On the 28th of January, The Legal Genealogist (Judy Russell) discussed a Civil War veteran
who only served for a week. In that discussion she cited Morgan’s Raid. She has given
permission to include part of her discussion at this site:
In the summer of 1863, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan led thousands of Confederate
troops on a 46-day, 1000-mile raid from Tennessee into Kentucky, Indiana and finally Ohio.
The attack on Indiana began on July 8th:
After sending spies into Indiana in June, Morgan began the raid into the state on July 8,
1863, by seizing two boats and ferrying approximately 2,400 troops across the Ohio River
into southern Indiana. Upon hearing news of the raid, Governor Oliver P. Morton called for
the people and militia of Indiana to defend their state. Thousands responded. For 5 days
Indiana militia and Federal troops attempted to capture the invaders. Morgan’s men raided
Corydon, Salem, Dupont, Versailles, and other small towns. The raiders left behind a trail
of destruction before crossing into Ohio on July 13. They were eventually captured in
southern Ohio, and the raid ended on July 26, 1863. Morgan and his men were sent to
Northern prisons, but he later escaped and made his way back to the Confederacy.7
There are all kinds of resources for Matt to learn about Morgan’s Raid in general, and the
raid into Indiana in particular. The Indiana State Library has a bibliography of sources
on the raid and its effects in Indiana online at “Morgan’s Raid Resources.” The University
Library of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has the telegraph books of
Governor Morton online as digital images. The Indiana Archives has records of the Indiana
Legion:
The records of the Indiana Legion-the state militia or “Home Guard” during the Civil
War-include muster rolls and correspondence for units in most counties. They contain many
wonderful details about the effects of the war on the home front, as well as the
significant role played by the Legion.8
But perhaps best of all, there’s a single volume of official reports on the Indiana Legion
and Minute Men available online as well. The book, Operations of the Indiana Legion and
Minute Men 1863–4, was published in 1865 and it contains the reports of the commanders who
were there at the time.9
For example, Governor Morton’s message to the troops on 15 July 1863 was included, and he
had told them, in part:
Having received information that a rebel force, estimated at six thousand strong, with six
pieces of artillery, had crossed the Ohio river into Harrison county, I issued a call on
Thursday last, to the patriotic citizens of the State to leave their various occupations
and turn out for its defense, and, if possible, capture the insolent invaders. The
evidence was abundant that the original purpose of the rebels was to seize, plunder and
burn the capital, but as their course would be uncertain, it was necessary to make
preparations to encounter them in every direction. Within forty-eight hours from the time
the call was issued, not less than sixty-five thousand men had tendered their services and
were on their way to places of rendezvous, while many thousands more were preparing, but
were notified to remain at home. Within three days, thirty thousand men, fully armed and
organized, had taken the field at various points to meet the enemy.10
John L. Mansfield, Major General of the Indiana Legion, reported to the Governor:
It is … proper … that the citizen soldier should be employed for the suppression of riots,
and for the repelling of invasions. Both of these ends have been accomplished by our State
Militia within the preceding two years. …
A considerable part of our Legion have undergone, within the last two years, severe
hardships, and many of them have suffered in a pecuniary point of view by having been
called away suddenly from their daily occupations. They obeyed the summons with alacrity
and cheerfulness, and I take pleasure in assuring your Excellency that in time of need you
may safely rely on the efficiency of the Indiana Legion.11
And there’s even a specific report from the commanding officer of the 102nd Indiana
Infantry, Col. B. M. Gregory, written 18 July 1863, the day after his troops were mustered
out of active service12 and information on the conditions under which the 102nd operated
(as of 11 July 1863, the 102nd has no ammunition and no rations).13
1. “Civil War Records: The Indiana Legion,” Indiana Commission on Public Records
(
http://www.in.gov/icpr : accessed 27 Jan 2013).
2. Operations of the Indiana Legion and Minute Men 1863–4, Documents Presented to the
General Assembly, with the Governor’s Message, January 6, 1865 (Indianapolis : W.R.
Holloway, state printer, 1865); digital images, Google Books (
http://books.google.com :
accessed 27 Jan 2013).
3. Ibid., 8.
4. Ibid., 2, 8.
5. Ibid., 69-70.
6. Ibid., 11.
As one can see there are numerous footnotes. For the entire article please see this URL:
http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/