The 27th Indiana Infantry Regiment was a Union Army infantry unit raised in southern

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

in August 1861. Organized at

Evansville Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 census, it is Indiana's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the most populous city in S ...

under Col. Robert H. Milroy, it fought at

Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgin ...

, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, then joined the Atlanta Campaign before mustering out in November 1864.

Organization and muster

The 27th Indiana was organized at Evansville, Indiana, and mustered on August 21, 1861, for three years’ service. Recruits came largely from Vanderburgh, Gibson, Posey, and Warrick counties. Robert H. Milroy, a former U.S. Congressman and Indiana militia general, was commissioned colonel. The regiment contained approximately 950 men in Companies A through K.

Early service and Antietam

Ordered east to join the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

, the 27th camped near Washington, D.C., into late 1861. In February 1862 it advanced into Virginia's

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

under Maj. Gen.

Nathaniel P. Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union Army, Union general during the American Civil War, Civil War. A millworker, Banks became prominent in local ...

. The regiment saw its first combat at the

Battle of Front Royal The Battle of Front Royal, also known as Guard Hill or Cedarville, was fought on May 23, 1862, during the American Civil War, as part of Jackson's Valley campaign. Confederate States of America, Confederate forces commanded by Major General (CS ...

(May 23, 1862), where it helped delay the forces of

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

. During the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgi ...

(September 17, 1862), the 27th was assigned to the brigade of

George Henry Gordon George Henry Gordon (July 19, 1823 – August 30, 1886) was an American lawyer and a Union Army, Union general in the American Civil War. Early life Gordon was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He moved to Framingham, Massachusetts, at the ...

XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII ( ...

. In the morning phase near the East Woods and Cornfield, the regiment advanced under heavy fire, capturing a Confederate battery. It suffered 85 casualties (12 killed, 50 wounded, 23 missing) out of 275 engaged.

Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville

In December 1862, the 27th moved to

Stafford County, Virginia Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is approximately south of Washington, D.C. It is part of the Northern Virginia region, and the D.C area. It is one of the fastest-growing and highest-income counties in ...

, and was engaged in the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

(December 13, 1862). Serving in the brigade of John K. Murphy in XII Corps, it advanced on Marye's Heights but was repulsed with 30 killed and 80 wounded. During the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

(May 1–5, 1863), the 27th, in the brigade of Thomas H. Ruger in the XII Corps, held reserve positions near Banks's Ford. It saw limited action but sustained 15 casualties during Confederate flanking movements.

Gettysburg

In June 1863, the 27th joined the Gettysburg Campaign. On July 1, 1863, it arrived near Cemetery Hill as part of Ruger's Brigade. On July 2, the regiment defended the eastern slopes of Culp's Hill against a Confederate division under Richard H. Anderson. Heavy fighting on July 3 saw the 27th repulse multiple assaults, losing 50 out of 200 engaged (8 killed, 30 wounded, 12 missing).

Later service and the Atlanta Campaign

From August 15 to September 5, the regiment was on detached duty in New York during the draft disturbances. On September 24, the unit moved to Bridgeport, Alabama, transferring to the Army of the Cumberland. By October 4, they were guarding the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad at Elkwater Bridge and Tullahoma, Tennessee. In 1864, the regiment was veteranized at Tullahoma on January 24. They became part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XX Corps,

Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creatio ...

, in April. From May 1 to September 8, the regiment took part in the Atlanta Campaign, engaging in major actions including the

Battle of Rocky Face Ridge The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen ...

(May 8–11), and the

Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...

(May 14–15), where they lost 68 men while capturing the colonel, colors, and many soldiers of the

38th Alabama Infantry Regiment The 38th Alabama Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Service The 38th Alabama Infantry Regiment was mustered in at Mobile, Alabama, in May 1862.http://www.tarleton.edu/~ ...

. The regiment also fought at New Hope Church (May 25), and participated in the operations along Pumpkin Vine Creek and the

Battle of Dallas The Battle of Dallas (May 28, 1864) was an engagement during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. The Union army of William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army led by Joseph E. Johnston fought a series of battles between May 25 ...

(May 28). From June 10 to July 2, they were involved in operations around Marietta and the assaults against

Kennesaw Mountain Kennesaw Mountain is a mountain between Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia in the United States with a summit elevation of . It is the highest point in the core ( urban and suburban) metro Atlanta area, and fifth after further-north exurban count ...

, including actions at Pine Hill (June 11–14), Lost Mountain (June 15–17), Gilgal Church (June 15), Muddy Creek (June 17), Noyes Creek (June 19), and Kolb's Farm (June 22), where Colonel Colgrove was badly wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Fesler assumed command. They continued in the campaign with an assault on Kennesaw Mountain (June 27), and saw action at Ruff's Station (July 4),

Chattahoochee River The Chattahoochee River () is a river in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida and Georgia border. It ...

(July 5–17), and the

Battle of Peachtree Creek The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lieutenant General, Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood since taking comma ...

(July 19–20). The regiment remained engaged during the Siege of Atlanta (July 25–August 25), and participated in the operations at Chattahoochee River Bridge (August 26–September 2). They then occupied the city of

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

from September 2 to November 4. The 27th Indiana Infantry Regiment was mustered out of service on November 4, 1864. Remaining veterans and recruits were transferred to the

70th Indiana Infantry Regiment The 70th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 70th Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana July 22 through August 8, 1862, and mustered in for ...

.Jones, ''Giants in the Cornfield'', p. 192.

Casualties

* Killed or mortally wounded: 10 officers, 159 enlisted men * Died of disease/other: 2 officers, 131 enlisted men * Total fatalities: 302

Commanders

* Colonel Silas Colgrove (August 1861 - July 1863): Seriously wounded at the

. * Lieutenant Colonel John R. Fesler (July 1863 – November 1864): Led through the Atlanta Campaign.

References

{{Reflist

External links

The Twenty-Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861–1865
by Edmund R. Brown (1899) – full text at Internet Archive

(National Park Service)

(National Park Service)
American Battlefield Trust – Battle of Resaca
– battle overview and maps Units and formations of the Union army from Indiana Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865