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This regiment was organized at Mattoon, Ill., by Colonel James Monroe (then Major
of the 7th IL infantry). Companies A,C,D,H,I and K being from Coles County; B from Cumberland, E from Clark,
F and G from Clark and Crawford. It (the 123rd) was mustered into service at Camp Terry, Mattoon, September
6, 1862 with James Monroe as Colonel, Jonathan Biggs of Westfield, Clark County as Lieutenant Colonel and James
A. Connolly of Charleston, IL as Major.
On the 19th of September 1862,
the Regiment was loaded into freight cars at Mattoon and transported to Louisville, KY., where it was at once put
to work under General Nelson, to fortify the city against Bragg, who was then advancing on it in pursuit of Buell.
October 1, having been assigned
to the 33rd Brigade, 4th Division in McCook's Corps, the regiment started on the march under Buell, southward through
Kentucky after Bragg, who had turned back. Up to this time the regiment never had battalion drill, and hardly an
attempt at company drill, as all the officers, except the Colonel, were "raw recruits".
October 8, just 19 days after
leaving Mattoon, the regiment was engaged in the battle of Perryville, where it lost 36 killed and 180 wounded.
Among its wounded were Captain Coblentz (Co. E), 1st Lieutenant S.M. Shepard (Co. A.) & Adjutant L.H. Hamlin.
Its Brigade commander, General Terrill & its Division Commander, General Jackson, were both killed immediately
behind and within 20 feet of the line of the regiment.
October 12, moved through
Danville, KY to the Kentucky River, thence back though Danville and Lebanon to Mumfordsville, KY.
In November, moved via Glasgow
and Bledsoe's Creek to Castillian Springs.December 26, marched in pursuit of John Morgan to Glasgow & Bear Wallow.
January 2, 1863, abandoned
the chase after Morgan, & under Colonel Hall, 105th Ohio commanding Brigade, marched to Cave City, Bowling
Green & Nashville, TN, reaching Murfreesboro, TN in General Gilbert's Corps, January 10.
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