Database: American Civil War Regiments
Regiment: 45th Infantry Regiment IL
Date Mustered: 12 July 1865
Regiment Type: Infantry
Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident: 9
Officers Died of Disease or Accident: 76
Enlisted Killed or Mortally Wounded: 2
Regimental Soldiers and History: List of Soldiers
Regimental History
ILLINOIS
FORTY-FIFTH INFANTRY (Three-Years)

Forty-fifth Infantry. - Cols., John Eugene Smith, Jasper A. Maltby; Lieut.-Cols., Charles C. Campbell, Jasper A. Maltby, Melancthon Smith, Robert P. Sealy, John O. Duer, Majs., Melancthon Smith, Luther H. Cowan, Leander B. Fisk, John O. Duer, James J. Palmer.
This regiment, during its organization, rendezvoused at the Jo Daviess county fair grounds, near Ga- lena, and the camp was named Camp Washburne, in honor of E. B. Washburne, member of Congress from the Galena district. Seven companies of the regiment only were in camp at Galena but the regimental organization was fully completed and the regiment armed with the short Enfield rifle.

On Nov. 22 Camp Washburne was broken up, and the regiment was ordered to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where the full complement of ten companies was made up and the regiment was mustered into the U. S. service on Dec. 25, 1861. On Jan. 12, 1862, it left Camp Douglas for Cairo, where it went into camp until Feb. 1, when it was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 1st division, and the next day left Cairo with Gen. Grant's army for the Tennessee river. On the 4th it pitched its tents in the first camp in the field -Camp Halleck, 4 miles below Fort Henry. At Fort Donelson it was sent to the relief of the 49th Ill. infantry, which was engaged close up to the enemy's works and received its "baptism of fire." The regiment bore its full share of the three days, fight at Donelson, though its loss was small, only 2 killed and 26 wounded. It went into the fight at Shiloh with about 500 men and was in the front line from first to last of the two days, battle, the losses of the regiment being 26 killed, and 199 wounded and missing.
The summer of 1862 was spent in camp at Jackson, Tenn., and later four companies were stationed at Medon, one company at Treager's, and five companies at Toon's. Co. C was captured at Treager's, at Medon a sharp fight occurred in which the Confederates were repulsed, and the loss in the regiment was 3 killed, 13 wounded and 43 taken prisoners.
The regiment participated in all the battles of the Vicksburg campaign, forming a part of Logan's division. It took part in three charges against the Confederate works in May and June, the loss to the regiment in the last assault being 83 officers and men killed and wounded.
The regiment was detailed for provost guard duty in Vicksburg on July 4, and continued to do such duty until Oct. 14, when it was relieved to take part in the Canton raid, during which a skirmish occurred with the Confederates at Bogue Chitto creek. In the months of December and January the regiment almost to a man re-enlisted as veterans.
From Feb. 3 to March 4 it took part in the "Meridian raid," and was engaged in the skirmish at Chunky Station, where 3 men of the regiment were wounded.
On March 17 it left Vicksburg for Cairo, where it was given a 30 days' veteran furlough. Begin- ning on June 7, it took its share in the Atlanta campaign, be- fore and after the fall of Atlanta, until the beginning of the march to the sea. It participated in the Carolina campaign and was engaged in the attack on Pocotaligo, S. C., where it suf- fered a loss of 8 men wounded before the piece was taken.
The regiment participated in the grand review at Washington, and on June 6 left that place for Louisville. Ky., where it was mustered out of service on July 12, 1865.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 3
Battles Fought

Fought at Fort Donelson, TN.
Fought at Wheeler's Cav.
Fought on 13 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN.
Fought on 15 February 1862 at Fort Donelson, TN.
Fought on 06 April 1862 at Shiloh, TN.
Fought on 07 April 1862 at Shiloh, TN.
Fought on 31 August 1862 at Medon Station, TN.
Fought on 31 August 1862 at Medon, TN.
Fought on 31 August 1862 at Medon,TN.
Fought on 01 September 1862 at Medon, TN.
Fought on 01 May 1863 at Thompson's Mills, MS.
Fought on 16 May 1863 at Champion Hills, MS.
Fought on 22 May 1863 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 23 May 1863 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 04 June 1863 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 21 June 1863 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 25 June 1863 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 26 June 1863 at Vicksburg, MS.
Fought on 14 February 1864 at Chunkey Station, MS.
Fought on 29 February 1864.
Fought on 18 June 1864 at Etowah River, GA.
Fought on 21 June 1864 at Kingston, GA.
Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA (Reprinted with their permission)

OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Download the Illinois Civil War Regiment and Unit Histories in PDF format (1.4 megabytes). Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or later. http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/datcivil.html 45th Reg. is on pdf page 147