Illinois National Guard Adjutants General

ADJUTANT GENERALS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

When Illinois became a territory in 1809, the office of Territorial Adjutant General was created. William Alexander was the serving Territorial Adjutant General when Illinois became the 21st State of the Union. Elias Rector served twice as Territorial Adjutant General. Simon Bolivar Buckner served as the Illinois Adjutant General in 1857, three years before he became a Confederate General during the Civil War. Illinois’ longest serving Adjutant General was Major General Leo Boyle, who held the office for 28 years. Major General Harold Holesinger is the only Illinois Adjutant General to come from the Illinois Air National Guard.