96TH ILLINOIS INFANTRY PRIVATE

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source Tias

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Full standing view of Yankee private wearing his frock coat open to show his military vest. He poses in front of a studio background with one hand resting on a column. His slouch hat can be seen on the studio railing to the left of his hand. Visible on the front are the regimental numerals 96, and the company letter F. Backmark: G.S. German, Photographer, National Gallery, Springfield, ILL., with 2 cents revenue tax stamp. Card has been trimmed. Light wear and age toning.This unidentified private served in the company of Lieutenant Franklin W. Pierce. [see cdv4951, under Photographs, Officers and Enlisted Men]. The two images were found together.The 96th Illinois Infantry received its baptism of blood on the historic field of Chickamauga, where it lost 220 of the rank and file, over 50 percent of the men engaged being killed, wounded or missing, but the command held the ground upon which it had fought Longstreet's veterans so gallantly and only left the line when night closed the battle. On Sept. 21st, the division held Missionary Ridge, where the regiment lost two companies, C and H, after a determined resistance, they having been left on picket when the army fell back that night to Chattanooga. On Oct. 27th, it crossed the river into Wauhatchie Valley, and recrossed on the 29th to support General Joseph Hooker, in which engagement the regiment lost several men. On Nov. 24th the 96th was ordered to the extreme right on the front line, climbed up the mountain side to where it rises perpendicularly, and then flanking the enemy's works, poured a destructive fire down the rifle pits, which caused the Confederates to give way and fall back to the point near Craven's house, and finally to evacuate the mountain. On Feb. 25th, 1864, it took position in the front line and was heavily engaged all day in the action at Buzzard's Roost, after which it skirmished until the 28th, when it returned to camp at Blue Springs, having lost several men during this reconnaissance. On May 3rd it moved on to the Atlanta campaign; was engaged at Rocky Face Ridge, losing heavily; entered Dalton on the 13th, fought again at Resaca, with heavy loss, skirmished with the enemy on the 19th and drove him through Kingston, south of which place the army rested until the 24th. In the assault on Kennesaw Mountain the regiment lost heavily. After the close of the Atlanta campaign the 96th followed Hood into Tennessee & was engaged in the desperate battle of Franklin. During the battle of Nashville it behaved gallantly, carried the enemy's line near Franklin Pike, planted the first colors on his earthworks, and captured a battery of 12-pound Napoleons, together with prisoners far exceeding the number of men in the regiment, but the loss was quite heavy in killed and wounded. Joining in pursuit of the remnant of Hood's command to the Tennessee River, the regiment exchanged the last infantry shots with that army. On June 10, 1865, the regiment was ordered to Camp Douglas, Illinois, for final pay and muster out. The casualties of the 96th were as follows: Discharged for wounds or disease, 187; killed or died of wounds or disease, 190; missing in action, 78; transferred to veteran reserve corps or other regiments, 283; deserted, 30; total, 768. [Source: The Union Army, Vol. 3]. read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.