USA > Indiana > The Eighty-sixth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry : a narrative of its services in the civil war of 1861-1865 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
7
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
men who were commissioned as field officers and placed at the head of the various regiments, and there was no pretense that the company officers were in any respect informed as to their duties, but they were commissioned and told that they "had it all to learn." Fortunately the men who were com- missioned as field officers of each of the six regiments organ- ized under the first call, proved by their gallantry and faithful service that they had been well chosen. In the calls of 1862, we had some of the officers of the first regiments of 1861 transferred to the new regiments and they brought with them such experience as they had gained during a year's service. Looking back over the period of the war, and the years that "tried men's souls, " the years when under military disci- pline, and the storms of battle, in which youths speedily devel- oped into strong and thoughtful men under the responsibili- ties that were laid upon them, and when we compare the sol- diers of other States with those from Indiana, our State and our officers and soldiers, lose nothing by that comparison. In relation to the efficiency of Indiana officers in the Army, Governor Morton late in the war, (1865), in his message to the Legislature said :
"The duty of appointing officers to command our regiments is full of responsibility and embarrassment. I have commissioned many whom I did not know, and for whose fitness I was compelled to rely entirely upon the opinion of others. But it affords me gratification to state that the Indiana officers, as a body, have been found equal to those of any other State ; that they have, upon every battle-field, sustained the great cause, and shed lustre upon the flag under which they fought. Many have been appointed to high commands, in which they have acquitted themselves with the greatest honor and ability, and very many have nobly laid down their lives in battle for their country."
At the breaking out of the war. the United States was unable to furnish the uniforms and equipments necessary for an army of 75,000 soldiers so suddenly called into active service. There must needs be arms and ammunition of all kinds and for all branches of the service. These were the first essentials, and to the manufacture of these the Govern- ment was compelled to turn all its force and power to the neglect of uniforms and the distinctive badges that indicated
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
the soldier and not the citizen. Under the circumstances, therefore, it became necessary for the State to provide uni- forms for the troops organized within her borders. Some of the regiments were uniformed before they left the State, others went into the field without their uniforms, and the uniforms were made and sent to them. There were, how- ever, no individual measures taken for uniforms-the soldier took what was handed him and "swapped around " until he got something which was called "a tit" that he could wear. The writer remembers well the great variety of uniforms that were worn by the first year's troops, each State hav- ing a uniform in many respects differing from those worn by the troops from other States.
Each branch of business pertaining to the army or mili- tary life was crowded to the utmost. Speaking of the activ- ity that prevailed in every military department of the State, General Terrell says: "Indeed every department was taxed to the utmost: the duties were novel, and the officers assigned to discharge them inexperienced and unskilled; yet better supplies were not furnished at any subsequent period dur- the war, or at so cheap a rate."
The spirit of patriotism then pervaded all classes. It was in the man who had goods to sell. and the man who manufactured them, as well as in the men who volunteered to do military service. The leading, moving and guiding spirit in all matters pertaining to the war, in so far as the State of Indiana was concerned, was the then Governor, Oliver P. Morton. It was his mind and genius that directed in the organization of the Indiana troops for the first call. It was he who influenced and directed the legislation that was nec- essary to place Indiana abreast of the other loyal States in those matters that were then vital to the best interests of the Nation. What is here said of Governor Morton at the breaking out of the war, is equally true of him during all the years of war through which the Nation passed until peace was again declared and our boys came marching home.
No work for him was too arduous. no labor too great for him to undertake in the cause of the Union, or for the men
9
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
who had left their homes as members of any body of Indiana soldiers. Whether at home discharging the duties as Gov- ernor, or absent looking after the financial interests of the State-the Indiana soldier and his welfare were ever upper- most in his mind. His activity in all matters pertaining to the war was most fully illustrated in his recommendations to the legislature which he had convened in special session. The legislature met in extra session on the 24th of April, 1861, and the Governor in his message, after reviewing the situation in which the General Government was then placed, and after recounting what Indiana had already done and was trying to do, said :
"In view of all the facts, it becomes the imperative duty of Indiana to make suitable preparations for the contest, by providing ample sup- plies of men and money to insure the protection of the State and Gen- eral Government in the prosecution of the war to a speedy and successful termination. I therefore recommend that one million of dollars be appropriated for the purchase of arms and munitions of war, and for the organization of such portion of the militia as may be deemed necessary for the emergency; that a militia system be devised and enacted, look- ing chiefly to volunteers, which shall insure the greatest protection to the State, and unity and efficiency of the force to be employed."
The legislature at once authorized a war loan of two mil- lions of dollars, and appropriated for general military pur- poses one million dollars; for the purchase of arms five hun- dred thousand dollars; and for expense of organizing and supporting the militia of the State for two years one hun- dred thousand dollars.
So strong a hold did Governor Morton have upon the legislature and the people of the State in these first days of the great civil war, that men of all political parties accepted him as the leader, and the State at once took a higher and stronger position with the other loyal States than it had ever previously had, and all because of the policy that was then adopted concerning the war.
The "Three Months' Men," as the men were called who composed the regiments numbered from six to eleven inclu- sive, that had been organized under President Lincoln's call of April 15, 1861, had all been sent to the front immediately
10
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
after their organization and wore testing the hardships of camp and field. It was but just to the men who responded to this first call to say, that although there was not so much fighting crowded into their term of service as there was later on in the same period of time, yet during their service was had much of hardship and danger. The term of service of the men under this first call had not been concluded when Pres- ident Lincoln issued his second call for troops, the second call being for a three years' term of service. The Presi- dent and his Cabinet and the members of Congress had now come to a full realization of the fact that the war would "not down, " at the bidding, but that it was to be a cam- paign the end of which was unknown, and that it was to be of some considerable duration, none doubted.
On May 3, 1861. the President issued another call for troops to serve for three years. This second call was for 42.034 volunteers, and increased the regular army by the addition of eight regiments of infantry, one regiment of cav- alry, and one regiment of artillery, making an aggregate merease of the regular army of 22.714 officers and enlisted men. The navy was also increased by the addition of 18,000 se,men, making a total for volunteer and regular armies and the navy of 82.748.
The six regiments organized under the first call returned home at the end of their term of service and found that during their absence in the field the enlistments had been so rapid that the entire quota had been filled under the second call. Each of the first six regiments re-enlisted, and before another call was issued by the President they had all been accepted by the War Department, and were mustered-in, and had again left the State and gone to the front.
As each month passed by. the war assumed greater and greater proportions. The enlisting in Indiana did not stop. On July 1, 1861, only two months later, another call was made for 500.000 men. Under this call Indiana furnished : Two regiments of Infantry, twelve months' service: Forty-seven regiments of Infantry, three years' ser-
11
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
vice: Four companies of Infantry, three years' service; Three regiments of Cavalry, three years' service; Eighteen batteries of Artillery, three years' service. On October 2, 1861, Governor Morton issued another proclamation, in which he called upon "all men capable of bearing arms, and who can leave their homes, to cast aside their ordinary pursuits, and enroll themselves in the ranks of the army. " He appealed to the citizens with all his fervid elo- quence. He said: "Let Indiana set the glorious example of doing her whole duty, and show to the world how much can be accomplished by the brave and loyal people of a sin- gle State. " He urged the farmer to "leave his plow, the merchant his store. the mechanic his workshop, the banker his exchange. and the professional man his office, and devote themselves to their country." Under these calls at the close of the year 1861. Indiana had mustered into the ser- vice regiments numbered from Six to Fifty-nine inclusive, and eleven batteries of light artillery-and still the calls for troops from Indiana and the other loyal States continued. Other States as well as Indiana were enlisting, mustering-in, and sending their troops into the war.
On January 24, 1862, Governor Morton issued another call under a call to him by the General Government. for five more regiments, and says: "Let this call, which I trust is the last I shall have to make during the war, be responded to with the same zeal and alacrity as the former ones have been." The call was answered and the five regiments were organized.
Through the year 1861 and into the first part of Janu- ary, 1862, however, as they who passed through the subse- quent years of the war to its close now see it, there was with the exception of a few battles, but little of the severity of actual warfare. The summer and autumn of 1861 was chiefly spent by both armies in drilling and preparation for those severe conflicts and hardships that came later on in the service. The winter of 1861-'62 brought with it the cold and storms of rain and snow and sleet, and the suffer- ings of the men unused to army or out door life were terri-
12
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
ble in the extreme. The battles of Fort Donelson and Pittsburg Landing in the West, in which so many of our Indiana troops were engaged, and the severe work of the Army of the Potomac, began to make the men who were yet at home realize, to some extent, that there was war in this country, and that war meant bloodshed, wounds and death. For every death. however, there was someone who wished to avenge that death, and each death seemed to bring a greater realization of the actual value of the Republic, and of the importance of its preservation.
The early part of 1862 had been marked by victories for our army both on the Potomac and Western fields, but the severity of the winter and the loss from disease, and from wounds and deaths on the battle field, had very largely re- duced the effective force of the Union Army, so that when the early summer of 1862 came, and it was necessary to push the war with more vigor, it was discovered that more men must be put into the field. This now brings the reader to the period at which the Eighty-Sixth Regiment of Indiana and other regiments were called into the service of the United States. The special cause which brought about the Presi- dent's proclamation of July 1. 1862, calling for 300,000 troops is most fully explained in the petition that was presented to him, the President, by the Governors of eighteen of the loyal States, of which the following, is an authenticated copy from the files in the War Department at Washington.
THE PETITION.
June. 28, 1862 .- The undersigned, Governors of States of the Union, impressed with the belief that the citizens of the States which they respectively represent are of one accord in the hearty desire that the recent successes of the Federal arms may be followed up by measures which must insure the speedy restoration of the Union ; and believing that, in view of the present state of the important military movements now in progress, and the reduced condition of our effective forces in the field, resulting from the usual and unavoidable casualties of the ser- vice, that the time has arrived for prompt and vigorous measures to be adopted by the people in support of the great interests committed to your charge, wo respectfully request, if it meets with your entire ap- proval, that you at once call upon the several States for such number of men as may be required to fill up all military organizations now in the
13
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
field, and add to the armies heretofore organized such additional num- ber of men as may, in your judgment, be necessary to garrison and hold all of the numerous cities and military positions that have been cap- tured by our armies, and to speedily crush the rebellion that still exists in several of the Southern States, thus practically restoring to the civ- ilized world our great and good government. All believe that the decisive moment is near at hand, and to that end the people of the United States are desirous to aid promptly in furnishing all re-inforce- ments that you may deem needful to sustain the government.
ISRAEL WASHBURN, jr., Governor of Maine. H. S. BERRY, Governor of New Hampshire. FRED'K HOLBROOK, Governor of Vermont. WM. A. BUCKINGHAM, Governor of Connecticut. E. D. MORGAN, Governor of New York. CHAS. S. OLDEN, Governor of New Jersey. A. G. CURTIN, Governor of Pennsylvania. A. W. BRADFORD, Governor of Maryland. F. H. PIERPONT, Governor of Virginia. AUSTIN BLAIR, Governor of Michigan. J. B. TEMPLE, President Military Board of Kentucky. ANDREW JOHNSON, Governor of Tennessee.
H. R. GAMBLE, Governor of Missouri. O. P. MORTON, Governor of Indiana. DAVID TODD, Governor of Ohio. ALEX. RAMSEY, Governor of Minnesota.
RICHARD YATES, Governor of Illinois. EDWARD SALOMON, Governor of Wisconsin. The President.
President Lincoln did not need very much urging, nor did he deem it necessary for him to take a very great deal of time to consider the subject matter of the petition of these Governors, for on the third day after the date of the petition, he responded thereto as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, July 1, 1862 .- GENTLEMEN- Fully concurring in the wisdom of the views expressed to me in so patri- otic a manner by you, in the communication of the 28th day of June, I have decided to call into the service an additional force of three hun- dred thousand men. I suggest and recommend that the troops should be chiefly of infantry. The quota of your State would be -. I trust that they may be enrolled without delay, so as to bring this unnecessary and injurious civil war to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion. An order
14
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
fixing the quotas of the respective States will be issued by the War Department to-morrow.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The GOVERNORS of Maine. New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecti- cut. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Michi- gan, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the President of the Military Board of Kentucky.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
In the light of subsequent events, it seems very strange that men who were so prominent in the affairs of State, both in the National and State governments, after the war had been in progress over a year should not have realized the magnitude of the struggle, which at the end of nearly four- teen months, had only really begun. The events that had transpired between April, 1861, and the last days of June and the 1st day of July, 1862, when these Governors addressed the President, and he penned his response thereto, were but the prologue to the great drama that was to be enacted on a stage that embraced half the States of the Union, and before which the people of the whole civilized world with bated breath, were the spectators. At the time of which we now write no decisive blow had been struck. True there had been much loss of blood and treasure and life, great, very great, it then seemed to a people that was accustomed only to peaceful pursuits, but the South was in arms, their hopes were high in the anticipation and belief that it could and would be able to set up a government independent of the Union. These Governors were doubtless sincere when they expressed the belief that the "recent successes of the Fed- eral arms" could be followed to "a speedy restoration of the Union." and that it might be an easy matter "to speedily crush the rebellion that still exists in several of the Southern States. "
President Lincoln evidently realized more fully the mag- nitude of the work before him, than did these Governors. This is made apparent by the fact that he made his call of July 1. 1862, for 300,000 men. The force to be enrolled under this call was to be within itself a great army. Nor in the gathering of this great army was the President to be
15
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
disappointed in the wish he expressed in his reply to the Governors, when he wrote, "I trust that there may be en- rolled without delay"-although the "satisfactory conclu- sion" of the civil war, was long postponed. Before the war closed Indiana alone had furnished 208,367 men. Of this number there were killed, or died of disease 24,416.
CHAPTER II.
THE ORGANIZATION.
The Eighty-Sixth Recruited in Response to the Call for 300,000 More-The Mater- ial Furnished by the Eighth Congressional District-Rendezvoused at Camp Tippecanoe-Line, Field and Staff Officers.
Under the call of the President, July 1, 1862, and the orders from the War Department, the quota for the State of Indiana was Twenty-one Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty, (21,250) to serve three years or during the war. Imme- diately after this call Governor Morton took active measures looking to the filling of Indiana's quota at the earliest possi- ble moment. On July 7, 1862, the following proclamation was addressed to the people of the State:
To the People of Indiana :
The large number of troops required to garrison and hold the great extent of territory which has been wrested from the possession of the rebels by the many and distinguished victories that have attended the Union arms, enables the rebels to greatly outnumber our forces now in the vicinity of Richmond. The greater part of the rebel army has been concentrated at Richmond-their last stronghold-for a final and des- perate struggle ; and the army of the Union-while fighting with a gal- lantry hardly equaled, and never surpassed, in the annals of warfare- has, by overwhelming numbers, been compelled to make a short and temporary retreat.
The President, in the exercise of the powers vested in him by the Constitution and Laws of the United States, has called for 300,000 men,
16
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH SEGIMENT,
a force deemed entirely adequate to the crushing out of the rebellion and the restoration of peace and the Union of the States.
Again I call upon the loyal and patriotic men of Indiana to come forward and supply the quota due from our State. Up to this hour, Indiana ocenpies a most exalted position connected with the war. Her troops have been in ahnost every battle, and have behaved with uniform and distinguished gallantry. Never before has the State held so proud a place in the opinion of the world, and it should be by the prayer and effort of every loyal citizen that she may not now falter, and that noth- ing may hereafter occur to detract from her well-earned honors. But while we are justly proud of the high rank to which Indiana has attained, we should never forget that our allegiance and highest duty ure due to the Nation, of which Indiana is a part ; that in struggling for National Government, we are contending for our National existence, honor, and all that is dear to freemen, and that in this struggle we must succeed, at whaterer cost; that it is the duty of every State to furnish, promptly, her full proportion of the military force called for by the President, and that in doing so, she has no right to dictate the terms of his military policy or prescribe conditions precedent upon which such force shall be furnished. To do so, would be to recognize the odious doctrine of State Rights, as it has been taught by rebel politicians for many years, and which is but another name for secession and the cause of all our woe.
1. therefore, call upon every man, whatever may be his rank and condition in life, to put aside his business and come to the rescue of his country. Upon every man, individually, let me urge the solemn truth, that whatever may be his condition or business, he has no duty or busi- ness half so important to himself and family as the speedy and effectnal suppression of the rebellion.
Those who from age and infirmity cannot enter the army, can do much to stimulate others ; and I want every man to feel especially called upon to exert himself, and by public and private exhortation, and by every legitimate influence, to encourage the immediate filling up of the new regiments. And to the women of Indiana, whose hearts are so full of love of home and country, and who by their labors and contributions, have done so much to relieve the sick and wounded soldiers, let me especially appeal. Emulate the virtues of the Roman matron-urge your sons, husbands, and brothers to the field. Your influence is all-pervading and powerful. And to the maiden. let me say, beware of that lover who, full of health and vigor, lingers at home in inglorious ease when his country calls for him to arms.
*
Tents, uniform, arms, artillery, and equipments of every kind, will be furnished at the varions camps as fast as required. Commanders of
17
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
the camps will be promptly appointed, and every facility afforded for recruiting and providing for the troops.
The period of enlistment will be for "three years or during the war," and the terms and mode of organization will be pointed out in order to be issued in a day or two by the Adjutant General.
OLIVER P. MORTON, Governor of Indiana.
Executive Department, Indianapolis, July 7, 1862.
The first regiments organized under this proclamation were formed and had gone into the field by the close of the month, July, when immediately, the second assignment under the call was made, and by the close of the first week of August, 1862, the camps in each of the several districts were again alive with men, and the work of organization of new regiments was being carried on with as much zeal as at any previous time since the breaking out of the war.
Indiana in this call did as she had done in all of the previous calls, she voluntarily furnished more than her quota. Under the call of July 1, 1862, she furnished: One regiment of Infantry, twelve months' service; Thirty regi- ments of Infantry, three years' service; Six companies of Infantry, three years' service; Two regiments Cavalry, three years' service; Nine batteries of Artillery, three years' service. Each of these regiments had their full complement of men-1000 each.
The Eighty-Sixth Regiment was one of the regiments called for from the Eighth Congressional District, at that time composed of the counties of Tippecanoe, Carroll, Clinton, Boone, Montgomery, Fountain and Warren, and the camp, or rendezvous; was located on the hills just south of and adjoining the city of Lafayette.
It was an excellent position for a camp and gave to the new recruit a very pleasant first experience in soldier life. The camp was high and dry-overlooking the Wabash river and valley-in plain view of the various railroads, and the stir and bustle incident to the arrival of recruits by the rail- roads, the activity and novelty of the situation all tended to keep up the enthusiasm and spirit of the newly made sol- . diers. The month had not passed away until each of the ten
14
THE EIGHTY-SIXTII REGIMENT,
companies of the regiment was in "Camp Tippecanoe, " for so the camp was named.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.