USA > Indiana > Greene County > Vicksburg > Indiana. Vicksburg National Military Park Commission. Indiana at Vicksburg > Part 28
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November 15, 1864, the regiment, with the army, started on "the March to the Sea." The brigade, near Macon, Georgia, was sent out to reconnoiter, and served as a protection to the wagon train. It encountered a whole division of Georgia militia near Griswoldsville, who fought for three hours, and were finally driven from the field and many of them captured. Those captured and wounded were all old men and boys. A large fire was built, the wounded carried in and left with the captured ones, and the brigade silently moved away, catching up with the army about day- break.
General Walcott, commanding, was wounded and was carried to the sea in a carriage. Col. Robert F. Catterson, of the 97th Indi- ana, commanded the brigade until the end of the march, when he was appointed chief of staff on General Logan's staff ; and Captain Elliott, of Company F, commanded the regiment until it reached Goldsboro, North Carolina. No further resistance was met until the army reached the neighborhood of Savannah, and, after Hazen's
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
Division of the 15th Army Corps, captured Fort McAllister on the 21st of December, we entered Savannah. After waiting there until January 17, 1865, the regiment was put aboard an ocean steamer and taken around to Port Royal, South Carolina.
In the last days of Jannary the army was on the march, and on the 15th of February met the enemy, Wade Hampton's Cavalry, fifteen miles from Columbia, and drove them in. The next night the regiment, with its brigade, camped on Broad River, and the next morning, February 17th, it entered the city-the second brigade that went in. Marching through the main street of the city, it was found that the Confederates had placed bales of cotton end to end along this street, in the gutter, and had set it on fire, and as our brigade marched past, the Iowa Brigade, which preceded us, were trying to put the fire ont. The 97th marched out nearly a mile and went into camp. In the night, looking toward the city, a great fire was seen sweeping over it, and at daylight the 97th was ordered into the city to do patrol duty, where it remained until the army left.
The next place of any importance was Cheraw, South Carolina, on the Big Fedee River. From here the regiment marched to Fay- etteville, North Carolina. on Cape Fear River, and no sound of battle reached it until the guns of the 14th and 20th Corps, who were engaged with Johnston's army off to the left of Bentonville, North Carolina, were heard, and the 15th and 17th Corps were marched in quick order for two days to reach and assist the bal- ance of the army in the engagement, on the left flank of Johnston's army. The morning of the third day the division struck the enemy's ontposts and skirmished with them all day; and late in the afternoon ran up against their breastworks, where it remained fighting for two days, when the enemy withdrew and the division moved on to Goldsborongh. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Cavins met the regiment, he having been on leave of absence when it started for the sea, having had an important command in Tennessee. Other officers and men of the regiment met it here also. At this place, also, Gen. C. C Walcott, the old brigade commander, returned and was given command of a division of the 14th Army Corps, and Col. Robert F. Catterson again took command of the brigade, which at this time was composed of the 97th Indiana, the 46th Ohio, the 26th. 40th and 103d Illinois Regiments and the 6th Iowa, and the divi- sion, the first of the 15th Corps, was commanded by Gen. C. R. Woods.
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NINETY-SEVENTH INFANTRY.
The regiment remained at Goldsborongh until April 10th, and drew clothing, which was badly needed, and started for Raleigh, which place was reached about April 20, 1865. While here news came of the assassination of President Lincoln and the surrender of Lee. Then Johnston surrendered, and the regiment started for Washington and home, coming up by way of Petersburg and Rich- mond, arriving in Washington May 20th and marching in the grand review, May 24th. It was mustered out at Washington, D. C., June 9, 1865, came to Indianapolis and was received by Governor Mor- ton and welcomed home.
The regiment lost during service 3 officers and 51 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 6 officers and 172 enlisted men by disease; total, 232.
INDIANA
Monument of 99th Infantry.
(Monument Tablet Inscription.)
3d BRIGADE 1st DIVISION 16th CORPS
99th INFANTRY
Colonel ALEXANDER FOWLER
Served on the Exterior line in the vicinity of Haynes' Bluff and at Oak Ridge from about June 12 to the end of the Siege, July 4.
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NINETY-NINTH REGIMENT INDIANA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS.
The 99th Regiment was organized during the months of August and September, 1862, in the Ninth Congressional District, and ren- dezvoused at South Bend. Three companies recruited in the Sixth Congressional Distriet for the 96th Regiment were assigned to the 99th, completing its organization, and it was mustered into the serv- ice on the 21st of October, 1862, with Alexander Fowler as colonel : Richard P. De Hart, lieutenant-colonel ; John M. Berkey, major; Lorenzo D. MeGlashan, adjutant; James L. Cathcart, quartermas- ter; Daniel R. Lucas. chaplain; William W. Butterworth, surgeon ; Lawson D. Robinson, assistant surgeon.
Captain.
1st Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
Co A. David F. Sawyer,
Kellogg M. Burnham,
James M. D. Craft.
Co. B James H. Carr,
George Tague,
Robert P. Andis.
Co. C Jacob Brewer,
William Mackey,
William Harmon.
Co. D. Josiah Farrar,
John Clifton,
Joachim M. Hamlin.
Co. E. Daniel Ash,
Samuel Moore,
Elias M. Shaner.
Co. F. George H. Gwinn,
Andrew Cochran,
George S. Walker.
Co. G. Tilberry Reid,
John Worrel,
Benjamin F. Thomas.
Co. H. Joseph B. Homan,
John F. Parsons,
William M. Walker.
Co. I. William V. Powell,
Ira B. Myers,
James B. MeGonigal.
Co. K. William R. C. Jenks,
George W. Julian,
George C. Walker.
The regiment moved in November to Memphis, Tennessee, and. upon its arrival there, was assigned to the 3d Brigade, commanded by Col. J. R. Cockerill, 70th Ohio, 1st Division, commanded by General Denver, 15th Army Corps, commanded by Gen. W. T. Sherman.
On the 26th the regiment moved with its corps on the Talla- hatchie campaign, and returning, was transferred to the 16th Army Corps, Major-General Hurlbut commanding corps; Gen. W. S. Smith commanding the division, and was placed on duty on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, at LaGrange and Moscow, Ten- nessee, where it remained during the winter of 1862 and 1863.
On the 6th of May, 1863, the regiment moved to Memphis and, embarking on steamers, sailed down the Mississippi River and joined the besieging forces of General Grant in the rear of Vicksburg. arriving at Haynes' Bluff, June 12th, reporting to Gen. C. C. Wash- burn, and took position there and helped in fortifying that point. By order of General Sherman, dated June 23d, it took position with its brigade and division on Oak Ridge, from Neily's, on the right, to the postoffice on the left, fortified the line and remained there to the end of the siege, being temporarily assigned to the 9th Corps, Maj. Gen. Parks commanding.
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
On the 5th of July the regiment marched with Sherman's com- mand to Jackson, Mississippi, and was engaged in a skirmish on the Big Black River during the march. The advance reached Jack- son on the 9th and its investment was complete on the 12th. The siege progressed vigorously and for four days the regiment lay under a heavy artillery fire from the enemy and was constantly engaged in picket duty and sharpshooting. On the night of the 16th the enemy evacuated Jackson, and our troops moved into the city, and the regiment assisted in destroying the railroads for sev- eral miles out of Jackson and the capture of Brownsville. The regiment, with its command, marched back to Big Black River, and was assigned to the 4th Division, commanded by Gen. Hugh Ewing, 15th Army Corps, where it remained in camp until the latter part of September, when it moved with its corps to Memphis, Tennessee, and in October marched by the way of Corinth, Iuka, Florence, Dechert, Stevenson and Trenton, to Chattanooga, arriving at the latter place on the 22d of November.
On the morning of the 24th the 99th at once took possession of Indian Hill, the eastern extremity of Mission Ridge, and worked all the following night building breastworks. By daybreak the next morning the regiment had well entrenched and protected itself by the use of tin plates and bayonets, there being no shovels or picks to be had. On the 25th the regiment was engaged in the battle of Mission Ridge.
Immediately after the battle the regiment marched with Sher- man's army in pursuit of Bragg's. in the direction of Graysville, and found the road lined with broken wagons, abandoned caissons and the debris of the retreating army. As the head of our col- umn emerged from a heavily timbered and swampy piece of coun- try, the rear guard of the enemy was encountered and a sharp fight ensued, but night put a stop to the operations.
Upon reaching Graysville, the column moved east, for the pur- pose of cutting communications between Bragg and Longstreet, and to relieve General Burnside, then besieged at Knoxville. The regiment accomplished this long, dreary march, almost entirely des- titute of clothing, blankets and shoes, and without regular rations or supplies of any kind, and marched barefoot over rocks and through mud in midwinter and compelled Longstreet to raise the siege of Knoxville. Returning with its command, the regiment marched to Scottsboro, Alabama, on the 26th of December, having made a march of over 400 miles, and fought its part in the battle of Chattanooga.
379
NINETY-NINTH INFANTRY.
At Scottshero, the regiment remained in camp until the 11th of February, 1864. It then moved into east Tennessee, Capt. Jo- siah Farrow, Company D, commanding, and was engaged at Rocky Face Ridge on the 25th. The regiment then returned to Scotts- boro and remained in camp until the first day of May.
General Sherman's army, Gen. John A. Logan commanding the 15th Army Corps; General Harrow, commanding the division ; Colonel Oliver, 15th Michigan, commanding the brigade, then moved on its campaign, of which Atlanta was the objective point. The 99th met and fought with the dashing Army of the Tennessee. and was engaged in every skirmish, assault and battle in which that army took a part, under the gallant McPherson. The regi- ment was engaged at Resaea May 14th. At Dallas, on the 28th, the enemy made a bold assault upon our column, but met a bloody repulse. On the 15th of June the regiment participated in a charge at Big Shanty.
Subsequently it was engaged in skirmishes for seven days near Kenesaw Mountain. The regiment also took part in skirmishes at Nickajack Creek and at Atlanta on the 20th and 21st of July. On the morning of the 22d it had gained a high hill which gave us a commanding position, in full view of the heart of Atlanta. At noon Hocd's forees made a desperate assault and a terrible battle raged on the entire front, and after four hours of fieree fighting the enemy were checked and driven back. In this assault and de- fense the noble McPherson fell.
On the 28th another battle was fought in front of Atlanta, in which the 15th Corps, to which the 99th belonged, was chiefly en- gaged. The result was vietory to our arms. In both these san- guinary contests the 99th was an active participant, and was en- gaged every day in skirmishes from August 3d to the 15th.
The regiment marehed with Sherman's army on its flank move- ment around Atlanta, and was in the engagement at Jonesboro on the 31st of August, and at Lovejoy's Station on the 1st of Septem- ber. It then returned to Atlanta and went into camp at East Point, the 3d Brigade being transferred to the 2d Division, and on the 3d of October it joined in the pursuit of Hood, and, commanded by Maj. J. B. Homan, was engaged in the battle at Little River, Georgia, on the 26th, and after a mareh of 200 miles reached At- lanta.
On the 15th of November the 99th marched from its camp and moved with Sherman on his great "March to the Sea," and after a march of 300 miles it reached the front of Savannah. On
380
INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
the 15th of December, the regiment took part in the charge upon Fort McAllister, which, after a hand-to-hand struggle with its gar- rison. the enemy surrendered, and opened Sherman's communica- tion with the sea.
After a short rest at Savannah, the regiment was transferred by ship to Buford, South Carolina, and, commanded by Capt. Josiah Farrar, marched with Sherman's army through the Carolinas; was engaged in a skirmish at Duek Creek and Edisto River, and oecu- pied Columbia, South Carolina, on February 17, 1865. On the 19th of March the regiment reinforced the 20th Corps at the battle of Bentonville. The march was then made to Goldsboro; from thence to Raleigh, and from thence, by the way of Warrenton, Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia, to Washington City, where it took part in the grand review, and on the 5th of June, 1865, the regiment, then commanded by Colonel Farrar, was mustered out of the service of the United States.
Six companies of the regiment only were entitled to be dis- charged, but by a special order from the War Department, the other four companies were discharged with the regiment. The re- maining recruits were transferred to the 48th Indiana Veterans. with which they served until it was mustered out.
The 99th left for the field with 942 officers and enlisted men, and returned from its campaigns with 500 officers and men, and had marched during its term of service over 4,000 miles. Upon arriving at Indianapolis, the regiment was present at a reception to returned soldiers on the 11th of June in the state house grounds. and were welcomed by Governor Morton and others, and its mem- bers then went to their various homes.
The regiment lost during its term of service 45 enlisted men, killed and mortally wounded, and 5 officers and 147 enlisted men by disease; total, 197.
INDIANA
Monument of 100th Infantry.
(Monument Tablet Inscription.)
1ts BRIGADE 1st DIVISION 16th CORPS
100th INFANTRY
Lieut. Col. ALBERT HEATH
Served on the Exterior line in the vicinity of Haynes' Bluff and at Oak Ridge from about June 12, to the end of the Siege, July 4.
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ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT INDIANA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS.
This regiment was raised principally in what was the Tenth Indiana Congressional District. but now known as the Twelfth, and rendezvoused at Camp Allen, in Fort Wayne, in the latter part of the summer of 1862, and was mustered into the United States service September 10th of that year.
At organization the following field and staff were commis- sioned :
Stanford J. Stoughton ..
.Colonel.
Albert Heath. .
.. Lieutenant-Colonel.
Robert Parrott
.Major.
Edward P. Williams
. Adjutant.
Alba M. Tueker ..
Quartermaster.
Charles A. Munn. .
Chaplain.
William C. Matehett.
Surgeon.
David J. Swartz .. . .
Assistant Surgeon.
Officers of the respective companies were :
Captain. 1st Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
Co. A. Marquis L. Rhodes,
Ezra D. Hartman,
Lneins Barney.
Co. B. Joseph W. Gillespie,
Orla J. Fast,
Edwin Goldsmith.
Co. C. Harvey Crocker,
John K. Morrow,
James W. Bond.
Co. D. Ruel M. Johnson,
William 11. Venamon,
William J. Myers.
Co. E. William M. Barney,
Merwin F. Collier,
Ichabod S. Jones.
Co. F. Abram W. Myers,
Daniel F. Smith,
Leonard Aker.
Co. G. Godlove O. Behm,
William Burnside,
Elijah Young.
Co. H. John W. Headington,
Gideon Rathbun,
Stephen B. H. Shanks.
Co. I. James N. Sims,
James M. Harland,
Thomas C. Dalby.
Co. K. Charles W. Bronse,
Jeremiah M. Wise,
Henry G. Collis.
During the service nearly all of these company officers were either promoted to higher rank, discharged for disability, or re- signed, their places being ably filled by promotions of line officers of their companies.
The regiment was ably commanded by both field and line offi- cers, and was brought to a high standard of efficiency during the periods of command by Lieutenant-Colonels Heath, Headington and Jolinson. All these were gallant officers, loved and respected by all officers and men of the regiment, and both field and line offi- cers stood high in the estimation of commanders of the higher com- mands.
The 100th was especially in favor as an efficient regiment with brigade. division and corps commanders, and was, at near close of serviee in the Carolina campaign, mentioned and complimented by Major-General Sherman.
Lieut. Col. R. M. Johnson was a fine executive officer, strict dis-
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
ciplinarian, and highly qualified for his position, and during his service as commanding officer brought the regiment to a high standard of efficiency.
No history of this regiment would be complete without mention of an efficient body of men, known as "Hall's 15th Army Corps Scouts." Henry J. Hall was from Lima, Indiana, and at organiza- tion of his company was appointed first sergeant, but, tiring of the monotony of such service, obtained permission to organize and use in the service a body of men for scouting the country in the vicinity of the army, to gain general information of the enemy. HIall enlisted men from his own and other companies of the regi- ment, who were as brave and daring as himself, among them Har- low Hein, John Ryanson, John Whitlock, James Taylor, Nelson Austin, Theodore Upson, and others known as being expert marks- men, and so useful were these men under the command of Hall that they attracted the attention of Generals Logan, Sherman and Grant, and Hall was given permission to select and have detailed from the commands in the division 100 men, mount and use these picked men as a special body for scouting purposes, and they gained dis- tinction in the army for their successful service.
In one instance, near Florence, Alabama, Hall, with five of his men, captured a whole company of the enemy, along with a colonel, major and the line officers of the company, and turned them over to the gunboats at East Port.
Many more hazardous and daring deeds were successfully ac- complished by Hall and his men, but one night on an expedition the command was ambushed by a superior force, and the intrepid Hall mortally wounded.
After Hall's death the scouts retained their organization for a time, but as no one was found to fill his place they were practically disbanded and assigned to various headquarters as scouts, couriers and orderlies. These men were nearly all originally members of the 100th Indiana.
Soon after organization of the regiment, Companies A, B, C, D and E were uniformed, armed and sent to assist Colonel Gray, of the 2d Indiana Cavalry. in guarding the Ohio River at Madison and other points.
On November 11, 1862, the regiment, as a whole, was assembled at Indianapolis, and, after a parting speech from Governor Morton, started by cars to Cairo, Illinois, and from thence by boat to Mem- phis, Tennessee, where they were oncamped a short time and used
385
ONE HUNDREDTH INFANTRY.
as a command to pursue, on short expeditions, Confederate forces infesting that part of Tennessee, in which they had rough experi- ences, more or less, with Van Dorn's Cavalry and other rebel com- mands.
After the capture of Grant's immense army supplies at Holly Springs, which changed his entire plans for capture of Vicksburg. "grub" being short, the regiment when on some of these expedi- tions almost subsisted on persimmons. and hence gained the ever- lasting sobriquet of the "Persimmon" Regiment. At first this title was derisively given by older regiments of the command, but after the regiment had shown its staying qualities in battle, the title became an honorable distinction, and today, if old-time vigor is desired to be raised among the survivors of the 100th, shout "persimmons" and the result will be gained at once.
The regiment's headquarters in time were moved to Junetion, Mississippi, where it spent a disagreeable winter in 1862 and 1863, eamped in a muddy cornfield, and many men of the command sick- ened and died from measles and other diseases.
In early spring the regiment was stationed at Collinsville, Ten- nessee, from which it made expeditions against the enemy. and, on June 7th, was again in Memphis and took boat on the Mississippi River, and in due time landed at Haynes' Bluff, near Vicksburg, and aided in the memorable campaign of that stronghold.
General Grant's army had been in this campaign for months. fighting battles and gaining strong positions, making the invest- ment of Vicksburg complete, but was harassed by an army in the rear, under the Confederate General Johnston, and it was neces- sary to have a strong force out some distance to protect the rear of his army and, with other large bodies of troops, the 100th Regi- ment was ordered into position on Black River, some sixteen miles east of Vicksburg, to watch and repel Johnston's army, if it ad- vanced to attack the forces besieging Vicksburg.
Rifle-pits were dug, trenches opened, forts built and armed, and in all this work the 100th gladly did its share, until the surrender, on July 4, 1863.
Immediately on the 5th, the regiment, with a large part of the army, crossed Big Black River in pursuit of Johnston's retreating army, following it, almost without halt, until it was driven within its fortifications at Jackson, where the 100th received its first bap- tism of fire-standing the test bravely and losing many men, killed and wounded.
[25]
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INDIANA AT VICKSBURG.
After the eapture of Jackson and destruction of Confederate supplies and property, the regiment returned to the vicinity of Vicksburg, and in reorganization of the army was assigned to the 4th Division of the 15th Army Corps. After a short rest, having done their share in the Vicksburg campaign, the division and regi- ment were again ordered to return to Memphis, arriving there Oe- tober 9, 1863.
Soon after arrival at Memphis, the command started on that long and memorable march to Chattanooga, aeross the country, via Stevenson. Bridgeport, Sand Mountain, Trenton, Georgia, ete., and after rapid and foreed marehing, finally reached Chattanooga on the 23d of November, with 320 men, so weak in numbers had the regiment been made by death and disease.
Soon thereafter the regiment participated in the battle and storming of Missionary Ridge, in which its loss was 135 men in killed and wounded, or 43 per cent. of its number engaged.
Shortly after this battle, the regiment was ordered to join the force to go to the relief of Knoxville, where Longstreet's Confed- erate army was besieging Burnside, of the Union army, and, after the Confederates were defeated and driven away, the 100th re- turned to Chattanooga, going into winter quarters at Bellfort. Alabama. Nothing exciting occurred during the mild winter, and Maj. R. M. Johnson, who was in command, took opportunity to drill the regiment to perfection, gaining for it the reputation of being the best drilled regiment in the army.
May 1, 1864. the regiment left winter quarters, and, with Sher- man's grand army, started on the Atlanta campaign and partiei- pated in battles of Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Burnt Hiek- ory. Kenesaw Mountain, Big Shanty, Decatur, Jonesboro, Lovejoy's Station, siege and battles around Atlanta, and other engagements, in all of which it sustained losses, being ever at the front; and, as the records have it. under fire one hundred days, until it gained a brief rest in eamp at East Point.
After the enemy had retired within the defenses of Atlanta. the regiment was assigned to duty guarding immense stores at Marietta, Georgia, and while on this service Major Johnson was assigned to duty on General Harrow's staff.
The regiment soon returned to the front and saw hard fighting at Ezra Church, losing heavily in killed and wounded.
It also participated in pursuit of Hood's army to the Tennessee River. from which point it was ordered back to Atlanta to join
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ONE HUNDREDTH INFANTRY.
Sherman's army on the March to the Sea, and in due time arrived at and participated in the capture of Fort McAllister and Savan- nah.
On January 8, 1865, the regiment left Savannah, going by boat to Beaufort, North Carolina, and from thence marched to join the army on its campaign of the Carolinas. Was at the burning of Columbia, South Carolina, aiding in extinguishing the fires on that occasion, and from thence forward to Bentonville, North Carolina, where the regiment was in its last fight.
With the grand army of Sherman, after the surrender of John- ston and Lee, the regiment's march was through Richmond to Wash- ington, in one continued halo of triumph, after so many long days of fighting, and marching from the Mississippi River to the capital of the Nation.
At Washington, on the 24th day of May, 1865, in that grand review down Pennsylvania avenue, past the reviewing stand in which were generals and all prominent men of the nation, under the eye of our grand old General Sherman, the 100th Indiana Regi- ment of Infantry Volunteers had the honor to lead first in line on that last grand march.
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