Fifty-third Indiana Infantry. — Cols., Walter Q. Gresham,
William Jones, Warner L. Vestal; Lieut. -Cols., Roger Martin, William Jones,
Warner L. Vestal, Henry Duncan; Majs., Roger Martin, Thomas McGrain, Jr.,
William S. Langford, Warner L. Vestal, Henry Duncan, Andrew H. Fabrique. This
regiment was organized at New Albany
in Jan. and Feb., 1862, its organization being perfected by consolidation
with the recruits raised at Rockport for the 62nd regiment then forming. It
was mustered in Feb. 26, and moved to Indianapolis
to guard prisoners. It left the state on Mar. 15, for Louisville
and thence to Savannah, Tenn., where it remained until Apr. 15. It
moved to Corinth
and was engaged in the siege, then moved to Lagrange, from which point it
made expeditions in various directions. It proceeded to Memphis,
remaining there until September, when it moved to Bolivar, thence toward Corinth and was engaged in October at Hatchie
bridge, where it crossed the burning bridge and charged the enemy's lines. It
moved into north Mississippi, returning to Moscow, Tenn., and
thence to Memphis,
where it remained until April, 1863. It proceeded with the 3d brigade, 4th
division, 16th corps, to Young's point, thence to Grand
Gulf, and soon after joined in the
siege of Vicksburg.
After the surrender it moved to Jackson, where
the enemy was forced to evacuate, and the regiment was then located at Natchez until
September. Col. Gresham was appointed brigadier-general on Aug. 11, and
Lieut. -Col. Jones succeeded as regimental commander. The regiment was
attached to the 17th corps and joined the expedition into Louisiana where it was engaged on several
occasions. It returned to Vicksburg where it
remained until Feb., 1864, and then joined in the Meridian
campaign. At Hebron, Miss., 383 of the regiment reenlisted and
were furloughed home in March. The regiment joined Sherman's
army at Acworth, Ga.,
June 6, 1864, and participated in most of the battles and skirmishes of the Atlanta campaign, being engaged at Kennesaw mountain,
Nickajack creek, Peachtree creek, and in the engagement before Atlanta, July 22, where
it suffered greatly, Col. Jones being among the killed. After the fall of Atlanta it joined in the pursuit of Hood, then returned
to Atlanta and took part in the advance on Savannah in November.
It was in the campaign of the Carolinas, halting at Goldsboro, and after the
surrender of Johnston's army, went to Washington, D. C, thence to Louisville,
and was there mustered out July 21, 1865. The original strength was 916; gain
by recruits, 1,194; reenlistments, 381; total, 2,491. Loss by death, 294;
desertion, 100; unaccounted for, 127.
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by
Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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