Twenty-seventh Indiana Infantry. — Col., Silas Colgrove; Lieut. -Cols., Archibald T. Harrison, Abisha L. Morrison, John R. Fesler; Majs., John Mehringer, William S. Johnson, George W. Burge, Theodore F. Colgrove. This regiment was organized at Indianapolis in Aug., 1861, and was mustered in Sept. 12. It left the state Sept. 15, for Washington City, where it was transferred to Banks' Army of the Shenandoah in October. It was in winter quarters near Frederick City, Md., and joined the movement in Shenandoah Valley in March, 1862, marching into Winchester on the 9th and after the battle of March 22-23, joined in pursuit of Jackson's army. It was in the battles of Front Royal and Winchester in May, holding back a vastly superior force for nearly 4 hours, after which it fell back with the army and engaged the enemy in the public streets. It became part of Banks' division of Pope's Army of Virginia, at Culpeper Court House and with that command participated in the battle of Cedar mountain. It then took part in the Maryland campaign and was actively engaged at Antietam, where it lost heavily. It was then placed on picket duty, on the east bank of the Potomac, from Harper's Ferry to the mouth of Opequan creek, and during the winter moved to the vicinity of Fairfax Station, where it remained until spring. It participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, losing heavily, and in pursuit of Lee's invading army marched with the 12th corps through Maryland into Pennsylvania, reaching Gettysburg in time to take a prominent part in that battle, and in the resistance to Pickett's charge on July 3, suffering heavy loss. It then joined in the pursuit of the retreating army to the Potomac. In September it was transferred to the West with the 12th corps and was stationed at Tullahoma, Tenn., during the fall and winter. A portion of the regiment reenlisted on Jan. 24, 1864, and after their return from furlough, it joined Sherman in Georgia, participating in the battle of Resaca, where, on an open field, it defeated the 32nd and 38th Ala., inflicting heavy loss and taking the battle flag, colonel and 100 prisoners of the 38th. Its own loss was 68 killed and wounded. It participated in all the marching and skirmishing, battles and assaults of the army in the Atlanta campaign, moving to the city at its conclusion. The non-veterans were mustered out Nov. 4, 1864, the veterans and remaining recruits being transferred to the 70th regiment, and serving with it through the campaign to Savannah and up through the Carolinas. On the muster-out of the regiment they were transferred to the 33d, with which they served until its muster-out at Louisville, July 21, 1865. The original strength was 1,052; gain by recruits, 116; reenlistments, 154; total, 1,322. Loss by death, 275; desertion, 47; unaccounted for, 52. |