The 39th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The regiment fought at Shiloh,

Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...

, and Stones River. In April 1863 the unit acquired horses and Spencer rifles and became

mounted infantry Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching. Unlike cavalry, mounted infantry dismounted to fight on foot. The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the ''Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Editio ...

, serving in the Tullahoma campaign and at Chickamauga. On October 15, 1863, the unit was renamed the 8th Indiana Cavalry Regiment.

Service

Spencer Rifle w Bayonet MANG Museum-10001

The 39th Indiana Infantry was organized at

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

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 ...

and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on August 29, 1861. The regiment was attached to Wood's Brigade, McCook's Command,

Army of the Ohio The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union Army, Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863. History 1st Army of the Ohio General Orders No. 97 appointed ...

, October–November 1861. 6th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December 1861. 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Right Wing, XIV 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 ...

, to January 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland. This was the Horn Brigade, also known as the Dutch Brigade, or the "

Iron Brigade The Iron Brigade, also known as The Black Hats, Black Hat Brigade, Iron Brigade of the West, and originally King's Wisconsin Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Although it fought ent ...

of the

." The 39th fought in this brigade (even after conversion to mounted infabtry) in the battles of Shiloh, Stones River, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, to October 1863. The 39th Indiana Infantry ceased to exist on October 15, 1863, when its designation was changed to 8th Indiana Cavalry.

Detailed service

Ordered to Kentucky and duty at Muldraugh's Hill, Camp Nevin, Nolin Creek, and Green River until February 1862. Action at Upton's Hill, Kentucky, October 12, 1861. March to Bowling Green, Kentucky, then to Nashville, Tenn., February 14-March 2, 1862. March to Savannah, Tennessee, March 16-April 6. Battle of Shiloh, April 6–7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Mississippi, April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 6. Buell's Campaign in northern Alabama and middle Tennessee June to August. March to Nashville, Tennessee, then to Louisville, Kentucky, in pursuit of Bragg August 20-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–15. Dog Walk October 8–9. March to Bowling Green, Kentucky, then to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7, and duty there until December 26. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26–30. Battle of Stones River December 30–31, 1862 and January 1–3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until April. Reconnaissance to Middleton March 6–7. Christiana and Middleton March 6. Expedition to Middleton May 21–22. Middleton May 22. Shelbyville Pike June 4. Operations on Eaglesville Pike June 4. Near Murfreesboro June 6. Tullahoma Campaign June 22-July 7. Christiana June 24. Battle of Liberty Gap June 24–27. Tullahoma June 29–30. Occupation of middle Tennessee until August 16. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign August 16-September 22. Davis Ford,

Chickamauga Creek North and South Chickamauga Creek are short tributaries of the Tennessee River, which join it near Chattanooga, Tennessee, on the north and the south. West Chickamauga Creek is a much longer tributary of South Chickamauga Creek. Course The two C ...

, September 17. Battle of Chickamauga September 19–20. Missionary Ridge September 22. Shallow Ford Road September 22. Companies L and M joined the regiment in September 1863. Expedition to eastern Tennessee after

Champ Ferguson Samuel "Champ" Ferguson (November 29, 1821 – October 20, 1865) was a notorious Confederate States of America, Confederate Guerrilla warfare in the American Civil War, guerrilla during the American Civil War. He claimed to have killed over 100 U ...

September–October.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 398 men during service; 9 officers and 138 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 250 enlisted men died of disease.These numbers also include men who died in the service after the unit was changed to cavalry.

Commanders

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Thomas J. Harrison * Lieutenant Colonel Fielder A. Jones - commanded at the battle of Stones River

Notes

References