Here is a bit about the 87th Illinois Volumteer Infantry. Augustus Best, James, Preston & William R. Shelton, Oliver & Samuel Holmes (William Holmes sons), John McCracken and Milton & Palastine Rogers were all members of Company D.
The Eighty-seventh Regiment, Illinois Infantry Volunteers, was enlisted in August, 1862. It was composed of companies A and E, from Hamilton county, company H, from Edwards, company D, from Wayne, and companies C, B, F, G, I and K, from White county.
In the latter part of August, 1862, the companies went into camp at Shawneetown, Ill., where the organization of the Regiment was effected. It was mustered in October 3, 1862, the muster to take effect from the 2d day of August.
January 31, 1863, it embarked on the two transports Freestone and May Duke for Memphis, Tenn., arriving there February 4th. It was very inclement weather, and during this transfer and its first camp at Memphis, the measles broke out and prevailed with great virulence in the Regiment. This disease cost the Eighty-seventh 250 men in dead and disabled.
While at Memphis, the Eighty-seventh, in company with the Sixty-third Illinois, made raid on Hernando, Miss., capturing a great deal of property, and putting a stop to the incursions of Colonel Bligh's partisan Confederate Cavalry.
May 9th, 1863, the Eighty-seventh and Sixty-third Illinois Regiments embarked on the steamer Crescent City from Memphis, and arrived at Young's Point. La., May 11th, At this place the Regiment was actively engaged in picket and fatigue duty, repairing the corduroy road, until the night of the 21st of May, when it crossed the Mississippi river at Warrenton, and went into bivouac in the hills above the town. The next morning the Eighty-seventh and Sixty-third Illinois Regiments, in Brigade commanded by Colonel McCown, of the Sixty-third Illinois, were assigned to General McArthur's Division, on the left of the line of battle. Here they closed up the gap on the extreme left of the line of investment, and remained for six hours under a steady fire of shot and shell from the enemy's works.
On the 23d the Regiment was ordered to report to General John A. Logan, on the right centre. Here it remained several days--five companies, in command of Colonel T. E. Whiting, being detached to garrison the post at Warrenton.
June 3d the whole Regiment was on duty at Warrenton, where it remained until June 23d, when it was assigned a position in the Second Brigade, General Slack's; Twelfth Division, General A. Hovey's; Thirteenth Corps, General John A. McClernand's; and took its place in the trenches, until the capture of the city,
On the night of July 4th, it moved out on the road to Jackson, Miss., and participated in the battles before and after reaching that place.
July 20, 1863, the Regiment marched back to Vicksburg, and on the 25th of July embarked for Natchez. Here it made an excursion back in the country to Kingston, capturing a vast pile of Confederate cotton.
August 10, 1863, in company with the Forty-seventh Indiana, it embarked for New Orleans. These were the first Western troops making the descent of the Mississippi River. Here the Second Brigade--Slack's--was assigned to the Third Division of the Thirteenth Corps.
September 13, 1863, found the Regiment at Brashear City, La. While here the Colonel, John E. Whiting, resigned on account of ill health, Colonel John M. Crebs taking command officially, as he had been the commander virtually after the Regiment arrived at Memphis, Tenn.
During September and October the Regiment was engaged in the movements along the Atchafalaya and Teche Bayous, being in the affairs at Grand Coteau and Vermillionville, La.
In November, 1863, the Regiment was mounted on the stock of the country--mustangs, Mexlcan ponies and mule--it rode everything except steers--and were occupied in scouting duty about Franklin and New Iberia, La. By strict attention to business, good judgment as regards horses, dash and energy, it was the best mounted Regiment in the Department of the Gulf in less than three months.
In February, 1864, with the First Louisiana, it formed the Third Brigade, Colonel H. Robinson commanding, in the Cavalry Division of the Department of the Gulf, in command of General A. L. Lee.
March 14, 1864, the Eighty-seventh led the cavalry movement from Franklin, La., on the Red River campaign.
April 7th it was actively engaged at the battle of Wilson's Hill, losing about 30 men in killed and wounded.
On the 8th of April it took part in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, or Mansfield, and 'was the only Regiment, in that disastrous defeat, that left the field in regimental formation. It stood on the ground while the Nineteenth Corps formed its line of battle behind it, In this battle Colonel H. Robinson, First Louisiana, our Brigade commander, was wounded, and Colonel John M. Crebs. Eighty-seventh Illinois, was placed in command of the Brigade. On the 9th the Regiment was in the battle of Pleasant Hill.
On the retreat from Sabine Cross Roads to Alexandria the Eighty-seventh was either in the front, flank or rear of the retreating column, and constantly engaged with the enemy's skirmishers.
May 13th it was in the advance, and continually under tire in the movement from Alexandria to Simsport, on Atchafalaya Bayou, being in the battle of Marksville on the 15th of May.
On May 21 the Regiment went into camp at Morganzia Bend, La.. where it remained during the summer and fall, engaged in foraging, scouting, and almost constant warfare. Part of this time it was on the steamer Baltic, one of the Marine Brigade boats. During these months the Regiment was kept busy scouting and fighting along the network of bayous between the Mississippi River on the east and Atchafalaya on the west; Red River on the north and Bayou Plaquemine on the south. There was no part of that country it did not know thoroughly.
It fought on Bayou Gros Tete, Bayou Letsworth, Bayou Manguine, Bayou Atchafalaya and along the lakes of Old River. It captured more prisoners, horses and stores--destroyed more Confederate property--than all the combined forces camped at Morganzia.
In the first part of August, 1864, Captain Thomas Sheridan, with a detachment of about 50 men from the Regiment, was surrounded and captured by a largely superior force of the enemy, near Williamsport, La. This was the only loss the Regiment sustained by capture.
September 4th, 1864, the Regiment embarked on the steamer Ohio Belle for White River island. Here it remained until January. 1865--three companies having been detached for duty at St. Charles, Ark.
In January. 1865, the Regiment moved to Helena, Ark., where it remained doing scouting service until mustered out June 16th, 1865, and ordered to Springfield, Illinois, where it arrived June '24, 1865.
The Regiment was paid off, and disbanded at Camp Butler, July 2, 1865.
That's Shari telling Santa what she wants for Christmas. The photo taken 12-25-1991. The part ofPapa Santa Claus was played by John Shelton.
This Santa is a Baby Santa - Cameron Noone, photo taken a
t my Mom's house on Dec 25, 1991.
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