39th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 39th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry , nicknamed " Yates ' Phalanx , " was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War . Service . The 39th Illinois Infantry was organized at Chicago , Illinois , and was mustered into service on October 11 , 1861 , for a three year term . The regiment was mustered out on December 6 , 1865 . Adjutant General ' s Report . The organization of this Regiment was commenced as soon as the news of the firing on Fort Sumter reached Chicago . General T . O . Osborn was one of its contemplated field officers , and labored zealously to get it accepted under the first call for troops , but did not accomplish his object . The State having filled its quota without this Regiment , efforts were made to get it accepted into the State service of Missouri , but without success . The Regiment had already assumed the name of His Excellency , the Governor of Illinois , and was known as the " Yates Phalanx " . Governor Yates manifested an earnest desire to see it brought into the service , and sent General O . L . Mann ( then known as Captain ) to Washington , with strong commendatory letters to the President and Secretary of War , urging the acceptance of the Regiment , which at this time had over 800 men on the roles . The Regiment was accepted on the day succeeding the first Bull Run disaster , and Austin Light , of Chicago , was appointed Colonel ; and under his direction the organization was completed , and left Camp Mather , Chicago , on the morning of October 13 , 1861 . The day previous to the departure , a beautiful stand of colors was presented to the Regiment by Miss Helen Arion , daughter of Colonel Arion . It had also won a handsome flag at a prize drill , under the auspices of the Illinois Agricultural Society , then in session at Chicago . On leaving Chicago , the Regiment reported to Brigadier General Curtis , at Camp Benton , St . Louis , Missouri . October 29 , the Regiment received orders to proceed to Williamsport , Maryland , where it was fully armed and equipped . December 11 , it pressed on to Hancock , Maryland , at which point it crossed the Potomac River , and was distributed in detachments along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , to assist in guarding that important line of transit . January 3 , 1862 , the advance of a rebel force 15 , 000 strong , under command of " Stonewall " Jackson , attacked Companies D , I and K , in the command of Major Mann , near Bath , Virginia , and , after a brisk little fight , were repulsed ; then , with two pieces of artillery , and a liberal display of strategy and courage , the enemy was held in check for nearly twenty - four hours . Company G , under command of Captain Slaughter , was also attacked at Great Cacapon Bridge , but repulsed the enemy with considerable loss . A heavy force was approaching , and this Company , not being able to ford the Potomac , retreated up the railroad to Cumberland , Maryland . Colonel Osborn , with the remaining portion of the Regiment , was simultaneously attacked at Alpine Station . Companies C and F , in command of Captain Munn , drew into ambush about five hundred ( 500 ) of Ashby ' s Cavalry , and , after killing and wounding 30 , routed them . The Regiment finally forded the Potomac , sustaining no serious loss , except in the matter of camp and garrison equipage , and took up a new position on the Maryland shore . Cumberland was at this period , threatened , and the Thirty - ninth was ordered to make a forced march of forty ( 40 ) miles , over terrible roads , which was accomplished in the short space of eighteen hours . From Cumberland the Regiment was ordered to New Creek , Virginia , to guard a bridge , and was here assigned to the First Brigade of General Lander ' s Division , and was soon ordered to Patterson ' s Creek , below Cumberland . At this period the Regiment suffered seriously from sickness , occasioned by constant exposure and excessive duty . The weather was intensely cold , and cattle cars were the only quarters to be had for the command . But the men endured these hardships for over two months with scarcely a murmur , notwithstanding their comrades were almost daily dying around them . These days and weeks will ever be remembered as being more terrible than were those in which the enemy was confronted on the battle - field . From Patterson ' s Creek the Thirty - ninth to the advance , protecting the workmen in repairing the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to Martinsburg . The Regiment , from Martinsburg , participated in a reconnaissance to Strasburg , and , on its return , took part in the brilliant fight at Winchester , March 23 , 1862 , that resulted in the utter defeat of " Stonewall " Jackson ' s forces . The Regiment suffered but little during the engagement , owing to its position , which was the extreme left . The ensuing day it took the advance in pursuing the enemy down the Shenandoah Valley , as far as New Market , where it was detached and sent into the Luray Valley , to protect bridges over the South Branch of the Shenandoah River . Major S . W . Munn , in command of four companies , met a small cavalry force at Columbia Bridge , and , after a brisk skirmish , dislodged the enemy , putting out the fire which they had applied to the structure , and capturing thirty ( 30 ) prisoners . The Thirty - ninth left the Valley the 1st of May 1862 , with Shield ' s Division , and making a continued march of one hundred and fifty ( 150 ) miles , reported to General McDowell at Fredericksburg . After one day ' s rest , the news of General Bank ' s defeat in the Valley arrived , and the Regiment was ordered back to the Valley , making forced marches over a distance of one hundred and eighty miles . After a few days ' rest , the Regiment was ordered to Alexandria , Virginia , and immediately embarked on transports for the James River , and reached Harrison ' s Landing in time to take part in the closing scenes of General McClellan ' s seven days fight and seven nights retreat . While at Harrison ' s Landing , the Regiment was kept at the front , on picket duty , and had a series of unimportant skirmishes , until about the middle of August , when it participated in the second Malvern Hill fight , but without material injury . From this point a number of officers and men were sent away sick . The Regiment was here assigned to the First Brigade , Peck ' s Division , Keyes ' Corps , and retreated with the army to Fort Monroe . September 1 , it was sent to Suffolk , Virginia , where it remained for the space of three months , fortifying the place , and making frequent expeditions to the Blackwater , where heavy skirmishes frequently occurred . On one occasion it participated in the capture of two pieces of artillery and forty prisoners . At Suffolk , about the 1st of December , Major S . W . Munn resigned , on account of ill health , and returned home . On the 23 , January 1863 , the Regiment broke camp , and marched a distance of seventy - five miles , to the Chowan River , where it took transports , and reported to General Foster , at Newbern , North Carolina . Colonel T . O . Osborn was her placed in command of the First Brigade , O . S . Ferry ' s Division of Foster ' s Corps . A beautiful flag was here presented to the Regiment , from His Excellency , Governor Yates , being his portrait , and which was carried through all the subsequent battles of the Thirty - ninth . January 20 , 1863 , the Regiment again embarked , accompanying General Foster ' s expedition to Hilton Head , South Carolina . It remained in camp on St . Helena Island , South Carolina , for several weeks , where a most favorable opportunity for drill and discipline was diligently improved . An experienced inspecting officer here paid the Thirty - ninth a flattering compliment , by pronouncing it the best drilled and the best equipped Regiment in the Division . The 1st of April , the Regiment took part in General Hunter ' s expedition against Charleston , and , after landing on Folly Island , took a prominent part in the erection of batteries with which Morris Island was taken . The Regiment was next ordered on to Morris Island , where it was assigned to General Alfred H . Terry ' s Division , and again worked zealously and long in the trenches , parallels and forts which resulted in the final capture of Fort Wagner . A day or two previous to the fall of this fort , Colonel Osborn was temporarily disabled by the premature discharge of a heavy piece of ordnance . The Regiment formed the advance of their Brigade , temporarily commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mann , and occupied the trenches on the night that it was discovered the fort was being evacuated . As soon as this fact was known , Thirty - ninth entered the fort , captured the enemy ' s rear - guard , cut several fuses were laid with the design to blow up the structure on the approach of Union troops , and planted the Regimental colors on the parapet some two hours before the time appointed for the general charge . At this time the fort was taken possession of , the following telegram was sent to headquarters : HEADQUARTERS OFFICER OF THE TRENCHES . FORT WAGNER , MORRIS ISLAND , S . C . , August 7 , 1863 . Companies and county of origins . Company A - Will and Cook Counties Company B - McLean County Company C - Livingston and Cook Counties Company D - Ogle and DeWitt Counties Company E - Will and Cook Counties Company F - Cook and Lake Counties Company G - Cook and Will Counties Company H - Cook County Company I - DeWitt and Boone Counties Company K - LaSalle , McLean , and Cook Counties Total strength and casualties . The regiment suffered 12 officers and 129 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 2 officers and 130 enlisted men who died of disease , for a total of 273 fatalities Members . The regiment ' s commanders were : Two men earned the Medal of Honor while serving with the regiment . Private Henry M . Hardenbergh of Company G received the medal posthumously for his actions at the Second Battle of Deep Bottom on August 16 , 1864 , and Corporal Abner P . Allen of Company K was awarded the medal for his service as a color bearer at the Third Battle of Petersburg on April 2 , 1865 .