The 65th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, nicknamed the "Second Scotch Regiment" was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The regiment mustered into service in May 1862 and was captured at the

Battle of Harper's Ferry The Battle of Harpers Ferry was fought September 12–15, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. As Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee's Confederate army invaded Maryland, a portion of his army under Major Genera ...

. After being paroled and exchanged, the regiment was sent to Kentucky and assigned to the XXIII Corps. The regiment participated in the Knoxville campaign, the Atlanta campaign, the Franklin–Nashville campaign, and the Carolinas campaign. The soldiers were mustered out in July 1865.

Service

The 65th Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Douglas at

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and mustered into Federal service on May 1, 1862. Sent to western

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, it formed part of the

Harper's Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2020 United States census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers in the lower Shenandoah Valley, where ...

garrison that surrendered to the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

in September 1862. Franklin battle 1630

After being paroled, the regiment was moved to

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

as part of the XXIII Corps and participated in the November–December 1863

Siege of Knoxville The siege of Knoxville (November 17 – December 4, 1863) saw Lieutenant General James Longstreet's Confederate States Army, Confederate forces besiege the Union (American Civil War), Union garrison of Knoxville, Tennessee, led by Major General ...

. In the spring of 1864, it joined in the Atlanta Campaign and March to the Sea. When the Confederates under General John Hood headed north into

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

late in the year, the 65th was part of Col.

John S. Casement John Stephen Casement (January 19, 1829 – December 13, 1909) was a general and brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a noted railroad contractor and civil engineer. He directed the construction of the Union P ...

's brigade, James W. Reilly's 3rd Division sent after him, joining in the battles at Franklin and Nashville.United States. (1895). Official records of the Union and Confederate navies in the war of the rebellion: Series 1., Vol 47, Part 1 Reports. Washington, D.C: GPO. Its final assignment was duty in North Carolina. The regiment was discharged from service on July 26, 1865. BattleOfFranklin

Total strength and casualties

The regiment suffered 1 officers and 30 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 97 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 129 fatalities.

Commanders

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Daniel Cameron, Jr. * Colonel William Scott Stewarthttp://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/f&s/065-fs.htm Illinois in the Civil War website after Illinois Adjutant General's muster rolls

Notes

References

The Civil War Archive

Service

Total strength and casualties

Commanders

See also

Notes

References

Popular culture