Captain Charles Wright Wills: November 30, 1864

Eight miles east of Summerville, 

November 30, 1864. 

Passed through the above named town this morning. All pine woods again to-day. Stopped at the first house I came to this morning and asked the resident, an ashcolored negress, something about the country. She said she'd had the chills and fever so long she didn't know anything, but “over dar was a house whar de folks had some sense.” Captain Smith and I walked over to the house she pointed to and found a fine old German, very anxious to know if we intended to burn his house. After he cooled down a little he grew much Union. He said he had been ordered to join the army one, two, three, twenty times, but had told them he would rather be shot than take up arms against the United States. The 12th Indiana band struck up as we passed his house, and the music touched the old fellow's heart. The tears rolled down his face and he blubbered out, “That is the first music I have heard for four years; it makes me think of home. D--n this Georgia pine wood.” He said that sugar is the staple here in peace times. The foragers brought in loads of it this evening. 

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 329

Captain Charles Wright Wills: May 14, 1864

May 14, 1864.

Reveille at 3 a. m. and an order has just come to leave all our knapsacks and move at 7 a. m. Great hospital preparations are going on in our rear. I think we are going to take the railroad and Resaca. Large reinforcements came last night. Could hear the Rebels running trains all night.

Ten-thirty a. m. — Have moved forward about four miles. Saw General Kilpatrick laying in an ambulance by the roadside. He was wounded in the leg this morning in a skirmish. Met a number of men — wounded — moving to the rear, and a dozen or so dead horses, all shot this morning. Quite lively skirmishing is going on now about 200 yards in front of us.

One forty-five p. m. — Moved about 200 yards to the front and brought on brisk firing.

Two thirty-five. — While moving by the flank shell commenced raining down on us very rapidly; half a dozen burst within 25 yards of us. The major's horse was shot and I think he was wounded. In the regiment one gun and one hat was struck in my company. Don't think the major is wounded very badly.

Three thirty p. m. — Corporal Slater of my company just caught a piece of shell the size of a walnut in his haversack.

Four p. m. — Colonel Dickerman has just rejoined the regiment. We would have given him three cheers if it had not been ordered otherwise.

Five p. m. — Have moved forward about a mile and a real battle is now going on in our front. Most of the artillery is farther to the right, and it fairly makes the ground tremble. Every breath smells very powderish. A battery has just opened close to the right of our regiment. I tell you this is interesting. Our regiment is not engaged yet, but we are in sight of the Rebels and their bullets whistle over our heads. The men are all in good spirits.

Eight p. m. — A few minutes after six I was ordered to deploy my company as skirmishers and relieve the 1st Brigade who were in our front. We shot with the Rebels until dark, and have just been relieved. One company of the 12th Indiana who occupied the ground we have just left, lost their captain and 30 men killed and wounded in sight of us. The Rebels are making the axes fly in our front. The skirmish lines are about 200 yards apart. I have had no men wounded to-day. Dorrance returned to the company this evening.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 239-41

Captain Charles Wright Wills: December 12, 1862

Provost Marshal's Office, Waterford, Miss.,

December 12, '62.

From captain of the provost guard, I have been changed to provost marshal. I had charge of two companies, doing the guard duty for the provost of our division until yesterday; the division was ordered forward to Oxford, except our regiment, which was left to guard the railroad between this point and the Tallahatchie river. Headquarters being here, Colonel Dickerman appointed me provost and sent my company to guard a bridge one and one-half miles south of this place. My business is to attend to all prisoners, deal with citizens (administer oaths, take paroles, etc.), give all passes for citizens and soldiers leaving, have charge of all soldiers straggling from their regiments, issue permits to sutlers, etc., and overlook the cotton trade. Altogether, quite enough for any one man to attend to. The little advantage of having a comfortable house to live in, etc., is worth something; but I kind o' feel as if I would rather be with my company. Another regiment came in to-night, 12th Indiana, and we may possibly be relieved to-morrow. Shall be glad if we can only get with our division again. General Lauman has again taken command of our division, and although we know nothing against McKean, yet we know so much good of Lauman, that we're much pleased. Eight of our companies are guarding bridges, so we only have two here. Confound this railroad guarding; I'm down or. it. 'Tis more dangerous than regular soldiering, harder work, and no shadow of a chance for glory. There's a smart chance of fun in my present business, particularly in the citizens branch thereof. It would have furnished you with amusement enough for a month, could you have heard an old lady talk who visited me to-day. She was a F. F. and blooded, Oh, Lord! We let all come within the lines; but before they can pass out, an oath or parole is required of them. How they squirm! Rebels, though they are, 'tis shocking and enough to make one's blood boil to see the manner in which some of our folks have treated them. Trunks have been knocked to pieces with muskets when the women stood by, offering the keys, bureau drawers drawn out, the contents turned on the floor, and the drawer thrown through the window, bed clothing and ladies' clothing carried off and all manner of deviltry imaginable perpetrated. Of course the scoundrels who do this kind of work would be severely punished if caught, but the latter is almost impossible. Most of the mischief is done by the advance of the army, though, God knows, the infantry is bad enough. The d----d thieves even steal from the negroes (which is lower business than I ever thought it possible for a white man to be guilty of) and many of them are learning to hate the Yankees as much as our "Southern Brethren" do. The army is becoming awfully depraved. How the civilized home folks will ever be able to live with them after the war, is, I think, something of a question. If we don't degenerate into a nation of thieves, 'twill not be for lack of the example set by a fair sized portion of our army. Do you remember that I used to write that a man would no sooner lose his morality in the army than at home? I now respectfully beg to recall the remark, but I believe the sight of such devilish, pointless wickedness disgusts me, and that your brother's moral principles are strengthened by contact with these ungodly. Instance, in my present position, I know without danger of exposure, I could pocket at least $500 within five days; but for conscience sake and my self-respect, I sit back with my purity, and tumble my keys and comb round in my otherwise empty pockets and feel good. Well, it won't do to brag on such a subject, but my confidence in the honesty of man has waned so much since I entered the army that I can't help saying, there are few that would not, in my position, make a raise. Can't hear anything from the front. Know that part of Sherman's army has returned to Memphis to join the expedition down the Mississippi and that is all. This town only contains a dozen or 20 houses, but they are good ones. Great many here profess to have always been Union, and many are taking the oath willingly. Good joke on them when the guerrillas come in after we leave. Suspect they have most all been Rebels, so I don't pity them as much as I do out-spoken seceshers. I rode out in the country eight miles day before yesterday, and found three convalescent soldiers of Price's army at one place, A lieutenant of the 53d Illinois was with me, so we brought them into camp and put them with the other prisoners. We have now nearly 3,000 soldiers in the hospital at Lagrange and yet the army is very healthy. Don't be much surprised if you hear of us being gobbled up by the guerrillas, for these railroad guards are only baits for them; nothing more.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 135-7

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Saturday, May 20, 1865

Spend the forenoon writing. In the afternoon Lt Laughridge & self take a canoe & go a mile or two up a bayou to fish, catch no fish but get a small bait of blackberries Hear this evening that the 11th & 12th Ind. Infty turned over their arms at Mobile & took shipping for Columbus Ky. It is thought by some officers that we will get away tomorrow or Monday. Beauregard in town.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 603

Major Wilder Dwight: March 13, 1862

Camp Near Winchester, March 13, 1862.

At last! My prophecy of yesterday found its fulfilment rapidly enough. Half an hour after my letter went on its way, Colonel Andrews brought the news that Hamilton's and Williams's brigades were in Winchester, as quietly and easily as if no hostile force had ever held it. Jackson left the night before, having held Hamilton and us in check all the previous day by slight demonstrations of cavalry. It is as I have always supposed, though this general exodus from Manassas and the whole line is more sudden than I believed possible. It gives us a stern chase, perhaps a long chase. After lunch the Colonel and I determined to gallop down from Berryville to Winchester to call on Hamilton and see the place, — a pleasant ride of ten miles. We approached the town from the east. The only symptom of fortification was a long rifle-pit, with a few platforms for guns, and one broken gun “truck,” or ship carriage. We found General Hamilton in command, and in tranquil possession. Jackson cleverly slipped away, carrying with him everything, — guns, stores, men. He had been moving for a fortnight, and has gone to the railway at Strasburg. I think we have lost time uselessly in our over-caution. Our own twenty-four hours' delay at Berryville is inexplicable to me. The effort, I think, should have been made by a movement to Millwood, and so across to the Strasburg pike, to cut off Jackson. A bold game would, perhaps, have bagged him. Still, while the position at Manassas was held, a bold game was too full of hazard. After the broad hint furnished us by the evacuation of Leesburg, however, I think we might have pushed on our intercepting column fearlessly. At any rate, the movement is without brilliancy or effectiveness or fruit, and only postpones and unsettles the time of our success. We got into the saddle again at half past five to return.

Just at dusk we came near Berryville. Whom should we meet but General Abercrombie. “The whole brigade is moving,” said he. “I have a telegraphic despatch from General Banks, that Hamilton is engaged with the enemy at Winchester. Shields has been taken prisoner, and the loss, on our part, is very heavy. We are ordered to march at once to his support.” “But it's all a mistake,” said we. “We just left General Hamilton safe and happy at Winchester, and no enemy within twenty miles.” “Never mind,” said the General; “I have my orders.” It was no use; he would not let us turn the regiment back, as we desired. There was nothing for it but to yield. We stopped and got some supper, and then followed the regiment, overtaking it at about eight o'clock, as it was crossing a stream. At about ten o'clock, wet and cold, we turned into a field near Winchester to bivouac for the night. A cold time we had of it. To-day we have got into camp near the town. I rode out this afternoon to see their vaunted fort on the road toward Bunker Hill; a poor affair enough. Everything tells me that if Patterson had had courage instead of caution, an army instead of a mob, we should have walked into Winchester last July as we have to-day. But we needed the lessons of that campaign to prepare for this.

I must not omit to mention the arrival of the boxes of clothing, from Mrs. Ticknor, on Saturday last at Charlestown. They came, like their predecessors, most opportunely. It was the morning after our night march over rough and muddy roads. Our camp was scourged by a blustering and piercing March wind. The boxes opened their warmth upon men who longed for it. Give our cordial thanks to all the ladies whose kindness has done so much for us.

Great news from Arkansas! Howard is in luck.

My last night's bivouac, after so many previous sleepless nights, has made me rather sleepy. Our regiment turned into a thick pine wood. Colonel Hackleman's Indiana regiment was just in our rear. They brought along with them the hens and chickens of the neighboring farms, and the feathers flew briskly about their beds. Old Hackleman calls them his “boys,” and they, in turn, call him “pap”; and he has a happy, noisy family about him. As they lay by our side last night, I was led to the remark, that Hackleman's babes were in the wood, and Robbin Henroosts had covered them with softer covering than leaves. Our regiment is in perfect condition, and the men have really become practised and expert soldiers. Our train came up this morning, and at about one o'clock we went into camp. Before sunset ovens were built, and we had a perfectly organized camp. We may not stay here a day, but everything takes shape at once. The men march easily and rapidly, and I am more than ever pleased and contented with the Second Regiment.

Have we not a Monitor afloat? Was not her providential arrival at Norfolk an effective admonition to the Rebels? Check to their king. Private enterprise has done what our Navy Department could not. What a glorious trial trip!

Just beyond the field in which we are encamped are the remains of the camp of the Second Virginia. An omen, perhaps; but this peaceable succession to vacant camps has in it little of the element that feeds martial ardor or rewards the ecstasy of strife! But how silently and surely we are dealing with slavery. The post at which I placed my grand guard yesterday was near a fine old farm-house. Its Rebel owner left with haste, as threw his shells with brilliant courage at four men and a threshing-machine which his distempered fancy had imagined and exaggerated into some new engine of destruction. All the negro servants were left in charge of the other property. This leaving one kind of property in possession of another kind of property hath in it a certain logical and natural inconsistency, which doth not fail to show itself in the practical result. “Massa's gone to Winchester. He in a big hurry. Yer's welcome to the hams and the other fixins. Massa very hospitable man.” So the negro makes free with his fellow-property with every right of succession and enjoyment that belongs to a next of kin. Why will he not also learn to make free with himself?

If he fails to do so, it will not be for the want of a good deal of rough but sage counsel from the “boys” of the Sixteenth Indiana Regiment, who were posted there. The Hoosiers have very vague notions of property and Rebel ownership at the best. They have not the capacity to rise to the height of contemplating human ownership. A long row of beehives were humming their peaceful labors in the front-yard. I hear that they soon fell into disorder, and that the Hoosiers had a ration of honey! Sic vos non vobis mellificatis apes! My Latin may be lame, but the sense is clear.

I send you a Richmond Enquirer, from the Winchester mail, seized yesterday; I send you also a paper published by the Twelfth Indiana on their advent to town. It is dull enough, but an odd institution, — a sort of turning of the Rebel batteries against themselves

The origin of General Banks's error about a battle at Winchester, which gave us our night stampede, is supposed to have been in the signal corps. Some one blundered a signal or forged one, we have not yet learned which; an investigation is going on.

SOURCE: Elizabeth Amelia Dwight, Editor, Life and Letters of Wilder Dwight: Lieut.-Col. Second Mass. Inf. Vols., p. 206-10

Major Wilder Dwight: September 4, 1861

pleasant Hill, Camp Near Darnestown,

September 4, 1861.

A picture! Life is but a series of them. Stand on a hill just above the creek. Let Major-General Banks, with all his unwon, untried, not to say uncomfortable or unfit, glories, be by your side. It is evening; you are at headquarters. The General will say, in full, deep tones, “A fine sight, Madam.” You will have anticipated his platitude; for you will find your eye filled with blazing camp-fires and bright-lighted tents, on every hillside within the circle of which you are a centre. Your ear will listen to the bands playing in every camp. The distance softens and harmonizes their discords. You have seen the camps at evening.

A night's rest under the tent, with two blankets and a bundle of straw extemporized into a bed, is a second picture. Your dream is interrupted by a clang of kettle and bass drums. It is the infernal reveillé of the Indiana Twelfth. Presently you hear a clear rattle and shrill fife, and recognize the reveillé of the drum-major of the Massachusetts Second. Follow it with your ear. You will see how it is measured. A little practice teaches the soldier at what point to open his eyes, when to throw back his blanket, and, at the moment, he is in ranks at the last ruffle of the drum. Regiments are known by their reveillés, you may say. But if you have obeyed the call, you will be looking upon the camps in the first glimmering of sunrise. You will glance at the old moon, in its second childhood almost as graceful as its first. You will see the men swarming from their tents into ranks. In half an hour the hills are alive with moving columns, and you are watching the morning drill.

It is afternoon. You have come to visit the camp of the Massachusetts Second. The General had at once pointed it out last evening. You then admired the regularity of its form. You now admire the neatness and order that you find within.

You go out in front and look over at the opposite hill, where the Regiment is in camp. The officer of the day in our camp is administering a punishment. The court-martial had sentenced a

drunken and insubordinate fellow to be tied to a tree for one hour three successive days. There he is tied. The Regiment catch sight of him. At once, in a disorderly mob, they rush to the edge of their hill. They cry, “Cut him down!” they groan and yell against us. Our guard is called out. Their officers cannot restore order, though they succeed in keeping their men within their lines. The punishment is concluded. Not a man in our lines stirs or speaks. You have contrasted the discipline of the two regiments. You have seen pictures enough, because you want to hear more of this one. Colonel Gordon, as Acting Brigadier, directs the arrest of the ringleaders of the Regiment, and of their officer of the day. The next morning, to wit, yesterday, the 3d September, Colonel comes to ask that the man may be tied somewhere where the regiment which he is commanded by cannot see him. Colonel Gordon says, No. General Banks, on being consulted by Colonel Gordon, directs him to go on. “Discipline must be maintained,” says the General. Colonel then goes to General Banks, and, by what persuasion we know not, wheedles out of him a recommendation to Colonel Gordon that the punishment be inflicted with less “publicity.” This recommendation comes just before the time for the punishment. General Banks cannot be found in season to give any explanation of his written recommendation. Colonel Gordon makes up his mind to tie the man in the same place and in the same way, come what may. It is done without trouble. But the recommendation from head-quarters has shaken our confidence. This illustrates the difficulties under which discipline is maintained. We are the only regiment that attempts it, and even the officers among our neighbors discountenance the severity which alone insures our discipline. But our men are getting, every day, a better tone. They pride themselves on the obvious contrast between their regiment and the others. They submit to the rules out of which this contrast comes. But the fact that the other regiments do as they please aggravates our difficulties and endangers our success. We are beginning to long for the direct command of McClellan, who would sustain our system without fear, favor, or affection. A political education does not favor the direct disregard of consequences which belongs to military command. Yet I do not wish to complain of General Banks. I think he means well, but I fear that he lacks a little either of education or confidence to push things through.

I have been working away at the deficiencies of our commissariat. I do not hesitate to say that its condition is disgraceful. No organization, and not even accidental and disproportioned abundance, in any direction. A general short commons. This we hope to remedy. But I do not make much progress. In fact, General Banks's division is not officered in the Quartermaster and Subsistence Departments as it should be. But enough of this. We are getting on well, and I only grumble because we might do so much better. To-day, again, the man shall be tied to the tree.

Yesterday morning we had a visit from General Reed, Albert Brown, the Governor's Secretary, and Mr. Dalton, the Massachusetts Agent. They seemed pleased with what they saw. But they only made a flying visit. They brought no news from home, but they brought the tale of Butler's achievement. “That's the talk,” say I. “Give ’em unexpected droppings in all along shore. Scatter them with vague dread. Make 'em constantly ask, ‘What’ll come next ?’” General Butler is in luck. He hasn't got a big lamp, but he brings it out after dark. In the night that surrounded Washington in April, he appeared with his farthing candle: men thought it a sun! Now, again, when the public longs for a glimmer of achievement, he strikes a light, and men are dazzled by even so small a blaze. Verily, opportunity has served him. But the move is in the right direction, and I applaud vehemently. I am just informed that the mail goes immediately, and must close my letter. We hear of a large mail on its way from Washington, and hope to get it to-morrow. It is nearly a week since I had a letter; but if men will go to Darnestown they must take the consequences. Love to all.

SOURCE: Elizabeth Amelia Dwight, Editor, Life and Letters of Wilder Dwight: Lieut.-Col. Second Mass. Inf. Vols., p. 92-5

1st Lieutenant Charles Fessenden Morse, September 1, 1861

Pleasant Hill, Md., Sept. 1, 1861.

Since writing my last letter, we (General Banks' division) have moved some fourteen miles, so that we are now within twenty miles of Washington; you need not be surprised if my next letter comes from the latter place, although we know nothing at all of our movements until we get marching orders. These are given us, say, at nine o'clock at night. “Reveille” is ordered to be at four A. M., and the cooks are directed to cook a day's rations. At four, everybody is tumbled up, men get their breakfasts, pack their knapsacks, and have their day's rations served out and put in their haversacks. At six, the “general” is sounded, and at the last roll of the drum, every tent comes down as if by magic. It is the greatest change you can imagine; one minute you see the field covered with these great Sibley tents, the next nothing but a mob, apparently, of men. By seven, the wagons are packed, the line formed, we wheel into columns, regiment joins brigade, brigade joins division, the column is formed and we start.

By the way, I never told you anything about “our” brigade. It is the ‘Second,’ under command of Colonel Abercrombie, an old army officer who has seen a great deal of service; it consists of the Second and Twelfth Massachusetts and the Twelfth and Sixteenth Indiana regiments. We have the right of the line. We are camped now on the top of a hill close by General Banks' headquarters; the rest of the brigade is in the same field with us; on the other side of the road are two or three other regiments, and several more within sight. At night it looks like a great city; every tent is illuminated and hundreds of camp-fires are all about us. It is a fine sight. Then, too, there is continual music from the various bands which play until “tattoo” stops them.

Our last march from Hyattstown was through a pouring rain all day and any quantity of mud. To top off with, we had no tents for the night. You would have thought that if ever men might grumble, it was then. I did not hear one of our company open his mouth to complain, although they, as well as we, had to lie down on the ground without any hot suppers. Camp-fires of rail fences were a comfort that night. I got along very well by taking two fence rails, laying them parallel and filling the space between them with straw. Towards morning, the fire got low, and I had to burn my bedstead to keep it from going out.

You know I said something in my last letter about the baggage being reduced. The Brigade Quartermaster made us a call yesterday and cut off our mess chests and the Captain's bedstead. We do not lose them; they are being taken to Frederick and receipts given for them. In case of our being in barracks this winter, we shall have them again. We saved our tea, coffee, tea-kettle and our little coffee machine which is worth its weight in gold. The people at the north, I think, have no idea what a fine army ours is becoming under McClellan's influence. The men are being thoroughly drilled and they, as well as the officers, are kept under the strictest discipline. Everybody here is getting confident and longing for the next great event, which must take place before long. We are now within a day's march of Washington, so that, in case of an advance, our chance is good of sharing it.

SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 20-2

12th Regiment Infantry –1 Year

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., for one year's State service May 11, 1861. Moved to Evansville, Ind., June 11. Transferred to U.S. service July 18, 1861. Left State for Baltimore, Md., July 23; thence moved to Sandy Hook, Md., July 28. Attached to Abercrombie's Brigade, Banks' Dept. of the Shenandoah, to October, 1861. Abercrombie's Brigade, Bank's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Williams' 1st Division, Banks' 5th Army Corps, to April, 1862, and Dept. of the Shenandoah to May, 1862.

SERVICE. – Duty at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., Williamsport and Sharpsburg, Md., till March, 1862. Advance on Winchester, Va., March 1-12. Skirmish at Stephenson's Station, near Winchester, March 11. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley till April. Duty at Warrenton Junction, Va., April 3-May 5. Reconnoissance to Rappahannock River and skirmish at Rappahannock Crossing April 18. March to Washington, D.C., May 5, and mustered out May 14, 1862. Expiration of term. Regiment lost during service 24 Enlisted men by disease.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1122

12th Indiana Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., May 27 to August 27, 1862, and mustered in August 17, 1862. Left State for Kentucky August 21. Attached to Cruft's Brigade, Army of Kentucky, and moved to Richmond, Ky. Battle of Richmond, Ky., August 30. Regiment mostly captured. Paroled and sent to Indianapolis, Ind., for reorganization. Action at Lexington, Ky., September 2 (Detachment). Regiment left Indianapolis, Ind., for Memphis, Tenn., November 23, 1862. Attached to 2nd Brigade, District of Memphis, Tenn., 13th Army Corps (Old), to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Memphis, 13th Army Corps, December, 1862.  1st Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps, to June, 1865.

SERVICE. – Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November-December, 1862. Action at Holly Springs, Miss., December 20, 1862. Duty at Grand Junction and Colliersville, Tenn., guarding Memphis & Charleston R. R. till June, 1863. Ordered to Vicksburg, Miss., June 9. Siege of Vicksburg June 12-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Duty at Big Black till September 28. Moved to Memphis, Tenn., thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28-November 20. Operations on the Memphis & Charleston R. R. in Alabama October 20-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 23-25. Missionary Ridge November 25. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November 28-December 8. Duty at Scottsboro, Ala., till May, 1864. Atlanta Campaign May 1-September 8. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Near Resaca May 13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Movements on Dallas May 18-25. Battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Brush Mountain June 15. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Ezra Chapel, Hood's 2nd sortie, July 28. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Reconnoissance to Salkehatchie River, South Carolina, January 25. Salkehatchie Swamp February 2-5. South Edisto River February 9. North Edisto River February 12-13. Congaree Creek February 15. Columbia February 16-17. Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20. March and review June 24, 1865. Veterans and Recruits transferred to the 48th and 59th Indiana Infantry.

Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 92 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 193 Enlisted men by disease. Total 295.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1122-3

Later from Corinth – The Fraudulent Indiana Bonds

CINCINNATI, May 28 – A special to the Gazette from Indianapolis, says an officer who left [Corinth] on Monday morning, reports our army [has] moved up to within three fourths of a mile of the enemy’s fortifications.

Gen. Halleck says his position will not warrant risking anything – hence he is moving by regular approaches and fortifying as he goes.

It was expected that our forces would open fire on the enemy Thursday.

Gen. Lovell is reports as having arrived at Corinth Sunday night with 10,000 raw troops.

Deserters say that the army has more confidence in Bragg and Price than Beauregard.

The Rebel army is on half rations.  They get fresh beef twice a week and spoiled corn beef the balance of the time – no port.

The sickness in the Rebel army is fearful and increasing, while ours is rapidly improving.

The Rebel officers have sent all their baggage and personal effects to Grand Junction.

D. O. Slover the stock swindler, leaves Indianapolis to-day, with a guard, for New York.  He is not very communicative.  He says he used all the blanks he had and cannot tell without examining his books how much spurious stock has been issued.

A number of companies of the Indiana Legion were arriving at Indianapolis to guard prisoners.

The 60 Indiana Regiment, Col. Owen, is under marching orders.

The 12^th and 16^th Indiana Regiments will reorganize immediately.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 3