| Unit Name: | 55th Illinois Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers "Canton Rifles" |
| Dates: | October 31, 1861, to August 14, 1865 |
| Country: | United States |
| Allegiance: | Union |
| Branch: | Infantry |
| Battles: | Battle of Shiloh Siege of Corinth Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Chickasaw Bayou Battle of Fort Hindman (Arkansas Post) Battle of Snyder's Bluff Battle of Jackson (MS) Battle of Champion Hill Siege of Vicksburg Battle of Collierville Third Battle of Chattanooga Atlanta Campaign Battle of Resaca Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Battle of Atlanta Battle of Ezra Church Battle of Jonesborough Battle of Allatoona Pass March to the Sea Battle of Fort McAllister (1864) Carolinas Campaign Battle of Bentonville |
The 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment is sometimes referred to as the Canton Rifles or the Douglas Brigade 2nd Regiment.
The 55th Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois and mustered into Federal service on October 31, 1861. Training continued at Benton Barracks, Missouri. The 55th was part of Sherman's Yazoo Expedition.
The regiment was mustered out on August 14, 1865.
The regiment suffered casualties including nine officers, 149 enlisted men who were killed in action, or mortally wounded, and two officers and 127 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 286 fatalities.