook, Rockford

Corporal Dwight B. Holdrifge, New Milford

Corporal James L. Sherman, Rockford

Corporal Lewis T. Sweezey, Guilford

F (Winnebago County)

Men from Rockford, New Milford, Howard, DeKalb Centre, Cherry Valley, Pecatonica, Durand, Byron, Monroe, Harrison, Rockton, and Guilford

• Officers

Captain Henry C. Barker, Rockford

Captain George R. Bradshaw, Byron

First Lieutenant Jerome E. Andrews, Rockford

First Lieutenant Edwin L. Simpson, Rockford

First Lieutenant Cyrenius N. Woods, Byron

Second Lieutenant John Hartwell, Rockford

Sergeant Charles Burpee, Rockford

Sergeant Henry Heagle, Rockford

Sergeant Rudolphus W. Peake, Rockford

Corporal Robert B. Archibald, Rockford

Corporal George W. Blakley, Rockford

Corporal Jacob N. Hoffman, Rockford

Corporal George W. Rise, Monroe

Corporal Floyd Smith, Harrison

Corporal Sylvanus O. Troxell, Rockford

Corporal Amasa Work, Rockford

G (Ogle County)

• Officers

Captain Bowman Bacon, Oregon

H (Winnebago County)

Men from Laona, Durand, Burritt, and Howard

• Officers

I (Stephenson County)

• Officers

Captain Frederick W. Stegner, Davis

K (Winnebago County)

Men from Rockford, Winnebago, New Milford, Cherry Valley, Monroe, Guilford, Owen, and Roscoe

• Officers

Captain Butler Ward, Rockford

Captain Henry Baker, Rockford

Captain Albert Latin, New Milford

First Lieutenant Andrew Potter, Rockford

First Lieutenant Rudophus Peake, Rockford

Second Lieutenant William Cain, Rockford

Sergeant Arthur P. Brown, Rockford

Sergeant Henry V. Freeman, Rockford

Sergeant Daniel Hawn, New Milford

Sergeant Rueben Garlick, Roscoe

Corporal Thomas Sheratt, Rockford

Corporal Moses Felmly, Owen

Corporal George Pardee, New Milford

Corporal John B. Caspares, Monroe

Corporal Lester Swezey, Guilford

Corporal Horace Utter, Rockford

Corporal John M. Brooks, Rockford

Corporal Edward C. Mofatt, Rockford

Battles

• Battle of Perryville October 8, 1862, Perryville, Kentucky; 74th was held back in reserve

Battle of Stones River

• Battle of Stones River December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The 74th was on the Union right, which drew the main attack. Casualties: 85; 8 killed, 35 wounded, 42 missing or captured. Captain Butler Ward, Co. K, sustained wounds that forced him to resign in March 1863.
• Tullahoma Campaign June 23 - August 31, 1863, Tennessee
• Battle of Chickamauga September 21 – November 25, 1863, near Chattanooga, Tennessee; Casualties: 59; 14 killed, 39 wounded, and 6 missing. Of the wounded, several survived but a short time.
• Battle of Missionary Ridge November 25, 1863, Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 74th Regiment was one of the first to plant its colors atop the enemy stronghold. Colonel Jason Marsh was badly wounded.
• Atlanta Campaign May 6 - September 2, 1864, Between Chattanooga and Atlanta; Casualties: 120; 21 killed, 99 wounded. (Records are incomplete).
• Battle of Resaca May 14-15, 1864, Resaca, Georgia

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain

• Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864, near Marietta, Georgia.

Lieutenant Colonel James Kerr was wounded, taken prisoner and later died.

Four ranking captains were killed:

Captain David Bottolph, Co. B

Captain Henry Clay :Barker, Co. F,

Captain Bowman Winslow Bacon, Co. G,

Captain Frederick W. Stegner, Co. I

• Battle of Peach Tree Creek July 20, 1864, North of Atlanta; several casualties
• Battle of Jonesborough August 31–September 1, 1864, Jonesboro, Tennessee; 14 wounded and missing
• Battle of Franklin November 30, 1864, Franklin, Tennessee; no record of casualties
• Battle of Nashville December 15-16, 1864, Nashville, Tennessee

Roll of Honor

The regiment suffered 5 officers and 78 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 116 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 202 fatalities

Killed in Action or Died of Wounds

• Private George Atkinson, Co. A, was killed June 27, 1864, in the Battle of Kennesaw.
• Captain Bowman Winslow Bacon, Co. G, died July 21, 1864 of blood poisoning from wounds sustained at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.
• Captain Henry Clay Barker, Co. F, was killed June 27, 1864, in the Battle of Kennesaw.
• Private David L. Benjamin, Co. A died of his wounds during Battle of Stones River February 10, 1863.
• Captain David Bottolph, Co. B, was killed at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864.
• Private Robert Bingham, Co. A, was killed May 16, 1864, in the Battle of Resaca.
• Sergeant Bradford Champlin, Co. C, was killed June 27, 1864 at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.
• Corporal Robert Coulter, Co. A, killed at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864.
• Private Austin Inman, Co. I, killed at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864.
• Lieutenant Colonel James Ker was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Kenshaw Mountain. He died of his wounds on July 3, 1864.
• Captain Frederick W. Stegner, Co. I, killed at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864.
• Private Isaac A. Webster, Co, A, died from from a bullet to his shoulder after the Battle of Kenshaw Mountain on June 30, 1864.
• Corporal Allen Woodle was killed during the Battle of Resaca on May 14, 1864.

Died of Disease

• Private David Atkinson, Co. A, died in 1863 in Indiana on his way home after being discharged for disability.
• Private Luke Baker, Co. A, died of pneumonia at Murfreesboro, Tennessee February 6, 1863.
• Corporal John M. Edes, Co. A, died of bronchitis on November 14, 1862 at Lebanon, Kentucky.
• Corporal Henry Gilchrist, Co. D., died Feb 13, 1863 at Nashville
• Private Amos Haskin, Co. A, died March 27 1865 in Huntsville, Alabama.
• Corporal James Hunter, Co. A, died of measles December 15, 1862, in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Drummer Charles R. Jones, Co. D, died in Murfreesboro April 17, 1863
• Private Edmond B. Kilburn, Co. D, died of illness February 23, 1863 in Tennessee.
• Quartermaster Lewis Williams died of meningitis November 26, 1862 at the regimental hospital in Nashville.
• Private Edward Swezey, Co. D, died November 4, 1865, nine days after being discharged due to illness.

Resources

• 74th Regiment, Illinois Infantry Wikipedia
• Illinois USGenWeb Project
• History of the 74th Illinois Infantry
• FamilySearch
• Society of the 74th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Reunion Proceedings and History of the Regiment
• Report of the adjutant general of the state of Illinois Muster Rolls
• Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls
• Winnebago County in the Civil War
• Seventy-Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry Virtual Cemetery FindAGrave