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THE FIFTEENTH AT THE BATTLE OF SHILOH.

The Fifteenth Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry was raised under the "ten regiment act," in the First congressional district. Company A was from McHenry county ; Company B, Boone county ; Company C. Winnebago county ; Com pany D. McHenry county ; Company G. Stephenson county; Company H. Ogle county ; Company I Lake county, and Company K. from Carroll county.

The regiment was organized at Freeport, Illinois, and mustered into the United States service on the 24th day of May, 1861, being one of the first regiments from the state sworn into the United States service, for the three years' service. After electing officers. organizing and drilling for some time, the regiment proceeded to Alton. Illinois, remaining there six weeks for instruction. In July the regiment left Alton by steamboat for St. Charles, Missouri, thence by rail to Mexico. Missouri, where it remained for a time in company with the Twenty-first Illinois Infantry, commanded by Colonel U. S. Grant.

A part of the regiment marched from Mexico to Fulton, and thence to the Missouri river, and thence by steamer to Jefferson Barracks; the other part of the regiment marched to Hannibal. Missouri, and thence by steamer to Jefferson Barracks. The regiment then moved by rail to Rolla, Missouri, where it arrived in time to cover General Sigel's retreat from Wilson's Creek. After building one or two forts, the regiment was ordered to Tipton, Missouri, and thence became attached to General Fremont's army, and marched under General Hunter to Springfield. Missouri ; after remaining there a short time the regiment returned to Tipton, then went to Sedalia. It assisted in the capture of 1.300 rebels a few miles from the latter place. The regiment then marched to Otterville. Missouri, and went into winter quarters December 26, 1861. The winter was cold and the snow deep, and the first winter's experience in tents was a very severe one.

February I. 1861, the regiment marched to Jefferson City. thence by rail to St. Louis, where it embarked on transports for Fort Donelson, and arrived to take part in the surrender. The regiment was then assigned to General S. A. Hurlbut's "Fighting Fourth Division," and marched to Fort Henry, then went by boat to Pittsburg Landing. it being one of the first regiments that landed on that historic battleground. At the battle of Shiloh. on the 6th of April, the regiment was in the first line of battle, formed by Hurlbut's division, and was in the brigade commanded by General C.Veach. Hardly had the brigade taken position. when a Confederate column, massed three lines deep. deployed from the woods on the left front. and with rebel yell that echoed through the surrounding forest, charged on in doublequick. The Fifteenth was flanked by the Fifty-third Ohio. on the right. At the first fire of the enemy the Buckeyes broke and ran. and the enemy were not only in front of the Fifteenth Regiment, but on both flanks in a very short time.

For more than one hour the regiment held its position, and fought as gallantly as any troops could fight in the terrible struggle. called by the Confederates the "Hornet's Nest," and disputed inch by inch the advance and the incessant attacks of the best troops in the Confederate service. Owing to the want of support, the regiment was compelled to withdraw and take up a new position.

In five minutes after the regiment formed its first line. the field officers, Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. W. Ellis and Major William R. Goddard, Captains Holden Brownell and Harley Wayne and Lieutenant John W. Peterbaugh, were killed, and Captain Adam Nase lost a leg and was taken prisoner. Captain Thomas T. Turner was absent, and the command of the regiment devolved upon Captain L. D. Kell y and George C. Rogers, assisted by Adjutant Charles F. Barber. As soon as a new line was formed (the Fourteenth Illinois on the left of the Fifteenth), when the enemy had approached sufficiently near, these two regiments, acting as one man, rose and delivered a rapid, well aimed and awfully destructive fire full into the massed ranks of the enemy.

The enemy was soon convinced that this was not the way to the landing. At the second attack these two regiments received the first shock, and for three hours were in that awful gap, without giving ground, where the Confederates sacrificed more than two thousand as brave men as ever trod the battlefield, in the unavailing effort to drive them from their position. This baptism of blood cemented the two regiments, and they were always afterward brigaded and served together during the remainder of the war, and discharged at the same time and place. The Fifteenth Regiment was in the hottest of the fight both days of the bloody battle, and not a man faltered in his duty or failed to perform all that was required of him.

The two regiments that were in the final charge on the 7th, led by General Grant in person, were the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Illinois the Fourteenth commanded by Colonel Cyrus Hall, and the Fifteenth by Captain George C. Rogers. This detachment moved forward, and when within range delivered their fire, and with fixed bayonets' charged at double quick. The raking fire, however, had clone its work. The Confederate army had fled. The Fifteenth Regiment lost in this engagement two hundred and fifty men killed and wounded. and there are more of the "known dead" of this regiment buried in the national cemetery at Pittsburg Landing than of any other regiment. and many died of wounds in hospitals at home.

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