Offered is an image of General Thomas Jefferson Henderson of
the 112 Illinois Infantry.  Henderson
enlisted on September 22, 1862 as Colonel of the 112 Illinois Infantry.  He was born in Brownsville, Tennessee in
1824.  He was promoted Brevet Brigadier General
for his actions in Georgia and Tennessee but primarily for his actions at the
battle of Franklin, Tennessee. 

The image is a CDV of General Henderson in a post war
setting.  The back mark on the image is “Wm.
H. Elliott, Photographer, Marshalltown, Iowa”. 
Written in pencil on the back is “Gen. Thos. J. Henderson M.C. –
Princeton, Ill – U.S. Army 1861 – 1865”.   Written in ink on the back of the image is “a
friend of the family”.

112th
Illinois Infantry

Regiment History

Adjutant General's Report

The
One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment Illinois Volunteers was mustered into the
service of the United States on the 20th and 22d days of September 1862, at
Peoria, Ill., and was ordered to report to Major General Wright, commanding the
Department of the Ohio, at  Cincinnati, O.  It accordingly moved from
Peoria on the 8th day of  October 1862, by rail, and arrived at
Cincinnati, O., about midnight, on the 10th day of October, when it was
immediately ordered over the Ohio River, to report to Major General Gordon
Granger, at Covington, Ky.  The Regiment reported to General Granger about
2 o'clock on the morning of the 11th of October, and immediately went to work
to prepare for the field.  Having been brigaded with the Thirty-third
Indiana, Seventy-seventh, Ninety-seventh and One Hundred and Eighth Illinois,
under command of Colonel Coburn, of the Thirty-third Indiana, and having
obtained transportation and supplies, it marched from Covington, Ky., on the
18th day of October 1862, for Falmouth, Ky.; but on the 19th day of October it
was detached from the Brigade and ordered to guard a large supply-train to Big
Eagle, on the Lexington and Covington pike.  The Regiment arrived at Big
Eagle on the evening of the 21st of October, and, under orders, marched to
Georgetown, Ky., on the 23d, and to Lexington, Ky., on the 24th.

It
remained in camp at Lexington, Ky., for about five months, performing various
duties, but was principally engaged in grand guard and provost duty; although
detachments were occasionally sent to the ferries on the Kentucky River, to
guard against the approach of the enemy.  And at one time, 100 men of the
Regiment were mounted and kept on active and severe duty for several weeks; and
while thus engaged, aided in driving Cluke's command out of Kentucky.

On
the 21st of March 1863, the Regiment moved for Danville, Ky., arriving there on
the evening of the 22d, and at midnight on the 23d, it was ordered back to
Dick's River bridge, on the Lexington pike, with orders to guard the bridge,
and hold the opposite bank of the river, at all hazards.  It remained at
the bridge until the evening of the 24th, when it fell back to the Kentucky
River, at the mouth of Hickman, with the rest of the army, retreating before
was supposed to be a superior force of the enemy.

From
the Kentucky River, it marched back to Nicholasville, and from thence moved by
way of Camp Dick Robinson, Lancaster and Crab Orchard in the direction of
Somerset, Ky., in pursuit of the enemy, by forced marches.  But the
cavalry and mounted infantry having overtaken and defeated the enemy at
Dutton's Hill, near Somerset, and driven him across the Cumberland River, the
Regiment having only heard the sound of artillery at a respectful distance,
counter-marched and moved back to Stanford.

In
October 1862, the Regiment, on its arrival at Lexington, Ky., was brigaded with
the Forty-fifth Ohio and the Eighteenth and Twenty-second Michigan, under
command of General Green Clay Smith, of Kentucky.  He remained in command
until in January 1863, when Colonel Doolittle, of the Eighteenth Michigan, took
the command.

At
Stanford, the Regiment was again detached from the Brigade, and ordered to
Milledgeville, Ky., where it was mounted, and remained in camp until the 26th
of April, when, with the new Brigade, consisting of the Forty-fifth Ohio,
Thirty-second Kentucky and One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois, under command of
Colonel Benjamin P. Runkle, of the Forty-fifth Ohio, it marched for Somerset,
Ky.

At
Somerset, it joined other troops, under the command of Brigadier General S. P.
Carter, of Tennessee, and moved to Monticello, Ky., south of the Cumberland
River, and aided in driving a body of rebel troops, under command of General
Pegram, from that place, and out of Kentucky into Tennessee.  There the
Regiment was under fire for the first time, and although it was not severely
engaged and suffered no loss, it was complimented by Colonel Woolford for its
steadiness, who remarked that he could scarcely believe the Regiment had not
before been under fire.

From
Monticello, the Regiment returned to Somerset, Ky., where it remained until
July 1863, and where detachments from it were constantly engaged in active and
severe duty, scouting up an down the Cumberland River, often at great
distances, by night and by day; and in guarding fords and ferries on the
Cumberland River.  While at Somerset, Ky., 200 picked men from the
Regiment, under command of Captain Dunn, of Company D, with similar detachments
from other regiments at Somerset, all under command of Major Dow, of the
Regiment, joined Colonel Sanders in his celebrated raid over the mountains into
East Tennessee.  For rapidity of movement, marching over mountains, and
swimming rivers, by day and night, and for successful execution, baffling the
enemy doing him a great amount of damage, and, finally, escaping from a vastly
superior force, where every mountain gap was supposed to be securely guarded,
this raid stands among the most brilliant of the war.  It severely tested
the courage and endurance of the men and officers who participated in it. 
The detachment of the One Hundred and Twelfth lost, in this raid, eleven (11)
men captured, and five (5) drowned in swimming Clynch River, at night.

From
Somerset, Ky., the Regiment moved back to Danville, Ky., and in the month of
July, assisted in driving about fifteen hundred (1,500) rebels, under command
of Scott, across the Cumberland.  It was four days and nights engaged in
the pursuit of Scott, with but little or no rest or sleep, and for more than a
100 miles was skirmishing with the enemy.

After
capturing about five hundred (500) prisoners-scattering many others in the
woods-and recovering most of the property stolen by these raiders, Scott was
finally driven over the Cumberland River and into the mountains, when the
Regiment again returned to Danville, Ky., having had one (1) man killed and six
(6) wounded in the pursuit and began the work of preparing for a campaign into
East Tennessee.

From
Danville, moved to Stanford, and from Stanford to Crab Orchard, from which
place, having completed the necessary preparation, the Regiment marched for
East Tennessee, with the army under General Burnside, re-brigaded with the
First East Tennessee Mounted Infantry, Eighth Michigan Cavalry and Forty-fifth
Ohio Mounted Infantry, under command of Colonel Byrd, of the First East
Tennessee, on the 21st of August 1863, and arrived at Kingston, Tenn., on the
1st of September.

The
Regiment actively participated in all the campaigns in East Tennessee, in 1863,
and, up to February 4, 1864, sharing in the glory of redeeming that truly loyal
people, and in wresting what was regarded as the key to the rebellion from
rebel rule.  Being always at the front and often at great distance from
the main body of the army,  it was kept constantly on the alert, and compelled
to perform the severest duties, always on short rations.

Its
operations in East Tennessee were at Kingston, Post Oak Springs, Athens,
Calhoun, Charleston, Cleveland, Sweetwater, Philadelphia, Loudon, Campbell's
Station, Knoxville, Bean Station, Blane's Cross Roads, Dandridge, Sevinville,
Fair Gardens, Kelly's Ford, Flat Creek Cap, and other places, at many of which
it was engaged in numerous skirmishes and battles, and being constantly in the
presence of the enemy.  At Cleveland, one (1) Captain was killed, several
men wounded, and about twenty (20) captured in a skirmish.

At
Calhoun, the Regiment, with the Brigade was driven back by an overpowering
force under Wheeler and Forrest, and the One Hundred and Twelfth brought up the
rear, and for the manner in which it was done, holding the enemy in check and
saving all the stores, it was complimented in an official order.  It,
however, had 20 men captured and 1 Captain, who were guarding a ford on the
Hiawassa, and were cut off.  At Philadelphia, it made a handsome charge
and drove the enemy from a hill, for which it was cheered by other troops, and
Major Dow, commanding, as well as the Regiment, was highly complimented by
General Sanders and other officers.  In this charge, one man was killed
and several wounded.

At
Knoxville, the Regiment, with cavalry and other mounted  infantry, was
thrown out in front to hold Longstreet in check, while the town was put in a
defensible condition, and on the 18th day of November 1863, behaved most
gallantly, and lost about 100 killed and wounded, and  about 20 men cut
off and captured.

At
Bean Station, Dandridge and Flat Creek, the Regiment lost several in each
engagement, killed and wounded.

At
Kelly's Ford, on the 28th of January 1864, the Regiment had 19 wounded,
including 4 commissioned officers, and 1 man killed.

After
the fight at Kelly's Ford, the Regiment moved to Maryville, Tenn., and from
there to Knoxville, where it was dismounted, and marched on foot over the
mountains to Mt Sterling, Ky., a distance of about 200 miles.  Arrived
there on the 23d of February, and remained until the 6th of April, where the
Regiment, after having been refitted as mounted infantry, and about ready for
the field, was permanently dismounted and moved to Camp Nelson, Ky., by way of
Lexington, where, after refitting for the field, as an infantry Regiment, it
marched back again over the mountains, into East Tennessee, and arrived at
Knoxville on the 3d or May.

From
Knoxville, on the 8th day of May, the Regiment moved, by rail, to Cleveland,
Tenn., and from thence marched on foot to Tunnel Hill, Ga., in charge of a
large ordnance and ambulance train; reported to Major  General Schofield,
commanding Department of Ohio, and the Twenty-third Army Corps, in the
field.  The Regiment had been re-brigaded with the One Hundredth Ohio, One
Hundred and Fourth Ohio, Eleventh and  Sixteenth Kentucky, under command
of Colonel James W. Riley, of the One Hundred and Fourth Ohio, and known as the
First Brigade, Third Division-under command of Brigadier General Cox-Twenty-third
Army Corps.

From
this time on, the Regiment participated in the campaign of  General
Sherman, against Atlanta, and was with the Twenty-third Army Corps in all its
movements in that interesting campaign.  At Resaca, on the 14th day of
May, it was actively engaged, and lost some 50 men killed and wounded-among the
latter the Colonel.

At
Utoy Creek, on the right of Atlanta, the Regiment, on the 6th of August 1863,
with the Brigade, made an unsuccessful assault on the enemy's works, and lost
71 men killed, wounded and missing.  Among the wounded  were the
Lieutenant Colonel, 3 Captains and 1 Lieutenant.  3 Sergeants and 1
Corporal were killed on the field.

The
Regiment was engaged in numerous other battles and skirmishes  of this
campaign.

On
the 8th of August, the Regiment was again re-brigaded with the Sixty-third, One
Hundred and Twentieth and One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana and Fifth
Tennessee Regiments, under command of  Colonel Thomas J. Henderson, of the
One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois.  The Brigade was known as the Third
Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, and the Regiment remained in
it until it was mustered out of the service at the end of the war.

On
the 31st of August, after having cut loose from Atlanta, and struck for the
Macon Railroad-General Cox being anxious to be the first to reach the road-an
object it had so long and so severely struggled to accomplish-ordered the One
Hundred and Twelfth Illinois, under command of Major Dow, to report to him
personally, when the Regiment immediately pushed forward, drove the enemy
rapidly back, and successfully reached the Macon Railroad, just in time to cut
off three of four long trains, with ordnance, etc., and commenced the work
of  tearing up the track.  From this moment, all felt that the fall
of Atlanta was certain.  After marching down to Jonesboro, learned of the
evacuation of Atlanta, and on to Lovejoy, the Regiment returned with the army
and with the Twenty-third Army Corps, went into camp at Decatur, Ga., and to
rest, after being for four months marching and fighting, constantly in the
presence of the enemy, and under fire almost every hour of the day and
night.  Here the Regiment remained, from the 8th of September until the
4th of October, when Hood having re-crossed the Chattahoochie, the Regiment and
Brigade, with Sherman's Army, moved in pursuit, and marched during the month,
by indirect marches, nearly 400 miles, passing through Marietta, Ackworth,
Allatoona, Carterville, Cassville, Kingston, Rome, Calhoun, Resaca, Snake Creek
Gap, Villanow, Sommerville, Gaylesville and Cedar Bluff, Ala., and then back
again to Rome.

Here,
the Regiment, with the Twenty-third Army Corps, was separated from General
Sherman, and sent back into East Tennessee, to look after Hood, who was
reported to have crossed the Tennessee.  It accordingly marched on foot to
Dalton, Ga., and from thence by rail moved to Nashville, and to Thompson
Station, below Franklin, and from thence marched to Pulaski, Tenn., on foot.

Remained
in camp, at Pulaski, until the 22d of November, when it commenced retreating to
Nashville.  During the retreat, participated in the battles of Columbia
and Franklin, losing some 30 or 40 men killed and wounded.

The
Regiment also participated in the battles of Nashville, on the 15th and 16th of
December.  The battles of Franklin November 30th- and  Nashville,
were glorious battles, and virtually terminated the war in the West.

The
Regiment, with the Twenty-third Army Corps, having pursued Hood's Army to the
Tennessee River, was then ordered to a new field of operations, and proceeded
by steamboat down the Tennessee and up the Ohio River to Cincinnati, and from
that city, by rail, to Washington City.  From Alexandria, it went by the
steamship "Atlantic" to Fort Fisher, North Carolina.  The
Regiment then aided in the reduction of Fort Anderson, in driving the enemy
from his works at Town Creek bridge, and finally from Wilmington, which place was
occupied on the 22d of February 1865. From Wilmington the Regiment marched to
Kingston, N.C., passing to Goldsboro, and, with the army, occupied that
place.  From Goldsboro, moved to Raleigh.  At Raleigh, after the
surrender of Johnson's Army, moved to Greensboro, N.C., where the Regiment
remained until the 20th of June 1865, when it was mustered out of the service,
and ordered to Chicago, Ill.  The Regiment arrived at Chicago on the 27th
of June; was finally discharged on the 7th day of July 1865.

The
Regiment was always in the Department of the Ohio, and served in the
Twenty-third Army Corps, from its organization to the close of the war.