Illinois Regiments in the Mobile Campaign

There were 26 Illinois regiments of Union troops sent to participate in the Mobile Campaign during the early months of 1865. Twelve Illinois Infantry regiments were stationed at Fort Blakeley; twelve Illinois Infantry regiments were at Spanish Fort, 4 miles to the south of Blakeley; and there was one regiment of cavalry and one of light artillery.

The Siege of Spanish Fort ended on April 8, 1865. The Battle of Blakeley occurred the next day, April 9, 1965. At Blakeley, the Union troops formed a five-mile long semi-circle of breastworks around the nine Confederate redoubts backed up against the Tensaw River which stretched upwards of three miles. A breakdown of the Illinois units participating in the Mobile Campaign follows:

The stars following the units indicate that Blakeley has some form of military collection of information pertaining to that unit. In most instances, the document is either a diary or letter connected with the Siege of Fort Blakeley and Spanish Fort.

The links will take you to the regimental pages.

Fort Blakeley:

Spanish Fort:

General Area:
Norman Nicolson, noted Blakeley Civil War historian, has been collecting papers from the Mobile Campaign for better than 40 years. He has graciously given some of his material to Blakeley Park. Other documents have been obtained from the public in recent years as they have found Blakeley's Home Page on the internet. Should you have any desire for the documents listed below, please contact Blakeley Park. Much of the information below is protected by copyright.

Documents collected and found at Blakeley Park concerning the Mobile Campaign and the Illinois regiments that participated:

  • Bela S. John, Co. E, 46th Illinois Infantry (copy of diary from Library of Congress)
  • Uriah Henderson, Co. B, 46th Illinois Infantry (family papers and pictures)
  • General W. H. L. Wallace, 11th Illinois Infantry (excerpt from book, Hard Dying Men, by Jim Huffstodt)
  • Newspaper Article from the Iroquois County Historical Society, 76th Illinois Infantry
  • Frederick Pell, 76th Illinois Infantry (Journal from Civil War Illustrated Collection)
  • Pvt. James McCann Dunn, 97th Illinois Infantry (diary by Pvt. Dunn; historical research by Pvt. Dunn's grandson, Chesley C. Herndon)
  • Lt. Col. Victor Vifquain, 97th Illinois Infantry (book donated by family, A Frenchman Fights for the Union, by Jeffrey H. Smith, Ph.D.)
  • Sgt. W. R. Eddington, Co. A, 97th Illinois Infantry (memoirs of W. R. Eddington from Harrisburg Civil War Round Table Collection)
  • Colonel Charles Black, 37th Illinois Infantry (for research purposes only, Illinoios State Historical Library)
  • Pvt. Garrett Snell, 37th Illinois Infantry
  • Pvt. T. J. Stow, 37th Illinois Infantry (letter from Vicksburg National Park Collection)
  • 1st Sgt. Andrew LaFayette Swap, 37th Illinois Infantry (authenticity questionable - more information needed on this diary excerpt)
  • Col. Thomas J. Kinney, 119th Illinois Infantry ("Official Records" report)
  • Pvt. Lewis H. Potts, 119th Illinois Infantry (Robert Derber writes history of his ancestor using primary source materials to back up his history. This is a great, lengthy history of Derber and the 119th)
  • James F. Drish, 122nd Illinois Infantry (letters from Illinois State Historical Library - for research use only)
  • William H. Peter, Co. D, 122nd Illinois Infantry (letters from Illinois State Historical Library)
  • Aaron L. Lanning, Co. D, 122nd Illinois Infantry (diary of early Greene Co, IL Civil War soldier, submitted by Bobbie Athon)
  • Christopher H. Keller, 124th Illinois Infantry (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan - requires permission for use)

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