An excerpt from Whitson's History of Grant County in reference to the County's Civil War Enlistment

"When this gun was fired at Fort Sumter every household in Grant County was alert, had it's ear to the ground for news from the front, and the arrival of the lumbering stage coach everyday was the event of the twenty-four hours between Wabashtown and Andersontown. There were rumblings of war, and some who read these lines have heard the ominous sounds more than once, have heard war's alarms twice and thrice, and have given of their best in the defense of the country. When Fort Sumter was fired on the loyal hearts of the north were united in the defense of the flag, and when Lincoln's call for a million men to strike the shackles off of human slavery was heard, Grant county responded - sent her quota to the front. On April, 1861, came the first ninety-day enlistment, and from that time on Grant county knew the full, awful meaning of war - destructive warfare. The first honor roll was established then, and while local hearthstones were represented in many regiments, the Fifth Indiana Cavalry, often called the Ninetieth Regiment, the Eighth Indiana Infantry, the Thirty- fourth, Fifty-fourth, Seventy-fifth, Eighty-ninth, One Hundred and First, and the One Hundred and Fifty-third Regiments were made up largely from local soldiers." also according to Whitson's history of Grant County - "two thousand four hundred and five soldiers served during the Civil War from Grant County alone."

        I must note that some men traveled to different counties and enlisted; thus, they were listed in the state registry of Adj. Gen. Terrell as resident of that county/city instead of their hometown in Grant County. I have attempted to locate those men but if you know of any I have missed, please notify the Grant County Coordinator to have the soldier included in this Grant County listing. A reference will be attached to any of these listings noting who provided the information.

        Company B of the 8th Regiment was the first company from Grant County to leave for the civil war. It was mustered into the service at Indianapolis, on 23d of April, 1861, just one week after the firing on Fort Sumter. In that time the President's call for troops had been made and Company B was enlisted in the county.

        There were no railroads in Grant County during the Civil War and most soldiers going to the front had to go to Anderson IN (where the Pan Handle Railroad had been extended in 1859) and catch the train to Indianapolis for muster. A group of farmers volunteered their wagons and transported the soldiers to Anderson. Other Grant county soldiers had to travel to Wabash and Fort Wayne for muster.

        The draft officers that were first appointed in Grant County were R. T. St.John, draft commissioner; I. Van Devanter, marshal; and S. D. Ayres, surgeon.

        This listing includes the names of Union soldiers of the Civil War who lived in Grant County Indiana at the time of their enlistment/recruitment or who resided in the community after the close of the Civil War (these post-war veterans from other states are noted with * ), and any Civil War soldier buried in Grant County. The Civil War veterans buried at the National Cemetery in Marion are listed in that cemeteries link to the Grant County website. (I have also included a link from this site. - sdw)

Karen Marshall