114^th Illinois Infantry

          “The bullet riddled flag of the 114^th Illinois as it came from the fight at Guntown, Miss., and the retreat which followed, was received by Gov. Yates, on Saturday last.  It bears upon its folds abundant evidence of the fierceness of the struggle through which it was so bravely borne by the gallant regiment to which it belonged.  Though torn by defeat, it has never been trailed in dishonor...”[1] 

          The One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment Illinois Infantry was organized during the summer of 1862 and mustered into service at Camp Butler on September 8, 1862.  The men volunteered from the following counties:  Company A-Cass County, Company B and C-Sangamon County, Company D—Cass County, Company E—Sangamon County, Company F—Menard County with a few from Sangamon County, Companies G, H and I—Sangamon County and Company K—Menard County.  On November 8 the Regiment was ordered to Memphis for picket duty; on November 26 as part of Grant’s Central Mississippi campaign against invading rebel forces, the Regiment marched south into northern Mississippi.  They crossed the Tallahatchie River and arrived at College Station, Mississippi on December 4 and remained there until December 23. When word was received that Confederate General Forrest was threatening western Tennessee, the Regiment was ordered to Jackson, Tennessee and arrived there on January 8, 1863. Following a month of picket duty, the Regiment returned to Memphis to guard the Memphis & Charleston Railroad.  The One Hundred and Fourteenth left Memphis on March 17 and was transported downriver to Young’s Point, Louisiana and then ordered into camp at Duckport, Louisiana where they remained until May 2.  On that date the Regiment left for the rear of Vicksburg via Grand Gulf, Louisiana and fought at Jackson, Mississippi on May 14.  The Regiment was next involved in the ill-fated assaults on Vicksburg on May 19 and 22 and then from May 26-June 4 was on the Mechanicsburg campaign northwest of Vicksburg.[2]  After the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, the Regiment moved to Jackson, Mississippi and fought at Birdsong Ferry on the Big Black River and then in the Siege of Jackson.  When rebel General Johnson evacuated Jackson, the One Hundred and Fourteenth joined in the pursuit of Johnson as far as Brandon, Mississippi but then returned to Vicksburg and remained there until September 3 when ordered to Oak Ridge, Mississippi.  While at Oak Ridge[3] the Regiment performed picket duty and skirmished with guerrillas.  During that time—October 14-20—they were sent on an expedition to Canton and the Bogue Chitto Creek north of Jackson, Mississippi.  In late November the Regiment was transported to Memphis for provost duty.  While at Memphis, in February 1864, the One Hundred and Fourteenth accompanied a scouting force to the Tallahatchie River; the Union forces moved into northwestern Mississippi, crossed the Cold Water River, and engaged the rebel forces at Wyatt, Mississippi on the Tallahatchie River, thus allowing General W. S. Smith’s Union Cavalry forces to cross the River at New Albany.  April 30-May 9 the Regiment was part of Sturgis’ Expedition to Ripley, Mississippi; but after two weeks of hard marching they returned to Memphis.  On June 1 a second expedition under Sturgis was ordered to destroy the Ohio & Mobile Railroad between Corinth and Tupelo.  The Union force was intercepted and repulsed by rebel forces under Forrest at Guntown, Mississippi[4] on June 10 and the One Hundred and Fourteenth served as rear guard during the first night’s retreat.  Further skirmishing occurred between the opposing forces at Ripley and Davis Mills.  Following another two weeks’ of picket duty at Memphis the Regiment left on an expedition to Tupelo, Mississippi under command of General A. J. Smith.[5] In that expedition the Regiment was commended for its actions in fighting at Harrisburg, Mississippi during July 13-15.[6]  Again the Regiment returned to Memphis.  In August the Regiment joined a second expedition, commanded by General Smith, to Oxford, Mississippi; this included skirmishes at the Tallahatchie River and at Abbeville. In September the One Hundred and Fourteenth moved to Duvall’s Bluff, Arkansas and then pursued rebel General Price’s forces through Arkansas and Missouri.  Late in November 1864 the Regiment moved to Nashville, fought in the Battle of Nashville on December 15-16 and then pursued Hood’s retreating forces to Pulaski, Tennessee.  January 1865 found the One Hundred and Fourteenth at Eastport, Mississippi where they remained until February when ordered to New Orleans and then on to Dauphin Island, Alabama at the entrance to Mobile Bay.  Subsequently the Regiment campaigned against Battery Huger, Battery Tracy, Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, occupied Mobile, Alabama and then in April marched to Montgomery, Alabama.  In July the Regiment was ordered to Vicksburg where the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment Illinois Infantry was mustered out on August 3, 1865.[7]

	114th;  Illinois  Infantry  National  Flag      Summary: Based on the arrangement of the stars on this National flag, the flag was manufactured in Philadelphia. The men of the 114th served from Cass, Sangamon and Menard Counties. Details
	114th;  Illinois  Infantry  Regimental  Flag      Summary: Details

Many of the photos are the property of and used with permission from the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois.

© 1998 -2001 John Schmale - Mahomet, IL 61853
schmale@soltec.net
All Rights Reserved