Vermillion County, Indiana - Chapter 6: Military History of Vermillion County, 1913

Chapter 6: Military History of Vermillion County

Vermillion county was not settled until after the war of 1812 with Great Britain, hence had no part in that last conflict with the mother country. It had a few soldiers in the war \\ith Mexico from 1846 to 1848, but no regular organization from this county. The few who went from Vermillion county have long since been numbered with the dead. When the Spanish-. \nierican war came on in 1898, this county had no regular National Guard company, hence had no regular company in that decisive war with Spain. This leaves the military history of the county in that long-drawn-out struggle for the preservation of the Union - the Civil war, - and in this the county sent forth her full share of brave defenders. Many returned and many sleej) beneath the Southern skies. Vermillion county may well be proud of its Civil war record, both as to the volunteers it sent to the front and the amount of money it furnished for the support of the families of soldiers, etc. To not have been loyal to the flag, here, was to be disgraced.

The days just before the civil conflict came on were thrilling times, and no better index can be given here than to c]uote from the article written in the Saturday Argus of Clinton, by L. O. Bishop, giving his own observations of those perilous days. He says :

Our home seemed to be the storm center of the then hated abolition movement. "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Helper's "Crisis," Horace Greeley's Nezv York Tribune, William Lloyd Garrison's Liberator, stories of the Revolution and such literature made up much if not all of the inspiration of the family circle. My grandparents, Hiram and Sabrina Bishop, and father, Francis Marion, were of New Hampshire and Massachusetts birth, and we all had indoctrinated in us a radical belief in liberty and hatred of all forms of injustice, of wrong by the strong upon the weak, and of slavery especially.

On mother's side of the family origin began in Ireland, and all her traditions and sympathies were against slavery and oppression. And right here I will relate an incident that occurred at the then thriving town of Perrys\ille.

Aly mother, who had come from Virginia before 1858, was making her home with the family of Ii'a Abdill. Now Mr. and Mrs. x\bdill were ardent church members, and they were rigid in their adherence to church laws. If there was any one act that was unpardonable sin, an act that would eternally damn the human soul, it was novel reading. Some one tried to lead my mother away from the straight and narrow way by placing in her hands a copy of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." In the girlish innocence of her heart she saw no harm in reading that "Life Among the Lowly," and finally became so deeply interested in the story that one Sunday she sat and read past the dinner hour, utterly oblivious of the flight of time. Finally the good old mistress of the house broke into the room with the exclamation : "Why, Lin, what are you reading that holds you so ? Don't you know it is dinner time ? Some trashynovel I swan!" Mother laid the book down on the bed and flew to her work.

Mrs. Abdill, thinking she would just exercise authority over the character of the literature that came into her house, picked up the book in a gingerly way and began to turn the pages as though it were a message from Belzebub himself. Then she opened it at the title page and gave it a disdainful glance. She turned to the opening chapter and out of her curiosit\- began to peruse the lines in order to get some excuse to condemn the work.

She came to the heart-breaking scene of Eliza stealing through the darkness to the humble cabin of Uncle Tom to inform him that they had lieen sold and she was going to run aw ay with her little babe. Thai was too much for the good old mother in Israel. Then she read the second chapter, and managed to get through the third safely, and the worst thing that happened to her was an aching heart and moistened eyes. And somehow she just wanted to know what was in the fourth chapter. And she read on and on and on. She forgot all care, all household labors, all religious rites and evening found the face of that dear old soul fairly glued to the thrilling pages of a story told by a woman that was setting the heads of the nations athrill with an abhorrence of sla\ery. And then Mr. Abdill, stern and firm in his convictions of religious duty, unbent somewhat. He, too, began to read the story. Finally it got such a grip on him that he took "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to bed with him and just lay there and read and read and burned the midnight oil until the wee sma' hours.

But when at last that family had finished the story of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" there was a changed tone in another home. A woman's hand had done the work. Perrysville felt the electric thrill, as was shown a few years later when the very flower of her manhood marched awa)- amid waving flags and .shouting multitudes in response to the President's call. I only mention this incident to show how the quiet forces of God work in places and in ways unseen and unknown of men, to prepare the wa}- for the advancement of still greater things.

That work of Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe set the world ablaze with hatred of human slaver)-. Everj'body in the Wabash valley read it, or read about it. Its influence was subtle, but permanent. All those earlier years the agitation against human slavery had been pushed throughout the North with all the vigor of crusaders. The wave struck Clinton. Big, impetuous, sympathetic Hiram Bishop one day proclaimed upon Main street that from that moment on, he was for the abolition of slaver)-. The immediate provocation for the exclamation was the story of a sla\'e-power outrage upon freespeech. The scandal spread like wild-fire all over the country. There lived here in Qinton a harness-maker, another old Easterner, named John Cowgill. He heard the awful story that a man in Clinton had come out for abolition.

Cowgill never stopped for a second to take thought as to whether it would be .safe, but instantly blurted out that "Here is another one of those d - d black abolitionists." Cowgill's endorsement of the unpopular idea only added fuel to the flames, and there burst forth a storm of wrath against the two men such as they did not forsee.

"What!" cried a pro-slaveryite to my grandfather one da)-, "do you want to free the millions of niggers in the South, and have them coming up here into the North and competing with honest men for jobs. Do you want your daughter to marr)^ a nigger? Shame on you for such scandalous sentiment."

But the storm of anger kept rising and growing hotter and hotter. And then one day grandfather Bishop came home in great trepidation. He was deeply stirred and uneasy. Something had gone wrong. Finally the family was informed that he had been notified that he and John Cowgill were to be hung as "black abolitionists." The threat stirred up a hornet's nest in the village of Clinton and one dark night a posse of men gathered with ropes and went out to hunt up John Cowgill and Hiram Bishop and hang them to the first tree they could find. At the same time another company of men got together and sent the "Regulators" sharp notice that the moment they began the hanging business there would be such a demand for ropes and trees that the supply would soon be exhausted. The real sentiment of the jieople had crystallized and taken on definite, defiant form and stood between two homes and the agents of an angered aristocracy that was then feeling the terrific blows of Lincoln's logic.

Further than stating that the cause of the Civil war was the great question of slavery, that had been the difificulty between the North and the South for many years, it will not lie necessary to go into the details, all so well known to the reader of history. The war came on in April, 1861, and lasted four long, eventful years, and was finally decided- in favor of the North and of the freedom of the black race on the American soil. Upon the election of President Lincoln, Republican, in the fall of i860, over the split-up factions of Democracy, the more hot-headed people of the South rebelled and went out of the Union, South Carolina being the first to secede, and that state was soon followed by practically all south of Mason and Dixon's line.

The part taken in this war by the citizens of Vermillion count}' is best known by following the history of the various companies and regiments that had within their ranks men from this section of Indiana. Before going into the history of these commands they may be enumerated as follows: The Fourteenth Infantry, the Sixteenth Infantry, the Eighteenth Infantry, the Thirty-first Infantry, the Forty-third Infantry, the Seventy-first Infantry (later the Sixth Ca^'alry), the Eighty-fifth Infantry, the One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Infantry.

The file of the Hoosier State, on July 31, 1861, had the following: "Capt. P. R. Owen, of the 'Clinton Guards," arrived home on last Saturday. The Captain's sojourn in 'Secessia' has improved his appearance materially. He left the Fourteenth Regiment at Cheat River, eleven miles from Beverly, Randolph county, Virginia, and reports the Clinton boys all doing well and in excellent spirits.

"Captain Owen addressed between six and seven hundred persons in and around the Presbyterian church, on Monday night, going into detail concerning the march of the Fourteenth Regiment from Hoosierdom to the "sacred soil,' and the full particulars of the battle of Rich Mountain, at the conclusion of which three cheers were given him by the interested audience. He left for Virginia yesterday, accompanied by the good wishes of his numerous friends in this community."

Another item in the same issue said, "Our citizens were aroused from their slumbers this morning by the ringing of the bell on the town hall, which was the signal for the departure of Captain Owen to join his gallant little band in Virginia. .A. large number of citizens, under command of James Mc- Culloch, accompanied by martial music, proceeded to the residence of Captain Owen. In a few minutes he mounted his horse and was escorted to the east end of the bridge, where the company opened ranks as he passed to the front. John W. Vandiver, on behalf of the citizens of Clinton, delivered a well-timed

Speech, suited to the occasion. Captain Owen returned thanks for the hospitality and warm welcome he had received since his return, and pledged the flag which the fair ladies had presented the regiment should be brought back untarnished and covered with glory and victoiy, he hoped. For himself, and those under him, he pledged loyalty and bravery on the field of conflict. Again three cheers went up for the Captain and his command. The Captain then rode proudly away to his duties in the far-off Southland.''

Vermillion county was not exempt from national enemies at home and sympathizers with the South, though not as bad here as in other sections of Indiana. In his well written articles on "Reminiscences of Fifty Years Ago," by Editor Bishop, of the Clinton Argus, we are permitted to quote the following on this subject:

By the beginning of ihe second year of the Civil war the people of Clinton, in common with many other northern communities, began to find out that while the great conflict was bringing out the best and noblest in men and women, it was also bringing to light the basest, the weakest, the most contemptible and despisable elements of human nature. And reading the pages of histoiy, we find that it was ever thus.

Whether this outcropping of sympathy with the slave power was due to natural, inherent wickedness, depravity and sheer deviltry, or whether it was mistaken zeal in what the actors believed to be a just cause, it is not my purpose now to discuss. The facts are bad enough, let alone hunting for theories upon which to condone them.

Scarcely had the men who could be, spared gotten away than there began to be whispered about a mysterious brotherhood being organized all over western Indiana and eastern Illinois. At first the name of the secret organization was not known. Its purpose was securely locked within the breasts of oathbound members. No one knew whom to trust any more. Warnings of physical violence began to appear at homes, in towns and country, if certain parties did not let up on their offensive activity in recruiting soldiers for the war. Mounted men were seen riding over the country at midnight. Depredations became more and more frequent and the losses heavier. Horses and cattle were missing and other acts committed, all of which, combined with the awful struggle at the front, made home life full of fear and anxiety. It finally cropped out that the name of this secret brigandage was the "Knights of the Golden Circle." The activity of this gang was so satanic and widespread that for twenty years after the w ar to even hint that an_\-one liad been a member of it, or was in sympathy with it, \\'as enough to drive a man to poHtical obhvion. People scored the Knights of the Golden Circle more bitterly than they did the men who were fighting openly for the Confederacy.

The condition here kept growing worse and worse, until public sentiment was at fever pitch. Secret service agents were detailed to hunt down the conspirators and bring them to trial. And some were caught in the drag-net. But not until after great mischief had been done. It needed but a spark to set off this magazine, and one day the explosion came in a way and a place no one had dreamed of.

There was at the time of which I speak, a low frame building at the northeast comer of Elm and Alain streets. The Main street room was occupied by a man who kept a groggery. Licensed saloons were unknown then. This man had so far kept a discreet silence on the subject of the war, although it was generally believed that at heart he was in sympathy with the rebellion. Several of the boys had come home on furloughs. One of tliem walked past this groggery in his uniform. The proprietor flew into a passion at sight of him, and began to pour forth a tirade of abuse and insult. As the young soldier went on past, the fellow, thoroughly enraged, stepped up behind him and dealt the boy a blow that felled him to the street. Instantly he was upon his prostrate form pounding the boy and would ha\e killed him, had not an older brother, seeing the afifair, rushed to the boy's rescue. The incident spread over town like a prairie fire, and in a short time e\ery returned soldier and able-bodied man was at the door of the shop armed to the teeth and ready for an emergency. That night the doors were broken in by a rush of men and in a few minutes it was literally wrecked. Every bottle and jug was smashed, every barrel of whisky was broken in with an ax and the place had a combined odor of whisky, beer, wine and tobacco and sour swill that would have made a starch factory smell like attar of roses. The proprietor was roughly notified to get out of town and to do it "d - d quick, too." He got out about 12 130 in the morning, and a hatless man was seen running out of the end of the old toll bridge, headed for the south. He never returned to straighten up his room or business affairs. The incident had one salutary effect after all. It showed the country that even the old men and those not physically able to stand the army service were not to be trifled with and it gave the Knights of the Golden Circle notice to keep hands oft'. And from that time on their activities in this part became less. But meetings were kept up in the southwest and arrangements had been made to help Morgan carry his raid into the Noith. However, the government's secret service brought the scheme to a sharp end. (18)

Fourteenth Infantry Regiment

The company known as I of the Fourteenth Regiment of Indiana Infantry was formed at CHnton within less than a month from the time Fort Sumter had been fired upon by the rebels, at Charleston, South Cai-olina. Philander R. Owen was made captain of the company, and during the war was promoted to lievitenant-colonel, when John Lindsey was commissioned captain to succeed him. Captain Lindse}- was enlisted as first lieutenant, and was mustered out June 24, 1864, on the expiration of his term; Upon his promotion to captain. XA'illiam P. Haskell, who had been appointed second lieutenant of the organization, was commissioned first lieutenant to fill the \-acancy, and was discharged November 25, 1863, for promotion in the Fourth Regiment of United States Colored Troops. James M. Mitchell was promoted from the office of second lieutenant to that of first. The colonels of the Fourteenth, in succession, were Nathan Kimball, of Loogootee, who was promoted brigadier-general ; William Harrow, of Vincennes, also promoted, and John Coons, of Vincennes, who was killed in the battle of Spottsylvania Court-House. \'irginia. May 12, 1864.

From the adjutant-general's and other state reports on the Indiana troops, it is learned that the Fourteenth Regiment was originally organized at Camp Vigo, near Terre Haute, in May, 1861, as one of the six regiments of state troops accepted for one year. Upon the call for three-year troops the regiment volunteered for that service. The new organization was mustered into the United States service at Terre Haute, June 7, 1861, being the finst threeyear regiment mustered into service in the whole state of Indiana. On its organization there were one thousand one hundred and thirty-four men and officers. They left Indianapolis July 5th, fully armed and equipped, for the seat of war in western Virginia. They served on outpost dutv until October. W'hen they had their first engagement on Cheat Mountain, with Lee's army, losing three killed, eleven wounded and t\\ o prisoners. Their .second engagement was virtually in the same battle at Greenbrier, October 3, when they lost five killed and eleven wounded.

March 23, 1862, under General Shields, Colonel Kimball and Lieutenantcolonel Harrow, they participated in the decisive battle of \Vinchester, where they lost four killed and fifty wounded, when "Sheridan was twenty miles away." as the poet puts it.

Ik-sides a great deal of marching and otlier military duty, they marched three hundred and thirty-nine miles lietween May 12 and June 2^^. a part of which time most of the men were without shoes and short of rations. In fulv.

for about twenty days, they were kept on outpost duty in the Army of the Potomac, coming in contact with the enemy ahnost day and night. August 17th, they participated in that great battle of Antietam, serving in Kimball's brigade of French's division, it being the only portion of the line of battle that did not, at some time during the engagement, give way. On this account the men received from General French the title of "Gibraltar Brigade." For four hours the Fourteenth was engaged within sixty yards of the enemy's line, and, after exhausting sixty rounds of cartridges, they supplied themselves with others from the boxes of their dead and wounded companions. In this fight the men were reduced in number from three hundred and tw'enty to one hundred and fifty. Subsequently, they were still further reduced at the battle of Fredericksburg.

April .28, 1863, being a little recruited by some of the wounded reco\ering, they were at the front in the famous battle of Chancellorsville, as well as at the desperate battle of Gettysburg, the turning-point of the Civil war. After that battle they engaged in several severe fights, and some of the men reenlisted, December 24., 1863. This truly noble, brave regiment - what was left of it - was finally mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 12, 1865. If Vermillion county had not been represented by another regiment in the Civil strife, it \AOuld have reason to be proud of its soldiery.

The Sixteenth Indiana Ixfantrv

This regiment was organized May, 1861, as a one-vear regiment, containing some volunteers from Vermillion county. Pleasant A. Hackleman, of Rushville, was the first colonel, and on his promotion to the brigadier-generalship. Thomas J- Lucas, of Lawrenceburg, was placed as colonel. Horace S. Crane, of Clinton, this county, was mustered in as second lieutenant of Company I, and mustered out with the regiment as sergeant.

May 2j. 1862, this regiment was re-organized for the three-year service, but was not mustered in until "August 19th. On the 30th of the month last named, it took part in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, losing two hundred men killed and wounded and six hundred prisoners! .\fter the defeat the prisoners were paroled and sent to Indianajiolis, and were exchanged November 1st. The regiment afterward participated in the \'icksburg campaign, and did great duty in Texas and at Arkansas Post, where it was first to plant the flag of the Union within the fort. Its loss was seventy-seven men, killed and wounded. In April it participated in a successful engagement at Port Gibson, and during the ensuing several months it was engaged in tlie siege of ^'icks- burg, in which it lost sixty men, killed and wounded. Later, it had several skirmishes with the rebels in Louisiana, and, in the expedition up Red river, sixteen engagements. The regiment was mustered out at New Orleans, June 30, 1865.

The Eighteenth Indiana Infantry

Company C of the Eighteenth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, from Indiana, was made up wholly of Vermillion county's noble sons, and all its officers in the roster are credited to Newpoi-f. John C. Jenks was promoted from captain to major; James A. Bell, from first lieutenant to captain; Josiah Campbell and William B. Hood, from private to captain ; Harvey D. Crane and Oscar B. Lowrey, from sergeants to first lieutenants ; William H. Burtut was promoted from private to first lieutenant; William M. Mitchell, from private to second lieutenant; William W. Zener from first sergeant to second lieutenant,'and then to adjutant; Jasper Nebeker was second lieutenant and died in the service; Robert H. Nixon and John Anderson were sergeants; and corporals included Samuel B. Davis, soon disabled by disease, and later wellknown throughout Indiana as the talented, fearless Republican editor of the Hoosier State, at Newport, this county. John F. Stewart, James O. Boggs, Alonzo Hostetter, Aaron Hise, James Henry, Charles Gerresh and John A. Henry were also corporals. John F. Leighton, of the recruits, was promoted from the ranks to the position of corporal. Hugh H. Conley, another recruit, subsequently became a prominent citizen of Vermillion county.

The first colonel of the Fighteenth Regiment was Thomas Pattison, of Aurora, and upon his resignation, June 3, 1862, Henry D. Washburn, of Newport, succeeded him. The latter was brevetted brigadier-general December 15, 1864, and mustered out July 15, 1865. The first service rendered by this regiment, which was mustered in August 16, 1861, was in Fremont's march to Springfield, Missouri. Soon afterward, at Black Water, it participated in the capture of a large number of prisoners. In March, 1862, it was engaged in the fierce contest at Pea Ridge, where its brigade saved from capture another brigade, and the Eighteenth re-captured the guns of the Peoria Artillery. After several smaller engagements in Arkansas it returned to southeastern Missouri, where it was on duty during the ensuing winter. The following spring it was transferred to Grant's army, and, as part of the division commanded by General Carr, participated in the flanking of the enemy's position at Grand Gulf, and May ist, in the battle of Port Gibson, captured a stand of colors and some artillery; also on the 15th. at Champion's Hill, and on the 17th, at Black River Bridge. From the 19th till July 4tli, it was employed in

After the capitulation of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, the regiment moved to New Orleans, and during the autumn following participated in the campaign up the Teche river and in the operations in that part of Louisana. November I2th it embarked for Texas, where on the 17th it was engaged in the capture of Mustang Island, and also in the successful attack on Fort Esperanza on the 26th. After a furlough in the winter and spring of 1864, it joined General Butler's forces at Bermuda Hundred, in July, where it had several severe skirmishes. August 19th, it joined General Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah. In the campaign that followed, the regiment participated in the battle of Opequon, losing fifty-four killed and wounded ; also in the pursuit of Early, seven killed and wounded; and in the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19th, losing fifty-one killed and wounded, besides thirty-five prisoners.

From the middle of January, 1865, for three months, the Eighteenth w^s assisting in building fortifications at Savannah. May ist, it was the first to raise the Stars and Stripes at Augusta, Georgia. The regiment was mustered out August 28, 1865.

The Thirty-First Indiana Infantry

This regiment had a number of volunteers from Vermillion county. It was organized at Terre Haute. September 15, 1861, for three years service. The colonels were: Charles Cruft, of Terre Haute; John Osborn, of Bowling Green; John T. Smith, of Bloomfield, and James R. Hollowell, of Bellemore. It participated in the decisive battle of Fort Donelson ; was in the battle of Shiloh, where it lost twenty-two killed, one hundred and ten wounded and ten missing; in the siege of Corinth; was stationed at various places in Tennessee ; was engaged in the battle of Stone River and Chattanooga, of the Atlanta campaign, Nashville, etc., and was on duty in the Southwest until late in the autumn of the year 1865, many months after the termination of the war.

The Forty-Third Inf.Vxtry Regi.Mext

Vermillion county sent out Company I of this regiment. Samuel J. Hall was captain from the date of muster, October 9, 1861, to Januarv 7, i86s, the close of his enlistment, and then Robert B. Sears was captain until the regiment was mustered out. He was promoted from the position of corporal to that of first lieutenant, and finally to that of captain. David A. Ranger, of

Toronto, this count}-, was first lieutenant; William L. Martin, of Newport, was first the second and then the first lieutenant. George W. Shewmaker was second lieutenant for the first seven or eight months. John Lovelace was first a private and then second lieutenant.

George K. Steele, of Rockville, was colonel of the regiment until January 16, 1862; William E. McLean, of Terre Haute, until May 17, 1865, and John C. Major, from that date till the mustering out of the regiment.

The first engagement had by this regiment was at the siege of New Madrid and Island No. Ten. It was attached to Commodore Foote's gun-boat fleet in the reduction of Fort Pillow, serving sixty-nine days in that campaign. It was the first Union regiment to land in the city of Memphis, and, with the Fifty-sixth Indiana, constituted the entire garrison, holding that place for two. weeks, until reinforced. In July, 1862, the Forty-Third was ordered up White River, Arkansas, and later to Helena. At the battle at this place, a year afterward, the regiment was especially distinguished, alone supporting a battery that was three times charged by the enemy, repulsing each attack, and finally capturing a full Rebel regiment larger in point of numbers than its own strength.

It aided in the capture of Little Rock, where, in January, 1864, the regiment re-enlisted, when it numbered four hundred. Next it was in the battle of Elkin's Ford, Jenkin's Ferry, Camden and Mark's Mills, near Saline river. At the latter place, April 30th, the brigade to which it was attached, while guarding the train of four hundred wagons returning from Camden to Pine Bluflfs, was furiously attacked by six thousand of General Marmaduke's cavalry. The Forty-third lost nearly two hundred in killed, wounded and missing in this engagement. Among the captured were one htmdred and four reenlisted veterans.

After this, the regiment came home on a furlough, but while enjoying this vacation they volunteered to go to Frankfort, Kentuck}', which was then being threatened by Morgan's raiders. They remained there until the Rebel forces left central Kentucky. For the ensuing year it guarded the Rebel prisoners at Camp Morton, at Indianapolis. After the war ended, it was among the first regiments mustered out, this taking place at Indianapolis, June 14^ 1865. Of the one hundred and sixty-four men captured from the regiment in Arkansas and taken to the Rebel prison at Tyler, Texas, twelve died.

Company A of this regiment was exclusively from Vermillion county. Andrew J. Dowdy, of Clinton, was captain; Robert Bales, of Clinton, first lieutenant: William O. Xorris, of the .same place, second lieutenant, killed at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky: Joseph Hasty, from Newport, succeeded him as second lieutenant; first sergeant, William O. Washburn, of Clinton: sergeants, Francis D. Weber, of Newport; Johnson Malone, Alexander M. Steats and George W. Scott, of Clinton; corporals, Joseph Brannan, Richard M. Rucker, Lewis H. Beckman, Larkin Craig, Daniel Buntin, Reuben H. Clearwaters, John L. Harris and Charles Blanford; musicians, George W. Harbison and James Simpson. Most of these were credited to Clinton, though some of them, as well as privates which were credited to Clinton, and some to Newport, were residents of Helt township.

The colonel of this regiment was James Biddle, of Indianapolis. At first this regiment was organized as infantry, at Terre Haute, in July and August,

1862. Its first duty was to repel the invasion of Kirby Smith in Kentucky. August 30th, it was engaged in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, with a loss of two hundred and fifteen killed and wounded and three hundred and fortysev^n prisoners. After the latter were exchanged, four hundred men and officers of the regiment were sent to Muldraugh's Hill to guard trestle work, and on the following day they were attacked by a force of four thousand Rebels under the command of Gen. John H. Morgan, and after an engagement of an hour and a half were surrounded and captured. The remainder of the regiment then returned to Indianapolis, where they remained until August 26, they were organized as cavalry, and were sent into eastern Tennessee, wfiere they engaged in the siege of Knoxville and in the operations against General Longstreet, on the Holston and Clinch rivers, losing many men in killed and wounded. May 11, 1864, they joined Gen. \A'. T. Sherman's army in front of Dalton, Georgia, where it was assigned to the ca\alr}- corps of the Army of the Ohio, commanded by General Stoneman. They engaged in the battle of Resaca, also Cassville. Kenesaw Mountain, etc., aided in the capture of Alatoona Pass, and was first to take possession of and raise the flag upon Lost Mountain. In Stoneman's raid to Macon. Georgia, the Sixth lost one himdred and sixty-six men.

in defeating Forrest at Pulasl<i. Tennessee, September 27th, and pursued him into Alabama. In the engagement at Pulaski the regiment lost twenty-three men. December 15th and i6th, it participated in the battle at Nashville, and after the repulse of Hood's army, followed it some distance. In June, 1865, a portion of the men were mustered out of service. The remainder was consolidated with the residual fraction of the Fifth Cavalry, constituting the Sixth Cavalry, and they were mustered out the following September.

Eighty-Fifth Infantry

Company D of this regiment was made up from the southern portion of Vermillion county. William Reeder, of Rockville, was captain until June 10, 1863, and thenceforward Caleb Bales, of Toronto, was captain, being promoted from the rank of second lieutenant. The vacancy thus made was filled by Elisha Pierce of Clinton, who was promoted from the office of first sergeant. The sergeants were James W. Taylor, of Toronto : William A. Richardson, John A. C. Norris and David Mitchell, of Clinton ; and the corporals were Brazier E. Henderson, Ben White, Samuel Craig, James Andrews, Valentine Foos, Harrison Pierce, Joseph Foos and Wesley A. Brown. The musicians were Andre\\- J. Owen and John A. Curry.

The colonels of this regiment were John P. Baird of Terre Haute, to July 20, 1864, and Alexander R. Crane, of the same city, until the mustering out of the regiment.

This regiment was organized at Terre Haute September 2, 1862. Its first engagement was with Forrest, with Col. John Coburn's brigade, March 5, 1863, when the whole brigade was captufed. The men were marched to Tullahoma, and then transported to Libby Prison at Richmond, amid much sufifering, many dying along the route. Twenty-six days after their incarceration the men were exchanged, and were stationed at Franklin, Tennessee, where they fought in skirmishes until Bragg's army fell back. The following summer, fall and winter the Eighty-fifth remained in the vicinity of Murfreesboro, guarding the railroad from Nashville to Chattanooga. It took part in every important engagement in the Atlanta campaign, being in the terrible charge upon Resaca, and in the battles at Cassville, Dallas Woods, Golgotha Church, Gulp's Farm and Peach Tree Greek. At the last named place it did deadly work among the Rebel forces.

This regiment followed Sherman in his famous march to the sea, and back through the two Carolinas, engaging in numerous battles. At Averasboro it was the directing regiment, charging the Rebel works through an open field, but suffered greatly. It destroyed a half mile of railroad in forty minutes time, corduroying many miles of wagon road, and after a twenty-mile march one day it worked hard all night making a road up a steep, muddy bluff, for which they were highly complimented by Generals Sherman and Slocum, who had given directions for the work and were eye witnesses to its execution. After several other important improvements, it had the pleasure of looking as proud victors upon Libby Prison, where so many of them had suffered in captivity in 1862. Marching on to Washington, D. C, it was mustered out of service June 12, 1865. The remaining recruits were transferred to the Thirty-third Indiana Regiment, who were mustered out July 21st, at Louisville, Kentucky.

The One Hundred And Twenty-Ninth Infantry

Of this gallant regiment. Company K was from Vermillion county, and it was recruited from the tenth congressional district during the winter of 1863-64, rendezvoused at Michigan City, and was mustered into service March I, 1864, with Charles Case, of Fort Wayne, as colonel, and Charles A. Zollinger, of the same city, as lieutenant-colonel. Of Company K, John Q. Washburn, of Newport, was captain ; Joseph Simpson, of Highland, first lieutenant, and the second lieutenants in succession were Thomas C. Swan, of Clinton, Joseph Simpson, of Highland, William F. Eddy, of Warsaw, and James Roberts, of Clinton. Henry J. Howard, of Toronto, was sergeant. Corporals, Jasper Hollingsworth, Granville Gideon and John W. Nixon, of Vermillion county, with members from other counties. After much long marching, the first battle in which this regiment took part was the severe contest at Resaca, opening the celebrated campaign of Atlanta. This was a great victory for the Union troops. The next battle was that at New Hope Church. Before and after this, however, there was almost constant skirmishing, in very rainy weather. July 19, 1864, the regiment was engaged in a severe fight near Decatur, Georgia, where they lost heavily. Soon afterward they were in the fight at Strawberry Run, where they lost twenty-five men, but enabled General Hascall to turn a position which our forces, a brigade of General Schofield's corps, had failed to turn the day before. Then on until mid-winter the regiment was kept guarding and engaging in skirmishes. November 29th, occurred the battle of Franklin, where the enemy were repulsed with great loss. During the latter portion of the winter they were marching and battling near the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, and engaged in the battle of Wise's Forks, where the enemy met with signal disaster. The regiment was

Concluding Remarks

The foregoing is but an outHne of what transpired at home and in the Southland during the years of that long-drawn-out war, in which brother took up arms against brother, and in which family ties were broken asunder, never to be reunited again. While the soldiers above mentioned were doing their part bra\'ely and well, in field and on march, those remaining at home were busy at raising funds with which to support and maintain the families of the volunteers, as well as in numerous ways help the general government to carry on the war, which all loyal patriots believed was a just war. Every township in this county had its aid societies and relief funds. Men and women were alive to the pressing demands for hospital supplies for the men who had been sent to the front. The county commissioners, from time to time, IcA'ied taxes for the furtherance of the cause in the field. Bounties were freely paid and each ])atriot vied with his neighbor in seeing how much he could do toward relieving suffering at home and in the tented field.

It is not possible to give a complete list of the soldiers from this county, and the larger part of those who donned the loyal blue, from 1861 to 1865, have long since answered the last roll-call, some being asleep under Southern skies, while the remainder are buried in home cemeteries and their graves are cared for and tenderly decorated with the return of each Memorial day. Be it said with a just pride, that Vermillion countv was loyal to the Union cause. Its sacrifice was indeed great, but its victory was an eternal gain - an everlasting inheritance to the oncoming generations who shall here reap the just reward of liberty and union.

Entries From A Soldier S Diary

The following paragraphs have been extracted from the private diary kept by Edwin C. Bishop, of Clinton, who was in the Engineering Corps of the Union arni}-, and a member of the Eighteenth Indiana Infantry. These are chiefly paragraphs of letters that he wrote home to his parents and brothers, and throw much light on the inside life and private opinions of soldiers who marched and fought in the Rebellion from 1861 to 1865. Finally this brave man sacrified his life at Cedar Creek, near the close of the conflict. We are indebted to L. O. Bishop, of the Saturday Argus (a nephew), for the manuscript transcript from which the following is quoted :

"Springfield, Missouri, Nov. 5, 1861. at Home : - Since I wrote to you last there have been some stirring times out here. I did not think then that within three hours we would be on a forced march ; but such was the case. We received orders to march immediately and started just at sunset. After marching twelve miles we stopped for the night, built our camp fires and slept by them. The next morning we took up our line of march and stopped at eleven o'clock to get breakfast. We cooked all our provisions and filled our haversacks, and got ready for a hard march and a fight. We had halted in a prairie and \\hen we started the long line of soldiers showed to a good advantage ; it was a nice little army of about seventeen thousand men. It was enough to make one feel like fighting to see so many in one line going onward to battle. In the morning the news came that we would have to cut our way through the Rebel army to Fremont; upon hearing this the enthusiasm became very great and the soldiers would ]n-ess forward and 'Forward' was the cry. A\'e got to within se\en miles of Springfield that day and stopped to rest. After that we went to within a half mile of town, expecting to begin the fight in the morning. But we were disappointed, for in the morning Fremont went past and camped with his guards and Indians on the road to St. Louis, he having been superseded, and we found that Price was not near here. There is now an army of fifty thousand men here, who all expected to fight when they got here. We are under the command of General Hunter. We do not know, but many believe that we will be sent to 'Old Kaintuck.' Our tents came up today, so we are at home again. We have not got over our disappointment of not finding Price, after running all o\-er the state. The dirty skunk has got awav without our men getting a chance to see him. It is most time to get dinner and I will

"Little Sugar Creek, Ark., March 12, 1862. "Dear Father : - I suppose it is. with feelings of anxiety you receive this letter, for I suppose you heard of our great fight, ^^'hen I wrote last I was on the picket, and that evening I was relieved and went to camp. That night about twelve o'clock we were ordered to cook two days' rations. The next morning we packed up our things and sent the wagons back about one mile. Then we went onto a hill not far from our camp and commenced throwing up earth-works. Our battery and the Eighth Regiment were on a hill to our left. That evening we heard the firing between Siegel and the Rebels. We had been fighting on a retreat from a cross hollow. The next morning we went to our wagons to cook some rations ; but were soon ordered back to our breastworks ; then we were ordered to the rear, as the enemy had come up on that side. By this time the firing had become very heavy and sharp. We came up in front of the enemy's right wing, composed of their best troops under McCulloch : they had Indians. I cannot tell you in words so that you will understand, so I will tell you some, and draw a plan of the field, ^^^^ite's brigade, composed of the Thirty-seventh and Fifty-ninth Illinois Regiments went in first, but were driven back, and then by a skillful movement the Rebels were driven back and our battery saved. This was the first day of the battle we were in ; I was not in the second day ; I got lost from the company in the night and was put on guard over the prisoners. I have not heard the loss on either side ; but I think ours was about one hundred and twenty killed and two hundred wounded. I understand the Rebels left from two hundred and fifty to three hundred on the field. We have about three hundred prisoners. The Rebels left the field in a hurry, leaving several hundred stand of arms along the road.

"Helena, Ark,, August 30, 1862. "Friends at Home : - I am as well as could be expected and the company is in good spirits. I understand that five boats are to start for White river this morning. I do not know the object of the expedition; it may be a scouting party, perhaps it is going to gather cotton. It is nmiored that the Rebels, fort}- thousand strong, are advancing on this place, and these Ijoats may be sent up White river to keep them from crossing, but 1 do not beheve that there are that many Rebels in this state ; however, if there are that many, I do not believe they can whip us. They are building some fortifications here which are to mount thirty-two-pounders. This seems to me to be a good place for a fortification, as the river can be seen for a distance of eleven miles down and four or five up stream, from a ridge that runs through town and it is separated from the blufif by a hollow. The ground is such that a Imttery could not charge upon, so the only way to dislodge troops would be to shell them or starve them out, either of which would be hard to do, as long as the river is kept open. I understand that this is to be the military capital instead of Little Rock. We are having very good times here, for since it has come to be the policy to subsist on the country in w hich the war is carried on, the boys have most everything this country is able to raise. No longer are the corn fields guarded, so that 'roasting ears' can be had without paying two prices or running the risk of getting into the guard-house. There is an old 'secesh' living in our camp or rather it was built around him. When we came here he had lots of bee hives ; there are none now ; but that is all right for he gave two thousand five hundred dollars to build gun-boats and was tanning leather for old Jeff Thompson ; but the leather was not finished, so our men are having him finish it for us. At first taking wagons and other property belonging to the Rebels was a low thing; now it is the only thing that can be done. I have found out how the thing worked ; every Rebel was out fighting against us, while the darkies raised corn; we will have to stop their supplies, and then give them a whipping.

"November 21, 1862. "Dear Friends: - The sentence for sleeping on one's post is to. forfeit one month's pay ; march ten days, four hours a day, in front of the colonel's quarters, wearing a head-dress barrel bearing this inscription, T slept on my post.' "

"Patterson, November 18, 1862. "Dear Friends at Flome : - I will commence this letter tonight. I received those things you sent me, and the long letter; I tell you it does a soldier good to get long letters. Captain Bell brought some good butter from home and also a cooked chicken, which with the bread you sent me made a good breakfast: a real "Hoosier breakfast.' The bread tasted home-like, and the can of peaches which we ate for dinner was excellent - all acknowledged them the best they had eaten for a long time. Captain brought a can of peaches and I am going to make a pie of them. Now you may laugh, when I speak of cooking, but I tell you I can cook some. I and, Lon went out of camp to try our rifles ; for a long time I was busy cleaning my gun. You may think half a day a long time to be cleaning a gun ; but it is as bright as a new silver dollar all over. I have a splendid rifle ; it is a Springfield rifle and I would not take in trade for it one of the much boasted Enfield rifles, ^^^hile we were out I saw a squirrel, and thought I would like to try my gun on him; so Lon went around the tree and made a noise and that scared the squirrel around to my side of the tree and I shot him. A\'ell I must quit and go to bed : perhaps you would like to know about my bed. Well, we get corn stalks and put them on the ground and over them are spread two blankets and our oil cloth. Then we have three blankets over the three of us.

"There were some five or six thousand Rebels building winter quarters on Black river, but we went down and shelled them; thev run, lea\ing,all behind, and have not been seen or heard of since.

"January i, 1863. "Today another year is ushered into Time's great circle ; another year to witness the unhappy state of our country. Shall this year see the end of this great war? I see by looking around me that all are of the same opinion and mind. None wish to see '63' grow old and die without seeing the traitor meet his doom ; without seeing the American eagle sit in peace upon the palmetto undisturbed by the serpent that crawls at its foot. How different the scenes of today and former New Year days, when all was peace. Then the cannon's loud roar broke upon the ear telling only of joy and mirth; now that roar speaks of bloodshed and every boom sinks deeper into the heart as Ave think of the souls then sent and perhaps transported to meet their God. Then proud hearts that ha\-e long since gone to rest engaged in the merrv dance and tried to lose sight of time for a little while. Those that are left are soldiers, tossed on the battle-stained waves of war ; they are changed ; time and hardships of a soldier's life have made their impressions. The once light, loving heart has been turned to stone, by constantly coming in contact with scenes of strife. "Yours,

"Milligan Bend, April 3, 1863. "Friends : - I do not feel nuicli like writing. I came into mj- quarters last night and found those things you sent me had come. We got them up from the landing about ten o'clock and went to work to see what there was. Most of the things were spoiled; some cakes were good; but all the bread and pies were spoiled. Some of the green apples were good; they were quite a treat, for they are from fifteen to twenty-five cents apiece here now. The boots you sent were too large. Some of the furloughed boys are fast coming back into camp. We are fifteen miles from Vicksburg and twenty-five by river. No news from Yazoo, and we do not know what is going on around us, as much as you do there. We can hear the shelling at Vicksburg, whenever there is any going on there. Our position is at the siege as follows : First United States Infantry, Eighth, Thirty-Third and Ninty-Ninth Illinois, a batterv' of six pieces, siege guns and all stationed at the mouth of the canal opposite Vicksburg. We are in the Fourteenth Division and the Thirteenth Army Corps; our brigade is under General Baxter. I found a piece of poetiy in the box you sent entitled 'Come Home." I say :

"Near Vicksburg, ]\Iiss., June 12. 1863. "My Dear Sister : - I will send you a few lines to let you know I am and well. We had a battle at Champion's Hill. The Rebels run, as usual, and we had a fine time overhauling their knapsacks, which they left at Edwards Station. We all got clean clothes, tobacco, writing paper, etc. This sheet is one I got ; captured enough to last for a while. We took in two or three regiments at the ridge; they stuck cotton in their guns and bayonets, when the charge began, and turned and run for the bridge. I have not found any good place from which I can make a map of this field. I went to a place and w-as trying to make a map of the field, but was shot at several times, so I left. The Rebels do not fire much. They opened a few guns this morning, but soon found that place too hot for them. Deserters come in all the time ; they all tell different tales, and we do not know which to believe. But I guess they have hard times; one of the Iowa boys gave a deserter his breakfast, and he ate four crackers, one loaf of bread, a lot of potatoes and ham. and drunk five cups of strong coffee. He told General Lawler that he had had but little for a week. We hear they can hold out fifteen days. The boys are in fine spirits. When they want a little exercise, they take their guns and go out to the rifle pits and take a few shots at the Rebels, if they can see one to shoot at. I have sent several dispatches to them to get in. What 'Rebs' are in the city are surely ours, unless they dig out under the hill. I guess after we get this place we will have to go over and help the boys in the Army of the Potomac ; poor fellows, never were intended to fight, and not in the least frightened about Johnson. We will run him all over the state for a breakfast spell and take him in for dinner. I am now about four feet in the ground and feel perfectly safe. Write soon to yours,