Organization

The 42nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment  organized at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin, with the last company mustered into service on September 7, 1864. The regiment left the state on September 20 and proceeded directly to Cairo, Illinois, where they stationed for post and garrison duty.

Active Duty

On October 25, Companies B, E, G, H, and K were ordered to Springfield, Illinois, for provost duty. This battalion remained there until April 1865, when all except Company B reassembled at Cairo and was engaged in garrison and guard duty until the regiment was ordered to return to Wisconsin.

The regiment reached Madison on June 20, 1865, and was shortly thereafter mustered out and disbanded.

Casualties

The regiment lost 58 men to disease.

For Further Research

Search our collections for photos and artifacts from Wisconsin in the Civil War. Read about other Wisconsin Civil War regiments. For detailed regimental histories of the U.S. Civil War, consult the Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Regimental Histories.

The histories above, unless otherwise noted, are adopted from Charles E. Estabrook, ed., Records and Sketches of Military Organizations, (Madison, 1914). This page was developed with the help of Bard.