Bill, The Southern third of Illinois was known as Little Egypt or Egypt. I don't think this applies since the 50th mustered from Quincy which is Adams Co. The Northern most county considered Egypt is Madison Co. farther south.Their first duty was Hannibal then St.Joe then the southern tip of IL. Cairo.Northern men suffered in the South from many deseases though, I'm not aware of a percentage of eye infections.The Regimental History doesn't show a large portion of the men died from desease. They Vetranized in 1864 and actually became Mounted Infantry and were Brigaded with the7IL.Inf. latter in the war.My GGUncle was in the 7th.Was Mr. Norton from Kent, England?Possibly an ansestor was in the English Regiment?Let me look into it....