USA > Indiana > Orange County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 61
USA > Indiana > Washington County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 61
USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 61
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THE FORTY-NINTH REGIMENT.
In September and October, 1861, Dr. J. A. Ritter, William Charles and others raised a company for the Forty-ninth Regiment. The follow- ing became the officers: John A. Ritter, Captain; William Charles, First Lieutenant; Elijah T. Pinnick, Second Lieutenant. Late in September, 1861, the company moved to Jeffersonville, where it became Company G of the Forty-ninth Regiment. It was mustered into the service Novem- ber 21. and on the 11th of December marched with its regiment into Kentucky. the regimental colonel being John W. Ray. A camp of in- struction at Bardstown was occupied on the 13th. Jannary 12, 1862, the regiment started for Cumberland Ford, arriving February 15, and remaining until June. Here the regiment suffered terribly from the rav- ages of disease. March 14, part of the regiment skirmished at Big Creek Gap and assisted in trying to take the Gap, but failed. June 18 it occupied Cumberland Gap, the day after the evacuation by the rebels. Here the regiment remained until September 17. and then moved north- ward toward the Ohio River subsisting mainly on green corn. After sixteen days of marching it reached Greenupsburg, Ky., and October 3 marched to Oak Hill. Ohio. Here it was refitted and then marched into West Virginia on the Kanawha. It then returned and embarked for Memphis, arriving November 30. December 19, it embarked for Vicks. burg. reaching Chickasaw Bayou December 26, and engaging in the destructive five-days' battle which followed, losing forty-six men killed
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and wounded. The movement proving a failure, the troops were removed to Milliken's Bend early in January, 1863, and thence moved against Arkansas Post, the Forty-ninth assisting in the reduction. It returned to Young's Point, assisted in digging the canal, remained until April 2, then started with Grant's army for the rear of Vicksburg, fighting May 1 at Port Gibson. May 16 at Champion Hills, May 17 at Black River Bridge, May 22 in the bloody assault on the works about Vicksburg, and assisting in the siege of the last named city. After the surrender the regiment moved to Jackson and took part in the seven-days' fight there. It returned to Vicksburg, and August 10 embarked for Port Hudson, thence moved to New Orleans, and was there assigned to the Department of the Gulf. It participated in the expedition up the Teche, going as far as Opelousas. It then returned to New Orleans, and December 10 embarked on transports for Decroe's Point, Tex .. arriving on the 14th. It then moved to Indianola. and February 3, 1864, one hundred and sixty. seven men and four officers re-enlisted. In March the regiment moved to Matagorda Island. and April 19 embarked for Alexandria, La. to re-en- force Bank's army. It skirmished with the enemy until May 13 and then moved to New Orleans, and soon afterward (early in July) coming home on "veteran furlongh. " After this it moved to Lexington, Ky., and September 7, 1565, to Louisville, where on the 13th of the same month was mustered out of service. The next day it reached Indianapolis with 261 men and 17 officers and was soon discharged.
VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FIFTIETH REGIMENT.
In September and October the enlistment of men in the county was rapidly pushed. Cyrus L. Dunham had been commissioned Colonel of the Fiftieth Regiment to be raised at Seymour. Col Dunham was a strong Democrat, and aided by John Hungate and others succeeded in raising a full company. mostly in the western part of the county, the men coming largely from the Democratic party. War meetings were held under the stimulus of tiery speeches, and soon the requisite number of men were secured. The men were mustered in as Company F of the Fiftieth Regiment on the 1st of October, and on the Ist and 5th of Nov- ember. 1861. with the following officers: John Hungate. Captain; B. F. Mcclintock, First Lieutenant: Isaac A. Craig. Second Lieutenant. The regiment moved into Kentucky late in 1561. The regimental sketch will be found elsewhere in this volume.
THE FIFTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
In Jannary and February. 1562, another company was raised. mostly in Orange County, by W. R. Reeves, Mereda McDonald, John Vestal, W. T. Cloud. and others. the men coming mainly from in and around Orleans. The men were at first designed for the Fifty-second Regiment. but later became Company K. of the Fifty -third, and were officered as fol.
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lows: Wiley R. Reeves, Captain: Mereda McDonald, First Lieutenant; Wiliam T. Cloud, Second Lieutenant. About two thirds of this com- pany. or perhaps, three- fourths, were raised in Orange County. The men were mustered in February 24, 1562, and the regiment under Col. Walter T. Gresham, moved from New Albany to Indianapolis, where it did guard duty at Camp Morton until March 15, when it moved to St. Louis, thence to Savannah, Tenn., and on April 15 joined the army moving toward Corinth. After the evacuation of Corinth it moved to La Grange. thence made expeditions to Holly Springs and elsewhere, then moved to Memphis, and in September to Bolivar, and then toward Corinth. and October 15, fought at Hatchie. where it crossed the bridge on fire and charged the rebel lines. It marched with Gen. Grant's army into Mississippi, then returned to Moscow, Tenn., and soon marched to Memphis. In April, 1503, it moved with the Third Brigade of the Fourth Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps to Young's Point, thence to Grand Gulf, thence returned to Young's Point and Chickasaw Bluffs, and joined the army besieging Vicksburg. Here it bore an honorable part, and after the surrender moved to Jackson and participated in the movements there. It then returned to Vicksburg, thence moved to Natchez where it remained three months. In September it moved with the Seventeenth Army Corps into Louisiana, capturing a fort and damag- ing the enemy. It returned to Vicksburg and remained there until Feb- ruary. 1864, when it moved on the Meridian campaign. At Hebron 383 men "veteranized." After "veteran furlough" it went to Vicksburg, and June 6 joined Sherman's forces at Ackworth, Ga., and then partici- pated in the subsequent engagements of the Atlanta campaign. June 27 it assaulted the enemy at Kenesaw Mountain; July 5 it fought at Nickajack Creek ; July 20 it fought at Peach Tree Creek, and July 22 before Atlanta bore an honorable and conspicuous part. It suffered severely at Atlanta -- its Colonel, Jones, being killed. It pursued Hood, and later marched to the sea. It then marched northward through the Carolinas, and after Johnson's surrender, moved to Raleigh, Richmond, thence to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out July 21, 1865. It then marched to Indianapolis and was publicly received July 25 by Gov. Morton and other State officers, and by Maj. . Gen. Sherman who was present. It was then discharged and the boys came trooping home.
THE FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT.
During the late fall of 1861 and the early winter of 1861-62 about half of a company was raised in the vicinity of Valeene and Chambers- burg by W. H. Wellman, Thomas Riley, James N. Murphy, William Churchill and others for the Fifty-ninth Regiment, which rendezvoused at Gosport, Ind. The men were mustered in at Gosport, December 2, 1861; February 13, 1862. the regiment moved to New Albany. During
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its term of service it participated in the following movements: Siege of New Madrid, Mo., the capture of 5,000 prisoners at Tiptonville, expedi- tion to Fort Pillow, siege of and skirmishes around Corinth and pursuit of the enemy, expedition to Ripley ; battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862; pursuit of Price to Hatchie; sundry expeditions -one to Yazoo River in March, 1863, the Vicksburg campaign, fighting at Forty Hills, Raymond, Champion Hills, Jackson, Big Black River, and the bloody assaults on the fortifications of Vicksburg, where it suffered severely, losing 126 men, killed and wounded; in September, 1863, moved up the river; fought at Mission Ridge, November 25; veteranized at Hunts- ville, Ala., January 1, 1864; enjoyed the veteran furlongh; took the field again April, 1864; did gnard and provost duty in Tennessee until November, 1864, and then marched with Sherman to the sea, and then through the Carolinas, and finally to Washington City. It was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 17, 1865. It was publicly received at at Indianapolis, July 18, and was then discharged.
THE SIXTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
But little effort was made during the spring and early summer of 1862 to raise volunteers for the war. The call of July, 1862, for 300 .- 000 men for nine months, and the call of August 4, 1862, for 300.000 men for nine months, stimulated new enlistments, and war meetings were held throughout the county. The draft threatened for Septem- ber, and afterwards fixed for October 6, together with offers of bounty was sufficient to bring out the troops. In July and August a little more than two full companies were raised for the Sixty sixth Regiment, which rendezvoused at New Albany. Company D, except about seven men, was wholly from Orange County, and was officered as follows : John W. Payne, Captain ; John Millis, First Lieutenant; James MI. Hobson, Second Lieutenant. All of Company E, except about ten men, was raised in Orange County, the officers being: F. C. Bivins, Captain; Shadrach B. A. Conder, First Lieutenant; William Maple, Second Lieu- tenant. There were fifteen from the county in Company A, twelve in Company B, and a few in other companies. The men were all mustered in August 19, and the same evening the regiment, yet incomplete, marched southward to oppose Kirby Smith who had invaded Kentucky. It moved to Lexington, and on the 23d of August marched to Rich- mond, Ky., where on the 30th, it participated in that disastrous engage- ment, losing the greater portion captured. The men were paroled, sent to Indianapolis, and soon rendezvoused again at New Albany. The remainder of the regiment reached Louisville September 10. The entire regiment, November 18, was transferred to Indianapolis, was duly declared exchanged, and December 10 again took the field at Corinth. Here it remained a part of the First Brigade of Dodge's Division until
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August 18, 1863, when it moved to Collierville, where Companies B, C. D, E, G and I engaged the enemy October 11, 1863. It reacheil Pulaski Tenn., November 11, where it remained until the spring of 1864, and then with the Second Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps started April 29 for Chattanooga to join Sherman at Dalton, Ga. It then participated in the Atlanta campaign, fighting at Resaca, Lay's Ferry, Rome Cross Roads, Dallas, Kenesaw, before Atlanta (July 22) and Jonesboro. At Eastport it was transferred to the Fifteenth Army Corps. It reached Rome. Ga., September 27, and from November 15 to December 21 marched across Georgia to Savannah. It then moved through the Caro- linas, and after Johnson's surrender reached Washington City May 24, 1865. Here it was mustered out June 3 and sent to Indianapolis, arriving June 12, and all except the recruits were discharged. The recruits were transferred to the Fifty. Ninth Regiment, and were mux- tered out July 17, 1865, at Louisville.
RECRUITING IN THE AUTUMN OF 1862.
Early in September, 1862, about a dozen men left the county as recruits for Company A, of the Thirty eighth Regiment. In August a dozen men joined Company G. of the Forty-ninth, and a few Company K, of the same regiment. About fifteen joined Company F, of the Fiftieth Regiment, in September and October. The work of enlistment was well done, and at the time of the draft of October 6, 1862, only two townships-Greenfield and Jackson-were deficient, while the other townships, almost all, had a surplus, so that Orange County was in reality ahead of her quota. A few men from the county went into the Fourth Cavalry (Seventy-seventh Regiment), and a few more entered the Eighty-first Regiment, all prior to the draft of October.
THE NINETY-THIRD REGIMENT.
Almost an entire company was raised for the Ninety-second Regiment in the vicinity of Newton Stewart, but really became H of the Ninety. third. with the following officers: William T. Swift, Captain: John W. Parks, First Lieutenant; Wesley Shoulders, Second Lieutenant. The men were mustered iu at Madison, August 20, 1862, and on the 9th of November moved to Cairo, Ill., thence to Memphis, thence to near Oxford, Miss. Late in December, it moved to La Grange, Tenn., thence to Corinth, thence to near Memphis, where it did guard duty. About the middle of March, 1863, it sailed to Helena, and then to Duckport, La. It then participated in the movement on Vicksburg. Its first fight was at Jackson, Miss., where it lost 3 killed and 7 wounded. It moved back toward Vicksburg, and in assaults on that place lost 3 killed and 14 wounded. It then moved in the expedition to prevent Gen. Johnston from assisting the enemy in Vicksburg, but returned upon the surrender of the latter place. It then participated in the investment of Jackson,
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losing one killed and three wounded. After various movements it skir- mished the enemy October 17, near Brownsville, Miss. It remained at Vicksburg, Memphis and other points, skirmishing several times, until Muy, 1864. On the let of June it started on the Gun Town expedition, and encountered the enemy at Brice's Cross Roads. After a hot fight. the regiment was driven rapidly back, with the loss of 13 killed, 56 wounded and 184 prisoners. The remainder of the regiment reached Memphis June 12. July 15, another fight was bad at Harrisburg, Miss., where the enemy was repulsed, and on the way back to Memphis several skirmishes ensued. It then moved up the Mississippi and Mis- souri Rivers, to Little Santa Fe, Kan .. thence moved to St. Louis, thence (November 14) to Nashville. Tenn. Here on the 15th and 16th of December. 1864, it participated in the battle of Nashville. It joined the pursuit, and later selected winter quarters at Eastport, Miss. Early in February, 1865, it went by water to Dauphin Island, Ala., thence to Danby's Mills, thence to Spanish Fort, in the investment of which it was actively engaged. Early in April it moved to Fort Blakely, which was carried by storm. On the 20th. Montgomery, Ala. was reached. It moved to Selma, thence to Gainesville, at which place it was ordered home. It was mustered out at Memphis, Tenn .. August 10, 1865, and August 11 was given a public reception at Indianopolis. Companies I and K remained with the recruits in the service until October. 1865.
THE DRAFT OF OCTOBER. 1562.
By the 19th of September, 1862, the status of Orange County was as follows: Total militia, 1,453: total volunteers, 1,023: total exempts, 313; total conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, 19; total volunteers in the service. 992: total subject to draft, 1.121. James W. Webb was Draft Commissioner; S. H. Glenn, Provost Marshal, and E. D. Laughlin. Sur- geon. On the 20th of September, 1862. Jackson Township was deficient fifteen men, and Greenfield five, but as they were permitted to continue voluteering until the day of the draft, October 6, it is probable that Greenfield at least cleared herself and probably Jackson also. At least but very few, if any, were drafted in the county on this occasion. It will be seen that up to this time the county had furnished more than a regiment of men for the war, and about 1,000 men were then in the service. Orange County need not be ashamed of that record.
DISLOYAL SENTIMENTS 1X 1863.
After the draft of October, 1862, only a few men left the county for the field until the summer of 1563. A few men-half a dozen-entered the Eighty. first Regiment. There were no calls for troops, and the county and country settled down to await events. From the commence. ment of the war more or less disloyalty prevailed in the county. Trea. sonable secret societies had been organized, and a feeling of insecurity
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had been slowly created. As time passed the sentiment became more and more bitter until neighbors became estranged, and fights more or less bloody occurred. Public meetings were often disturbed, and more than one church society was hopelessly divided on questions of politics. The year 1863 was dark in the county. Numerous desertions from the army made the outlook dark to those who favored the continuence of the war. Letters urging the soldier-boys to desert were written from the county, and no doubt often accomplished their object as concealment from arrest was solemnly promised. The following is an extract from one of these letters:
" I would love to see you, and if you will take my advice, I can see you, and that is this-desert and leave the army for there is no honor in it. Now -. I do hate for any of my connection to fight to free the negroes. I would rather they would desert and go to the South. Just come home and I will see that you sha'n't be caught, for there are plenty of Copper- heads here. and they wont let them take you. I want you to write to your cousin and tell me when you dare to leave the army and I will have a place fixed for you to hide in. Be sure you come without fail."
This letter and others of a similar character were severely denounced by the editor of the American Eagle. He brought forward the strong point that by such letters friends and relatives were advising their loved ones to violate a law that would cause them to be shot, in case of their arrest. Many deserters, however, came to the county and were concealed. About the middle of June, IS63, a squad of soldiers arrested three desert- ors in the southwestern part of the county, but on the way to camp one escaped. The enrolling officers in June were threatened. It was evident that the treasonable societies were armed and that they regularly drilled under competent leader». The commission of crime became fre- quent. It was evident that the county was over-run with criminals- probably refugees from the South. The gathered crops of, in most cases, strong union men, were occasionally burned. Men of this class were warned, in threatening letters, to leave the county. The better class of citizens of the county of all political opinions lamented these acts and denounced the perpetrators, and took active steps for their arrest and conviction.
THE RAID OF THE REBEL CAPT. HINES.
Some time in May. 1863. a portion of the rebel Gen. Morgan's com- mand, numbering about sixty men. under Capt. Thomas H. Hines, crossed into Indiana from Kentucky, about eighteen miles above Cannelton, and started northward toward Paoli, to pick up as many fresh horses as pos- sible, and otherwise do damage to the country. For some distance he managed to pass himself and men off as Union Federal troops sent out to arrest deserters, and had no difficulty in exchanging his broken down horses for fresh and strong ones, giving vouchers upon the Federal
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authorities at Indianapolis for the difference between the value of the horses. On the second day out, however, his actnal character and mis- sion became known, and the news of his raid spread like a prairie fire throughout southern Indiana, and armed and resolute men assembled to pursue him, oppose him and capture him. He moved rapidly over the country, protecting his flanks by scouts thrown out. Valeene was reached on the second day, and here some unsuccessful opposition was met from the citizens. They moved on toward Paoli, but upon arriving within sight of the town and learning that preparations had been made to give them a warm reception, made a detour to the west and passed around the town, taking horses as they went, and upon reaching a point five or six miles northeast of the town, encountered about fifteen armed citizens who were on their way to protect Paoli, and who were captured and plundered. Two others met soon afterward were likewise treated, and one showing opposition was shot and mortally wounded. The rebels now concluded it was time for them to be getting back to Kentucky. and accordingly started southeastwardly toward the Ohio River at a rapid rate. They passed through southwest Washington County, near Har- dinsburg and Fredericksburg. Becoming aware that they were being pursued by a large force of minute men, they pressed on with all haste toward Blue River Island, where boats were to be ready for their cross- ing. This was prevented, however, by the activity of the pursuit, and nearly all the enemy were captured on the island, Capt. Hines and a few others only escaping. A few were killed and wounded. As soon as the presence of the enemy became known in Orange County, great excite- ment prevailed, and prompt steps were taken to repel the intruder. About 100 men were immediately assembled and started in pursuit. These men of Orange County were the first to cross to the island and demand the surrender of Hines and his command.
THE RAID OF THE REBEL GEN. MORGAN.
In July the county was again thrown into intense excitement by the news that the rebel Gen. Morgan was marching upon Paoli with a large force, plundering and burning as he went. Two companies of min- ute men were hastily organized, and July 10 were mastered into the State's service. They became Companies E and I of the One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment, and were officered as follows: Company E -- Thomas N. Collins, Captain; Samuel Ryan, First Lieutenant; Samuel Hostetler, Second Lieutenant. Company I-Solomon Moore. Captain; William J. Johnson, First Lieutenant; William E. Scott, Second Lieu. tenant. The regiment, under Col. Hiram F. Braxtan, moved from Mitch- ell to Seymour; thence to North Vernon, which place it held against Morgan's forces. It then moved to Sunman's Station, and soon afterward to Indianapolis, where, July 17, it was mustered out of the service, Mor. gan having left the State.
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THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY.FIRST REGIMENT.
Under the six months' call of June 15, 1863, the county furnished very few if any men. Under the call of October, 1863, about one hundred men were raised for the Thirteenth Cavalry (One Hundred and Thirty- first Regiment), sixty of them being in Company F, the officers being: William P. Coffin, Captain; James Jones, First Lieutenant; S. M. Stocks- lager, Second Lieutenant. The most of the Orange County men were mustered in in January, 1864. The regiment was fully completed in April, 1864, and under Col. Johnson left Indianapolis on the 30th for Nashville, Tenn., dismounted and with infantry arms. The last of May it went to Huntsville, Ala., and in this vicinity skirmished several times with the enemy. The most of the regiment went to Louisville in Octo- ber, to draw arms and horses. Before this could be done the regiment was ordered to Paducah, to assist in repelling Gen. Forest, and upon its return was fully equipped as a cavalry organization. It then reported at Nashville, and soon was ordered to Lavergne to watch Hood. Here they were cut off on the line of retreat, and then reported to Gen. Rous- sean, under whom they fought at Overall's Creek, Wilkinson's Pike und twelve different skirmishes, losing an aggregate of sixty-five men killed and wounded, and two missing. Only about half of the regiment was in these movements, though the other half was at the battle of Nashville in December. Soon after this the men were re- armed and remounted. February 11. 1865, the regiment embarked for New Orleans, but dis- embarked at Vicksburg, but later continued or to New Orleans. It then moved to Mobile Bay and participated in the movements on Mobile. On the 17th of April it started northward, reaching Columbus May 22, and then suon moved to Macon, in the vicinity of which it took charge of enormous quantities of stores, etc. June 6 it returned to Columbus, and remained there until late in the fall, when it marched to Vicksburg, and was there mustered out November 18. It was publicly received at Indianapolis, November 25.
RECRUITING EARLY IN 1864.
Under the three calls of February, March and April, 1864, for an aggregate of nearly 500,000 men, about twenty-five volunteers were sent to Company B, and as many more to Company G, of the Twenty-fourth Regiment. About a dozen were sent to Company F, of the Fifty-ninth, and about twenty to Companies A and I of the Thirty-eighth Regiment. About a dozen were sent to the Sixty-sixth Regiment, and probably more than twenty to various other regiments. Thirty-five men raised in the county were assigned to Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Regiment, 100 days' service, the officers being: John R. Freed, Captain; E. Patrick, First Lieutenant; J. S. Harrold, Second Lieutenant. These men were mustered into the service May 26, 1864, and were sent with their regiment to Tennessee, where they principally did guard duty dur- ing the term of service.
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