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SHELBY COUNTY
IN THE
CIVIL WAR
M. L
INDIAR
ACTION
ـدلية
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01706 8914
SH
Gc 977.201 Sh4s Shelby County Civil War Centennial Committee Shelby County in the Civil War
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IN THE CIVIL WAR
1
SHELBY COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR
Published as a public service by the Shelby County Civil War Cenntennial Committee
SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA
1
CONTENTS
Introduction
3
General History 5 to 10
Roster of Volunteers 1
12 to 25
Regimental Histories
26 to 46
The Seventh Indiana - 90 Days
26
The Sixteenth Indiana - One Year's Service 27
The Eighteenth Regiment - Three Years 29
The Twenty-First Regiment, Indiana Volunteers
31
The Thirty-Third Regiment - Three Years
33
The Fifty-First Indiana Regiment - Three Years
36
The Seventieth Indiana - Three Years 39
The Seventy-Ninth Indiana 41
The One Hundred Twenty-First Regiment (Ninth Cavalry) 43
The One Hundred Thirty-First Regiment (Thirteenth Cavalry )
44
The One Hundred and Thirty-Second Regiment - 100 Days 46
Maps of Shelby County in 1866 47 to 56
St. Paul and Waldron 47
Shelbyville 48 and 49
Morristown and Marietta 50
Smithland and Cynthian 51
Norristown and Middletown 52
Fairland and London 53
Flat Rock, Geneva and Freeport 54
Pleasant View and Marion 55
Needham, Fountaintown and Mt. Auburn 56
Tp
BRIGHTYPE & LITHO BY TIPPECANOE PRESS INC., SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA
2
INTRODUCTION
The Shelby County Civil War Centennial Committee takes pride in pre- senting this brief pamphlet covering the Civil War period of our County's his- tory, as a part of our contribution to the Civil War Centennial Commemoration program instituted by our National Government. It is hoped this pamphlet will be interesting and informative, and perhaps will further stimulate in the reader a deeper interest in the Civil War period of our Country's history. We wish to urge all those who may have dairies, letters, and other documents of interest pertaining to this period, to bring them to the attention of the Committee, or to the Indiana State Library, in order that they may be microfilmed or other- wise preserved.
1308654
The first section of this pamphlet gives a brief and very general history of Shelby County during the Civil War period. Our remarks concerning the activi- ties of the home folks during the time of the Rebellion are necessarily limited, but we trust are sufficient to give the reader an idea of the trying times which were their lot during that turbulent period a hundred years ago.
In the second section we have endeavored to list the names of all the men who entered the Union Armies from Shelby County, together with their terms of service, and the Company and Regimental organizations to which they were assigned. We have appended short Regimental histories of those Indiana regi- ments to which Shelby County furnished a goodly number of men, with the thought in mind that descendents of these soldiers would get from these his- tories a general idea of the service performed by their forefathers, especially as regards the battles in which they participated, and the areas over which they traveled and fought.
The final section of this publication is devoted to a series of maps of all the towns and hamlets in Shelby County. These maps bear the date of 1866, and are the earliest which we have found. They have been reproduced from a large map furnished the Committee by Mr. Harry McCrea, of Hendricks Township, whose kindness is gratefully acknowledged.
The Shelby County Civil War Centennial Committee:
Judge Harold Barger, Honorary Chairman.
John R. Wetnight, Chairman William Breedlove, Vice-Chairman. Mrs. Walter Wintin, Secretary-Treasurer.
PLURIBUS +
UNUM >>
3
SHELBY COUNTY CIVIL WAR
CAPT.J.M. FLINTI "O. F 51 REGT. NO.YOLS. DIEZ
-
AGE: 3SVES.
Às feuers which might nhận
Breaths the sweet namera from a soldiers toma
WHAT'S IN A NAME
- (Photo By Bob Brant )
Of all the Union soldiers entering the ranks from Shelby County, none had a more thrilling experience than Jack Flinn, captain of Co. F, 51st Indiana. Captured with his regiment in the Spring of 1863, he was lodged in Libby Prison. While there, he was sentenced to death in retaliation for the alleged wrongful execution of Confederate officers by a Northern general. For a short time Flinn's case was a subject for discussion throughout the land, and the highest authorities, North and South, gave consideration to it. After a few anxious days, Jack Flinn's sentence was stayed, and in the Spring of 1864 he was exchanged. He camc home to Shelbyville to a hero's welcome, and rounds of parties were held in his honor. Jack Flinn was a popular figure in this community for the rest of his short life. He died in 1872 at the untimely age of 38, and is buried in the old City Cemetery.
4
GENERAL HISTORY
In 1861 Shelbyville, from a comparative standpoint, was possibly a more thriving and lively community than it is to-day. The 1860 census gave the population of this county seat town of Shelby County as 1960 inhabitants, and this was larger than the numbers listed for all the county seat towns in adjoin- ing counties, except Indianapolis in Marion County. Then it was about one- tenth the size of our State Capital, whereas now it would be about one-fortieth the size of Indianapolis. The figures for the Counties were comparatively much the same as for the cities, since Shelby County reported a larger population than any adjoining county save Marion County, in 1860.
At this time, there were no less than three different railroads passing through the city, although one of them, the Edinburg to Knightstown Railroad, a lateral branch of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, had to cease opera- tions during the War. The rails were taken up and used for military purposes in the South. The busiest railroad was the Cincinnati-Indianapolis line, but the road from Columbus to Rushville via Shelbyville seemed to do very well too, for in those days it maintained regular passenger service in addition to the hauling of freight. Passenger schedules were printed frequently in the newspapers of the day.
The condition of the roads throughout the County, however, was quite poor. In 1850, there were only dirt roads, but by the middle of the following decade, private investors formed toll road companies and began to build a number of toll roads, all radiating from Shelbyville to various smaller com- munities. Oddly enough, in 1860 there were no bridges on these roads, not even over the Big Blue River just north of Shelbyville, and all passages over the streams at this time were by means of fords. In fact, the first bridge built in the County was constructed over Blue River at the little town of Marietta in 1861, and this was done by public subscription, at a cost of $550.00. There was no bridge over Big Blue north of Shelbyville until 1867. By that time people had become fully conscious of the need for these structures, and many bridges were shortly thereafter constructed over the principal streams in the County.
It is hard for us to-day to envision what life was like in 1860 in Shelby- ville, but perhaps our imaginations can be helped a little bit by realizing what the people in those days did NOT have. No electricity, that came in 1887; no waterworks, that came in 1886; no paved streets until 1904; no street lights until 1874, when gas was installed; no hospital in the modern sense. The closest approach to this type of establishment was a so-called hospital built three- fourths of a mile to the southeast of the City, an eighteen by twenty-four foot building which actually was a pest-house where people with contagious diseases were confined. Illumination was furnished by kerosene lamps, or candles, and wood was practically the only fuel. The horse, of course, provided the princi- pal means of transportation.
Shelbyville had been incorporated as a City in 1850. The Mayor was the only salaried official, and he received the yearly sum of $200. The City Hall,
5
SHELBY COUNTY CIVIL WAR
and the Post Office, were located on Harrison Street north of the Public Square. City Councilmen were paid fifty cents per session, and since they met but twice a month it could scarcely be said that they got rich off their jobs. The City Clerk and Town Marshall received their pay entirely out of fees and fines. The Town Marshall sometimes doubled as a kind of Street Commissioner, and was paid for doing work on the streets and board walks that were maintained by the City in the business district. Shelbyville had no Fire Department until 1899, and no Police Department until 1902.
In 1860 there were at least forty churches holding forth throughout the County, and oddly enough, there were about the same number of doctors, al- though a few of these doctors served as part-time ministers. There were about one hundred school houses in the County, most of which were one-room brick construction. Higher education was served up at the Morristown Academy in Morristown, and the Boggstown Academy in the village of Boggstown, and the Shelbyville Academy, located where the Charles Major School now stands. The Masonic Lodge had six different lodges in the County, located in Shelby- ville, Pleasant View, Morristown, Fairland, Waldron, and Norristown. The Odd Fellows had chapter lodges at Shelbyville, Waldron, and Marietta.
Shelby County could properly boast of one of the nation's leading political figures in the person of Thomas A. Hendricks, although he had moved to In- dianapolis early in 1860. Mr. Hendricks had been defeated in the race for Governor in 1860. However, in later years he served this office twice, after a term in the United States Senate, and eventually he was elected Vice-Presi- dent of the United States, where he died in office after a short period of serv- ice. He was a power in the Democratic Party for many years. Lesser lights in the Democratic Party of Shelby County in 1860 were Martin M. Ray, an out- standing attorney who moved to Indianapolis in the early sixties, Thomas McFar- land, an attorney who served in the State Legislature for a time, and Reuben Spicer, editor of the NATIONAL VOLUNTEER, a weekly newspaper con- trolled by the county Democratic organization.
While City elections in this period went in favor of the Republicans the County vote was invariably in favor of the Democratic party. This is no doubt the reason that there were no Republicans from Shelby County enjoying state- wide recognition in those years, - as indeed there have been few prominent members of the Republican Party in the history of the County. The two Re- publican mayors of Shelbyville during the Civil War period were James Elliott, who served from 1860 to 1863, and James E. McGuire, who served from 1863 to 1867.
The Republican Party had as its official organ the SHELBYVILLE BAN- NER, but unfortunately it had to suspend operations early in 1861. It renewed publication for a time in the year 1864, but shortly again had to suspend. Unfortunately none of the issues for the year 1864 have been found.
As heretofore stated, the organ of the Democratic Party was the NATIONAL VOLUNTEER, a weekly paper edited by an able newspaperman by the name
6
..
GENERAL HISTORY
of Reuben Spicer. Practically all of the issues of this paper are still available, and from them we have gleaned the details of many unusual incidents in the local history of those times.
The Civil War period was a time of great turmoil throughout our country, and as for Shelbyville and Shelby County, there were certainly more violent deaths, robberies, fights, brawls, public disturbances and mob violence of dif- ferent sorts, and general misbehavior of report for the years 1861-1865 than for any similar period of the County's history; - one is tempted to say almost as much mayhem as the sum total of all such offenses committed before and since, but this would make a somewhat debatable statement. The War of course was the indirect cause of much of all this misbehavior, because people everywhere were emotionally disturbed by the issues of secession, emancipation of the negro, the draft laws, political campaigns and issues, military rule under provost mar- shalls, activities of the Knights of the Golden Circle, and all the unusual prob- lems, uncertainties, and hardships generated by the Great Conflict. Liquor was the torch that in most cases caused these emotions to burst into flame, some- times with dire results.
There must have been a lot of liquor consumed by the citizenry in those times, - mostly corn whiskey. One reads an advertisement in the VOLUN- TEER advertising whiskey, "of high proof and excellent quality" for a price of twenty-five cents per gallon. Editor Spicer says there were no less than a dozen saloons in the City of Shelbyville, and by means of a rather complicated set of arguments he deduced that each drinking man in the City consumed no less than eighteen and three-fourths gallons, or a half-barrel, of whiskey, per year. The amount of money spent for liquor exceeded, by several thousand dollars, the amount raised by taxation for the support of schools.
Vices of other sorts must have caused the city fathers some worries, for in July, 1861, the City Council passed a rather lengthy "Ordinance, to Protect the Decency, Morality, and Good Order of the City." This ordinance contained fifteen separate clauses, about half of which pertained to the vice of prostitu- tion. Burglary and theft, and petty larcenies, were reported in many issues of the VOLUNTEER. Perpetrators of these crimes included all ages, from boys of tender years who could and did frequent the vilest dens of iniquity, and were sometimes caught in petty thefts, to the professional robber who trafficked in stolen horses, committed hold-ups or robbed stores of their cash or wares, - and who were seldom caught. Horse stealing was probably the most serious crime of theft; it was not unusual for a dozen or so of horses to be reported stolen within a period of one week.
Saturday was the big shopping day, and Shelbyville on that day was usual- ly crowded with people, looking over the sidewalk displays and giving attention to vendors of all kinds hawking their wares. This was a day punctuated by street fights, dog fights, dogs running through town with tin cans tied to their tails, put there by boys enjoying "canninish amusement"; It was further en- livened by an occasional run-away horse, bringing danger, as well as excitement
7
SHELBY COUNTY CIVIL WAR
to all those in its path. This was the day when most of the political rallies were held, attended always with much acrimonious discussion and partisan bitterness, and frequent physical violence.
Many times citizens were aroused to such extents that mobs were formed, but they seldom were guilty of gross violence. Undoubtedly the biggest brawl ever to take place in Shelbyville occurred on Saturday, September 14, 1861. Let us quote the story directly as it was reported in the VOLUNTEER; -
"A Fight. Our City was the scene of one of the largest and liveliest fights on Saturday afternoon last that has occurred hereabouts within the memory of the 'oldest inhabitant'. We believe it originated from a fellow named Scott, living in Jackson Township, hurrahing for Jeff Davis, which at once fired both the patriotism and indignation of the boys. The Marshall, to save him from injury and prevent a row, arrested Scott and was proceeding towards the Mayors office, when some of his companions interfered and attempted his rescue - this gave rise to a disturbance and in a very few minutes the fight became general and promiscuous, nearly or quite fifty men being engaged - those who had the misfortune to get knocked down presented a most sorry spectacle as they arose to their feet dripping with mud and gore - it having rained throughout the day the roads were decidedly soft. Several were quite seriously injured by being hit with rocks, false 'knucks' and slung shots - especially a man named DeHart, who received a most frightful gash in the forehead, which Dr. Day found considerable trouble in dressing so as to stop the profuse bleeding. Ephriam Tucker, was hit on the jaw by a rock, and badly injured, although not engaged in the fight - but flying rocks are no respecter of persons.
For a time the scene was truly frightful, and apprehensions that serious consequences would ensue were rife, but to the surprise of all neither pistols nor knives were brought into requisition".
Morgan's raid into southern Indiana in the early part of the July, 1863, was the cause of considerable excitement and apprehension in the City of Shelbyville. Fears were expressed that the Rebel leader intended to make In- dianapolis his goal, and if true, Shelbyville quite likely would have been in his path. Intensive preparations were made to meet the foe, the forces being or- ganized by Mayor James E. McGuire, who had been Captain of Co. F. 51st Indiana, but had resigned his commission early in the year 1862. There was no issue of the VOLUNTEER for July 16, 1863, because all hands were occupied with problem of repelling the invader. An interesting sidelight developed when eighteen of Morgan's men who had been taken prisoners were lodged overnight in the County jail. Quite a number of the townspeople strenuously objected to the feeding of these prisoners in the local constabulary, alleging that such an act was an unpatriotic use of public funds. It should be explained, perhaps, that the eighteen prisoners were not captured by local forces, who never got
8
GENERAL HISTORY
close to the enemy, but were in fact taken by Union regulars down along the Ohio River.
During the year 1863 the Knights of the Golden Circle were very active in the State of Indiana, and while no proof is now available, it would seem that this organization had at least some support in Shelby County. Certain it is that the Democratic Party supplied this organization with all its members, and Democratic Party was unusually strong in Shelby County. Many acts of vio- lence occurred when someone was accused of belonging to that organization, or strongly suspected of belonging. Actually, the Knights were not as treasonable as is commonly supposed, particularly as regards the activities of local chapters. It was not unusual for members of the "fair sex" to get so involved in political arguments as to attempt to resolve the differences of opinion by resorting to fisticuffs.
Some incidents, however, took a decidedly serious turn. Witness the fol- lowing:
1. In March, 1863, a political argument between William Sills and Alfred Huston, in the village of Blue Ridge (then called Cynthian ) developed into a fight during which Sills was stabbed and killed.
2. In April, 1863, a soldier by the name of Robert Norvell was shot and killed by a Southern sympathizer, in downtown Shelbyville, following an argument.
3. In June, 1863, a deserter from the 33rd Indiana Regiment was surrounded by a group of soldiers and mortally wounded as he tried to escape. This took place near the south edge of the City.
4. In the same month, June of 1863, near Manilla, a deputy provost mar- shall, by the name of Frank Stevens, and his assistant, a Mr. Craycraft, were ambushed and killed by seven persons who arose from a wheat field nearby and fired upon them, as they were about to serve some draft papers.
Many other incidents involving gunplay and sundry acts of violence might well be reported here, if space permitted. Perhaps, however, we have reported enough to indicate the turmoil prevailing locally during this trying period.
In spite of all this, the contributions of the citizens of Shelby County to the Union cause were truly adequate and worthy of much praise. Shelby was among the first counties in the State to enroll a company of men and send them into battle. These men fought in the 7th Indiana in the Battle of Phillippi, the first land battle of the Civil War. Shortly afterwards one of these men, with the ordinary name of John Smith, was killed in a skirmish near Bealington, Virginia. So Shelby County was likewise one of the first counties to have a battle casualty. Smith was the fourth man from the State of Indiana to lose his life in battle.
As the year 1861 progressed and the war increased in intensity, Shelby County continued to pour men into the Union ranks. By August of that year, no less than five full companies, and parts of two others, had been turned out.
9
SHELBY COUNTY CIVIL WAR
The first Union man to lose his life in battle in the State of Kentucky was from Shelby County. His name was Lewis McFerran, from the vicinity of Marietta. He was a member of Co. F, 33rd Indiana, and he lost his life in the Battle of. Wildcat, Kentucky, Oct. 21, 1861.
In all, Shelby County had 3120 enlistments, of which only 323 came in under the draft, the remainder being volunteers. Of course, some of the men re-enlisted, perhaps on occasion more than once, but still it is safe to say that there were about 2500 men entering the service at one time or another. During the late World War II Shelby County had about 3000 enlistments altogether, male and female, so when one takes into account the difference in population figures for the two periods, it isn't hard to conclude that Shelby County did indeed give full support to the Union cause during the Civil War period.
During the Civil War Shelby County men found their ways into all branches of the service, and fought in almost all theatres of war. The majority of them, however, fought in the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia. Large numbers of them were with General Sherman in his campaign for Atlanta, and many of these participated in the now famous March to the Sea. It was in these campaigns, of course, that most of the battle casualties involving Shelby County men occurred. Over 200 men lost their lives in the conflict, with less than one-fourth of this number being killed in battle, the balance succumbing to disease. During World War II Shelby County suffered about 80 fatalities, but of course disease was not much of a factor by this time.
The reader is referred to local history books for further details of this period of Shelby County history. Your Centennial Committee welcomes any inquiries that may be directed to it, and wishes to express its appreciation to all those who have lent assistance. On the following pages are over 1500 volunteers from Shelby County. Information is listed in this order - Name, Rank, Company, Regiment, Date Mustered In and Date Mustered Out.
11
10
SHELBY COUNTY CIVIL WAR
One Civil War practice that seems most odd to us to-day was that of allowing drafted men to furnish substitutes. This number of men who avoided war service in this manner was not large, but it could scarcely be said that it was unusual for a man to take advantage of this priv- ilege. The advertisement ap- pearing herewith, published in the National Volunteer for Jan. 26, 1865, sheds an in- teresting sidelight on this phase of our local Civil War history.
HIENA
orders immea Shelbyville, Januaay 25, 1865.
ed
the
1,
the `orney, Ny. It
INDIANA MUTUAL
Lets. it
DRAFT INSURANCE COMPANY. Capital - - $30,000. TO MEN LIABLE TO DRAFT:
ARE YOU INSURED AGAINST THE DRAFT ?
THERE ARE MANY MEN LIABLE TO DRAFT, Whose business and family relations are such, that serving the Government as drafted man, or pro curing substitutes at the present high rates, are alike atten- ded with peculiar hardships.
also
ably t of A :. sar- were e ef- red. and nared . & he .n- A Company under the title of the Indiana Mutual Draft In- surance Company has been organized for the special ; urpose of insuring men against the
tihr Hon 26th, : Vip the Ra .. 30tl, 31
and A. Wil. 6th, 2 W or mc Dr. 3 posi as a' An trealmt Er
CA
Editor Spicer comments :
"Come In Out of the Draft." "In another column is an advertisement of the Indiana Draft Insurance Company. Mr. Noble, the President, and all con- cerned with the Company are reliable and honorable. The terms of the in- surance will but be little if any higher than is usually paid into 'clubs', and if drafted you have no trouble looking up a substitute, the Company attending to this for you. If we had not been so fortunate as to draw a prize in the last draft, we should certainly take a policy of exemption in this Company. K. M. Hord is the local agent."
Editorial Note:
In the issue of the Volunteer for Sept. 5, 1867, Editor Spicer says he was conscripted in the fall of 1864, but friends of his put up $710 and he himself added $215, making a total of $925, to pay a substitute to take his place in the Army.
11
Name
Co. Reg. In Out
Name
Co. Reg. In
Out
Name
Co. Reg. In
Out
12
Aaron, Allen, Pvt.
D 33
1-24-64
7-21-65
Angleton, Francis M., Pvt .* B 70 12-25-63 (Died of Wounds, Resaca)
Ballard, Chapman, Pvt.
E 52
2- 1-62
5-18-62
Angleton, Robert, Sgt.
B 70 7-17-62
6- 8-65 Ballard, George W., Pvt.
E 132
5-18-64
9-18-64
Antle, James, Pvt .*
B 70 12-23-63
1- 2-65 Ballard, Stephen, Pvt.
F 70 12-22-63
6- 8-65
(Died, Chattanooga)
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