Recruitment standards for 64th Illinois, Yates' Sharpshooters

[gary]

Was their title honorific or were they required to shoot within a 20" string at 200 yards like Berdan's or Andrew's Sharp Shooters?

[johan_steele]

The recruitment standards weren't on par w/ Berdan. The 66th Illinois Regiment is the only Illionis Regiment I'm aware of that was raised as a Sharpshooter unit. 66th was armed in part w/ Colt Revolving Rifles, Sharps Rifles & Henry repeaters. They weren't true Sharpshooters in any sense of the word, skirmish work was their forte.

64th IL is listed as being equipped w/ 1840/45 Rifles in .58 by the US ordadnce returns.

[gary]

Thanks Shane. Can you cite your source on the 64th? The reason why I ask is that they were raised as individual companies and organized into a six company battalion. They served for over a year as a battalion before having four more companies attached to make them a regiment. With such slow growth, it seems almost plausible that they had some sort of standards. I'm also considering politics in that the Governor could practice more patronage by making Colonels than Lt-Cols. Any clarification you can provide is appreciated.

[johan_steele]

The source for armarments comes from An introduction to Civil War Small Arms by Coates & Thomas. The knowledge of the 64th comes from a variety of sources including the Osprey book : Sharpshooters of the American Civil War 1861-65 by Katcher. Illinois in the Civil War had a bit of data on Regiments carrying the Henry and how Regiments were raised as does the State OR. Most of it though came from meeting a reenactor portraying a menber of the 64th. You don't often see an Authentic or progressive carrying a Henry w/ Infantry gear. He was where I had learned some good info on Illinois troops.

Hope that helps some.

[johan_steele]

Gary, Here is the OR reference to the 64th...

64th Regiment Infantry (Yates Sharpshooters)


Organized at Camp Butler, Ill., as a Battalion of 4 Companies, December, 1861. Two more Companies mustered in December 31, 1861. Moved to Quincy, Ill., January 10, 1862, thence to Cairo, Ill., February 15, and to New Madrid, Mo., March 4, 1862. Attached to Army of Mississippi, unassigned, to April, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army Mississippi, to May, 1862. Unattached, Army Mississippi, to November, 1862. Unattached, District of Corinth, 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. Unattached, District of Corinth, 17th Army Corps, to January, 1863. Unattached, District of Corinth, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. Unattached, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, to November, 1863. Fuller's Brigade, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 16th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to July, 1866.


SERVICE.--Operations against New Madrid, Mo., and Island No. 10, Mississippi River, March 4-April 8, 1862. Action at New Madrid March 12. Capture of New Madrid March 14. Capture of Island No. 10 April 8. Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17. Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 17-22. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Action at Farmington, Miss., May 3. Reconnaissance toward Corinth May 8. Action at Farmington May 9. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12. Tuscumbia Creek May 31-June 1. Reconnaissance toward Baldwyn June 3. At Big Springs and on guard duty at Headquarters of General Rosecrans, Commanding Army Mississippi, until November 27. Reconnaissance to Iuka and skirmish September 16. Battle of Iuka September 19. Battle of Corinth, Miss., October 3-4. Pursuit to the Hatchie River October 5-12. On Outpost duty at Glendale, Miss., November 27, 1862, to November 4, 1863. Moved to Iuka, thence to Pulaski, Tenn., November 4-11, and duty there until January, 1864, and at Decatur, Ala., until May. Veterans on furlough January 15 to March 17, 1864. Four new Companies, "G," "H," "I" and "K," organized February and March, 1864. Moved to Decatur, Ala., March 17-23. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1-September 8. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Near Resaca May 13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Near New Hope Church June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Ruff's Mills July 3-4. Chattahoochie River July 6-17. Nance's Creek July 17. Decatur July 19-22. Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. LoveJoy Station September 2-6. Reconnaissance to Fairburn October 1-3. Pursuit of Hood into Alabama October 4-29. Snake Creek Gap October 15-16. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Montieth Swamp December 9. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Reconnaissance to Salkehatchie River, S.C., January 20. Salkehatchie Swamps February 1-5. Rivers' and Broxton's Bridges, Salkehatchie River, February 2. Rivers' Bridge February 3. South Edisto River February 9. North Edisto River February 11-12. Columbia February 15-17. Juniper Creek near Cheraw, March 2. Cheraw March 3-4. Battle of Bentonville, N. C, March 20-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 6. Mustered out July. 11 and discharged at Chicago, Ill., July 18, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 106 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 131 Enlisted men by disease. Total 242.

[gary]

Thank you!