Civil War Flags

“Bring out the old flags; their rents and their scars,
Are as dear to our hearts as their stripes and their stars,
Wave your old flags, men, point them towards home,
Proudly in victory and honor we come.”
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“Let its stained and tattered mass,
Tell the story of the terror and the glory
Of the battle of the Allatoona Pass.”

Illinois sent six infantry regiments to the Mexican War. Thus when the Civil War began the first regiment raised was numbered “7.” The 7^th was originally organized as a “three month” regiment but was reorganized and mustered into the Union Army for three years’ service July 25, 1861. The men of this Regiment served from Elgin and vicinity (Company A, Kane County), Mattoon and vicinity (Company B, Coles County), Aurora and vicinity (Company C, DuPage and Kendall Counties), Litchfield[1], Lincoln and Atlanta and vicinity (Companies D, E and H, Alexander, Logan and Montgomery Counties), Springfield and vicinity (Companies G and I, Sangamon and Fayette Counties) and Carlinville and vicinity (Companies F and K, Macoupin County). The Seventh was the only regiment in the Union Army that purchased its own guns and armed itself with the 16-shot Henry rifle. Early in 1862 the Regiment was sent to Fort Henry then on to Fort Donelson where it took part in the final charge on the Fort. The Seventh fought April 6 and 7 at Shiloh then April 29-May 30 at the Siege of Corinth. After pursuit of the enemy southward to Booneville, Mississippi in June they remained on duty at Corinth until October 3 and 4 when they fought in the battle of Corinth. In 1863 the men saw action in Alabama at Great Bear Creek and at Cherokee; the remainder of the year the Regiment scouted, patrolled and skirmished in Tennessee. January 1864 the Seventh re-enlisted as veterans and reinforced with 200 recruits, became a mounted regiment patrolling the Tennessee River. They fought at Florence and Sweetwater and in June were dismounted and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee. In July the Seventh was ordered to Tifton, Georgia then on to Rome, Georgia where they remained until October. The Regiment saw action at Etowah River on September 15; in a savage battle at Allatoona Pass, October 4 and 5, the Seventh held off a rebel Division of six thousand men. In November the unit was remounted for Sherman’s March to the Sea. Over the next five months the Regiment fought at Savannah, Georgia, and in South Carolina at Hickory Hill, Salkehatchie Swamps, South and North Edisto Rivers, Columbia, Cheraw and Florence. March 19-21 the Seventh was engaged at Bentonville, North Carolina; they marched to Goldsboro, then on to Raleigh on April 14. Following Johnston’s surrender they marched to Washington DC via Richmond, Virginia to participate in the Grand Review on May 24. The Seventh Illinois Infantry Regiment mustered out July 9, 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky.[2]

[1] Note: this town of Litchfield was/is in Montgomery County. Today there is a second town of Litchfield in Kankakee County.

[2] AGR Vol 1, 378-81

7th; Illinois Infantry National Flag

Summary:
There were four National flags turned in to the Governor by the 7th Illinois Infantry. The one shown here is inscribed with battle honors.(See Details for honors).