1st Illinois Battalion

Meet the Colonel

Colonel Bob Winter –

      I was born and raised in the Chicago area and currently live in the village of Lombard Illinois. I have been a civil war historian since I was very young and have been studying the history of Illinois in the civil war for the past 20 years.

        I got my start in civil war re-enacting 1990 when I joined company H of the 10^th Illinois Infantry as a Private.  I was promoted to Corporal in 1993 and to Sergeant in 1994. Elected second in command of the company in 1995 and promoted to Orderly Sergeant and served at the rank until 2000 when I was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant. I was elected company commander in 2001 and promoted to the rank of Captain and was raised to one of the senior company commanders of the Illinois Battalion by 2005. I was promoted to field commander of the Illinois Battalion for a few events in 2006 including the 144^th. battle of Perryville. Upon the retirement of Colonel Rick Keating I was voted in as Colonel of the Illinois Battalion in December of 2007 and as over all field commander of the 1^st Brigade Illinois Volunteers for the 2008 season.

e-mail:  rfw10thill@comcast.net