10th Illinois Cavalry Regiment

The 10th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 10th Illinois Cavalry was mustered into service at Camp Butler, Illinois, on November 25, 1861. Members of the regiment were required to obtain their own mounts. These were owned by the individual members until in 1864, when the government bought them from the men. In January 1862, the 10th moved to Quincy, Illinois, where they underwent additional training.

The regiment was mustered out of service on November 22, 1865, with members receiving their final pay and discharge at Camp Butler on January 6, 1866, and the regiment disbanded.

Total strength and casualties
The regiment was equipped with six two-pound howitzers upon its arrival in Springfield, Missouri, in April 1862, after which the regiment was almost constantly on duty. The 10th Illinois was made part of the Army of the Frontier and stationed at Wilson Creek, Missouri, where Colonel Wickersham assumed command, on November 10 of that year. In December, the unit saw its first major action, outside Prairie Grove, Arkansas; and some member battalions aided with the taking of Little Rock and Arkansas Post the following summer.

During the war, the regiment suffered the loss of one officer and 24 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds; and three officers and 262 enlisted men who died of disease; for a total of 290 fatalities.

Commanders

 * Colonel James A. Barrett – resigned May 12, 1862.
 * Colonel Dudley Wickersham – resigned May 10, 1864.
 * Colonel James Stuart

Post war activities
The regiment was ordered into New Orleans in a police action following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. Much of the latter part of that year the regiment was engaged in action with native Americans outside San Antonio, Texas.