82nd Illinois Infantry


82nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment

82nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The Second Hecker Regiment

Col. Friedrich Hecker began to organize the 82nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, or "Second Hecker Regiment"in the summer 1862. It was primarily composed of German immigrants. The regiment contained one company of Scandinavians and immigrants from other nations were scattered in the other companies. One of the predominately German companies, Company C, comprised Jewish soldiers. Company C was one of only two Jewish Companies in the entire Union army.

The 82nd fought in both the eastern and western theaters of the war and suffered 4 officers and 98 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 60 enlisted men died from diseases during its 33 months of service. Major battles included Chancellors, Gettysburg, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kolb's Farm. Averasboro and Bentonville.

1862

October 23

Completed organization at Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill.

November 3-9

Moved to Washington, D.C. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

November 19

Moved to Fairfax Court House, Va.

December 11

Moved to Stafford Court House

December 19

Near Aquia Creek, Va.

1863

January 20-24

"Mud March"

January 25

At Stafford Court House, Va.

April 27

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment suffered 155 casualties out of approximately 450 men in action during its first battle. Colonel Hecker and Maj. Ferdinand Rolshausen were wounded and 2nd Lt. Conrad Schonder and 2nd Lt. Lorenz Spoenemann were both killed. Lieutenant Colonel Salomon who was elsewhere on duty during the battle assumed command of the regiment.

June 12

Gettysburg Campaign

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg
Lt. Col. Edward Salomon led the regiment in this battle. Casualties were 4 were killed, 19 wounded, and 89 missing out of 347 soldiers of the 82nd engaged in the battle,. Second Lt. Ferdinand Babst was mortally wounded and Captain Emil Frey and Lt. Eugene Hepp was captured.

 

July 5-24

Pursuit to Manassas Gap

July 12

Hagerstown

July 13

Duty along Orange & Alexandria R. R.

September 25 -
October 4

Movement to Bridgeport, Alabama

October 19-26

Operations in Lookout Valley. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, and Colonel Hecker assumes command of the brigade.

October 20

Reconnaissance to Trenton

October 26-29

Reopening Tennessee River

October 28-29

Battle of Wauhatchie, Tenn.

October 30

Duty in Lookout Valley, Tenn.

November 23-27

Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign

November 23

Orchard Knob

November 24-25

Tunnel Hill

November 25

Missionary Ridge

November 26-27

Pursuit to Cleveland

November 29 - December 17

March to relief of Knoxville and return to Chattanooga

Dec. 18

At Whitesides, Tenn.

1864

March 21

Col. Hecker resigned his commission while on leave

April

Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland

May 3 – September 2

Atlanta Campaign

May 8-11

Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge

May 14-15

Battle of Resaca

The regiment rescues the 5th Indiana Battery in a bayonet charge

May 19

Near Cassville

May 25

Battle of New Hope Church

The regiment lost 11 killed and 69 wounded out of 245 engaged.

May 26-June 5

Operations near Dallas and Allatoona Hills

June 10-July 2

Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain

June 11-14

Pine Hill

June 15-17

Lost Mountain

Lost 5 killed

June 15

Gilgal (or Golgotha) Church

June 17

Muddy Creek

Lost 1 killed and 3 wounded in an attack on an entrenched position

June 19

Noyes' Creek

Suffered 1 killed and 2 wounded on skirmish line

June 22

Kolb's Farm

Lost 2 men on the skirmisk line

June 27

In reserve during attacks on Kennesaw Mountain

July 4

Smyrna Camp Ground

July 5-17

At Chattahoochie River

July 19-20

Battle of Peach Tree Creek

First Lt. Frederick Bechstein of Company F was killed in action

July 22-August 25

Siege of Atlanta

August 26 -
September 2

Operations at Chattahoochie River Bridge

September 2 - November 15

Occupation of Atlanta

October 26-29

Expedition to Tuckum's Cross Roads

November 15 -
December 10

March to the Sea

November 22

Milledgeville

December 9

Montieth Swamp

December 10-21

Siege of Savannah, Ga.

1865

January – April 18

Campaign of the Carolinas

March 16

Battle of Averasboro, N. C.

The regiment incurred 15 casualties

March 19-21

Battle of Bentonville, N. C.

March 24

Occupation of Goldsboro

April 10-14

Advance on Raleigh

April 14

Occupation of Raleigh

April 26

Bennett's House, Surrender of R. E.Lee and his Army

April 29-May 19

March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va.

May 24

Grand Review in Washington, D. C.

June 16

Mustered out

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