This is Marion Morrison's account of the Bloody Ninth, the Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry who found themselves in the thick of battle, bearing the brunt of the Confederate attempt at Fort Donelson to break Grant's siege lines.

The Illinois 9th Infantry Regiment was at the center of most all the activity in the west except for the siege of Vicksburg. After being engaged at Shiloh, they spent the next couple of years in central Tennessee, then "led the charge" on Sherman's invasion of Georgia. They participated in the March to the Sea and Carolina's Campaign, ending the war with the battle of Bentonville, in North Carolina. The regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 211 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 200 Enlisted men by disease. Total 417. Companies of the Illinois 9th Infantry Regiment Company A - Madison County Company B - St. Clair County Company C - St. Clair County Company D - St. Clair County and Randolph County Company E - Mercer County and St. Clair County Company F - St. Clair County Company G - Jackson County, Johnson County and Williamson County Company H - Montgomery Company I - Madison County Company K - Pulaski County

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1864 edition. Excerpt: ...perhaps rations enough for fifty men. On the following morning we moved in the direction of Holly Springs, Miss. The day was very hot and the roads dusty. Add to this, the suffering from hunger, and it would be hard to describe the amount of suffering the men endured. We camped at night near a Mr. Robinson's. (To-day we had to march about nine miles out of the way, on account of some one destroying a bridge in the roar of the retreating army.) The officers got a very good supper at Mr. R.'s, by paying one dollar each, in Greenbacks. He would not take anything else. The men got but little to eat. "On the morning of tlie 7th, the officers hired a team to take them to Holly Springs, for which they paid $20. We arrived there at 11 o'clock at night. Here we were taken to Col. Roddy's Head Quarters. He said he was surprised that we, being North-western men, were fighting Southern men. Captain Lowe told him that we were not in a condition to resent an insult, and did not wish to be insulted. This ended the conversation. "The next evening we started by Railroad, under guard, for Jackeon, Miss., arriving there about 10 A. M., on the 9th of October. Here we were taken before General Thillman, and paroled for that city and Vicksburg. We had good rooms at the best hotel in Jackson. On the morning of the 10th we took cars for Vicksburg. On this trip we had no guard, except one Rebel Captain. We arrived at Vicksburg about 1 o'clock, and were quartered at the 'Washington Hotel.' Wa were limited to certain streets. Otherwise we had our liberty. Our fare at the hotel was corn broad, corn coffee, fresh beef and molasses. The ladies were allowed wheat bread, and when the darkies could do so without being detected by their master, they would supply...

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.