Porter County in the Civil WarA brief history of Porter County in the Civil War . . . .
The following history of Porter County in the Civil
War, transcribed as written, comes from page 36 of the following source:
Hardesty, A.G. 1876. Historical Atlas of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso,
Indiana: A. G. Hardesty. 90 p.
The Rebellion.
At 20 minutes past 4 o'clock, on the morning of the 12th day of April, 1861,
treason's hands fired the first shot against the granite walls of Fort Sumpter,
and thus opened the great civil war in the United States of America. It was soon
known that Fort Sumpter had surrendered to the rebels, and on the 19th day of
April, the blood of patriots crimsoned the streets of Baltimore. The tocsin of
war had sounded, and all over the North, thousands of men left the furrow, the
workshop and the counter for the tented field.
Porter county showed her loyalty, shouldered the musket and unsheathed the sabre
for the defense of the Union. Her soldiers went among the first and remained
"until the last red blade was broken, and the last arrow in the quiver."
The record of the Indiana soldiers for discipline, indomitable courage and
patriotism, is the just pride of every citizen of the State, and has received
the applause of this nation and the world. The memories of the struggles made
and the sacrifices endured are yet fresh in the minds of this generation, and
the pulses of many a comrade yet quickens when around the peaceful fireside of
home he rehearses the story of many a weary march, and fights again the bloody
battle that left many a comrade dead on the field, whose life-blood ebbed away
from the effects of a bullet, bayonet, or sabre stroke, received from treason's
hands; and many of those whose lives were spared live among us to-day, maimed
and crippled, and will carry the effects of their wounds and battle scars to
their grave.
Indiana furnished 208,365 soldiers during the rebellion, divided into 175,776
infantry, 21,605 cavalry, and 10,986 artillery. Indiana soldiers participated in
308 battles throughout 17 different states.
Killed and Died by Disease.
Commissioned Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
652
Non-commissioned officers and enrolled men . . . . . . 23,764
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . 24,416
Deserters.
Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12
Enlisted men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10,833
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . 10,846
Officers and enlisted men accounted for . . . . . . . . . 194,588
Non-commissioned officers and enlisted men un-
accounted for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 13,777
Grand total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . 208,365
Expenditure.
During the rebellion Indiana paid money as follows:
For Bounty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$15,492,876.04
For Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4,566,898.06
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
198,866.58
Grand total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$20,258,640.68
Porter County
Paid during the rebellion, as follows:
For Bounty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$65,227.50
For Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54,606.33
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$119,833.83
The exact number of men that Porter county furnished as soldiers during the
rebellion will probably never be known, for many of our citizens went to Chicago
and other places to enlist -- the 9th Ill. Cavalry was especially well
represented by men from our county. Altogether, Porter county furnished between
twelve and thirteen hundred soldiers. We have authenticated reports of 57 men in
the 5th cavalry, (90th) regiment, 110 in the 7th cavalry (119th regiment), 16 in
the 12th, (127th) regiment. Total cavalry, 183. 135 in the 9th regiment of
Infantry, 14 in the 17th, 137 in the 20th, 3 in the 23rd, 13 in the 29th, 21 in
the 35th, 3 in the 59th, 52 in the 63rd, 185 in the 73rd, 47 in the 95th, 88 in
the 128th, 56 in the 138th, 10 in the 142nd, 151 in the 102nd regiment. Total
Infantry, 829. 3 in the 13th Battery and 10 in the 20th Battery. Total
Artillery, 13. Total number of soldiers (with 3 in other regiments), 1025.
The foregoing is exclusive of the three months service. Porter county was among
the first to respond when called on for three months troops. Company "H" of the
9th Infantry was raised in Porter county. Robert A. Cameron, Captain, and Isaac
C. B. Suman, 1st Lieutenant, and Gilbert A. Pierce 2nd lieutenant. Robert
Cameron re-entered the service at the expiration of the three months as Lieut.
Col. of the 19th regiment -- was transferred to the 34th, from where he was
promoted Brigadier General, U. S. V., in August, 1863. Lieut. Isaac C. B. Suman,
who, at the expiration of the three months, re-entered the service as Captain of
Company "H," 9th Infantry, three years service -- was promoted Lieut. Col.
August, 1862, and was mustered out as the Col. of the regiment, September 28th,
1865. Lieut. Gil Pierce entered the service at the expiration of his three
months, and was mustered out as Col. of the -------- regiment volunteers. Col.
Pierce is now on the staff of the Inter-Ocean.
5th Cavalry.
Among the commissioned officers of this regiment, Porter County was represented
by A. C. Fosdick, of Liberty, as Surgeon, who resigned October 5th, 1873. Arthur
M. Buell, of Valparaiso, was 1st Lieutenant, resigned October 18, 1862.
This regiment participated in 22 battles and skirmishes, marched twenty-four
hundred miles, and was transported one thousand miles by water. It captured six
hundred and forty-nine prisoners; one hundred and fifteen of its own number died
in rebel prison. Among its principal battles were Zollicoffer, Blountsville, and
Henderson's Mill.
7th Cavalry.
The commissioned officers of this regiment from Porter county, were Maj. John C.
Febles, of Valparaiso, who commissioned October 1863, and resigned February
28th, 1865. Quarter-Master Aaron L. Jones, commissioned July 1864, mustered out
February 8, 1866. Capt. Company A. John R. Parmalee, of Valparaiso, commissioned
October 1863, mustered out as supernumerary on consolidation. 2nd Lieut. Henry
S. Stoddard, of Wheeler, promoted 1st Lieut. and resigned November 25, 1863.
This regiment was complimented for its valor during the battle of Okalona,
Mississippi, by Generals A. J. Smith and Grierson. This regiment participated in
numerous skirmishes; was in the battles of Guntown, Vernon and Egypt Station.
9th Infantry.
Better known as the "bloody 9th," Col. I. C. B. Suman, mustered out with the
regiment August 1865; Adjutant Wm. H. Benny resigned November 1862; Stephen P.
Hodsden promoted Captain company H, mustered out with the regiment; Chaplain
Harry Smith resigned July 1864; Assistant Surgeon Max. Hoffman; 1st Lieut.
Joseph W. Harden promoted Captain; Reuben Platt dishonorably dismissed; Capt.
John K. Blackstone promoted Assistant Surgeon; George W. Bloomfield 1st Lieut.
Capt. DeWitt C. Hodsden died July 27, 1864, of wounds received in action. 1st
Lieut. Robert F. Drulinger mustered out January 1865; 1st Lieut. Wm. Turner, 2nd
Lieut. John W. Brown.
During the time that the 9th regiment was in service, it participated in 23
battles, of which Shiloh, Stone River, Chicamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission
Ridge and Atlanta are famous.
20th Infantry.
This county was represented in the 20th regiment by Erasmus C. Galbreath, who
was mustered out on consolidation, October, 1864, as Major. Capt. James M. Lytle
died of wounds August 19, 1862. Lorenzo D. Corey, mustered out as 1st Lieut.,
Wm. D. Carr, dismissed, March, 1863, and Wm. W. Stevens mustered out as 1st
Lieut.
This regiment saw some of the hardest service of any in the field; was at the
second battle of Bull-Run, Coal Harbor, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Malvern
Hill, Petersburg, Wilderness, and ten other engagements, also many skirmishes.
29th Infantry.
Surgeon John F. McCarthy; Assistant Surgeon, Levi A. Cass; 1st Lieut. Samuel E.
Wetzel promoted Captain; 2nd Lieut. Anson Goodwin, resigned January 1862.
63rd Infantry.
Capt. Henry O. Skinner mustered out with the regiment.
73rd Infantry.
Lieut. Col. Robert W. Graham resigned March 1863; Capt. Rollin M. Pratt promoted
Lieut. Col.; Chaplain Emanuel M. Williamson dismissed by the president, February
1864; Capt. Wm. C. Eaton mustered out with regiment; 2nd Lieut. A. H. Booher,
2nd Lieut. Charles S. Arnold.
This regiment was complimented by General Rosecrans, in person, for its gallant
conduct in the battle of Stone River. This regiment was in many battles and
skirmishes, and saw hard service.
99th Infantry.
This regiment figured prominently in the siege of Vicksburg, at the battle of
Mission Ridge, Chattanooga, Resacca and Atlanta. Capt. Jacob Brewer resigned
August 1863; 1st Lieut. Fred D. Drawns resigned January 1865; 2nd Lieut. Wm.
Harmon, resigned March 1864.
128th Infantry.
Quarter-Master, Wm. H. Calkins, promoted Major in 12th Cavalry; Surgeon Max. F.
A. Hoffman, Capt. Benjamin Sheffield, 1st Lieut. John E. Cass, resigned March
1865; 2nd Lieut. John FitzWilliams, discharged as 1st Sergeant.
138th Infantry.
Capt. Thomas G. Lytle, mustered out with the regiment; 1st Lieut Horace A.
Goodwin, mustered out with the regiment.
Transcribed by Steven R. Shook