90th Illinois Infantry Regiment

90th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry "The Irish Legion"
90th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry "The Irish Legion"
	Illinois state flag
Active	September 7, 1862, to June 10, 1865
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Infantry
Equipment	Siege of Vicksburg; Battle of Missionary Ridge; Battle of Resaca; Battle of Kennesaw Mountain; Battle of Jonesborough; March to the Sea; Battle of Bentonville

The 90th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service[]

The 90th Illinois Infantry was organized at Chicago, Illinois and mustered into Federal service on September 7, 1862. Nicknamed the "Irish Legion" or the "Second Irish". On two occasions, the unit included a disguised woman (Frances Elizabeth Quinn) in its ranks. The first time she was discovered and dismissed within a month by Colonel Tomothy O'Meara. She rejoined under a different name, and a new commander, a year later. She was successful until captured and discovered by confederate soldiers.

The regiment was mustered out on June 10, 1865.

Total strength and casualties[]

The regiment suffered 2 officers and 58 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 1 officer and 87 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 148 fatalities.^[1]

Commanders[]

Colonel Timothy O'Meara - killed in action at the Battle of Missionary Ridge.
Lieutenant Colonel Owen Stewart - Mustered out with the regiment.^[2]

Notes[]

^ http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unilinf7.htm#90th The Civil War Archive website after Dyer, Frederick Henry. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. 3 vols. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959.
^ http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/f&s/090-fs.htm Illinois in the Civil war website after Illinois Adjutant General's muster rolls