McClellan's Headquarters Guard

The Sturges’ Rifles a company of Illinois militia were mustered out of Union service November 25^th 1862.

The Sturges’ Rifles were a company of Illinois sharpshooters who mustered into the Union army May 6^th 1861.  The company was organized in Chicago, Illinois.  A Solomon Sturgis saw to it that the men were equipped and armed with Sharps rifles.  They served from June 1861 with Union Major General George B McClellan as his headquarters guard and they served with him until he lost his command.  McClellan had been a member of the company before the start of the Civil War.  The men saw action in the Battle of Rich Mountain, the Peninsula Campaign, and Antietam.  The company was mustered out of service November 25^th 1862, having lost just one man.