This Regiment was organized at Camp Douglas, near Chicago and was mustered in 30 November 1862. On 16 February 1862, it left Chicago and proceeded by rail to Benton barracks, near St. Louis, Missouri and then to Pilot Knob.

On 28 May five Companies skirmished with the Confederates at Cache River Bridge, Arkansas, routing them with considerable loss. Three other Companies on the same day had a skirmish on the Augusta Road, in which two Confederate soldiers were captured, one of which was severely wounded. In June, a party of Confederates attempted to capture a valuable train near the Waddell farm, 5 miles from Jacksonport, but were utterly defeated and driven off by two Companies of Missouri Cavalry and four Companies of the Illinois 9^th Cavalry, with a loss to the Rebels of 28 killed, wounded and missing. The Regiment's loss was 13 wounded and missing.

At the fight at LaGrange, Arkansas, two Companies of the Regiment, with soldiers of other Regiments and 2 howitzers, behaved very gallantly against a considerable force of the enemy, who lost over 50 men, while the Federal loss was small. During the night of 11 October a part of the Regiment captured a Confederate picket of 12 men near Helena. The Regiment was engaged with the enemy at Coldwater, Mississippi in July 1863, at Grenada in August, and then moved to LaGrange, Tennessee.

It made an attack upon the enemy at Salem, Mississippi in October and drove him from his position. It met the enemy at Wyatt five days later where the Confederates fell back after fighting all day and retreated during the night. In November, it was again engaged with the enemy at Saulsbury, Tennessee and in December the Division was engaged at Moscow. In January 1864, the Regiment was in the 2nd Brigade, Grierson's Division, 16th Corps, Army of the Tennessee, and at Collierville a detachment had a brisk skirmish with a portion of Forrest's command, which had made an attack upon the Memphis & Charleston railroad, several enemy being killed and wounded.  On 16 March, the Regiment was mustered as a veteran organization and the following day marched to Memphis, whence the men returned to Illinois on the furlough usually granted to veterans.

Returning to the field the Regiment formed a portion of the rear-guard on the retreat from Guntown, Mississippi losing 5 killed, 23 wounded and 12 captured out of 160 men. In a severe Cavalry fight at Old Town Creek in July, the Regiment acquitted itself with credit and afterwards returned to Memphis. In August, it marched by the way of Holly Springs to Abbeville, Mississippi where it skirmished with the enemy, and on the 11th had another skirmish at Oxford. A severe fight took place at Hurricane Creek, the Regiment taking an honorable share, losing 4 killed and several wounded.

The Division to which the Regiment was attached did some hard fighting at Shoal Creek, Alabama in November. For several days after this the Regiment skirmished with the enemy's advance and was hotly engaged at Campbellsville, Tennessee. It took part in the fierce battle at Franklin and did what was in its power toward crippling the Confederate army under General Hood.

At the great battle of Nashville it belonged to the 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, Cavalry corps, and sustained its well-earned reputation for valor. It participated in a well-directed charge upon a redoubt, which was carried, and at the same time captured 4 pieces of artillery and 150 prisoners, sharing in the final rout of the enemy. Soon the Army of General Hood was in full retreat and the Regiment participated in the chase, which resulted in destruction of Hood's Army, skirmishing with portions of it at Brentwood, on the Franklin pike, near Franklin at Rutherford creek and Ross' Farm.

The Regiment was mustered out at Selma, Alabama Oct. 31, 1865, and ordered to Springfield, Illinois where the men received final payment and discharge.

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