USA > Indiana > Greene County > Vicksburg > Indiana. Vicksburg National Military Park Commission. Indiana at Vicksburg > Part 16
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On the 11th of June, the regiment left Indianapolis for Evans- ville, Indiana, where it went into camp. July 18th, orders were re- ceived from the War Department for its transfer to the United States service for the remaining period of its term of enlistment, and on the 23d the regiment left Evansville for Baltimore, Mary- land, where it arrived on the 27th, and on the following day moved by rail to Sandy Hook, near Harper's Ferry, where it was assigned to Abercrombie's Brigade, of General Banks' Army of the Shenan- doah, where it remained in camp until the 16th of Angust. While here Colonel Wallace resigned, and Lieut. Col. William HI. Link was promoted to the coloneley. On the 16th of August the regi- ment marched with the army to Hyattstown, where it remained in eamp for some time, watching for Gen. Joe Johnston, who was re- ported to be at Leesburgh, on the opposite side of the Potomae, with a large force of rebel troops.
During the time the command remained here, marches were made to Darnestown, Nolen's Ferry, Seneca Creek and Tuscarora Creek, and in October, to Point of Rocks, Urbana and Frederick. On the 11th the regiment. with the command, marched to Boons- boro, Middletown and Williamsport, Maryland, where it was engaged in picket and outpost duty until March, 1862. While here, Capt. Reuben Williams, with seven men, were taken prisoners by the enemy, while out on a scouting expedition.
March 1st, the 12th crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and marched to Winchester, through Martinsburg and Bunker Hill. On the 11th, it had a skirmish with the enemy near Winchester, and on the following morning was the first regiment to enter the town. which had been evacuated the night before. On the 21st the regi- ment marched to Berryville, and thence across the Shenandoah and over the Blue Ridge, through Snicker's Gap, to Aldie, where they learned of our victory at Winchester Heights. The command marched hack to Warrenton Junction, which place was reached on the 3d of April, after passing over the battlefield of Bull Run, to
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
Catlett's Station, where the regiment remained until the 5th of May, when it marehed to Washington, where, on the 14th, it was mustered out and immediately returned to Indianapolis.
The 12th Regiment, having served its full term of enlistment for one year, immediately after its return to Indiana the work of reor- ganizing this regiment for three years' service was begun. The reg- iment was rendezvoused at Indianapolis during its reorganization, and on the 17th day of Angust, 1862, was mustered into the service, with William HI. Link, its old eemmanding officer, as colonel.
The regiment was composed of men from Allen, Jennings, Bar- tholomew, Jay, Wells, Noble, Grant, White, Morgan, Kosciusko and Hancock counties. The field and staff officers were, at the time of organization, as follows :
William H. Link.
Colonel.
Reuben Williams.
Lieutenant-Colonel
Solomon D. Kempton Major.
Jared D. Bond.
Adjutant.
James A. McClelland. .
Quartermaster.
Moses D. Gage
.Chaplain.
William Lomax
Surgeon.
Noble P. Howard
Assistant Surgeon.
Captain.
1st Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
Co. A. James Goodenow,
John B. Conner,
George W. Wright.
Co. B. Elbert D. Baldwin.
Frank H. Aveline,
William H. Harrison.
Co. C. David P. Clubberly,
Ilezekiah Beeson,
Edward S. Lenfisty.
Co. D. George Bowman,
John A. Blackwell,
Benjamin F. Price.
Co. E. Samuel F. Rooker,
Thomas M. Peoples,
Caleb Day.
Co. F. Samuel Boughter,
Alonzo HI. Hubbard,
Edward H. Webster.
Co. G. James Eluston,
Eastley Helins,
Robert Alfont.
Co. H. George M. Trotter,
Joseph E. Hart,
Joseph Bills.
Co. I. Samuel W. Wells,
Henry S. Westcott,
Thomas J. Anderson.
Co. K. George Nelson,
John M Godown,
James O'Shaughnessy.
On the same day the regiment was mustered into the service for three years it moved by rail to Louisville, Ky., to take part in the threatened invasion of the rebel general, Kirby Smith, and from Louisville it immediately marched by rail to Frankfort and Lex- ington, Kentucky, where it remained a few days.
It then marched to Richmond, where, with other regiments, it was placed under the immediate command of Gen. Mahlon D. Man- son, who at once moved his forces some eight or ten miles south of Richmond.
The 12th Regiment, since its reorganization, had never had com- pany or battalion drill, and most of Manson's forces were new and in the same condition, amounting in all to about 6,000 men. On the morning of August 30th, the 12th took part in the disastrous battle of Richmond, Kentucky, against Gen. E. Kirby Smith's foree of 30,000 seasoned troops.
221
TWELFTH INFANTRY.
In this engagement the 12th lost 173 killed and wounded, in- cluding the gallant Colonel Link, who died of his wounds September 20, 1862. Nearly the entire regiment was captured, and a few days afterward was paroled and immediately returned to Indiana.
Upon being exchanged as prisoners of war, the regiment was re- organized at Indianapolis, Lieutenant-Colonel Williams was com- missioned colonel of the 12th on the 17th of November, and soon after the regiment was ordered to Memphis, Tenn., where it arrived on the 25th, and on the following day it marched toward Holly Springs. In December the regiment marched to the Tallahatchie River, and was stationed at Grand Junction in January, 1863, and in the spring was placed on duty at Colliersville, Tennessee, guard- ing the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.
In June the regiment marched to Memphis, where it was as- signed to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division of the 16th Army Corps, and, by order of General Grant, this division went to Vicksburg, and em- barked about the 8th of June, arriving at Haynes' Bluff June 12th, took position and helped in fortifying that point. By order of General Sherman, dated June 26th, the 12th, with its division, took position on Oak Ridge, near Niely's, on the right to the postoffice on the left, where it remained in the trenches until after the capitula- tion, when it marched with General Sherman's army to Jackson, Mississippi, and after the evacuation of that city returned to Black River, where it remained until the 28th of September, 1863, when the 12th, with its command, embarked on steamboats for Memphis, and participated in Sherman's long march across the country to Chattanooga, to the relief of the Army of the Cumberland.
On the 25th of November, it took a prominent part in the battle of Mission Ridge, losing in killed and wounded 110 men and offi- cers, and immediately took part in the pursuit of Bragg's fleeing army to Graysville, Georgia, and from there it marched to the relief of General Burnside, at Knoxville. After relieving Burnside's command and raising the siege, the regiment returned to Chatta- nooga, and from there marched to Scottsboro, Alabama, reaching that place on the 26th of December, where it went into winter quarters and remained until May 1, 1864.
On all these long marches many of the men, being without shoes, suffered severely from its midwinter weather. May 1, 1864, the 12th marched with its corps to Chattanooga and took part in the Atlanta campaign, participating in the battles at Dallas, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, from the 22d to the 28th of July. Also at Jonesboro and many other skirmishes, losing in
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
killed and wounded during the campaign. 240 men. The regiment then took part in the chase after Hood, through northern Georgia and Alabama.
Returning to Atlanta, it took part with Sherman's army in the "March to the Sea." It left Atlanta on the 14th of November, and arrived at Savannah on the 10th of December, from whence it marched through South Carolina to Goldsboro, North Carolina. During these marches it engaged the enemy at Griswoldshire, Sa- vannah, Columbia and Bentonville.
Upon the surrender of Confederate General Johnston's army, at Raleigh, the regiment marched to that city and then to Richmond, Virginia, and thence to Washington City, where it was mustered out of the service on the 8th day of June, 1865, and returned to Indianapolis on the 14th of June, 270 strong, and was publicly re- ceived by Governor Morton the same day. During its four years' service the 12th lost 8 officers and 92 enlisted men, killed and mor- tally wounded, and 2 officers and 217 enlisted men by disease : total. 319.
INDIANA
تل البشوات البني
INDIANA
Monument of 16th Infantry.
(Monument Tablet Inscription.)
1st BRIGADE 10th DIVISION 13th CORPS
16th INFANTRY
Colonel THOMAS J. LUCAS
Major JAMES H. REDFIELD
Engaged: Port Gibson, May 1; Champion's Hill, May 16; Big Black River Bridge, May 17; Assault, May 19; Assault, May 22; Siege, May 23-July 4. Casualties: Killed 3, wounded 22, total 25.
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SIXTEENTH REGIMENT INDIANA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS.
This regiment, in its first organization, was composed of men who responded to the first call of the government in April, 1861, for seventy-five thousand volunteers for three months' service, but who were unable to get into that service, Indiana's quota being already filled.
Governor Morton organized the 12th and 16th Regiments out of these volunteers as state troops for one year's service, but on the day the country was startled by the news of the defeat of the first Bull Run battle, the services of these two regiments were tendered to the general government, and gladly accepted.
The 16th Regiment was at once ordered east, and left Richmond, Indiana, July 23, 1861, being the first regiment to march through Baltimore after the firing on the 6th Massachusetts Volunteers in the April before.
The regiment was assembled and sworn into the United States service at Richmond, Indiana, in May, 1861, with the following offi- cers :
Pleasant A. Hackleman, Rushville.
Colonel.
Thomas J. Lucas, Lawrenceburg.
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Joel Wolfe, Rushville. Major.
Robert Conover, Shelbyville.
Adjutant.
Henry B. Hill, Carthage.
Quartermaster.
Edward Jones, Aurora
Chaplain.
Elias Fisher, Richmond
Surgeon.
George F. Chittenden, Anderson
Assistant Surgeon.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Captain.
1st Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
Co. A. Thomas A. McFarland,
David T. Sleeth,
Wm. H. F. Randall.
Co. B. John S. Lee,
Thomas S. Reading,
John H. Finley.
Co. C. James P. Gillespie,
Henry B. Austin,
Chas. P. Williamson.
Co. D. John C. McQuiston,
Wm. H. Weyer,
Conrad Shomber.
John M. Hartley.
Co. G. Albert G. Dennis,
William J. Fitch,
Philip Dexheimer.
Co. H. William Judkins, Co. John A. Platter,
Co. K. Alfred J. Hawn,
Henry L. Francis, William Copeland, Robert Smith,
Israel Phalin. Courtland C. Matson.
The men for the several companies were recruited mostly from the several counties following: "A" and "H." Shelby county ; "B," Wayne County; "C," Floyd County ; "D." Ripley County ; "E," Fayette County ; "F." Rush County ; "G" and "I," Dear- born County ; "K," Putnam County.
[15]
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Co. E. John M. Orr, Co. F. Paul J. Beachbard,
Wm. H. Greer, John L. Grove,
Silas D. Byram.
Samuel Tull.
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
The regiment participated in the battle of Ball's Bluff and other skirmishes in October and November, while encamped at Seneca Creek, Maryland, until December 2d, when it was ordered to Fred- erick City, at which place it went into winter quarters.
On February 22, 1862, the regiment was again ordered to Har- per's Ferry, and thence early in March to Charleston, and during the months of March and April it crossed and recrossed the Blue Ridge Mountains three times in pursuit of the enemy.
On May 12th, the regiment was ordered to Washington, D. C., and on the 14th of May, 1862, its term of service having expired. it was mustered out and returned soon thereafter to Indiana.
Colonel Hackleman was promoted and appointed brigadier-gen- eral, and was afterwards killed in battle at Inka, Mississippi.
Colonel Lucas was promoted and in command of the regiment at the expiration of its term of service; and, under his direction, in pursuance of directions from the government and state officials, the regiment was reorganized for three years' service, some of the offi- cers and men re-enlisting in the same regiment, while many of the officers and enlisted men were appointed officers of new regiments then organizing, so that the majority of the men in the new organ- ization were new reernits who had not seen service.
The great majority of the enlisted men in at least one of the companies in the first year's service were commissioned officers be- fore the close of the war.
The men composing this new organization were mostly from the following counties: "A," Fayette County; "B," Washington County ; "C." "G" and "II." Rush County; "D," Lawrence County ; "E," Dearborn County ; "F," Miami County; "I," Vigo. Clay and Putnam counties; "K," Madison County.
The field officers of this new organization were as follows:
Col. Thomas J. Lucas, promoted to brigadier-general.
Robert Conover, formerly adjutant, promoted repeatedly until he became colonel.
Lient. Col. Joel Wolfe, killed in battle at Richmond, Kentucky. John M. Orr, former major, promoted and resigned on account of wound received at battle of Arkansas Post.
Also James H. Redfield, promoted from major.
In addition to the above, James M. ITildsette and James R. S. Cox, former captains, were promoted to major; John E. Wilkins, promoted and made adjutant ; Quartermaster Henry B. Hill re-
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SIXTEENTHI INFANTRY.
signed, succeeded by George W. Wooster, resigned, succeeded by George F. Williams, all of Carthage; chaplain, Rev. George F. Gateh, Dillsboro ; surgeon, George F. Chittenden, Anderson; assist- ant surgeon, James D. Gatch, Dillsboro, resigned and succeeded in order named by John H. Spurier and John C. Cullen, both of Rush- ville, and Joseph J. Sadler, of Franklin.
There were so many fatalities, resignations and discharges for disability of the field, staff and line officers of this regiment and the plaees filled by promotion, that few of the officers remained long in the same position, and many offices were filled by promotion from the ranks of the enlisted men.
The regiment left Indianapolis for Kentucky August 19. 1862, as soon as the men were all mustered out, and, on August 30th, was hotly engaged all day in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, with a greatly superior force of veteran troops, commanded by Gen. Kirby Smith, in which it lost 200 men in killed and wounded, having inflicted an equal loss upon the enemy in its front; but at the elose of the day the regiment was completely surrounded and the greater portion of those remaining were captured. The prisoners were paroled and sent to Indianapolis, where they remained and drilled until November 1st, when they were exchanged, newly equipped and sent via Cairo, Illinois, to Memphis, Tennessee, where they arrived soon after and were assigned to brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Burbridge, Smith's Division of the 13th Army Corps, and became a part of the army which proceeded from Memphis down the Mississippi River on transports, in command of General Sherman, in the first expedition against Vicksburg.
December 25, 1862, a part of this brigade was landed at Milli- ken's Bend, above Vicksburg, and the brigade, under command of General Burbridge, marched sixty-five miles in thirty-six hours, destroyed ten miles of the railroad from Vicksburg to Shreveport and Texas, including bridges, and destroying a million dollars' worth of cotton, returned to the transports in time to join the army and take part in the unsuccessful assault on the well-fortified bluffs at Chiekasaw Bayou, near Vicksburg, on the 1st day of January. 1862.
Being repulsed by the enemy in front, and driven from the low- lands by the rising waters of the Yazoo River, the regiment re- embarked and, with the rest of the attacking army, joined in the expedition that proceeded up White River and attacked the enemy in strongly fortified works at Arkansas Post, on January 10. 1863,
228
INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
which was surrounded by troops on land and gunboats on the river, and, after a hot engagement on January 11th, was captured, with 5,000 prisoners, with cannon, small arms, stores, ete.
In this charge and assault the 16th was right in front of the main fort and was the first regiment to plant its colors inside the works. It lost 77 men in killed and wounded, out of about 400 engaged. The surrender was made by the same officer, General Churchill, to whom a large portion of the 16th surrendered at Rich- mond, Kentucky, in August before, and among the wagons captured were some taken from the 16th at Richmond.
As soon as possible after the capture of this stronghold the army re-embarked and returned down the river on their respective boats, and on January 17th the regiment landed at Young's Point, Louis- iana, where it remained for a time in the low swamp land, assist- ing in digging the famous eanal, which was later abandoned as im- practical, spending a portion of the time in strengthening the levee along the river bank to prevent the overflow of the water in the river, which was several feet higher than the land where the soldiers slept. Here they suffered greatly by siekness. Afterward the reg- iment removed to Milliken's Bend, a few miles up the river, where the army, commanded by General Grant, was being concentrated for the spring campaign against Vicksburg, which really began March 27, 1863.
The 16th, 60th and 67th Indiana. 23d Wisconsin, 83d and 96th Ohio Regiments, and 16th Ohio Battery. composed the 1st Brigade, commanded by General Burbridge, of the 10th Division, com- manded by Brig. Gen. A. J. Smith, of the 13th Army Corps, com- manded by Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand.
On April 14th Burbridge's Brigade commenced the onward movement across the country and down the west side of the Missis- sippi River, by land and boats, through bayous and overflowed creeks, which in good time resulted in the arrival of the troops, after many hardships, on dry land at Bruinsburg, on the east side of the Mississippi River, to which they were transported from the Louisiana side by transports and gunboats that had run the enemy's heavy batteries at Vicksburg and Grand Gulf.
Here the troops received five days' rations, ammunition, etc., which were the last army rations issued to the brigade until arrival near the outer works of Vicksburg, on the 18th of May.
The brigade then began an all-night forced march toward Port Gibson on the night of the 30th of April. General Hovey's Division of the 13th Army Corps, having preceded Smith's Division, had
229
SIXTEENTH INFANTRY.
already opened the battle at daylight on May 1st, and the 10th Di- vision was placed in reserve of Hovey's Division early in the morn- ing for support, but later in the day it marched forward, driving the enemy from hill to hill in front, holding positions, and at night bivouacked on the battlefield.
On May 2d, the enemy having retreated, the army marched into Port Gibson and remained there until the day following, when the 16th moved forward with its brigade and division.
The 16th remained with the 10th Division in the country about Raymond, makng advances towards Edwards Ferry and Black River Bridge, to keep the Confederate army about Vicksburg, while other portions of General Grant's army, under General Sherman, drove General Johnston's Confederate army away from Jackson.
On May 16th, in the battle near Edwards Station, the 10th Divi- sion first discovered the enemy on the Raymond road, to the north of the Federal line; the 16th was in the front all day until dark, constantly under fire, while the fierce battle about Champion's Hill was waging to their right. It was under a fierce artillery fire until dark, and on the next day it pursued the enemy in their front and took part in the charge at Black River Bridge, and after crossing Black River the 16th had the advance of the 10th Division as it marched in pursuit of the enemy to the fortifications about Vicksburg, and joined in the assault on these works May 19th, and secured a good position at the front, near one of the main forts of the enemy, which was intrenched and held by the brigade during the siege, and participated in all the operations of the siege until the final surrender, on July 4th.
In the assault on the enemy's works, May 22d, the 16th bore a conspicuous part, holding an important position for nearly ten hours, perfectly exposed, near one of the main forts of the enemy, within about twenty-five feet a great part of the time, and from this same fort came to members of the 16th, then on duty, the Confeder- ate officers, under flag of truce, on July 3d, which resulted in the surrender next day.
Immediately after the surrender of Vicksburg, the regiment, with the 13th Army Corps, marched to Jackson, Mississippi, and participated in the recapture of that place, causing the retreat of Johnston's army farther to the east.
Returning to Vicksburg after this campaign, the regiment went into camp and had a few weeks' rest, but soon afterwards was trans- ferred by boat to New Orleans, Department of the Gulf, mounted, and became a part of a cavalry division, which was distributed along
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
the shore of the Mississippi River, to protect transportation along the stream, making a number of expeditions up the river.
In October, 1863, the regiment took part in an expedition to the Bayon Teche country, Louisiana, in which section the regiment re- mained until January, 1864, when it returned to New Orleans, and, after being refitted and remounted, it marched as a part of the eav- alry force of General Banks in the unsuccessful expedition up the Red River country, in which campaign it had fifteen engagements with the enemy.
While on this expedition this regiment took the chief part in a most remarkable surprise of an outpost of the army of the Confed- erate General Dick Taylor, resulting in the capture of almost an en- tire regiment of the 2d Louisiana Cavalry and a Texas battery of four cannon.
Leaving Alexandria, March 21, 1864, General Lucas, with a por- tion of the cavalry command, including the 16th Indiana. by direc- tion of A. J. Smith, the commanding general, reported to General Mower. and by him was ordered to take the advance, and when about thirteen miles out beyond Alexandria, met the enemy in small force and drove them seven miles, to Henderson's Hill, where the enemy was found at dark, holding the hill, occupying a strong posi- tion, not many miles in advance of the main Confederate army.
The 16th Regiment, mounted infantry, equipped with field rifles, was assigned to the advance of a detachment of infantry and one section of a battery. It was ordered to make a detour, and take the enemy in the rear, making a march of about sixteen miles in dense darkness and through the cold rain and sleet, when, at a distance directy in the rear of the enemy, Captain Jones, of Company I, a brave young officer who was killed in battle a short time later, in command of thirty or forty men deployed on both sides of the road (he and a comrade following the road), where a company of about forty Confederates approached along the road, and were com- manded, "Halt, advance one and give the countersign," which order was complied with. Having secured the countersign, Cap- tain Jones, holding his revolver in the face of the officer, who had so innocently furnished the desired information, ordered him to surrender his command, which command was likewise obeyed. The Confederates, being ordered forward, advanced slowly, utterly ig- norant of the situation, and as they halted in front of Captain Jones they found themselves surrounded by the United States ad- vance, who had, by previous direction, came from each wing, expect- ing to surround a picket post. When ordered by their commander
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SIXTEENTH INFANTRY.
to surrender, the click of the carbine was heard, but fortunately the men surrendered without any alarm, and no noise except some bitter oaths, heaped on the head of the officer who had ordered the sur- render.
These men were marched back under guard of men from the 16th Regiment until they reached the advancing column of infantry, who formed a hollow square to receive these and other prisoners as they were captured. A portion of the regiment continued the advance toward Henderson's Hill, a portion covered the road towards Gen- eral Taylor's army, a short distance away, at the same time Colonel Redfield, commanding the 16th Regiment, noticed a light in a house in the woods but a short distance from the road and sent another detachment, who surrounded the house, and, after sharp resist- ance, captured Smith, the famous rebel scout, and fifteen of his men. The advanee soon after coming to the picket post, halted, and Captain Jones advanced, gave the countersign and the 16th Regiment rode into the camp of the enemy without the least disturb- ance, until it had taken position just beyond the rebel camp at the side of the road, and, while it was doing that the infantry advanced along the road, covering the other side and almost the whole rebel regiment and a battery was captured withont a man being killed or seriously wounded.
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