143rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 143rd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men
, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war within 100 days.
, and mustered into Federal service on June 11, 1864, for a one-hundred-day enlistment. The 143rd served in garrisons, first in the Memphis, Tennessee
, area and later at Helena, Arkansas
.
The regiment was mustered out of service on September 26, 1864.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It was among scores of regiments that were raised in the summer of 1864 as Hundred Days Men
Hundred Days Men
The Hundred Days Men was the nickname applied to a series of volunteer regiments raised in 1864 for 100-days service in the Union Army during the height of the American Civil War...
, an effort to augment existing manpower for an all-out push to end the war within 100 days.
Service
The 143rd Illinois Infantry was organized at Mattoon, IllinoisMattoon, Illinois
Mattoon is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,555 as of the 2010 census. It is a principal city of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.Mattoon was the site of the "Mad Gasser" attacks of the 1940s....
, and mustered into Federal service on June 11, 1864, for a one-hundred-day enlistment. The 143rd served in garrisons, first in the Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, area and later at Helena, Arkansas
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 6,323. Helena was the county seat of Phillips County until January 1, 2006, when it merged its government and city limits with...
.
The regiment was mustered out of service on September 26, 1864.