The Twenty-eighth Infantry was composed of three companies from Pike county, one from Fulton, one from Schuyler, one from McDonough, one from Mason, one from Scott, and two from Menard.

It was organized at Camp Butler, August 15, 1861, by the appointment of Louis H. Walters as Lieutenant Colonel, and Charles J. Sellon as Major, and was mustered into the service for three years by Captain Pitcher, U. S. A.

Ordered, October 28, to St. Louis, Mo., where it was armed. Moved thence by steamboat to Thebes. General U. S. Grant accompanied the Regiment to that point.

September 9, moved to Bird's Point.

October 2, moved to Fort Holt, remaining there until January 31, 1862, in Colonel John Cook's Brigade; made several reconnoissances in the direction of Columbus, Ky.

January 31, moved to Paducah, and was assigned to Colonel M. F. Smith's Brigade, General Lew. Wallace's Division.

February 5, moved up the Tennessee river.

February 6, landed on the right bank, three miles below Fort Henry and Fort Heiman. The river being very high, thereby filing the sloughs and ravines, the Regiment had to wade waist deep in places, in getting into position to cut off the retreat of the Rebels at Fort Heiman. But owing to this difficulty the enemy got away, but not without leaving all his camp equipage, and a hot dinner, which our boys ate with relish. The Twenty-eighth was the first to enter the fort.

On the 13th, a detachment of 48 men and 12 officers, under Colonel A. K. Johnson, met Colonel Claiborne's Rebel Cavalry, 500 strong, at Little Bethel Church, five miles west of Fort Heiman, and immediately attacked them, taking 2 prisoners.

Having been assigned to General S. A. Hurlbut's Division, the Twenty-eighth moved, March 6, from Fort Heiman to Paris Landing, marching in a blinding snow storm all day.

Left Paris Landing on steamers, on the 9th of March, for Pittsburg Landing, stopped each day to gather rails and wood for the boats. The Twenty-eighth was among the first to land, and went into camp near the double log house on the hill, west of the landing, but only for two hours; was then ordered out two and one-half miles northwest of the landing, under command of Major Gillam, for three days' picket duty. When relieved, returned to the landing when the Regiment was again moved a mile and a half south ot the landing where it cut out a new camp.

Nothing of importance occurred until Friday night, Apni 4, when the enemy sent out a Brigade as a feeler of our position. General Hurlbut's Division was put in line and moved out on the enemy. The night was very dark, and the roads very muddy. After some heavy firing, for a short time the Rebels fell back. The Twenty-eighth moved out with the Division a mile and a half, and then returned to camp.

Early Sunday morning, April 6, the Twenty-eighth was called out by the long roll into line, and marched one mile to the front. It was assigned to a position on the left of the line, in the Peach Orchard. The enemy immedi ately attacked it, but he was repulsed with heavy loss, and the Twenty-eighth held its position, under great odds, from 8 o'clock A. M. until 3 o'clock P. M. At 9 o'clock A. M., General U. S. Grant and staff rode up, and the Twenty-eighth was ordered to hold its position at all hazards, which it did until ordered back by General S. A. Hurlbut, commanding the old fighting Fourth Division. In this conflict the Twenty-eighth lost heavily in killed and wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Kilpatrick was among the killed, and his horse with him; Major B. C. Gillam was badly wounded in the left shoulder, and his horse killed under him; Adjutant J. B. Meade was mortally wounded, and his horse killed.

On the morning of the 7th, the Twenty-eighth held a position on the right of the line, and was hotly engaged until the battle closed and the victory was won.

During those two long, trying, bloody days, the Regiment behaved nobly, and was never broken or driven back by the enemy, though often heavily pressed. The Regiment sustained a loss of 239. killed, wounded and missing. Captain Roberts, of Company K, was taken prisoner.

The Regiment was engaged in the seige of Corinth during the month of May. Marched to Memphis via Grand Junction, Lagrange, Holly Springs, Moscow, Lafayette, Collinsville and Germantown, reaching Memphis July 21, where it remained until September 6, when Hurlbut's Division was ordered to Jackson, Tenn. On Little Muddy the Rebels burned the bridges, when the troops were ordered back a few miles to take the road to Bolivar, reaching there September 14. During the stay here, the Twenty-eighth made several reconnoissances.

September 20, the First Brigade, and two companies of the Third Brigade, Fourth Division, commanded by General Lauman, were ordered to Grand Junction, but were compelled to fall back on the double-quick to Bolivar, by an overwhelming force of the enemy. The Twenty-eighth did some good running, as did all the others.

October 4, at 2 o'clock A. M., the Fourth Division moved out to the relief of Rosecrans at Corinth, but the enemy being defeated, we met the Rebel army, four times our number, at the Hatchie River Davis' Bridge, near Metamora, where a severe engagement took place, lasting five or six hours. One regiment, from another State, fled, breaking through our lines in disorder. General Lauman then ordered the Second Brigade, consisting of the Twenty-eighth, Thirty-second and Fifty-third Illinois and Third Iowa, to take the bridge and to cross to the east side of the river, which was done amidst a most terrible fire, but in gallant style. The Twenty-eighth to be the first to cross over, it held the extreme right of the line, next to the river. Lieutenant Colonel Ritter was wounded in crossing the bridge, and was taken to the rear.

A battery in front of the Twenty-eighth was dealing death and destniction, and in the absence of the Colonel, Major B. C. Gillam was ordered by Gen eral Lauman to charge on the battery and take it at all hazards, which was done most gallantly, for which the Regiment received the thanks of General Lauman, for its daring bravery. We captured six guns and caissons, one flag, and one officer in uniform. In this battle the Twenty-eighth added laurels to the honors won at Shiloh.

October 8, the Twenty-eight returned to Bolivar, bearing a tattered and torn flag, with the loss of 97 men, killed, wounded and missing.

November 4, the Brigade, commanded by Colonel Johnson, and the Regiment by Major Gillam, moved to Lagrange.

On the 21st of November Major Gillam resigned, being unable to serve longer, from the wound received at Shiloh.

November 29, reached Holly Springs; 30th, Lumpkin's Mill: December 10, Waterford; December 11 and 12, via Abbeville and Oxford, to Yocona Creek; December 21, to Yacona Station; 24th, to Tallahatchie River; 25th, to Waterford; 26th to Lumkin's Mill. December 30, were assigned to duty of guard ing railroad from Holly Springs to Waterford, Miss.

January 8, 1863, marched via Holly Springs, to Mosco and Lafayette. On the 14th returned and camped at Colliersville, and on the 19th were assigned to guard railroad. The Regiment, at this time, was in the Third Brigade, Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps.

The Twenty-eighth Regiment was engaged in the seige of Vicksbnrg from June 11 to July 4, 1863, and occupied a position to the left of the center,  on the Hall's Ferry road.

On the 12th of July 1863, near Jackson, Miss., the Forty-first, Fifty-third and Twenty-eighth Illinois and Third Iowa Infantry, not exceeding 800 men, were ordered to charge across an open, level cornfield, some 600 yards, and carry a strong line of the enemy's works, mounting 12 guns, and manned by at least 2,000 men. The Brigade swept gallantly forward, under a destructive fire of grape, canister, and minnie bullets. The enemy appearing on both flanks as it reached the ditch, it was compelled to fall back, with a loss of more than half of the rank and file killed or wounded. The eight companies of this Regiment in line, numbering 128 men, lost 73 killed and wounded, and 16 taken prisoners.

September 1, 1863, the Regiment, being in Third Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, formed part of an expedition from Natchez to Harrisonburg, on the Wachita River, compelling the enemy to evacuate Fort Beauregard. The Regiment remained at Natchez, doing provost guard duty in the city.

On the 4th of January, 1804, the Regiment, having re-enlisted as veterans, was mustered for the three years' veterans service.

May 18, proceeded to Illinois, for veteran furlough.

May 29, every man who had been furloughed re p orted at Camp Butler, Ill., and the Regiment moved for Natchez. Arrived at Natchez on the 8th of July -

August 4, went on three days' scout to Black Bayou; lost two men prisoners.

September 25, 150 men of the Twenty-eighth marched with an expedition to Sicily Island, La.

October 4, expedition to Homachita River, Miss., Colonel Osborn, Second United States Colored Cavalry, commanding. Returned on 8th.

October 10, the Regiment was consolidated into four companies, and on the 12th embarked for Morganiza, La., Brigadier General Lawler commanding First Brigade, Nineteenth Army Corps.

November 3, embarked for mouth of White River, arriving on the 7th; left November 20. Arrived at Memphis on the 22d. Here the Regiment received 200 recruits, which were organized into two companies. The Regiment was assigned to First Brigade, District of West Tennessee, Major General C. C. Washburn commanding District.

December 21, formed part of an expedition to Moscow, at which place it arrived on the 23d, and returned to Memphis on the 31st.

January 3, 1865, embarked for Kunerville, La., arriving there on the 6th.

February 12, embarked for Mobile Point, La., and encountered a heavy gale on the voyage, were compelled to throw overboard 130 mules and horses, to save the vessel. Arrived back at the mouth of the Mississippi River Feburary 14, 1865, and proceeded to New Orleans.

February 15, 1865, moved to Lake Pontchartrain.

February 17, embarked for Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay. Camped at Navy Cove. Assigned to Third Brigade, Third Division. Thirteenth Army Corps, Colonel D. P. Greer, Seventy-seventh Illinois, commanding Brigade. Brigadier General W. P. Benton commanding Division, Major General Gordon Granger commanding Corps. Arrived at Fish River March 25; at Spanish Fort, March 27.

In the advance upon Spanish Fort, on the 27th. the Regiment occupied the extreme right of the Division and Corps, Colonel Ritter commanding, and Major Rhodes in command of skirmish line. Held this position during the entire seige, of 14 days, losing 14 killed and wounded, including two Captains.

April 7, Companies G and H joined the Regiment from Camp Butler, Ill.  On the 8th. Spanish Fort was evacuated by the enemy; 10th, marched to Fort Blakely; 11th, returned; 12th, entered the City of Mobile; 13th, marched to Whistler Station, and skirmished with the enemy; 15th, Companies I and K joined the Regiment from Camp Butler, Ill.

May 11, moved to within three miles of Mobile, Ala.

June 3, 1865, reviewed by Chief Justice Chase.

July 2, embarked for Brazos Santiago, Texas. Arrived July 6.

July 7, marched to Clarksville.

August 2, marched for Brownsville, and arrived on the 3d, Lieutenant Colonel R. G. Morrison, Thirty-fourth Indiana, commanding Brigade, and Major General F. Steele commanding District.

Number enlisted at original organization . . . 761
Recruits .................................................... 959
                                                                  ___ 1,720
Commissioned officers killed .....................     9
Commissioned officers wounded ...............   19
Commissioned officers discharged .............   49
Commissioned officers dismissed ...............     4
Commissioned officers died of disease .......     2
Commissioned officers transferred..............     3
                                                                    ___ 86
Enlisted men killed.....................................    52
Enlisted men died of wounds......................    34
Enlisted men wounded...............................  265
Enlisted men missing in action....................     17
Enlisted men killed accidently....................       5
Enlisted men died of disease.....................    139
Enlisted men discharged...........................    445
Enlisted men transferred...........................      18
                                                                    ___ 975

The Twenty-eighth was mustered out of the service March 15, 1866, at Brownsville, Texas, having served four years and seven months.

Arrived at Camp Butler May 13, 1866, for final payment and discharge.

1.   In accordance with the provisions of General Orders No. 86, War Department, April 2,1863, the Twenty-eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteers is hereby consolidated into a Battalion of four (4) companies -- A, B, C and D, officered as follows:

Richard Ritter.....................  Lieutenant Colonel.
John Kernper.....................  Assistant Surgeon.
Edwin P. Durnell................  Captain, Co. A.
John T. Thompson.............. Captain, Co. B.
Thomas A. Swaringuin........ Captain, Co. C.
Albert J. Moses.................. Captain, Co. D.
William W. Noonan............ First Lieutenant, Co. A.
Robert Young..................... First Lieutenant, Co. B.
James M. Gale.................... First Lientenant, Co. C.
John B. Pearson.................. First Lieutenant, Co. D.
Henry L. Hadsell................. Second Lieutenant, Co. A.

The commissioned officers, not designated above, will be mustered out of service.

The Lieutenant Colonel commanding will make selections from the Regiment to fill the vacancies of Adjutant, Regimental Quartermaster and three Second Lieutenants, and recommend the nominees, through these Headquarters, to the Governor of Illinois, for commissions.

            By command of Major General J. J. Reynolds.