Vigo County, Indiana - Chapter 30, 1891

CTAHE western pioneers have been described as every man going _L around with his " arms full of fight." And little Vigo was disposed to always stand at the head of the class.

The nucleus that made the first settlement came of the Indian war of 1812 and the war with England of 1812-15. There were but very few of the pioneers but that in their old age was fond of telling over again the stories of marches, battles and skirmishes either with the savages or the invading foreigners.

The oldest military organization of which we have any account was the "Wabash Greens." October 22, 1823, the following, which explains itself, was issued:

The Wabash Greens will meet at the house of Captain N. Huntington, Novem¬ ber 1, thence proceed in martial order to the battle-ground of Tippecanoe and collect the bones of the American heroes who fell in that engagement, in as decent a manner as possible inter them, and erect some temporary preservation around the grave.

This sacred duty was performed, and the exposed bones of the heroes were collected and tenderly buried. It was a patriotic im¬ pulse on the part of the Wabash Greens, and posterity will ever thank their memories.

Mexican War. - Vigo county sent two companies to Mexico to take part in that war. Company F, United States Regulars, was enlisted in Vigo under Phil Harney, and went to Mexico. All the officers of this squad were of the regular army. The larger part was from this county, but there were men from Parke, Fountain and Clay, and probably others. Of the survivors in Terre Haute is John Smith, who is drawing his pension as Mexican war veteran. This com¬ mand went out in 1846.

A company of volunteers for that war went the next spring, 1847, under command of Capt. Cochran; first lieutenant, Coles; second lieutenant, John W. Mullen; third lieutenant, Jonathan Lee.

Of the survivors of this company is James Alexander Manning, whose father, William C. Manning, came to the county in the early thirties. The most of this company was Vigo county men, a por¬ tion Was from Clay. When filled, the command went to New Al¬ bany, and shipped by steamboat to New Orleans. The company was first under Gen. Taylor, and then sent to reinforce Scott in his attack on the City of Mexico, but reached that place after the capit¬ ulation. Of the survivors are John McCrosky, Youngstown; Ad¬ dison Curry, Terre Haute; John Bogart, near Terre Haute, and Edmund Watson and William Rector, of Clay county.

War of 1861-65. - Fort Sumter was fired upon April 12, 1862. The Confederate army, under Gen. Lee, surrendered at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. Four years of internecine war, less only three days; in all, on both sides, over 3,000,000 of men, directly or remotely, engaged therein. It is now approaching the life of a generatien since the sun rose on that portentous dav of April 12, 1861. J

In common with every community of the country, Vigo county did its share toward fighting out the long and bloody war. It was quick to respond to the call to arms. The Fort Harrison Guards was a military organization composed of the young men of the city, that had been in existence some time. This was so much material ready at a moment, as it were, to go to war. When the hour ap¬ proached, and all knew that it was inevitable, this company notified the governor that in case of necessity they were ready to go to the defense of the country at a moment's warning. It was this com¬ pany's prompt action that to a great extent gives the county the right to claim the first completed organization to form in the State, and offer its services to the governor; Capt. Jabez Smith, Com¬ pany D. The order of forming the first companies to go was as follows: Harrison Guards, Vigo Guards, Terre Haute Guards. The latter were ordered to Camp Morton, April 23, 1861. The quota was filled on their arrival, and they returned to Camp Vigo, where it went into camp with nine other companies, June 7, 186L The ten companies were mustered as the Fourteenth Regiment three years, and went to Indianapolis the last of June, and then to the seat of war.

The next was Company C, in Col. Wallace's Eleventh In¬ diana Regiment, mustered in August 31, 1861, for three years; Jesse E. Hammel, captain. The regiment had 11 killed and 52 wounded at Shiloh; from there to Corinth, Memphis, Helena and Camden, White River. Col. Maginnis on Wallace's promotion succeeded him, and on his promotion Daniel McCauley became col¬ onel; were at Milliken's Bend, then to Carthage, near Grand Gulf,

Ft. Gibson, Champion Hill, where 167 men were killed, wounded and missing; then to Vicksburg, Jackson, New Orleans, up the Teche, Algiers, Madison; returned to New Orleans, thence to New York and Indianapolis; veteraned and went to New Orleans in May, 1864, then to Fortress Monroe; joined the Army of Virginia; had 81 killed, wounded and missing at the'battle of Opequan; mustered out July 7, 1865. No regiment saw more or harder service than this one. It marched during service 9,818 miles. This county also recruited the first regiment in the State.

The Fourteenth Regiment was organized at Terre Haute, June 7, 1861, 1,134 strong; Col. Nathan Kimball ; marched to western Vir¬ ginia July 5, 1861, and was in reserve at the battle of Cheat Mount¬ ain; was at Cheat Mountain, in several skirmishes, in Western Virginia; October 3, 1861, engaged at Green Briar, and lost 17 men killed and wounded; was engaged at Winchester, Va., on March 22 and 23, 1862; Gen. Shields being wounded on the twenty-second, the command of the division devolved upon Col. Nat. Kimball of this regiment; Col. Harrow in command of the regiment; it lost at Winchester 76 officers and men killed and wounded. The regiment participated in all the engagements and skirmishes up the Shenandoah, when " Shields' Greasers," as they were called, were ordered to report to the commanding officer at Fredericksburg; remained at Fredericksburg all night, and were then ordered to return to the Shenandoah valley and assist in the repulse of Stonewall Jackson, who had driven Gen. Banks from the valley; from thence were ordered to join the Army of the Potomac, at Harrison's Landing; was engaged at Turkey Point, losing 23 men killed and wounded; was afterward in the Maryland campaign; was at Antietam; went into the fight with 320 men and 24 officers, and lost 10 officers and 171 men killed and wounded, and 1 missing; was afterward at Fredericksburg in the "forlorn hope," where the dead of the Fourteenth lay nearest the rebel works; was at Chancellorsville; at Gettysburg they lost 123 officers and men killed and wounded; went to New York City to suppress the threatened riots; afterward rejoined the Army of the Potomac, and fought at Bristol Station and Mine Run ; was in the battles of the Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Po River, Spottsylvania, Tollopotumus and Cold Harbor, and there the veterans and recruits numbered 124 men and 1 officer; the colonel of the Twentieth Indiana was there transferred to the Twentieth. On May 12, 1864, at Spottsylvania, in the celebrated charge of the Second Corps, Col. John Coons, of this regiment, was killed-; after consolidation, advanced on the Weldon Railroad to Stony Creek; was in the battles on the left of Petersburg; at Pebles' House and Hatchers' Run,

October, 1864, and in all the engagements on the left from Hatchers' Run to the fall of Richmond; was in the advance division of the Second Corps, which was the directing corps of the Army of the Potomac, in the pursuit of Gen. Lee, participating in all the engage¬ ments up to the surrender of the Army of Virginia; was engaged at Clover Hill, April 9, 1865, after which the regiment marched to Washington City; was ordered west on June 14, 1865; arrived at Louisville June 21, 1865, and was mustered out July 15, 1865, having 390 men and 23 officers present for duty.

The Seventh Indiana Battery was organized December, 1861; Samuel J. Harris, captain; moved to Kentucky; from thence to Nashville, Tenn. ; made a forced march to Shiloh; was at the siege of Corinth; from thence back to Louisville, Ky., participating in the whole campaign under Maj.-Gen. Buell, from Louisville to Nashville; present at the battles of Perryville, Ky., and Stone River, Tenn. ; through the campaign under Gen. Rosecrans to Chattanooga; at the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge; moved with Sherman's army, May, 1864; participated in the different engage¬ ments of that campaign, which resulted in the capture of Atlanta, Ga. ; moved back to Chattanooga, and there remained doing garrison duty up to the date of consolidation. The original organization was mustered out of service December 7, 1864. The records of the battery being taken by the officers, there is left no data from which to give the number of casualties, or when they occurred. Reorganized and mustered out as veterans in August, 1865. William Stokes, captain.

Eighth Indiana Battery was organized December 13, 1861. All recruits for this company were from Vigo county; left Indianapolis for Kentucky January 7, 1862, and reported to Gen. McCook; transferred from Gen. McCook's to Gen. Nelson's division ; moved to Nashville, Tenn.; the First United States Artillery in the city; transferred to Gen. Wood's division; made a forced march to Shi¬ loh, arriving opposite Pittsburg Landing Sunday evening; from thence to the siege of Corinth, having several skirmishes with the enemy; from thence to Tuscumbia, Ala., and Deckered, Tenn.; engaged Forrests cavalry near McMinnville, Tenn., August, 1862, with artillery alone, cutting his command in two, killing and wound¬ ing several men and horses, also capturing many shotguns, etc., from the enemy; moved from thence to Mumfordsville, Ky. - engaged the rebels there, holding the town after the surrender of Col. Wilder in September, 1862; marched from thence to Louisville, Ky. ; from thence followed the enemy, skirmishing every day to Bards town, Ky., losing several horses, reaching Nashville in November, 1862; had several sharp engagements with the enemy mished with the enemy up to the night of the 30th ; was in the battle of Stone Diver; lost 1 man killed, 16 wounded and 4 capt¬ ured; moved with Gen. Rosecrans from Murfreesboro June 21, 1863; participated in the skirmishes of that campaign to Chatta¬ nooga; was in the First United States Artillery, and fired the first gun in said town September, 1863; was at the battle of Chickamauga; lost 2 men killed and 7 wounded, also 2 officers wounded, and 7 men captured, 43 horses wounded; was at the battle of Missionary Ridge November, 1863; did garrison duty at Chattanooga, Tenn., up to March, 1865, when consolidated with the Seventh Indiana Battery. After consolidation the two batteries were doing garrison duty at Chattanooga and Sweetwater, Tenn. There were fifteen veterans of the Fifth Indiana Battery transferred to the Seventh, who participated in all the principal campaigns and battles of the Western army. The three commands left the State in 1861, numbering 460 men and officers, and returned with 186 men and officers for muster out.

Thirty-first Regiment. - The regiment was organized at Camp Vigo, near Terre Haute, Ind., under charge of Colonel after Brevet Maj.-Gen. Charles Cruft, and mustered into service September 5, 1861. September 21, 1861, Companies A, C, E, I and K left by rail for Evansville, Ind. ; arrived and drew their arms and tent¬ age on Sunday, September 22,- 1861. That night Companies A and K ascended Green River, Ky., to the first locks and took possession of the little town of Spottsville, then threatened by the enemy, being the first Union troops to take a position in that country.

September 25, 1861, Companies C, E and I went on board the steamer " Mattie Cook," and ascended Green River to the second locks, eighty miles, and took possession of the town of Romney; remained long enough to bring away a cargo of tobaccco; found no enemy and returned to Evansville; September 28 again sent up the river to Spottsville; remained until October 26, when Companies B, D, F, G and H left Terre Haute and went to Evansville.

The whole regiment moved to Henderson, Ky., October 26, 1861, where they remained drilling and protecting recruiting for Kentucky regiments until November 5, 1861, when they moved to Calhoun, Ky., on the north side of Green River, at the second locks. Here they remained during a portion of the winter, and were placed in Gen. T. J. Crittenden's division of Buell's army. While in this camp the men were assailed with disease, and many of them fell victims; January 15, 1862, moved to South Carrolton, Ky., and fortified, expecting a battle, but on February 3, 1862, were ordered back to Calhoun, Ky., where they remained until February 9, 1862, where they were shipped on the transport "B. J. Adams" to Fort Donelson, and arrived in time to take part in the hottest of the con¬ test, losing in officers and men 70 killed, wounded and missing; fiom thence marched to Fort Henry, shipped on transports up to the Tennessee river to Pittsburg Landing, and was the first regi¬ ment to make a reconnoissance south at that place; fought in Huilbuit s division April 6 and 7, 1862, at Shiloh, and was compli¬ mented by the division commander; loss in that memorable battle 168 officers and men killed, wounded and missing. Among the killed was Maj. Arn and Capt. Harvey.

_ Just aftei this battle it was transferred to the Twenty-second Biigade, Fourth Division of the Army of the Ohio, and moved on Corinth, Miss. ; fought there May 26 and 27, 1862; pursued Beaure¬ gard as far south as Booneville, Miss. ; from thence it marched to Athens, Ala., thence to Nashville, Murfreesboro and McMinnville; was with Buell's army during his retreat to Louisville, and in the Pursuit of Bragg through Kentucky in the fall of 1862; fought in the battle of Stone Biver December 29, 30 and 31, 1862, and January 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1863, losing in that engagement 113 officers and men killed, wounded and captured; was in the advance on and capture of Tullahoma in June, 1863; made the march over Waldon's Ridge; appeared in front of Chattanooga, and was one of the first regiments to pass over Point Lookout after the evacuation of Chattanooga; skirmished eight days around Ringgold, Ga., and Crawford Springs, and engaged in the battle of Cliickamauga, Ga September 19 and 20, 1863, losing 110 officers and men killed' wounded and captured; was under fire at Chattanooga from Sep¬ tember 22 to October 29, 1863, when it was sent to Bridgeport, Ala., to hold the railroad bridge over the Tennessee river. There the regiment re-enlisted as veterans January 1, 1864, and started to Indianapolis, Ind. ; arrived January 29, 1864, and furloughed for thirty days; started again for the front on March 15, 1864; trans¬ ported by rail to Nashville, Tenn., thence marched to Ottaway Tenn where they arrived March 31, 1864 ; moved with main army on Dalton, Ga., May 3; fought at Rockyface, Ga., May 11, losing 22 men, killed and wounded; at Resaca, Ga., May 14 and 15; Kingst°n' Dallas> May 27, 28 and 29, and at New Hope church

June 1, 1864, they were detailed to escort the vast train of Gen Sherman back to Kingston from Dallas for supplies; returned to the front June 9, 1864; fought around Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., from June 11 to the evacuation of Marietta, Ga., July 3 1864' during which time the regiment lost in killed, wounded and missing 23 officers and men ; among the killed at Kenesaw Mountain was Lieut.-Col. F. L. Neff; fought at Smyrna church, Ga., July 3 and 4; Chattahoochee river from July 5 to 12, 1864; fought continually around Atlanta, Ga., from July 22 to August 28, 1864; was in Sherman's grand flank movement around the city, and destroyed many miles of the Atlanta, West Point & Mont¬ gomery Railroad, also the Atlanta & Macon Railroad; fought at the battle of Jonesboro, Ga., September 1, 1864; pursued the enemy to Lovejoy, and was under fire from September 1, 1864, to the night of September 5, 1864, when the regiment withdrew and moved back to Atlanta, where it was encamped until October 3, 1864.

Pursued Hood to Galesville, Ala. ; from thence the regiment marched to Chattanooga, guarded the Fourth Corps train over the mountains to Pulaski, Tenn. ; marched back to Columbia, Tenn. ; skirmished two days and withdrew to Franklinn, Tenn. ; was at the battle of tlm first named place; withdrew to Nashville, Tenn., and was in the trenches when Hood thought to besiege the town; was in the battle of Nashville, December 15 and 16, 1864, and was in the charge at that battle on Montgomery Hill, when the brigade to which it belonged captured four pieces of artillery and over 200 prisoners, losing, officers and men, killed, wounded and missing, 42; pursued Hood across the Tennessee river; marched to Huntsville, Ala., where they remained until March 13, 1865; moved by rail to Strawberry Plain, East Tenn., from where we took up line of march April 3, 1865 ; made a raid over fifty miles over the mountains into North Carolina to the town of Asheville, captur¬ ing horses, mules, etc.; returned to camp at Shield's mill April 11, 1865, when were greeted with the news of Lee's surrender; left Shield's mill and marched to Bulls' Gap, Tenn., from thence by rail for Nashville, where we encamped; remained at Nashville until June 17, 1865, when took cars for Johnsonville, Tenn.; ar¬ rived and embarked on steamer "Silver Moon" for New Orleans June 20, 1865 ; arrived at New Orleans June 25, 1865 ; disembarked on the 26th, and encamped on the old Chalmette battle ground, where we remained until July 9, 1865, then embarked on board the Gulf steamer "McClellan" for Texas; arrived and went ashore at Indianola, Tex., July 13, 1865; remained at Indianola until July 15, when we took up the line of march, and arrived at Green Lake, Tex., July 16, 1865; left Green Lake August 8, and arrived at Victoria, Tex., August 11, 1865, and encamped five miles north of town ; remained in camp until September 27, when we took up the line of march and encamped one mile east of Victoria, on the rail¬ road; remained and worked on the railroad until November 21, 1865, when we received orders of muster-out. Summary - This regiment was mustered out December 8, 1865, composed of the folio wing companies: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, and the field and stafi lotal in the original organization, 1,017, and 36 officers. Total aggregate of meu, 1,314. Killed: Officers, 4; enlisted men, /4. Died: Officers, 6; enlisted men, 272. Discharged: Officers, 61; enlisted men, 685. Transferred: Officers, 4; enlisted men, 54. Deserted, 79. Aggregate losses, 1,250. Total when mustered out, 28 officers and 336 men.

Eighteenth Battery. It is supposed there were twenty-five men from Vigo county, James E. Rippetoe, David W. Rippetoe, Frank lace, Jason L. Rippetoe and L. H. Rippetoe; second lieutenant William m B. Rippetoe was promoted to first lieutenant. This company was one of the efficient arms of the States' service and added its full share to the military glory of the State.

Company E, Thirty-second Regiment {German). - First captain, Rhihp H IVlomger; first lieutenant, Edward John ; second lieutenant, John G. Apel, then E. John became captain. This company mus¬ tered m at Indianapolis, August 24, 1861 ; Col. August Willich. The regiment veteraned and served during the war. It was in Johnson's brigade Cook s division. Company E, with three other companies, was at Rowlett s station, when attacked by Gen. Hindman.'s com¬ mand and Terry's Texas Rangers; had 10 men killed, 22 wounded and 8 missing. They were at Bowling Green, Nash¬ ville, and with Buel to Shiloh, where they suffered heavily; had 8 wounded at Corinth, in Buel's retreat to Louisville; then to Nashville, Murfreesboro, and at Stone River fight; were in the skirmish at Liberty Gap; retreated to Chattanooga; at Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863, and went to relief of Burnside at Knoxville; were at Resaca, May 15, Altoona Hills and Dallas, May 27 ; at Peach Tree Creek, June 19, and Paiges Springs, June 22. ' The non veterans were sent home, September 7, 1864. In October the legiment was reorganized into four companies, under Lieut. -Col. Hans Blume; remained at Chattanooga until June, 1865, then transferred to New Orleans and were with Sherman in Texas.

Company I, First Cavalry , Twenty-eighth Regiment. - Robert R. Stewart, first captain ; Harman L. Miller, captain at muster out; Con¬ rad Baker, colonel. This was one of two independent companies that entered the service, first for one year, were accepted and mustered in, Apiil 25, 1861; and m July following were mustered for three years' service ; under Capt. R. R. Stewart it left Indianapolis, with the regi¬ ment, July 4, 1861; became the escort to Gen. Rosecrans in Western Virginia then assigned to this duty under Gen. Fremont, and then to Gen. Sigel on the Potomac; mustered out, August, 1864 The command were in the Strasburg battle, and the skirmishing that ended in the battle of Cross Keys; were at Cedar Mountain with Pope's army and Manassas, and alone made the charge, crossing the river at Fredricksburg ; they were on escort duty with Gen. Howard and at Chancel lorsville and Gettysburg; then to the Lower Potomac and joined the main army at White House, wnere they remained until June, 1864, and were mustered out.

Company B,. Thirty -fifth (Irish). - Capt. John P. Dufficy; mus¬ tered December 11, 1861; Col. John C. Walker; on the 13th left for Beardstown, Ky., and were with Buell at Bowling Green and Nashville; May 22, 1861, were consolidated with the Thirty-fifth Regiment, and reorganized as that number under Lieut. -Col. Mul¬ len, who was afterward colonel; from Nashville to McMinnville, in September, 1862, to Louisville with Buell in the pursuit of Bragg; returned to Nashville, and when foraging at Dobbins Ford attacked and lost 5 killed and 35 wounded; loss at the battle of Stone River, 134 killed, wounded and missing; met with heavy loss at Cliickamauga; in December 16, 1863, veteraned and returned home in December, 1864; returned to Belle Spring; at Kenesaw Mountain were fiercely attacked at night and driven from their works in a hand-to-hand fight; Maj. Dufficy was killed; loss, 11 killed and 54 wounded; regiment then went to Atlanta guarded supply trains; at Franklin, Tenn., received 400 recruits; in the two days fight, at Nashville; at Huntsville, Knoxville and returned to Nashville, then to Texas, and in September, 1865, mustered out at Indianapolis.

Second Cavalry Regiment. - At the organization of this regiment John A. Bridland was colonel and Robert R. Stewart, lieutenantcolonel. The latter was made colonel of the Eleventh Cavalry, and his brother, James W. Stewart, became colonel of the Second Cavalry.

Forty-third Regiment was organized September 27, 1861, colo¬ nel, George K. Steele; lieutenent-colonel, W. E. McLean. Com¬ pany D of this regiment was from Yigo county; Wesley W. Morris, captain, and afterward, Francis M. Welsh, captain. The command was in Kentucky till February, 1862, and then assigned to Pope's command in Missouri; in the siege of New Madrid and Island No. 10; then with Foote's gunboat fleet and the taking of Fort Pillow; was the first regiment landed at Memphis, and with the Forty-sixth In¬ diana did garrison duty there two weeks; then went to White river and Helena, and Grenada, Miss. ; returned to Yazoo pass; was in the battle of Helena, July 4, 1863, and was with Steele's expedi¬ tion and capture of Little Rock; re-enlisted at the last place, 400 strong, and pursued Price into southwestern Arkansas, and in fights ^ at Elkin's ford, Jekins' Ferry, Camden and Mark's mill, and ' with Steele in the retreat to Little Rock; in April while guarding train were attacked by Marmaduke's forces, 6,000 strong, when they lost 200 killed, wounded and missing; arrived at Indianapolis June 10, 1864, and re-enlisted, and sent to Frankfort, Ky., to resist the threats of Morgan ; helped drive off Morgan ; had a severe skirm¬ ish near Emmetsburg; then to Indianapolis, guarding prisoners one year; mustered out June 14, 1865.

Companies B and F, Fifty-fourth Regiment. - Under emergen¬ cy three months; was mustered June 10, 1862; colonel, D. Garland Rose; Carlton A. Goodwin, captain Company B. ; Lawrence S. Ball, captain Company F. In August they went to Kentucky to resist Kirby Smith, where were on duty till end of term.

Seventy-first Regiment ( Sixth Cavalry ) had two companies from Vigo county; Company B - captain, Edward B. Allen; Joseph C. Gifford, first-lieutenant; Orlando J. Smith, second- lieutenant; was organized in July and August, 1862; mustered at Indianapolis, Au¬ gust 18; went to Kentucky against Kirby Smith, August 30, battle of Richmond, Lieut. -Col. Topping, commanding and Maj. Conklin killed; regiment lost 215 killed, wounded and missing, and 347 prisoners, of the latter 225 got away from the enemy, others pa¬ roled ; regiment was reorganized after the paroled prisoners returned, and returned to Kentucky 400 strong ; were sent to guard trestle work on road near Muldraugh Hill and were attacked by John H. Morgan, 4,000 strong, and captured ; released and returned to Indian¬ apolis and remained until August 26, 1863 ; reorganized February 23, and changed to mounted regiment (cavalry) and Companies L and M added; then went to East Tennessee and at the siege of Knoxville; in the spring of 1864 were at Mount Sterling, Ky., and from there to Nicholsonville; April went to Georgia; crossed the Cumberland and joined Sherman, May 11, and were in Stone's cavalry. The regiment took part in all that battles in the campaign - Resaca, Cassville, Kenesaw Mount, etc; were in the capture of Altoona pass and raised the first flag on Lost Mountain; July 27 went to Stoneman, and then to Macon, Ga., where they lost 166 killed, wounded and missing; August 28, to Nashville, where they were re¬ mounted and equipped; in September sent in pursuit of Wheeler; September left Nashville in Gen. Croxton's division and helped to defeat Forrest at Pulaski, and pursued him into Alabama; lost 26 men at Pulaski; in November started to Dalton, then returned to Nashville; in the two days' fight there and then in the pursuit of Hood; returned to Nashville; remained until June 17, 1865, and were mustered out at Pulaski, June 17, 1865 ; re-enlisted and consoli- - dated with theJFifth Cavalry, remaining the Sixth; returned to In¬ dianapolis, 425 and discharged. The reorganized men remained in

Tennessee under command of Col. C. C. Matson until September 15, 1865, and were mustered out at Murfreesboro, and returned to In¬ dianapolis, 631 men and 32 officers.

Seventy -seventh Regiment ( Fourth Cavalry ). - Col. Isaac P. Gray; organized August 22, 1862; divided into four battalions; were joined in Kentucky; two companies from Vigo county. Com¬ pany M - Captain, Jonas Seeley; first lieutenant, Samuel Dickerson; second lieutenant, William H. H. Carpenter. Company H - Captain, George H. Purdy; first lieutenant, Robert Woodall; second lieutenant, Hardin C. Allen; were in skirmish at Madison, Ky., August 26; at Mount Washington, October 21, where suffered severely. During Bragg's threatened invasion a portion were in camp at Madison, thence to Kentucky; at Vevay and Frankfort, then to Gallatin and Green river; December 25, whipped Morgan near Mumfordsville; then to Murfreesville, and with Rosecrans at Chickamauga ; wintered in East Tennessee, 1863 and 1864; January 27, 1864, had a severe engagement with the enemy at Fair Garden, and drove them eight miles; Maj. Purdy ordered charge on rebel battery; captured it and more men than were in the attacking party. Lieut. -Col. Leslie was killed in the charge; went with Sherman to Atlanta, and were in the fights and skirmishes; after the fall of Atlanta were sent to Tennessee and then to Louis¬ ville; in January, 1865, were at Nashville, then to Planterville and Selma, Ala. ; were in the Selma fight on the right of the army; from there to Montgomery at its surrender; then to West Point, had a severe battle and captured Fort Tyler, and then to Macon, Ga. ; returned in May to Nashville, where were mustered out in June, 1865.

Eighty-fifth Regiment. - Colonel, John P. Baird; lieutenant-colo¬ nel Alexander B. Crane, and adjutant, Francis C. Crawford. In this regiment was Company C - Alexander B. Crane, captain; Wilson T. Stork, first lieutenant; Thomas Grimes, second lieutenant. Com¬ pany E - captain, Jefferson E. Brant; first lieutenant, Orrin Me Ander¬ son; second lieutenant, John Gunn. Company F - captain, William D. Weir; Hiram L. Tillotson, first lieutenant; Lawrence H. Hutch¬ inson, second lieutenant. Company G - captain, Ellery C. Davis; first lieutenant, Mortimer Denny; second lieutenant, Edward W. Redding; regiment organized in Terre Haute, September 2, 1862; went to Falmouth, Ky., to Lexington and Danville, Louisville, Nashville and Franklin, and in pursuit of Forrest to Spring Hill; in a desperate battle with Forrest at Thompson's station, and were captured by the enemy - entire brigade; men sent to Andersonville; officers paroled; men were released March 31, and returned to Indianapolis, after being prisoners twenty-one days. Many of the men died on the hard march to Richmond as prisoners; reoiganized in June, 1863, and sent to Franklin. Reached Murfreesboio Apiil 20, 1864, and partook of the Atlanta campaign; were in the chaige at Resaca, Dallas Woods, Golgotha, Culp's farm, Peach Tree Creek. At the last place Coburn's command received the charge of the enemy, and they did not tire upon them until they were within fifty feet; inflicted terrible mortality upon the assail¬ ants^; were in the assaults and at the fall of Atlanta; in January, 1865, aftei the fall of Savannah, were in the swamps until were marched to South Carolina; attacked Johnson, March 16, at Averysboro. The Eighty-fifth was the directing regiment in the charge through the open field, capturing the place and taking many prisoners, but suffered severely. For this splendid charge Gen. Sherman complimented the regiment; were at Bentonville, then to Goldsboio and to Richmond, and thence to Washington, where were mustered out, June 12, 1865; part of the men remained, and were assigned to the Thirty-third Indiana and sent to Louisville where they were mustered out July 21, 1865. This regiment lost 147 from May 15, 1864, to muster out.

Company D, One Hundred and Twenty -sixth Regiment ( Elev¬ enth Cavalry), organized September 14, 1863; colonel, Rob¬ ert R. Stewart; Carlton A. Goodwin, captain Company D; Thomas Long, first lieutenant; George A. Betcher, second lieu¬ tenant; regiment first sent to Nashville, where they remained until January 1, then to northern Alabama until October 16, when they returned to Nashville and were mounted and be¬ came the Eleventh Cavalry; reached Grayville Springs, Ala., January 7, 1865, where they were dismounted and remained until Febiuary 7; then to Eastport, Miss; then to St. Louis, where they were again mounted and sent to Rolla, June 26. From there to Fort Riley, Kas., and to Council Bluffs; from there to Leav¬ enworth, September 19, 1865; mustered out. The battalion reached Indianapolis under command of Col. Abram Sliana, with 30 officers and 579 men.

One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment was raised toward the latter part of the war by Col. R. N. Hudson, who was its comman¬ der during its term of service. This was organized wholly at Terre

In the way of furnishing men, those who were in all the hard battles, long marches and many skirmishes, where all the counties m the northern States may now boast of their efforts, there were none that may claim precedence over little Vigo. The number and qual¬ ity of the men sent, their work in the field, and the efforts and sac¬ rifices at home, in sending forward others, and even more to fill the gaps, distinguished the people of this county. The leading men came forward promptly and on their individual credit raised bounty money, and organized to care for the families of those who had gone to the war. The county authorities responded, borrowed large sums, paid liberal bounties and distributed weekly to the soldiers' families. But the true home heroes were the noble ladies of Terre Haute, some account of whom may be found in the account on another page.

This report is probably only approximately accurate. There are 1,184 soldiers in this county and only 242 children in excess of this number.

The grand total of troops from Indiana was 208,367 men of all enlistments. The number of tliree-year men was 165,617 ; oneyear 21,642, or 129 regiments of infantry, 13 cavalry and 1 heavy artillery and 26 batteries of light artillery.

In addition to these there were enrolled in the Legion, or State Militia, under an act of the legislature passed at the early part of the war, a large number of men. These were to defend the State from invasion. A district, under this law, was made of Abgo, Clay, Owen and Sullivan, and a brigade raised. Col. Richard W. Thompson was appointed commander in November, 1861. In this command was an entire regiment raised in Vigo county, Col. Harvey

In addition to the distinct commands raised in Vigo county, were the following companies that joined the following regiments: Companies C and D, Eleventh Indiana (three months) ; same com¬ panies, same regiment, three years; Company F, Fourteenth Regi¬ ment, three years; Companies C, E and K, of Thirty-first Regiment, three years; portions of B, D and H, of the Seventy-first (Sixth Cavalry) ; Company E, Second Cavalry (Forty-first) ;' Company M, Seventy-Seventh Regiment (Fourth Cavalry).

P. J. Ryan's Bravery Medal - By act of congress, July 12, 1862, congress was authorized to vote medals honor to private soldiers, foi extraordinary bravery. But two of these were ever given, and Vigo county lias the honor of receiving one of them thiough P. J. Ryan. It is inscribed: "The Congress to Private Peter J. Ryan, Company D, Eleventh Indiana Veteran Volunteers."