HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 7
SKETCH OF THE REGIMENT
Capt. Spicely's company became G of the Twenty-fourth Regiment, and Capt. Dill's, Company B of the same regiment. Both companies were mustered into the three years' service on the 31st of July, 1861, and with their regiment started for St. Louis, Mo., on the 19th of August. The regiment joined Gen. Fremont's forces and moved into the interior of Missouri, where it remained until February, 1862, when it joined the troops at Fort Donelson. It reached Paducah one day after the surrender of Fort Donelson, thence moved to Fort Henry, and later moved with Gen. Grant's army to Pittsburg Landing. At the battle of Shiloh it was hotly engaged, losing many officers and men including its Major, John Gerber. Col. Hovey having been promoted Brigadier-General, he was succeeded by W. T. Spicely, of Orleans. This was May 14, 1862. In May and June the regiment participated in the siege of Corinth and after the evacuation moved to Memphis, and in July to Helena, Ark., where it remained during the succeeding winter, participating in sundry expeditions. In the spring of 1863 it joined Grant's army and moved with Hovey' s division of the Thirteenth Corps, in the campaign against Vicksburg, engaging in all the battles and skirmishes, including the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hills. In the latter battle it distinguished itself for its daring charges on the enemy. It was actively engaged in the trenches before Vicksburg during the siege from May 19 to July 4. After this in August it moved to New Orleans by boat. In the fall of 1863 it did duty at New Iberia, La., and later at Algiers, near New Orleans, where January 1, 1864, it "veteranized," and soon afterward was granted a furlough. During the year 1864, the regiment occupied various points in Louisiana, and while at Morganza in December was consolidated with the Sixty-seventh Regiment, the new organization retaining the designation of the Twenty-fourth Regiment. In January, 1865, it moved to Barrancos, Fla., remaining there until the movement againt Mobile in April, in which it participated. fighting near Blakely, assaulting the enemy several times and first placing the Federal colors upon the rebel works. After this it moved to Selma, Ala., and thence to Galveston, Tex. On the 16th of July, 1865, it was reorganized as a battalion of five companies. The other five companies, consisting of the older soldiers, were mustered out of the service and sent home, being publicly received at Indianapolis. The battalion remained in the service until early in 1866.
COMPANIES FOR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT
The American Eagle of August 15, 1861, said: "H. L. Williams and others are now engaged in getting up a third company for the war. The officers of the company will not be elected until after it is made up. We understand that half of the company is ready." At this time also, Lieut. Wheeler, of Bartholomew County called for recruits in Orange County. By the 25th of August the company of Capt. Williams lacked only about fifteen men of being full, and at this time the officers were elected as follows: H. L. Williams, Captain; T. D. Potter, First Lieutenant; William Leonard, Second Lieutenant. Soon after this the remainder of men necessary were obtained, and on the 31st of August the company left the county for New Albany to join thc Thirty-eighth Regiment. Wheeler's company was quickly formed, and the following officers were elected: W. C. Wheeler, Captain; George W. Webb, First Lieutenant; John P. Southern, Second Lieutenant. Wheeler's company became A of the Thirty-eighth Regiment, and Williams' company I of the same. They left the county about the same time, and were mostly mustered in on the 17th and 18th of September, 1861. Sixteen or eighteen men joined Company I later, and were mustered in October 4.
SERVICE OF THE THIRTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT
The Thirty-eighth Regiment, to which these companies were assigned, entered the three years' service, and on the 21st of September, 1861. moved to Elizabethtown, Ky. The fall and winter were passed at Camps Nevin and Wood, on Barren and Green Rivers, In February, 1862, it moved with Buell's army against Bowling Green and Nashville, reaching the latter place March 6. On the 25th it moved to Franklin, thence to Columbia, thence to Shelbyville, and while at this point moved several times against Morgan's cavalry. On the 13th of May the regiment skirmished the enemy near Rogersville. On the 29th of May it moved toward Chattanooga, arriving on June 7, then returned to Shelbyville, and soon moved to Stevenson, and to Decherd, where it remained from August 17 to the crossing of the Tennessee River by Bragg. then fell back to Nashville, and later to Louisville. It participated in the campaign through Kentucky, and fought gallantly at Perryville, losing twenty-seven killed, 123 wounded and seven prisoners. On the 2d of November it moved to Bowling Green, where it was placed with the First Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps. Early in December it moved to Nashville, and later to near Murfreesboro, where, on the 31st of December, 1862, and the 1st and 2d of January, 1863, it participated in the galling battle of Stone River, losing fourteen killed and eighty-six wounded. It camped at Murfreesboro, and later moved toward Chattanooga, skirmishing hotly at Hoover's Gap, losing one killed and fifteen wounded. On the 19th and 20th of September, 1863, it was desperately engaged at bloody Chickamauga, losing nine men killed, fifty-nine wounded and forty-two missing. It then returned to Chattanooga, but late in November took part in the engagements of Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge. The winter was passed at Rossville, Ga., and at Chattanooga; and at the former place the regiment "veteranized" December 28. 1863, and January 3, 1864, started home on "veteran furlough" reaching Indianapolis on the 9th with 360 men and officers. Late in February it took the field at Chattanooga, thence moved to Tyner's Station in March and Graysville in April. On May 7 it started on the Atlanta campaign, and participated in all the engagements on that famous march, losing a total of 103 men, killed, wounded and missing. At Jonesboro, the regiment carried the rebel works in a charge. The color-bearer was shot as he planted the colors inside the rebel works, and Lieut. Redding seized them and carried them through the day. Early in October it moved after Hood as far as Gaylesville, Ala., and in November started on the "march to the sea." On the 5th of February, 1865, it started from Savannah northward through the Carolinas, participating in all the battles of note as at Bentonville. Later it moved to Raleigh and, after Johnson's surrender, to Richmond and on to Washington. It was then transferred to Louisville, Ky., and after a time was mustered out July 15, 1865. Indianapolis was reached July 18, with about 600 men, where the boys were given a public reception by Gov. Morton and others. They were then discharged.
THE FORTY-NINTH REGIMENT
In September and October, 1861, Dr. J. A. Ritter, William Charles and others raised a company for the Forty-ninth Regiment. The following became the officers: John A. Ritter, Captain; William Charles, First Lieutenant; Elijah T. Pinnick, Second Lieutenant. Late in September, 1861, the company moved to Jeffersonville, where it became Company G of the Forty-ninth Regiment. It was mustered into the service November 21 and on the 11th of December marched with its regiment into Kentucky. the regimental colonel being John W. Ray. A camp of instruction at Bardstown was occupied on the 13th. January 12, 1862, the regiment started for Cumberland Ford, arriving February 15, and remaining until June. Here the regiment suffered terribly from the ravages of disease. March 14, part of the regiment skirmished at Big Creek Gap and assisted in trying to take the Gap, but failed. June 18 it occupied Cumberland Gap, the day after the evacuation by the rebels. Here the regiment remained until September 17, and then moved northward toward the Ohio River subsisting mainly on green corn. After sixteen days of marching it reached Greenupsburg, Ky., and October 3 marched to Oak Hill, Ohio. Here it was refitted and then marched into West Virginia on the Kanawha. It then returned and embarked for Memphis, arriving November 30. December 19, it embarked for Vicksburg. reaching Chickasaw Bayou December 26, and engaging in the destructive five-days' battle which followed, losing forty-six men killed and wounded. The movement proving a failure, the troops were removed to Milliken's Bend early in January, 1863, and thence moved against Arkansas Post, the Forty-ninth assisting in the reduction. It returned to Young's Point, assisted in digging the canal, remained until April 2, then started with Grant's army for the rear of Vicksburg, fighting May 1 at Port Gibson. May 16 at Champion Hills, May 17 at Black River Bridge, May 22 in the bloody assault on the works about Vicksburg, and assisting in the siege of the last named city. After the surrender the regiment moved to Jackson and took part in the seven-days' fight there. It returned to Vicksburg, and August 10 embarked for Port Hudson, thence moved to New Orleans, and was there assigned to the Department of the Gulf. It participated in the expedition up the Teche, going as far as Opelousas. It then returned to New Orleans, and December 10 embarked on transports for Decroe's Point, Tex., arriving on the 14th. It then moved to Indianola, and February 3, 1864, one hundred and sixty seven men and four officers re-enlisted. In March the regiment moved to Matagorda Island, and April 19 embarked for Alexandria, La. to re-enforce Bank's army. It skirmished with the enemy until May 13 and then moved to New Orleans, and soon afterward (early in July) coming home on "veteran furlough." After this it moved to Lexington, Ky., and September 7, 1865, to Louisville, where on the 13th of the same month was mustered out of service. The next day it reached Indianapolis with 261 men and 17 officers and was soon discharged.