This was a separate company organized at Chicago, armed, equipped and subsisted for nearly two months by the patriotic generosity of Mr. Solomon Sturgis.

The Company was organized in April 1861, and was mustered into service May 6. It was armed by its patron with Sharpe's rifles. About the middle of June 1861, the Company was ordered to West Virginia to serve as a body guard to General McClellan. The Company reported to General McClellan at Parkersburg and accompanied him in the West Virginia campaign. It participated in the battle of Rich Mountain and marched with General McClellan to Washington, where he went to assume the command of the armies.

Washington was reached on July 26, 1861, and the Company did guard duty until March 10, 1862, when the "forward march" was ordered. It accompanied the General on the march upon Yorktown and during the siege of that place, thence into the seven days battle of the Chickahominy. At the close of the campaign the Rifles returned to Washington. Many of the members of the Company had been detached as foragers, scouts, etc. A few of the Company were in the battle of Antietam. The Company left the Army and Falmouth and on November 25, 1862, it was mustered out of service at Washington.