USA > Indiana > History of the Forty-sixth regiment Indiana volunteer infantry : September, 1861-September, 1865 > Part 1
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Gc 973.74 In2inf 1755149
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01081 1468
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/historyoffortysi00inindi
HISTORY
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1
- OF
46 Th THE FORTY- XTH REGIME
DIANA VOLUNT
INFANTRY
September, 1861 - September, IS65
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Compiled by Order of the Regimental Association
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IS88
1755149
8349 .24
Indiana infantry. 46th regt., 1861-1865.
History of the Forty-sixth regiment Indiana volunteer in- fantry, September, 1861-September, 1865: compiled by order of the Regimental association. [Logansport, Ind., Press of Wilson, Humphreys & co., 1888.
Cares fri 3349 124 .
vi, (7)-220 p. 23;c.
Compiled by Thos. H. Bringhurst and Frank Swigart.
another copy.
1. U. S .- Civil war-Regimental histories-Ind. inf .- 46th. I. Title.
24063
2-12776
Library of Congress
E506.5.46th
(a31e1]
DEDICACED
TO THE
Eulisted Hlen of the Forty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers;
For the Private Soldiers are the true Heroes of the War; not the officers, upon whom too generally falls all the credit of successful action. They bear the weight of the Ifenty blows sent by the enemy. while the glory earned by them too often settles around those who, although more promi- nent upon record. are often less so upon the field.
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PREFACE.
A T the annual meeting of the FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA REGI- MENTAL ASSOCIATION, held at Delphi, Ind., in September last, it was determined that a History of the Regiment should be prepared, and a committee was appointed to compile the work. The duty has been performed, and the Committee pre- sents this volume as the result of its labor, in the hope that the book will serve the purpose of the Association, in giving the survivors of the Regiment, in sufficient detail, a record of most of the incidents of the service.
The Committee does not pretend that it has succeeded in compiling a work that will entertain the general public, though, to many outside of the organization, it may prove interesting. It was designed to furnish the survivors of the Regiment, their families and friends, a book which, now and in future years, may recall the stirring and exciting scenes through which the Regiment passed.
Much difficulty has been encountered by the Committee, in reaching facts and dates through the memory of the members of the Regiment. The lapse of a quarter of a century has dimmed the memory of nearly all, and left many interesting facts and events forgotten. With the material at hand, the Committee has done the best that was possible, and believes that the His- tory will be found as complete as could be expected.
The service of the Regiment was varied. It served on land and water. Much of its time was spent on gunboats, transports and flatboats. It served in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. It was
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PREFACE.
often engaged independent of other regiments. It was in active service nearly four years, and with many of its original members as officers. It was in many important actions, and acknowledges one bona-fide retreat. The members of the Regiment were harmonious, and the most unwelcome order was always promptly obeyed.
The members of the Committee acknowledge the pleasure they have enjoyed in reviving many forgotten incidents of the service, and the companionship of the comrades of those event- ful days. Even the fatigue, the danger and the suffering of the times, were compensated for, by the acts of kindness they called out, and cannot be forgotten.
The record of no Indiana regiment was dimmed by any act that dishonored its members or the State. The Forty-sixth simply claims that it was an Indiana regiment, and that its members are satisfied with its record.
- Tuos. H. BRINGHURST, FRANK SWIGART, Committee.
July 2, 18SS.
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The Forty-Sixth Indiana.
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CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION. - FIRST MARCHE. - INDIANAPOLIS. - MADISON. - LOUISVILLE. - CAMP OAKLAND. - BARDSTOWN. - WICKLIFF .- SALT RIVER .- GEN- ERAL NELSON .- DOWN THE RIVER. - EVANSVILLE .- PADUCAHI. - CAIRO .- SEPTEMBER, 1961 - FEBRUARY, 1862.
T' HE campaigns of the "three months' service" were concluded. The defeat at Bull Run had been suffered, and the Nation was preparing for the desperate struggle, now manifestly upon it. Indiana was alive with military preparation. Already she had many regiments in the field. Cass, Carroll and White counties had recruited and sent the Nation's army six companies of infantry, and a considerable number of the citizens of those counties had joined organizations in other districts. Portions of a regiment had been recruited at Logansport, under a promise by Governor Morton that a regiment would be accepted from that point, pro- vided the State should be at no expense for quarters. Barracks had been commenced there, on a citizens' subscription, and were sufficiently advanced to be made habitable by the 7th of October, 1861. Final authority for organizing the Forty-sixth Regiment was received in the following:
INDIANAPOLIS, September 30, 1861.
"Hon. R. P. DeHart, Hon. Graham N. Fitch, Newton G. Scott and Thomas H. Bringhurst are authorized to raise a regiment, to rendezvous at Logansport. Build your barracks, hurry up your company organizatious and put them in camp.
"By order of GOVERNOR O. P. MORTON. "WILLIAM R. HOLLOWAY."
This stimulated recruiting, and, in a few days, the regiment. was in camp, made up as follows:
A full company from Cass county, under John Guthrie, entered September 30.
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
Part of a company from Camden, Carroll county, under David Paden and David Howell, October 3.
A full company from Delphi, Carroll county, under John H. Gould, October 5.
A full company from Cass county, under Aaron M. Flory, October 7.
A part of a company from Carroll county, under Bernard F. Schermerhorn, October 10.
A part of a company from Pulaski county, under Felix B. Thomas, October 17.
A part of a company from White county, under William Spencer, October 18.
A part of a company from Fulton county, under Benjamin F. Grover.
A part of a company from Wabash and White counties, under James H. Thomas.
A part of a company from White county, under Robert W. Sill, October 20.
A part of a company from Cass county, under N. B. Booth, October 20.
The camp was fully organized and under discipline by October 7, when John H. Gould was appointed to command the barracks, who issued the first "regimental orders" on that day.
On September 30, 1861, commissions were issued by Governor Morton to the field officers, as follows: Graham N. Fitch, colonel; Newton G. Scott, lieutenant colonel; Thomas H. Bringhurst, major; Richard P. DeHart, adjutant; and, on September 24, to David D. Dykeman, quartermaster; on December 11, to Robert Irvin, chaplain: on October 7, to Horace Coleman, surgeon, and to William S. Haymond, assistant surgeon.
During October, 1861, the several companies having been filled up to the maximum, elections were held for company officers, resulting in the following organizations:
Company A .-- Captain, John H. Gould; first lieutenant, William A. Pigman; second lieutenant, James M. Watts.
Company B .- Captain, Aaron M. Flory; first lieutenant, John T. Castle; second lieutenant, John M. Arnout.
Company C. - Captain, Bernard F. Schermerhorn; first lieu- tenant, Anthony Garret; second lieutenant, Andrew B. Robertson.
Company D .- Captain, John Guthrie; first lieutenant, Wil- liam M. Dellart; second lientenant, Charles A. Brownlie.
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ORGANIZATION .- MARRIAGE IN CAMP .- MARCH. ,
Company E .- Captain, William Spencer; first lieutenant, Eli R. Herman; second lieutenant, Henry Snyder.
Company F .- Captain, David Howell; first lieutenant, Bernard B. Dailey; second lieutenant, Atlas A. Benham.
Company G .- Captain, Robert W. Sill; first lieutenant, Joseph D. Cowdin; second lieutenant, John M. Berkey.
Company H .- Captain, Felix B. Thomas; first lieutenant, George Burson; second lieutenant, James W. Brown.
Company I .- Captain, James H. Thomas; first lieutenant, John W. F. Liston; second lieutenant, N. B. Booth.
Company K .- Captain, Benjamin F. Grover; first lieutenant, Robert M. Shields; second lieutenant, Jacob H. Leiter.
Commissions for the above officers were given them at Indian- apolis, on December 11, bearing date October 4, 1861.
Anticipating an early departure, the several departments of the regiment were actively engaged in procuring the necessary supplies. An abundance of comfortable clothing was received and distributed. An inferior article of Enfield rifles was received. Horses were purchased for wagons. [The wagons were met at Louisville.] Pending the expected orders to move, the regiment was industriously drilled. On the 28th of November the monotony of camp life was diversified by the marriage of Mr. William Cornell, of Company D., to Miss Annett Smith, by the regimental chaplain, Robert Irvin. The ceremony was performed on a plat- form, in the presence of the assembled regiment.
On the morning of the 12th of December, 1861, the Forty- sixth regiment broke camp and prepared for actual service. At S o'clock the line was formed and the regiment was mustered into the service of the United States by Lieutenant Edgar E. Phelps, of the regular army, for three years. Officers and men took the regulation oath, and, led by the Logan band, took up the line of march for the war. The route was direct for the depot of the Wabash railroad, where the regiment was rapidly and safely placed on comfortable cars, and, at 10 o'clock, the train moved slowly off toward LaFayette. Just previous to the departure a handsome national flag was presented to the regiment by the citizens of Logansport, through Mr. Charles B. Lasselle, which was received, on behalf of the regiment, by Colonel G. N. Fitch.
As descriptive of the departure of the regiment, the following is copied from the Logansport Journal of December 14, 1861:
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
"The spectacle was such as has never before been witnessed in this place. The streets through which the regiment marched were crowded with people, and it was scarcely possible to make a passage through the mass. The gleam of the bright Entiells, the measured tread of the thou- sand men, the music, the gallant bearing of the soldiers, and, more than all. the thought that all this preparation - this bustle - was, most likely, the opening scene to a bloody tragedy, gave an interest to the occasion that could be experienced at no other time. * * * :1:
"At the depot the scene was still more exciting. No less than four thousand persons had gathered there to take a last look at the boys and bid them good-bye. Mothers who had given up their only son, to subject him to certain hardship, danger and probable death to vindicate the honor of the Government: fathers bravely struggling against fraternal emotion ard exhorting their boys to noble deeds in the defense of the right: brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, all shaken by a natural grief at the sad parting, yet, with all, not a word of repining, not a wish that the loved ones should remain at home in the hour of their country's peril."
Arriving at LaFayette, the regiment was received at the depot by the Fortieth Regiment, under Colonel Wilson, and by Cox's battery.
On the arrival of the regiment at Indianapolis, camp was found already prepared by a detail sent down in advance, and orders were in waiting directing the regiment to proceed imme- diately to Lonisville. The train was taken for Madison on the 14th of December.
Madison was reached at 3 A. M. on the 15th. The reception was rather cold and cheerless. The boats intended for the regi- ment were not ready, and the men were compelled to accept quar- ters along the levee until daylight. At 6.30 A. M. the right divi- sion, under the lieutenant colonel, marched aboard the "City of Madison," and the left, under the major, the "Lancaster, No. 3." At 10 o'clock the boats pushed out into the river. The levee was lined with people, who greeted the soldiers with cheers and the waving of handkerchiefs. The soldiers responded with such shouts as a thousand such throats could utter.
As the two boats passed down the river, with the crowded levee in sight and under the sound of the bells ringing for church, it recalled to many a similar scene, which occurred on the same spot, years before. In 1846 a company from Cass county was going to the Mexican war. It came from Logansport, through Indianapolis, to Madison, and was transported by steamboat from Madison to Louisville on a Sunday morning. The same drummer
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MADISON .- LOUISVILLE .- OAKLAND.
who beat to the tune of " The Girl I Left Behind Me" then, again beat to the same tune now from a similar position.
The passage down the river was uneventful. In landing. one of the men walked off a plank, and would have been drowned only for the prompt assistance of his comrades. This soldier had been in the enjoyment of a pair of new shoes, and his apparent anxiety to keep them out of the water submerged his head. Quite an effort was necessary, on the part of the man's friends, to restore his vital parts to the atmosphere, at the expense of the shoes.
The regiment arrived at Jeffersonville at 1 p. M. At 4, orders came for disembarkation at Louisville. At 7 o'clock the regiment was on its camp ground, on or near the Oakland race course, a short distance from the city. Orders were out for an immediate march, but some delay was necessary, on account of the non-arrival of the wagons. A large number of troops were on the ground, and there was much confusion.
The regimental wagons arrived on the 1Sth. The horses were hitched up in their new harness aud made a grand appearance.
The chaplain, Mr. Irvin, organized the postoffice.
Swain H. Nelson, of Company A, was injured by the accidental discharge of a gun. He was subsequently killed at Champion's Hill.
The regiment was restricted to thirteen wagons. This neces- sitated the turning over of forty horses. Mr. Van Vorst, the wagon-master, was so discriminating in his selection that the best animals largely predominated on the regiment's side.
The regiment left Camp Oakland on the ISth of December at 2 o'clock, and eneamped for the night at Fern creek, eleven miles from Louisville.
The Eleventh Michigan, which left in advance, was already in camp. The wagons were behind, and did not arrive in time for cooking. Considerable grumbling arose from the necessity of going to bed without supper. The wagons straggled in during the night, and as each one arrived, the driver aroused the camp in find- ing his company.
Reveille was beaten on the 19th at 4 o'clock, and some hours. were spent in hunting up camp property and getting into shape. Then there was a march of seven miles to a camp by a spring, and on hilly ground.
On the 20th, fifteen miles were made with much complaint about stiff limb, and sore feet. During the night, the Fifty-eighth
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THE FORTY-SIXTII INDIANA.
Ohio, Colonel Carr, arrived and went into camp. Many of the men were broken down. Their wagons and some hired teams were loaded with exhausted men, knapsacks and guns. The men were so tired that, without waiting for tents, they threw themselves upon the ground and slept. During the night the thermometer fell to twelve degrees.
On the 21st the regiment reached Bardstown, forty miles from Louisville. The encampment was on the south fork of Green river. Here a member of Company I had an attack of insanity. He broke from camp and went through houses generally, greatly alarming the natives. He was finally subdued. The weather turned cold and there was much suffering. Some had small stoves, which helped considerably. On the 23d a move was made to a better location. Great preparations were being made for Christmas. Negroes came fin with turkies and pies, all of which found a ready market. On the 2Stli camp was again moved, five miles south on the pike.
On the 2d a large Sibley tent, occupied by a number of Company H, took fire while the regiment was on drill. The edifice, with its entire contents, was destroyed, and twenty home- less wanderers were cast upon the charities of an unsympathizing camp. No insurance. On the same day the quartermaster sent a trusty agent to town for rations of groceries. Meeting with unex- pected good friends, the man became confused in his mission, and drew 1,200 pounds of fresh meat. He arrived in camp at midnight, and insisted that meat was what the quartermaster wanted.
The regiment was drilled four hours in the morning and three in the afternoon. The latter drill was with knapsacks. None were exempt from the duty, except on surgeon's certificate. The earlier and later portions of the day were devoted to persimmons, of which there was an abundance.
On the 6th the regiment started for Camp Wickliff, twenty- three miles distant, and went into camp at Knob creek, fourteen miles. Weather severely cold and roads muddy. Reached Wick- liff at 11 s. M. There was great confusion from the rush of troops and stores. Thermometer fifteen degrees.
The Forty-sixth at Wiekliff, was brigaded with the Forty-first Ohio, the Forty-seventh Indiana and the Sixth Kentucky, under command of Colonel William B. Hazen, of the Forty-first Ohio. Squad, company, regimental and brigade schools were immediately organized, and, in fair weather, drilling occupied the greater part
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CAMP WICKLIFF .- SALT RIVER. - EMBARKATION.
of the day. The regimental drills were enjoyed from 1 to 4 o'clock each afternoon, a portion of the time with knapsacks. The sick list averaged 125.
During the five weeks' stay at Camp Wickliff there was much wet and cold weather. The discipline of General Nelson was very severe, rendering the first experience of the regiment in military life not enchanting.
The regiment started for the Ohio river on the 14th of Feb- ruary. The weather was very cokl, and the roads exceedingly heavy. Sixteen miles were made by evening. The men suffered very much, and the fatigue was much aggravated by the impera- tive orders of General Nelson against straggling. Went into camp at dark. The wagons had stalled, and did not come in until 9 o'clock. The weather grew colder and there were no tents. An abundance of hay was found and appropriated. Fences were also used quite liberally.
The regiment remained in that camp all the next day, and on the 16th again took up the line of march, and arrived within two miles of the Ohio river at dark. On this last march the suffering was extreme. Over a thousand men straggled. Many did not get into camp until the next day. The Forty-sixth suffered as little as any regiment, and came into camp in fair order. It was on this march that General Nelson gathered in so many swords from officers, for permitting their men to lie on the snow.
On the 17th orders were received to prepare for embarkation on steamboats. They were already at the landing, awaiting their loads. The assignment of boats for the division was as follows:
On the "Diana," the Sixth Ohio, with General Nelson, as the flag ship; on the "Autocrat," the Twenty-fourth Ohio; on the "John Raines," the Fifty-first Ohio; on the "Woodford," the Thirty-sixth Indiana; on the "Silver Moon," the right wing of the Forty-first Ohio; on the "Lady Jackson," the left wing of the Forty-first Ohio; on the "Glendale," the right wing of the Forty- seventh Indiana; on the "Lady Pike," the left wing of the Forty- seventh Indiana; on the "Izetta," Companies A, F, D and I, of the Forty-sixth Indiana; on the "City of Madison," Companies C, H and E, and on the "Golden State," G, K and B, of the same regi- ment; on the "Lancaster, No. 4," the right wing, and on the "Switzerland," the left wing of the Sixth Kentucky.
A field officer was on each boat. Colonel Fitch was on the "City of Madison," Lieutenant Colonel Scott on the "Izetta" and
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
Major Bringhurst on the "Golden State." The work of loading was accomplished by 8 r. M., with great difficulty. The loaded wagons were backed down the steep bank by large details of men, and the miscellaneous equipage of the regiment was piled up on the boats' decks in great confusion. It was not assorted until late next day. The officers were ordered to run the boats in a pre- scribed order, in double column, with the "Diana" in the lead. The imperative order to each was to follow his leader, regardless of circumstances. The fleet started out in a misty rain, and the boats became considerably mixed up. Stops were necessary on account of the fog, and at daylight the fleet had made only eighty miles. Cannelton was reached by 9 o'clock, where a full supply of coal had been ordered and was expected. None was ready, and General Nelson loudly threatened to hang the proprietor for his delinquency. The fleet remained until 5.30 r. MI., getting what coal was possible.
After considerable running up and down the river, a portion of the fleet reached Smithland, at the mouth of the Cumberland river, and 315 miles below the starting point. Here the leading boats turned up the river, and the "Golden State," with the left companies, followed to Evansville, 151 miles above. The other boats, with the remainder of the regiment, had not been seen since the start, on the 17th.
The portion of the fleet now together (seventeen boats), kept on past Evansville, and it seemed that the whole expedition had lost purpose and was returning at will. The order to follow the leading boat was still good, but the major in charge of the "Golden State," thinking it a waste of fuel to be thus aimlessly running up and down the river, when about twelve miles above Evansville, ordered the captain of the boat to run in shore and tie up until General Nelson found out what he wanted to do. Accordingly the "Golden State" was turned into the bank and tied up, while the soldiers, crew and officers of the boat patiently awaited devel- opments. Boat after boat passed up until all seemed gone.
Suddenly the "Diana," the flag ship, was seen coming down , the river, under a full head of steam. Evidently the "Golden State" was noticed, for the "Diana" turned short in toward her. And now there was tribulation among the occupants of the " Golden State." The plainest order of General Nelson had been disobeyed, and the reputation of that officer for severe discipline warranted any punishment that could be anticipated.
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DOWN THE OIIIO.
As the "Diana" came near, an aide of the general's came to the side of the boiler deck and inquired the name of the regiment and of the colonel, which were given him by the major. In a moment the general himself came forward and inquired the reason of the boat's position. The major described an accident that had occurred near Evansville-not serious. The general said he would come aboard and see what was the matter, and the captain of the boat hastened to the engineer, to post him on the situation. On coming on board, the general sent for that officer and got an accu- rate description of the break, and an estimate of the time required to repair it. Many inquiries were made by the general about the regiment and Colonel Fitch. He said the regiment was a good one and bad good officers, but all had much to learn. He was invited to dinner by the major and concluded to stay.
At dinner the general was very sociable, but there was a cloud over the boat officers. The captain had a card suspended over the table announcing that one dollar and fifty cents per day would be charged officers for board. The general ordered the card down, and threatened that if he ever knew him to charge over one dollar per day, he would hunt him up and execute him. He said the Government paid a large sum for the service of the boats, and the soldiers should not be imposed upon.
After dinner, the general invited the major to go with him on board the "Diana," which he did, after leaving orders with the captain of the "Golden State" to come to Evansville, as soon as the repairs were completed. On the "Diana" the officers of the boat and of the Sixth Ohio were about to sit down to dinner. On invitation, the general and the major again dined.
At Evansville, the general and his new aide went to the tele- graph office, whence the general sent many dispatches up the river. They then returned to the landing, and, as the "Golden State" had arrived, the major went on board and started down the river. Before leaving, the general gave especial orders that the regiment should wait at Paducah for orders from him, for he should retain it in his division.
The "Golden State" reached Paducah at 3.30 A. M., on the 21st. The major immediately reported the regiment to General Sherman, who was in his office with his aides, busy forwarding troops on their several routes. He directed the Forty-sixth to- report to General Payne, at Cairo, and at 6 o'clock the "Golden State," with her three companies, was again steaming down the river.
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
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