The 11th Illinois Infantry Regiment was assigned to W. H. L. Wallace's 3rd Brigade, District of Cairo until February 1862. During this period, the regiment participated in a number of forays into Missouri. These were toward New Madrid on 9–11 September 1861, to Charleston on 6–10 October, to Bloomfield on 3–12 November, and to Sikeston on 25–28 January 1862. The unit also went on a reconnaissance of Columbus, Kentucky on 13–20 January. The 11th Illinois boarded river transports on 2 February and joined the Fort Henry campaign. On 11 February, the regiment began to march toward Fort Donelson which was invested on 12–14 February.