Civil War
CIVIL WAR 1861- 1865
"The more than two thousand Putnam County men who fought for the Union in the Civil War served valiantly in many of the war’s bloodiest conflicts. The 27th Indiana Regiment, which included companies from Putnam County, was in the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg.
The Asbury Guard and the Union Guards composed some of the earliest Indiana regiments. Soldiers from Putnam County’s early enlistments later became officers of other companies and regiments. These included Col. Eli Lilly and Col. John R. Mahan, who would become influential throughout the state of Indiana, and Col. John Osborn, who led a Union regiment at the Battle of Shiloh. Robert Townsend, Putnam County’s only African American soldier, Barton W. Mitchell, who found Lee’s Lost Order before the Battle of Antietam, and Thomas Lyon, provide insight into ordinary soldiers’ lives.
No matter the regiment, soldiers shared similar feelings of fear and heartache, and more than three-hundred sacrificed their lives on the battlefield to preserve the Union and in 1863, abolish slavery."
Excerpt taken from MARCHING OFF to War, found at DePauw University Archives and the Putnam County Museum.
CIVIL WAR – Grand Army of the Republic Posts in Putnam County
#11 – Greencastle – at Greencastle -- 1879-1933
#346 – Putnamville – at Putnamville – 1884-1896
#422 – Cloverdale – at Cloverdale -- 1885-1912
#463 – A.J. Hawn -- at Bainbridge -- 1886-1914
#528 – George W. Hendrix – at Roachdale - 1896-1902
#551 – Hazlett – at Russellville -- 1889-1913
KENDALL, Charles - letter (Nov 1865)
KERCHEVEL, Edward - various sources
PERSIMMON BRIGADE Contains an article which includes eyewitness accounts and lists a roster of soldiers who attended the GRAND REUNION OF THE CIVIL WAR IN 1889. Regiments included persons from the 115th, 116th, 117th, & 118th, Regiments. The soldiers were known as the "Persimmon Brigade." (28 pages) - thanks to DeDe Wright, for this contribution!
27th Indiana Volunteer Regiment - a short history
27th Indiana Volunteer Regiment, Company A, Enlisted
27th Indiana Volunteer Regiment, Company A, Disposition
27th Indiana Volunteer Regiment, Company I, Enlisted
Repairing Damaged Civil War Monument at Greencastle's Forrest Hill Cemetery. A link off-site to a Banner Graphic Story.
Biographies of Putnam County Civil War Soldiers - an off-site resource
GAR - articles
Source: Greencastle Democrat 15 Oct 1892 p 1
Every member of the Greencastle Post 11, GAR Is expected to be at the post room at 1 o’clock sharp on Columbian Day for the purpose of taking part in the observances. The following named ex-soldiers have been appointed by that post to visit the several schools on Columbian Day. Each committee will assemble at the school building to which assigned at 8:45 a.m. of said day, viz: LP Chapin, J McD Hays, CM Short, JH Piercy and WB Vestal 1st ward; ET Chaffee, WH Burke, J. Birch, Jesse Richardson and Charles Meltzer, 2nd ward; AM Maxson, JM Donnohue, JA Paris, PO Harris and JA Jackson, 3rd ward; Jacob Merkle, Wm. M. Nichols, Wyatt James, James B. Bryan, and Wm. Hartwood, Colored School; Albert Allen, Dr. LM Hanna, Dr. John M. Knight, CO Waggoner, James A. Steele, Henry Metzer and JF Fee, High School.
LETTERS written during Civil War - very interesting !!