Henry County, Indiana - Chapter 10, 1906

Chapter 10

Henry County furnished no fully organized battery of light artillery in the Civil War, but was represented in different batteries, which are arranged in the following order : Second, Fourth, Twelfth, Nineteenth and Twenty Fifth, after which follow in a condensed form, the Third and Fourteenth combined, the Seventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twentieth, Twenty Second, Twenty Third and Twenty Fourth.

In some of the batteries there is an apparent discrepancy between the dates of the muster for the men and for the organization of the battery. This arises from the fact that the men were mustered in as fast as recruited, while the battery was not fully organized and its officers commissioned, until the number of men enlisted for it approximated the maximum number required. In other instances, the muster-in of the men is after the organization of the battery. This arises from the fact that men were recruited after the ofHcers were commissioned.

In the Civil War, a battery of light artillery, when recruited to its maximum strength, was officered and divided as follows : Captain, Senior and Junior First Lieutenants, Senior and Junior Second Lieutenants, First Sergeant, Quartermaster Sergeant, six duty Sergeants, twelve Corporals, two Buglers, six Artificers, one W^agoner and one hundred and twenty seven privates, total one hundred and sixty one.

Each battery was equipped with six guns of six-pound calibre, either bVass or steel, six caissons, an artificer's wagon and one hundred and ten horses, besides six wagons for transportation of camp equipage and battery supplies, each gun and caisson being drawn by six horses.

Second Battery, Light Artillery. Indiana Volunteers

In the following roster, the name of each officer and man is followed by his postoffice address at the time of enlistment. The date of muster for the officers is the date they were actually mustered into the service of the United States and not the date of commission.

Sergeant

Alonzo Hinshaw, Knightstown. Mustered in September 1, 1861. Veteran. Captured near Camden, Arkansas, April 18, 1864. Held in Confederate prisons at Tyler and Hempstead, Texas, until December, 1864. Exchanged. Mustered out February 24, 1865.

The Second Indiana Battery was organized at Rising- Sun. Jnly, 1861. Organization coinpleted and battery mustered in at Indianapolis. August, 1861. The battery left for the field September 10, 1861. Joined General Fremont's Grand Army, at Jefferson City, ^Missouri, and saw active service in Missouri, Kansas, Indian Territory and Arkansas. In September, 1864. the batter}' returned to Indianapolis where the non-veterans were mustered out. The battery was reorganized at Indianapolis, October, 1864, and joined the Army of the Cumberland, at Nashville, Tennessee. It was mustered out of the service at Indianapolis in July, 1865. During its entire service the battery marched eleven thousand five hundred miles.

Mustered For Three Years. Re-Organized In The Field

Ill the following roster, the name of each officer and man is followed by his postoffice address at the time of enlistment. The date of muster for the officers is the date they were actually mustered into the service of the United States and not the date of commission.

The Fourth Indiana Battery was organized at Indianapolis, September, 1861, and joined the army under General Buell at Louisville, Kentucky. It moved with the army to Nashville, Tennessee, and thence to Savannah on the Tennessee River, but for want of transportation was unable to cross and take part in the battle at Shiloh. It participated in the campaign through Northern Alabama and Middle Tennessee, returning to Nashville in August, 1862. During General Bragg's invasion of Kentucky, the battery took part in the movements that finally drove the enemy from that State. After the battle at Stone's River, Tennessee, in which it bore a conspicuous part, the battery moved with the army against Tullahoma, Tennessee. In the advance toward Chattanooga, it was briskly engaged at Hoover's Gap, Tennessee, and Dug Gap, Georgia. On September 19 and 20, 1863, this battery took part in the famous battle at Chickamauga, Georgia, but no Henry County soldiers were in the battery at that time. November 24 and 25, 1863, the battery was engaged at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, Tennessee.

Re-organized in the field, October, 1864, the battery joined the Army of the Cumberland, at Nashville, and after the battle at that place, December 15 and 16, was in garrison at Fort Rosecrans, until muster out, at Indianapolis, in August, 1865. Henry County was not represented in the original organization of the battery. All of her soldiers in this organization came in as recruits in August and September, 1863, and October, 1864, and nearly all of them were detailed for duty in the 19th Indiana Battery and served continuously with that battery from March, 1864, to June, 1865. Therefore, their history is more intimately connected with the last named battery. Indiana has erected a monument to this battery at Chickamauga.

Twelfth Battery, Light Artillery, Indiana Volunteers Mustered For Three Years

In the following roster, the name of each officer and man is followed by his postoffice address at the time of enlistment. The date of muster for the officers is the date they were actually mustered into the service of the United States and not the date of commission.

The Twelfth Indiana Battery was organized at Jeffersonville, December, 1861. Went into camp at IndianapoHs on the 22d day of the same month. The organization was finally completed and the officers mustered into service January 25, 1862. On February 7th the Battery returned to Jeffersonville and went into camp at Camp "Joe" Wright, where it remained until the 22d, when it was sent to Louisville, Kentucky. Three days later, it embarked at that point on the steamboat, Atha Wathan, for Nashville, Tennessee, where it arrived March 7th and remained until March 29th when, as a part of General Buell's army, it started on the march to Savannah, Tennessee, reaching there on April 8th. Soon afterwards it crossed the Tennessee River and went into camp on the battlefield of Shiloh. On May 13th, the battery marched to Hamburg Landing, near Shiloh Camp, where it was given siege guns preparatory to the advance on Corinth, Mississippi, afterwards participating in the siege of that place and all the battles and skirmishes incident thereto. After the fall of Corinth, Alay 30, 1862, the battery moved with General Buell's army through luka, ^Mississippi ; Florence, Athens, Huntsville and Stevenson, Alabama. At the last named place it took the cars for Nashville, and went into camp on St. Cloud Hill, where Fort Negley was then building. The battery remained at Fort Negley, during the remainder of its term of service, except a half of the battery which was sent to Chattanooga, Tennessee, after the battle of Chickamauga, and placed in Fort Wood until after the battle of Missionary Ridge in which it took an active part. As a part of the garrison of Nashville, this battery took part in several of the minor battles and skirmishes around that place, in the Fall of 1862. At the battle of Nashville, December 15 and 16, 1864, the battery took a conspicuous part.

A large part of the battery veteranized, the non-veterans being mustered out December 22, 1864. The battery was finally mustered out of the service and discharged at Indianapolis, July 7, 1865.

Sergeant John Speakman, of New Castle, was one of the first of the Henry County soldiers to join this battery, and he was largely instrumental in bringing to it the other soldiers from this county. The facts for this brief history were furnished by Sergeant Speakman.

Mustered For Three Years

In the following roster, the name of each officer and man is followed by his postoffice address at the time of enlistment. The date of muster for the officers is the date they w^ere actually mustered into the service of the Lmited States and not the date of commission.

George K. Brownfield, Knightstown. Mustered in August 20, 1862. Appointed Corporal. Died at Chattanooga, Tennessee, September 25, 1863, account of wounds at Chickamauga, Georgia, September 20, 1863.

Francis Dovey, Knightstown. Mustered in August 20, 1862. Appointed Corporal. Wounded in the Atlanta Campaign, July 24, 1864. Mustered out May 25, 1865.

James R. Jester, Blountsville. Mustered in August 20, 1862. Mustered out June 10, 1865. Also said to have served in the regular army after the Civil War. Record is incomplete in this History.

Indiana Volunteers

The Nineteenth Battery of Indiana was organized and mustered into the service of the United States at IndianapoHs on the 5th day of August, 1862, with Samuel J. Harris as Captain. It was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, very shortly after and joined the Army of the Ohio, upon its return to Louisville, at the time of the invasion of Kentucky by General Bragg. In the campaign against Bragg through Kentucky it was an active participant, moving from Louisville, with its division, under command of General James S. Jackson, it took part in the battle of Perryville, on the 8th of October. In this engagement the battery was sent across the enemy's right to the left of Chaplin Hills, and posted on the right, on a high level ridge, from which position it kept up a steady fire against the enemy for three hours and a half. The loss of the battery in this engagement was eighteen. After the battle of Chaplin Hills, or Perryville, the battery moved, with the army, in pursuit of the enemy as far as Crab Orchard, Kentucky. Returning from Crab Orchard by way of Lebanon to Woodsonville, Kentucky, it there remained until December, when it was sent to Glasgow, and from there to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. While in Kentucky the battery was frequently engaged in severe marches with the infantry after the forces of the Confederate General, John H. Morgan. The batterv reached Murfreesboro after the battle of Stone's River and was assigned to the Fourth Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps, under command of General Joseph Reynolds, and with it remained until the 24th of June, 1863, when it marched with its division in General Rosecrans' campaign throug-h Middle Tennessee.

This battery on the Chickamauga campaign, and during the battle of Chickamauga, was attached to the Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. Colonel Edward A. King, of the Sixty Eighth Indiana, was in command of the brigade, the division was under the command of Major General Joseph J. Reynolds ; Fourteenth Corps, Major General George H. Thomas. The battery crossed the Tennessee River with King's Brigade, and accompanied the brigade over Sand Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and was with the Fourteenth Corps in all its marching, and bore with it the hardships of the campaign. In the concentrating of the army of General Rosecrans this battery moved with Colonel King's Brigade from Pond Spring, Georgia, on the afternoon of September i8th, marching all night, and reaching the Chickamauga battlefield about daylight on the morning of the 19th. General Reynolds, in his report concerning the first day's engagement at Chickamauga, September 19th, states that his division, to which Colonel King's Brigade was attached, "was ordered first to take position in line of battle northeast of Glenn's house, and "while taking this position the division was ordered to advance immediately to McDonald's and enter into the action then progressing on our left. I at once reported in person to the corps commander, and, in accordance with his instructions, directed the Third Brigade (Turchin's) to take position southeast of Kelly's cross-roads. The Second Brigade (King's) was about leaving the main road to take place on the right of the Third when I met General Palmer in the road, who represented that his command had gained upon the enemy, but was nearly out of ammunition and in great need of assistance to enable him to hold what he had gained,at least until they could replenish ammunition. This, although not the precise position indicated to me for the Second Brigade, was very close to it, and appeared to be a place where it was essential to fill at once, and no other troops were in sight to take the position. Three regiments, under Colonel E. A. King, were therefore ordered in at this point, leaving in my hands one regiment, Seventy Fifth Indiana, and Nineteenth Indiana Battery. I had just arrived upon the field and found my division would occupy about the center of our line. No reserve force being anywhere apparent, I determined to form one of Nineteenth Indiana Battery and Seventy Fifth Indiana, to which was shortly added another battery, which I found in the road unemployed, and the Ninety Second Illinois (temporarily dismounted). In a short time the Sixth Ohio came from the front and took position near the Nineteenth Indiana Battery to re-supply ammunition."

This battery saw active service all through the Atlanta Campaign and went through with "Sherman to the Sea." After the surrender of Savannah, on the 21st of December, the battery remained in Savannah until January 30, 1865, when it moved with the army in the campaign through the Carolinas. It was engaged at Columbia, South Carolina, and from thence moved through North Carolina to Goldsboro. On the 19th of March, 1865, it participated in the battle of Bentonville.

After the surrender of Johnston's Army and the close of the war in North Carolina, the battery marched to Newbern, and thence was sent bv steamship to

Washington. After its arrival in Washington, D. C, it took part in the grand review of Sherman's Army, after which it was sent to Indianapolis for muster out.

On the loth of June, 1865, the battery was mustered out of the United States service, officers and men discharged and returned to their homes.

The State of Indiana has erected a monument to the Nineteenth Indiana Battery on the Poe Field line west of the Lafayette road, and on the tablet of that battery is the following inscription :

Nineteenth Battery

Saturday, September 19, 1863, this battery reached Crawfish Springs, at 7 a. m., after an all-night march from Pond Spring; thence moved to vicinity of Brotherton's, and about 3 130 p. m. went into action south of the Poe house and west of the Lafayette road, where Captain Harris was wounded. Being flanked on the right, the battery withdrew to the north side of the Poe field, and was there engaged.

Sunday, September 20th, the battery became engaged at 10 a. m. where this monument stands, and was in action here until noon. It was then moved to the south side of Kelly field, a little northwest of where Colonel King's monument now stands, remaining there until 5 130 p. m., when the battery retired, taking the body of Colonel King on a caisson.

Markers have been set up for this battery to indicate several positions occupied by it during the battle of Qiickamauga, other than the position in which their monument is placed. One marker is located east of the Lafayette road, just south of the Kelly field, on which is the following inscription :

A third marker is placed in the woods west of the Lafayette road, south of the Poe house, bearing the same inscription as the first, excepting as to the time. The time being fixed :

The Twenty Fifth Battery of Light Artillery was the last artillery company recruited in Indiana in the Civil War. It was raised during the months of September and October, 1864, and the officers and recruits composing the company were mustered into the service for one year. On the 28th of November it left Indianapolis for Nashville, Tennessee. On the 13th of December it reported for duty to General Thomas J. Wood, commanding the Fourth Army Corps, and was engaged in the battle before Nashville on the 15th and i6th of December. Upon the defeat of the Confederate Army under General Hood, the battery marched in pursuit, arriving at Huntsville, Alabama, on the 4th of January, 1865. It remained at Huntsville until the 3d of February, and from thence moved to Decatur, Alabama, where it remained, performing garrison duty, until the nth of July, when it was ordered home for muster out of service. Arriving at Indianapolis on the 13th of July, with four officers and one hundred and twenty five men, it was present at a public reception given to returned soldiers at the State House on the i8th, on which occasion addresses of welcome were made by Governor Oliver P. Morton, Generals Alvin P. Hovey, George H. Chapman, and Thomas W. Bennett and others. On the 20th of July, 1865, the battery was mustered out and the officers and men discharged from service.

Condensed Batteries

In the following organizations, Henry County was but slightly represented, and for that reason the several batteries are condensed in form and only brief outlines of their histories are given.

The name of each artilleryman is followed by his postoffice address at the time of enlistment. In some instances the soldier was not a resident of Henry County at the time of enlistment but moved to that county after the Civil War. In such cases the name of the county from which he enlisted is substituted for' the postoffice address, and that is followed by the place of settlement in Henry County.

Third Battery

John McDivitt, Marion County. New Castle after the Civil War. Private. Recruit. Mustered in November 24, 1863. Mustered out August 21, 1865.

Oliver Powell, Knightstown. Private. Mustered in August 24, 1861. Discharged November 7, 1862, account of wounds received at Lone Jack, Missouri, August 16, 1862.

Thomas Waller, New Lisbon. Private. Mustered in August 24, 1861. Discharged, disability, April 30, 1862. Private. Recruit. Fourteenth Battery. Mustered in October 25, 1862. Mustered out September 1, 1865.

The Third Battery org-anized at Connersville, x\ugust, i86i. Mustered for three years. Served in Missouri with the Army of the Cumberland and in the Department of the Gulf. Veteranized. Mustered out in August, 1865.

The Fourteenth Battery organized at IndianapoHs, March, 1862. Mustered for three years. Served at Siege of Corinth and on Mobile Bay. Veteranized. Mustered out in August, 1865.

Seventh Battery

Organized at Indianapolis, December, 1861. Mustered for three years. Served with the Army of the Cumberland. Veteranized. Mustered out in July, 1865. Indiana has erected a monument to this battery at Chickamauga.

Thirteenth Battery

Organized at Indianapolis in the Winter of 1861-2. Mustered for three years. Served with the Armv of the Cumberland. Veteranized. Mustered out in luly, 1865.

Fifteenth Battery

Organized at Indianapolis, July, 1862. ^Mustered for three years. Forced to surrender to "Stonewall" Jackson near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, September, 1862. Paroled, re-organized and served at siege of Knoxville, Tennessee, and with the Army of the Cumberland. Mustered out in June, 1865.

Seventeenth Battery

SEVENTEENTH BATTERY. William Muzzy, Wayne County. Mount Summit after the Civil War. Private. Mustered in June 13, 1862. Discharged, disability, October 18, 1862.

Organized at Indianapolis, March, 1862. ]\Iustered for three years. Served in Maryland and the Shenandoah Valley. Clustered out in July, 1865.

Eighteenth Battery

EIGHTEENTH BATTERY. William Rhinewalt, Madison County. Greensboro after the Civil War. Private. Mustered in August 6, 1862. Mustered out June 30, 1865.

Organized at Indianapolis, August, 1862. Mustered for three years. Served with the Army of the Cumberland and in the Atlanta Campaign. Mustered out in June, 1865. Indiana has erected a monument to this battery at Chickamauga.

Twentieth Battery Twenty Second Battery

Organized at Indianapolis, October. 1862. ^Mustered for three years. Served in Kentucky and in the Atlanta Campaign. Also at Nashville, Tennessee, and in North Carolina. Mustered out in July, 1865.

Organized at Indianapolis, November. 1862. ^Mustered for three years. Served at Siege of Knoxville and in the Atlanta Campaign. Mustered out in July, 1865.

Twenty Fourth Battery

Cornelius W. Cosand, New Castle. Private. Recruit. Mustered in February 13, 1863. Captured near Macon, Georgia, during Stoneman's Raid around Atlanta and taken to Andersonville Prison, where he was held until the last of April, 1865. Mustered out August 3, 1865.

Organized at Indianapolis, November, 1862. Mustered for three years. Served at Siege of Knoxville and in the Atlanta Campaign. Mustered out in August, 1865.

John D. Johnson, Pendleton

Sergeant, i8th Indiana Battery. Mustered in August 5, 1862. Commissioned Second Lieutenant, April 5, 1864. Mustered in as such April 7, 1864. Mustered out June 30, 1865. Also served as First Sergeant, Company G, 8th Indiana Infantry (three months). Clustered in x\pril 22, 1861. Mustered out August 6, 1861. Born in 1834. Died July 26, 1901. Buried at Pendleton, Indiana. Never lived in Henry County. Married Sarah Jane, daughter of Mark and Cynthia Ann Modlin. His widow now lives in New Castle.

Artillery In The Civil War Recapitulation

Artillerymen from other counties who moved to Henry County after the Civil War. 6 Duplication of names by reason of promotions and transfers 44 50