Uncommon History

Flag of the Fifty-Third Illinois - Still stained with the blood of the fallen Color Bearer, George Poundstone. The flag was captured in a failed assault on the Confederates at Jackson, Mississippi

My great-great grandfather, John O’Leary, was a private soldier in the 53d Illinois Infantry. The more I research the history of this unit, the more interested I have become. Normally one only reads short entries about unit histories from Dyer’s Compendium or the ever-questionable Wikipedia. I have delved deeper and deeper into the actual reports and correspondence between the officers and men of the 53d Illinois Infantry. I have visited many of their monuments and the brave men who fought side-by-side have become more real to me. I hope to present much of what I learn about this unit here on my page. Also, look for more about the Fifty-Third Illinois Infantry in my coming novel

Dyers Compendium History of the 53rd Illinois Infantry

The Fifty-third Illinois Infantry Regiment was organized at Ottawa, Illinois by William HW Cushman. The Regiment was originally organized with ten infantry companies, Cogswell’s Independent Battery Light Artillery[1] and Ford’s Cavalry Company.[2]The men of infantry companies A, B, C, D. F and K volunteered from La Salle County; Company E from Kankakee County; Company G from Livingston County; Company H from Marshall county; and Company I from Mason County. The Regiment left Ottawa February 27, 1862 and traveled to Chicago to guard prisoners at Camp Douglas. In March the men moved to Savannah, Tennessee and saw their first action at Shiloh, Tennessee on April 7, 1862. May the Regiment was at the siege of Corinth, Mississippi. After the evacuation of Corinth the Fifty-third moved to Grand Junction, Tennessee, then on to LaGrange, Tennessee, south to Holly Springs, Mississippi, north LaGrange, Tennessee finally arriving in Memphis in late July 1862. In October the men saw their next fighting at the Battle of Hatchie River, Tennessee. The remainder of 1862 was spent in Tennessee and northern Mississippi. In 1863 the Regiment Young’s Point Louisiana and were in the Vicksburg campaign until July 4 when the city surrendered. On July 12 the Regiment charged the Confederate works at the Pearl River near Jackson, Mississippi; of the 250 men who entered the battle only 66 were not either killed, wounded or captured. All of the color-bearers were either killed or wounded and the Regiment’s colors captured.[3] In 1864, the Regiment re-enlisted as veterans and in March returned to Ottawa on veteran furlough. While there, companies E and I were consolidated into company E and a men for a new company I recruited. The Fifty-third rejoined Sherman’s army at Kingston, Georgia and in June and July 1864 were engaged in the siege of Atlanta and at Jonesboro. After pursuit of Hood’s army into Alabama, the Fifty-third returned to Atlanta and in November joined the march to the sea. In December they fought at Savannah, Georgia and in January 1865, the remaining 222 men of the Forty-first Illinois Infantry consolidated with the Fifty-third. The consolidated Fifty-third saw further action at Salkehatchie Swamps and River, South Edisto River, Orangeburg and Columbia S. C. then Bentonville and Goldsboro, N.C. Following the Confederate surrender the Regiment marched to Washington DC for the Grand Review on May 24, then moved to Louisville, Kentucky where they mustered out July 22, 1865.

Rosters

Reports and Details of Engagements

• December 1, 1861 – Organized at Ottawa, Illinois
• February 27, 1862 – Guards at Camp Douglas, Chicago, IL
• March, 1862 – Ordered into action
• April 7, 1862 – Shiloh, Tennessee
• May, 1862 – Siege of Corinth, Mississippi
• June 1-July 21 March to Memphis, Tennessee via Grand Junction, TN; LaGrange, TN;Holly Springs, Mississippi
• July 21-September 6, 1862 – Duty at Memphis, Tennessee
• September 3, 1862 – Colonel Cushman resigned, leaving regiment in command of Captain McClanahan
• September 6-13, 1862 – Moved to Bolivar, Tennessee
• October 4, 1862 – March to relief of Corinth
• October 5, 1862 – Battle of Hatchie River, Tennessee (Davis’ Bridge)
• October 8th, 1862 – Returned to Bolivar
• October 15th, 1862 – Lieutenant Colonel Seth C. Earl took command of the Regiment

Grant’s Mississippi Campaign

November 2, 1862 – January 10, 1863: Operations on the Mississippi Central RR

• November 4, 1862 – Moved to La Grange, Tennessee
• November 5, 1862 – Reconnaissance from La Grange, Tennessee to Lamar, Mississippi
• November 6, 1862 – Worsham Creek (Moscow, Tennesse)

** Seizure of the Steamer Volunteer **

• November 28, 1862 – Moved south with General Grant’s army, to Cold Water, Holly Springs, Waterford, Abbeyville and Oxford, Mississippi
• December 13, 1862 – Arrived at Yocona Creek
• December 22, 1862 – Commenced the northward march toward Tallahatchie River. (The Division was transferred to the Sixteenth Army Corps. General S.A. Hurlbut commanding)
• January 11th, 1863 – Arrived at Moscow, Tennessee
• January – March, 1863 – Placed on duty guarding the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
• February 9 & 18, 1863 – Skirmishes near Moscow, Tennessee
• March 11, 1863 – Moved to Memphis
• March 11, 1863 – Embarked for Young’s Point, Louisiana
• May 17-20, 1863 – Young’s Point, Louisiana
• May 20, 1863 – Moved to Haines’ Bluff
• May 25, 1863 – Swung into line with the main army around Vicksburg, being on the left of the Thirteenth Army, Corps, Major General E.O.C. Ord commanding.
• July 4-10, 1863 – Moved with General Sherman’s army towards Jackson, Mississipppi
• July 10-17, 1863 – Siege of Jackson, Mississippi
• July 12, 1863 – Assault on Jackson, Mississippi
• July 13, 1863 – Regiment returned to Vicksburg (Division was assigned to the Seventeenth Army Corps, Brigadier General M. M. Crocker commanding).
• August 18th, 1863 – Moved to Natchez
• November 30, 1863 – Returned to Vicksburg and camped at Milldale

Meridian Campaign

• February 1, 1864 – Regiment re-enlisted as a veteran organization
• February 29, 1864 – Returning, arrived at Hebron, Mississippi
• March 13, 1864 – Left Vicksburg on veteran’s 20 day furlough
• March 22, 1864 – Reached Ottawa, Illinois
• June, 1864 – Rejoined Sherman’s army at Kingston, Georgia
• June 8th, 1864 – Ordered to Allatoona Pass to build earthworks on each side of the Pass
• July 13th, 1864 – Re-joined the Division at Marietta
• July 17th, 1864 – Re-joined the main army at the front
• July 19, 1864 – Engaged in the siege of Atlanta
• July 20-21, 1864 – Skirmish at Decatur, Georgia
• October 2, 1864 – Shadna Church
• October 4th, 1864 – Moved north in pursuit of General Hood’s army into Alabama
• October 27th, 1864 – Moved to the vicinity of Atlanta

(Major General Ranson being very sick, and not able to ride in an ambulance, the Fifty-third was detailed, at his request, to carry him on a litter and escort him to Rome, Georgia; carried him to within six miles of Rome, where he became too weak to go farther. At the farm house of James Berryhill, near Rome, the brave and gallant General T. E. G. Ranson died at 2:30 o’clock p.m., October 29. 1864. The Regiment escorted the remains to Rome, and the next day acted as an escort for a large number of officers, who were returning to their commands in the main army).

• November 6, 1864 – Went into camp near Marietta, Georgia
• November 13, 1864 – Moved to West Point

Sherman’s March to the Sea

• November 15, 1864 – Commenced the March to the Sea
• December 10, 1864 – Arrived in front of the fortifications of Savannah
• December 10, 1864 – Went into camp near Bona Venture Cemetery
• January 4, 1865 – The remaining 222 men of the Forty-first Illinois Infantry consolidated with the Fifty-third
• January 6, 1865 – Embarked for Beaufort, South Carolina, and soon after for Pocotaligo
• January 29, 1865 – Commenced the Carolina campaign
• February 3, 1865 – Salkehatchie Swamps (River’s Bridge)
• February 7-8, 1865 – South Edisto River, SC / Cannon’s Bridge
• February 11, 1865 – Orangeburg, SC
• February 15-17, 1865 – Columbia, SC
• March 3, 1864 – Cheraw
• March 11, 1864 – Fayetteville, North Carolina
• March 19-21, 1865 – Bentonville, NC
• March 24, 1865 – Occupation of Goldsboro, N.C.
• April 10-14, 1864 – Advance on Raleigh, NC
• April 26, 1864 – Bennetts House (Surrender of Johnston)
• April 29-May 19, 1864 – Marched to Washington, DC
• May 24, 1865 – Grand Review on
• June 6, 1865 – Left Washington for Louisville, Kentucky
• July 22, 1865 – Mustered out in Louisville, Kentucky

According to the Adjutant General’s Regimental Report, “the Regiment marched 2,855 miles; was transported by boat and cars 4,168 miles; and over 1,800 officers and men belonged to the Regiment during its term of service.”
53d Illinois Veterans

• Charles Abel
• William Abel
• James Archibald
• Samuel Bruce
• J.O. Harris
• Matthew Morrison
• V.A. Tambling

Research Materials

• A TRUE STORY AND HISTORY OF THE 53d ILLINOIS INFANTRY
• Iowa colonels and regiments