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Illinois in the U.S. Civil War Quiz

Here's a quiz on Illinois' role in the Civil War.

A multiple-choice quiz by IlliniBob72. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
IlliniBob72

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
91,780

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
627

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In January, 1864, soldiers of the 54th Illinois Infantry were attacked by a Copperhead mob in which Illinois town? Hint

Charleston

Decatur

Chicago

Bloomington

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Question 2 of 10

2. A member of which Illinois regiment is accepted as having fired the first shot of the Battle of Gettysburg? Hint

12th Illinois Cavalry

59th Illinois Infantry

82nd Illinois Infantry

8th Illinois Cavalry

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which Civil War general did not begin the war as a colonel of an Illinois regiment? Hint

Ulysses Grant

John Turchin

John Logan

Samuel Curtis

4. The 23rd Illinois fought at Lexington, MO and was captured when the town was surrounded by overwhelming numbers. Later the 23rd would fight in the Shenandoah Valley and Petersburg. What name was the regiment also known as?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 5 of 10

5. The first Illinois infantry regiment raised in the Civil War was given which numerical name? Hint

1st Illinois Infantry

2nd Illinois Infantry

10th Illinois Infantry

7th Illinois Infantry

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Question 6 of 10

6. The Iron Brigade in the Army of the Potomac contained infantry regiments from Illinois, true or false?

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. The 59th Illinois Infantry began the war as the 9th Missouri Infantry, true or false?

True

False

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Question 8 of 10

8. Illinois provided more soldiers to the Union cause than all states but three. Which of the following did not provide more men than Illinois? Hint

Pennsylvania

Ohio

Michigan

New York

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Question 9 of 10

9. General John Buford, who commanded a cavalry division at Gettysburg, lived in what Illinois town before the war? Hint

Evanston

Rock Island

Macomb

Alton

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Question 10 of 10

10. There was concern that Illinois or parts of Illinois may secede from the Union, true or false?

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In January, 1864, soldiers of the 54th Illinois Infantry were attacked by a Copperhead mob in which Illinois town?

Answer: Charleston

The 54th Illinois was home on veteran furlough when attacked by the mob led by Coles County Sheriff O'Hair. Six soldiers were killed and three civilians. Order was only restored when the remainder of the regiment arrived from Mattoon and captured the mob's ringleaders.

2. A member of which Illinois regiment is accepted as having fired the first shot of the Battle of Gettysburg?

Answer: 8th Illinois Cavalry

Lt. Marcellus Jones of the 8th Illinois Cavalry fired the first shot as the Confederate column approached Gettysburg along the Chambersburg Pike.

3. Which Civil War general did not begin the war as a colonel of an Illinois regiment?

Answer: Samuel Curtis

Curtis was the colonel of the 2nd Iowa Infantry. Grant started the war as colonel of the 21st Illinois Infantry. Logan was colonel of the 31st Illinois Infantry. John Turchin, aka Ivan Turchinoff from Russia, was colonel of the 19th Illinois Infantry.

Answer: Irish Brigade

The regiment was called the Irish Brigade and Mulligan's Brigade, after its commander, Col. James Mulligan. Why a regiment would be called a brigade is beyond my understanding.

5. The first Illinois infantry regiment raised in the Civil War was given which numerical name?

Answer: 7th Illinois Infantry

The first infantry regiment was named the 7th because the first six volunteer infantry regiments from Illinois to serve the United States fought in the Mexican War.

6. The Iron Brigade in the Army of the Potomac contained infantry regiments from Illinois, true or false?

Answer: False

While the Iron Brigade was made up of western regiments from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan, none were from Illinois.

7. The 59th Illinois Infantry began the war as the 9th Missouri Infantry, true or false?

Answer: True

When no more infantry regiments were being accepted by the state, they went to Missouri and offered their services to that state. They were accepted and became the 9th Missouri. On Feb. 12, 1862, they were transfered to Illinois' rolls and given the name 59th Illinois Infantry.

8. Illinois provided more soldiers to the Union cause than all states but three. Which of the following did not provide more men than Illinois?

Answer: Michigan

Illinois ranked fourth behind New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, but in terms of percentage of male population that served in the war, Illinois ranked number one.

9. General John Buford, who commanded a cavalry division at Gettysburg, lived in what Illinois town before the war?

Answer: Rock Island

Buford, along with his brother Gen. Napoleon Bonaparte Buford, lived in Rock Island, IL.

10. There was concern that Illinois or parts of Illinois may secede from the Union, true or false?

Answer: True

The southern portion of the state had strong Southern sympathies, as most of the inhabitants came to Illinois from Southern states like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. Also, the war crippled trade along the Mississippi River and this caused strong anti-war feelings not just in Illinois but throughout the Northwest.

While there were grumblings about disunion by a minority, it never reached serious discussion and the state was strongly Unionist, as Question 8 illustrates. However, as Question 1 illustrates, the minority could be very dangerous.

Source: Author IlliniBob72

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor JaneGalt before going online.
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