"From there the regiment boarded the cars for St. Louis, Missouri, where it received arms from the St. Louis Arsenal and embarked on steamer for Jefferson City, where it remained till the 29th, and then marched to Sedalia, Missouri, where they were assigned to General Sigel's famous Division. On the 13th of October the army began its march toward Springfield, Missouri, arriving there on the 27th and remaining until the 8th of November. General Hunter having been placed in command of the army, it moved toward Wilson's Creek, the scene of the late bloody battle between General Lyon's and Colonel Sigel's forces, and the rebel army under Price and McCullough….The men were in the best of spirits, and although they were now to meet that enemy whom they had been seeking for two months, none appeared to doubt their ability to whip any force which might be brought against them; but …the next day's order was to turn back towards Springfield, where it was found that the army had broken up camp and was marching toward Rolla, Missouri… the Division followed on, in the rear of the main army, toward Rolla, the terminus of the G.W. Branch of the Pacific R. R., arriving on the 19th without being materially molested by the enemy. Here it remained during the winter, the Regiment suffering severely from sickness, many of the men being called to 'that house not made with hands,' and many others being discharged for disability.

 

    On the 2nd of February, 1862, General Curtis having assumed command of the army, it again took up the march toward Springfield, where the rebel General Price had concentrated his forces, with the avowed determination of giving battle should he be attacked. But he failed to come, and the Union forces again took possession of the city on the 13thday of February without serious opposition. Then began an exciting chase--this Regiment being continually in advance, till it reached Camp Halleck, Benton County, Arkansas. On the 20th, when the pursuit was abandoned, the troops were allowed a few days' rest, having marched four consecutive days during the most inclement weather, there being six inches of snow on the ground a portion of the time, and skirmishing with the enemy every day during the last week's march. Here they remained till the 5th of March, when it became evident that the combined forces of Van Dorn, Price and McCullough were marching to give battle, and accordingly on the 6th, moved toward Sugar Creek Valley, under the command of Curtis, Sigel, Davis and Asboth, and in the afternoon of the same day the rear guard was attacked and repulsed by the enemy. Thus began the terrible battle of Pea Ridge, which resulted so disastrously to the rebels, in which this Regiment took a prominent part. 

 

    After the enemy had been routed this was one of the regiments selected to follow up his retreat, which was done for three days, capturing one stand of colors, taking many hundred prisoners and several pieces of artillery. Remaining in this vicinity till the 5th day of April, the march was resumed for Forsythe, Missouri, and thence to Batesville, Arkansas, on the White River. When the army was reorganized, it being now in the Brigade commanded by Colonel Osterhaus, and on the 8th of May crossed the river, and as was supposed, took up the line of march toward Little Rock. They had not gone far when orders were received to return to Batesville and march to Cape Girardeau on the Mississippi River, two hundred miles distant, and from thence to Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, by water, to reinforce the troops then besieging Corinth, Mississippi. Arriving at Plttsburg Landing on the 26th of May, the next day they marched up within supporting distance of the main army, arriving two days previous to the evacuation. After the evacuation, the regiment was attached to Major General Pope's Army and sent in pursuit of the retreating foe; but the roads were so bad that the pursuit was abandoned after a few days, and on the 12th of June, it returned to Rienzi, Mississippi, and went into camp, remaining there until August 26. 

 

    Cincinnati and Covington being threatened by the enemy, the Brigade, consisting of the 2nd and 15th Missouri, 36th and 44th Illinois, under command of Colonel Greusel of the 36th Illinois, was ordered to those places, to protect them from the assaults of the enemy. It arrived at Cincinnati about the 1st of September and immediately crossed the river to Covington, Kentucky, where it remained until the 17th, when it became known that the enemy had withdrawn from the front and were then moving upon Louisville. The Brigade recrossed the river to Cincinnati, and embarked on board the cars for Louisville, arriving on the 19th, and remained till the 1st of October. 

 

Here the command was again reorganized, under Major General Buell--this Regiment being assigned to the 35thBrigade, 11th Division, Army of the Ohio, and started on the memorable campaign after Bragg through Kentucky. The Regiment was engaged in the battle of Perryville on the 8th of October, being in the Division commanded by General P. H. Sheridan. After the battle, it followed the retreating foe to Crab Orchard. On the 20th of October it marched toward Bowling Green, where it arrived on the 1st of November. Here General Rosecrans assumed command of the army. On the 4th of November it took up the line of march toward Nashville, arriving on the 7th, thus relieving the garrison at that place and reopening communication with Louisville. It remained here till the 26th of December, when the army moved against the rebel forces at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where it was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 20th Army Corps, Colonel Schaffer commanding the Brigade, General Sheridan the Division, and General McCook the Corps. In the bloody battle of Stones River [Murfreesboro] the Regiment took a prominent part, losing more than half its number in killed and wounded.

 

[According to his biographer on findagrave, 'Amos was injured at the battle of Murfreesboro, and recovered to continue serving.' As the army "lost half it's number" and then rested at Murfreesboro for the next six months, that is plausible.]

 

    "The 44th remained with the army at Murfreesboro till the 26th of June, 1863, when it again marched to meet the enemy and was engaged at Hoover's Gap, Shelbyville, and Tullahoma, Tennessee. Arriving at Cowan Station on the 2nd of July, it remained there for a few days, when it marched to Stevenson, Alabama, driving the rear of the rebel army across the Tennessee River at Bridgeport, Alabama. Then it returned to Stevenson, Alabama, and remained till the 21st of August, when the movement against Chattanooga, Tennessee began. This Corps (the 20th) crossed Sand Mountain and moved down the valley towards Rome, Georgia, and had reached a point within 27 miles of the latter place when the balance of the army was attacked near Chickamauga by the rebel forces under Bragg and Longstreet. The 44th was ordered to return immediately and rejoin the main army. After three days and nights forced marches, it arrived on the field in time to take part in the bloody conflict of September 19 and 20, 1863. Falling back to Chattanooga, Tennessee, it remained there on quarter rations till the latter part of November.