I need some help...
My family has this photograph of one of our relatives (we haven't a clue who it is, we just know what side of the family he is on). After doing some research, I have a feeling it could be either William Cooper or Jeremiah Cooper. They were both part of the Illinois infantry. It was said that William was a private and that Jeremiah was a private/sub (what does sub mean?). Jeremiah was killed during the Civil war, William lived through it. Maybe I'm completely off in regards to this picture.
Looking at this picture, can anyone tell me any clues as to what the various garb he is wearing means? Hat? Number on the hat? Type of coat?
I would really appreciate any help I could get!!!
Expired Image Removed
Thank you all!
I agree it's a drawing from an actual photo. Probably the 1 on his hat was actually 11. As for " sub." I would think he went as a substitute for someone, but this was in the early part of the war, before the draft. Maybe someone else can help on that.
Jeremiah Cooper
Residence
Lacon IL;
Enlisted on 8/20/1861 as a Private.
On 9/1/1861 he mustered into "I" Co.
IL 11th Infantry
He was Killed on 2/15/1862 at Fort Donelson, TN
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Illinois: Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men
(c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @
www.civilwardata.com
........................................................................................................
William Cooper
Residence
Lacon IL;
Enlisted on 11/1/1861 as a Private.
On 11/1/1861 he mustered into "I" Co.
IL 11th Infantry
He Re-enlisted on 12/28/1863
He was transferred out on 7/14/1865
On 7/14/1865 he transferred into IL 8th Infantry
(date and method of discharge not given)
Other Information:
Member of GAR Post # 134 (Lacon) in Lacon, IL
died 6/13/1888
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Illinois: Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men
- GAR Dept of Illinois: Death Rolls
(c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @
www.civilwardata.com
.....................................................................................................
ILLINOIS
ELEVENTH INFANTRY.
(Three Years)
The regiment was first called into service under
proclamation of the President, April 16, 1861; organized at
Springfield and mustered into service April 30, 1861, by
Captain Pope, for three months.
During this term of service the regiment was stationed at
Villa Ridge, Ill., to June 20, then removed to Bird's Point,
Mo., where it remained performing garrison and field duty until
July 30, when the regiment was mustered out, and re-enlisted
for three years' service. During the three months' term the
lowest aggregate was 882, and the highest 933, and at the
muster-out was 916.
Upon the re-muster, July 13, 1861, the aggregate was 288.
During the months of August, September, October and November,
the regiment was recruited to an aggregate of 801. In the
meantime were doing garrison and field duty, participating in
the following expeditions: September 9th to 11th, expedition
towards New Madrid; October 6th to 10th, to Charleston, Mo.;
November 3d to 12th, to Bloomfield, Mo., via Commerce,
returning via Cape Girardeau; January 7th and 8th, 1862,
expedition to Charleston, Mo., skirmished with a portion of the
command of Jeff. Thompson; January 13th to 20th, reconnoissance
of Columbus, Ky., under General Grant; January 25th to 28th, to
Sikestown, Mo.; February 2d, embarked on transports for Fort
Henry, participating in campaign against that place; February
11th, moved towards Fort Donelson; February 12th, 13th and
14th, occupied in investing that place; 15th, heavily engaged
with the enemy about five hours, losing 329 killed, wounded and
missing, out of about 500 engaged, of whom 72 were killed and
182 wounded; March 4th and 5th, en route to Fort Henry; 5th to
13th, en route to Savannah, Tenn., in transports; 23d to 25th,
en route from Savannah to Pittsburg Landing; April 6th and 7th,
engaged in battle of Shiloh, losing 27 killed and wounded out
of 150 engaged; April 24th to June 4th, participated in siege
of Corinth, thence marched to Jackson, Tenn., making
headquarters there to August 2; participated in two
engagements, July 1st and 2d, towards Trenton, Tenn.; July 23d
to 28th to Lexington, Tenn.; August 2d, moved to Cairo, Ill.,
for purpose of recruiting; remained at that point until August
23d; thence to Paducah, Ky., remaining there until November
20th; in the meantime engaged in two expeditions--August 24th
to September 16th, to Clarksville, Tenn., via Forts Henry and
Donelson--October 21st to November 13th, expedition to
Hopkinsville, Ky.; November 20th to 24th, en route to Lagrange,
Tenn., where the regiment reported and was assigned to
Brigadier General McArthur's Division, Left Wing, 13th Army
Corps. From this time to January 12th, 1863, participated in
campaign in northern Mississippi, marching via Tallahatchie
(where the regiment was engaged in a sharp skirmish); from
thence to Abbieville; thence seven miles below Oxford; thence
to Holly Springs, Moscow and Memphis, Tenn. Remained in
Memphis until the 17th, when embarked on transport and en route
to Young's Point until 24th, remaining there until February
11th, then moved to Lake Providence and assigned to the
Seventeenth Army Corps, making headquarters there until April
20th, participating in expeditions to American Bend from March
17th to 28th; April 23, 1863, the One Hundred and Ninth
Illinois Infantry was transferred to the Eleventh, 589 being
the aggregate gained by the transfer. April 26th, regiment
moved with column to rear of Vicksburg, via Richmond. Perkins'
Landing, Grand Gulf, Raymond and Black River, arriving before
the works, May 18th; May 19th and 22d, engaged in assaults on
the enemy's works; then in the advance siege works to July 4th
at time of surrender; the regiment losing in the siege and
assault one field officer (Col. Garrett Nevius) killed; three
(3) line officers wounded and forty (40) men killed and
wounded. July 17th, moved with expedition to Natchez, Miss.,
participating in expedition to Woodville, Miss. October 12th,
returned to Vicksburg, Miss., making headquarters there to July
29, 1864, in the meantime engaging in the following
expeditions: February 1 to March 8, up Yazoo river to
Greenwood, Miss., having skirmish at Liverpool Heights,
February 5th, losing 4 killed and 9 wounded; action at Yazoo
City, March 5th, losing one line officer killed, 8 men killed,
24 wounded and 12 missing; April 6th to 28th, at Black River
Bridge; May 4th to 21st, expedition to Yazoo City, Benton and
Vaughn's Station, Miss., taking prominent part in three
important skirmishes; July 1st to 7th, with an expedition to
Jackson, Miss., under Major General Slocum, engaged with the
enemy three times; July 29th, moved to Morganzia and was
assigned to Nineteenth Army Corps, staying there to September
3d; in the meantime participating in an expedition to Clinton,
La., August 24th to 29th; September 3d, moved to mouth of White
river, Ark.; October 8th, moved to Memphis, Tenn., returning to
White river, October 27th; November 6th and 7th, expedition to
Gaines Landing; November 8th, moved to Duvall's Bluff, Ark.;
November 30th to December 4th, en route to Memphis, Tenn.;
December 20th to 31st, expedition to Moscow, Tenn.; January 1st
to 5th, 1865, en route to Kenner, La.; February 4th to 7th, en
route to Dauphine Island, via Lake Pontchartrain; March 17th to
April 12th, engaged in operations against Mobile, Ala.,
marching from Fort Morgan, participating in the investment and
siege and final capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, and
in the assault on the latter. April 12th, marched into and
took possession of the city of Mobile, staying there until the
27th of May, when embarked in transport and moved via Lake
Pontchartrain to New Orleans; from thence to Alexandria, La.,
remaining there until June 22d; thence to Baton Rouge, La., to
be mustered out of service; mustered out July 14th, 1865, and
left for Springfield, Ill., for payment and final discharge.
Killed in the field and died of wounds............... 149
Aggregate three months' service.................. 933
Aggregate three years' service...................1879
Field and staff, three years' service............ 53
Total.......................................1875
The following General Officers have been in the regiment:
General W. H. L. Wallace, General T. E. G. Ransom, General
Smith D. Atkins.
The following Field Officers of other regiments were
members of this regiment:
Colonel Hotchkiss, Colonel Hapeman, Colonel H. H. Dean,
Colonel G. L. Fort, Lieutenant Colonel McCaleb, Major S. B.
Dean, Major Widmer.
Line Officers from this regiment to other regiments,
thirty-three (33).
Source: The Union Army, vol. 3
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Fort Donelson, TN after action report:
No. 12.
Report of Lieut. Col. T. E. G. Ransom, Eleventh Illinois Infantry.
HDQRS. 11TH INF., 2d BRIG., 1ST DIV., ILLINOIS VOLS.,
Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 18, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the movements
of my command during the 13th, 14th, and 15th instant:
On the morning of the 13th instant my command, consisting of nine
companies (Company D having been detached with Taylor's battery),
officers and men about 500, having the right of the brigade, took
position behind the brow of a hill fronting the left of the enemy's lines
and within easy musket-range of their breastworks, which position I held
during the day. Nothing of interest occurred. Towards evening I was
ordered to move to the right, taking position in an opening immediately
in front of a recent camp of the enemy, situated in a valley which passed
down through an angle of the enemy's field works, my right resting
about 100 yards in front of the left of the Thirty-first Regt. Illinois
Volunteer Infantry and my left on the right of the Twentieth Illinois.
Early in the evening strong pickets were thrown out along my entire
front and on my right flank. Skirmishing was kept up at intervals during
the night between my pickets and those of the enemy. Notwithstanding
a severe storm of rain and snow during the whole night, my command
was under arms most of the time. During the 14th instant nothing of
special interest occurred. We occupied the same position as the day
before. Many sharpshooters, some from my command and some from
the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, did good execution by picking off the enemy
as they exposed themselves above the breastworks. During the night my
pickets were fired upon by the enemy. About midnight, when the firing
became heavy, I ordered my men into line, where they remained for two hours.
At daylight on the morning of the 15th, the firing on the extreme right
(Col. Oglesby's brigade) being very heavy, I again ordered my men
into line, where they remained. My pickets were drawn in, and I was
attacked in front by a heavy force of the enemy, and after a sharp fight,
lasting about three-quarters of an hour, we repulsed them with a loss of
about 15 killed and 20-wounded. First Lieut. Boyce, Company G,
fell at his post early in this engagement, urging his men forward and
sealing with his blood the sacredness of his cause. But a short time
elapsed before we were again attacked by a large force, who brought
their colors up in front of ours and not over 100 yards distant, when the
fight again commenced with renewed energy.
How long this conflict lasted I am not able to state, but it was an
exceedingly firm and bloody one, and after great loss on my part the
enemy again fell back. In a few moments I was again attacked by a
heavier force on my right flank. I immediately moved my command by
the right flank to the rear until my right rested on the left of the
Thirty-first Illinois (who had been severely engaged, and bravely
maintained their position up to this time), leaving three companies on
my left to hold my first position in front. While the fight was raging
Col. Logan, commanding the Thirty-first Illinois, informed me that
he was out of ammunition. Just at this time, my wound requiring
attention, I turned over the command to Maj. Nevins, who promptly
assumed the responsibility and bravely conducted the fight. In a short
time, assuming command, I moved my regiment under a galling fire by
the right flank to the position lately occupied by the Thirty-first, which
position I held until attacked by a battalion of cavalry on and in the rear
of my left flank, when I immediately ordered my regiment to retire. The
movement was executed, but too late to prevent the cavalry from getting
in rear of most of my command, who bravely cut their way through
with terrible loss. I found what was left of the Eleventh a few hundred
yards in the rear of our first position. Finding myself without support
and short of ammunition, my command marched into the valley below
and joined the brigade, remaining with them the balance of the day. I
append a list of the killed, wounded, and missing of my command.*
It is entirely unnecessary for me to speak in this place of the faithful and
gallant conduct of the officers and men under my command during this
fatal day, for the record of the killed, wounded, and missing speaks in
more emphatic language and fitting terms than I can find words in this
brief report to express; but I cannot fail here to mention the invincible
courage, bravery, and coolness of Maj. Nevins and adjutant Dickey,
always at their posts, particularly executing orders and gallantly urging
the men to stem the terrible torrent both by word and action; the gallant
Shaw, captain of Company B, who was twice wounded but still kept his
place, bravely doing his duty until stricken down by a fatal shot; the
noble bearing and determined conduct of the color-guard, all of whom
were either killed or wound, and yet kept their colors flying until none
were left but Corporal Armstrong, Company H, who, though wounded
and cut off by the cavalry, brought the colors from the field, and the
faithful and diligent attention of the surgeons, assisted by the members
of the bands and field music, to the wounded, in promptly carrying them
from the field and dressing their wounds and using every exertion to
make them comfortable.
I desire here to express my grateful appreciation of the valuable services
of Surgeons Dow and Luce, of the Fourth Cavalry Illinois Volunteers,
and other surgeons whose names I do not know, in administering to the
wants and sufferings of the wounded of my command on the field after
the battle.
Respectfully submitted.
I have the honor to remain, your obedient servant,
T. E. G. RANSOM,
Lieut.-Col., Cmdg. Eleventh Illinois Infantry.
Lieut. I. P. RUMSEY,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Brig., First Div., Illinois Vols.
Source: Official Records
PAGE 199-7 OPERATIONS IN KY., TENN., N. ALA., AND S. W. VA. [CHAP. XVII.
[Series I. Vol. 7. Serial No. 7.]
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Bringing the