Mustered in at Chicago September 13, 1861, proceeding the next day to Missouri, where it was engaged on active duty for several months; it was then in Sigel's Division. It was engaged at the battle of Pea Ridge, its first experience under fire, sustaining a slight loss only,— 1 killed and 2 wounded. In May, 1862, it marched with other reenforcements for the besieging army at Corinth, after which it remained in Mississippi a few months, proceeding thence, in September, to Covington, Ky., and then to Louisville. There it was assigned to Laiboldt's Brigade of Sheridan's Division, in which command it fought at Chaplin Hills; loss, 1 killed and 11 wounded. It fought next at Stone's River, where it lost 29 killed, 109 wounded, and 17 missing; total, 155. At Chickamauga, it lost 6 killed, 60 wounded, and 34 missing; total, 100.

Upon the consolidation of McCook's and Crittenden's Corps into the newly formed Fourth Corps, the regiment became a part of Steedman's Brigade, Sheridan's (2d) Division. At the battle of Missionary Ridge, Sheridan gave it credit for being among the first to plant its colors on the enemy's works. Over three-fourths of the men having reënlisted, the organization of the regiment was preserved throughout the war. The division under Newton participated in the hard fighting of the Atlanta campaign, and under Wagner, fought with Hood's Army at Franklin. After the victory at Nashville, the regiment moved to Huntsville, Ala., on January 5, 1865; thence in April, to East Tennessee, and from there it went with the Fourth Corps to Texas, where it was mustered out in September, 1865.