81st Regiment Indiana Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 81st Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
for a three year enlistment on August 29, 1862 under the command of Colonel
William W. Caldwell.
The regiment was attached to 32nd Brigade, 9th Division, Army of the Ohio
, September 1862. 32nd Brigade, 9th Division, III Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Right Wing, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
, to January 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to March 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XX Corps, to October 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June 1865.
The 81st Indiana Infantry mustered out of service at Nashville, Tennessee
on June 13, 1865.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The 81st Indiana Infantry was organized and mustered in at New Albany, IndianaNew Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
for a three year enlistment on August 29, 1862 under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
William W. Caldwell.
The regiment was attached to 32nd Brigade, 9th Division, Army of the Ohio
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two 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:...
, September 1862. 32nd Brigade, 9th Division, III Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Right Wing, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
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:...
, to January 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to March 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XX Corps, to October 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June 1865.
The 81st Indiana Infantry mustered out of service at Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on June 13, 1865.
Detailed service
Ordered to Louisville, Ky., August 29. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–15, 1862. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7, and duty there until December 26. Reconnaissance toward Franklin December 9. Near Brentwood December 9. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26–30. Nolensville December 26–27. Battle of Stones River December 30–31, 1862 and January 1–3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until June. Reconnaissance from Salem to Versailles March 9–14. Operations on Eaglesville Pike near Murfreesboro June 4. Tullahoma Campaign June 22-July 7. Liberty Gap June 22–27. Duty at Winchester until August. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19–20. Siege of Chattanooga, September 24-October 25. Reopened Tennessee River October 26–29. Duty at Bridgeport, Ala., until January 26, 1864 and at Ooltewah until May 1864. Atlanta Campaign May 3 to September 8, 1864. Tunnel Hill May 6–7. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge and Dalton May 8–13. Buzzard's Roost Gap May 8–9. Battle of Resaca May 14–15. Near Kingston May 18–19. Near Cassville May 19. Advance on Dallas May 22–25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kennesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11–14. Lost Mountain June 15–17. Assault on Kennesaw June 27. Ruff's Station, Smyrna Camp Ground, July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5–17. Peachtree Creek July 19–20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25–30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy's Station September 2–6. Operations against Hood in northern Georgia and northern Alabama September 29-November 3. Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24–27. Battle of Franklin November 30. Battle of Nashville December 15–16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17–28. Moved to Huntsville, Ala., and duty there until March 1865. Operations in eastern Tennessee March 15-April 22. At Nashville until June.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 245 men during service; 4 officers and 52 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 188 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel William W. Caldwell - dismissed by President LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, July 7, 1863 - Colonel Oliver P. Anderson - promoted to colonel, but never mustered
- Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
John Timberlake - commanded at the battles of Perryville and Stones River - MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
James E. Calloway - commanded at the battle of Chickamauga - Major Edward Gustave Mathey - commanded at the battle of Nashville
- Captain Nevil B. Boone - commanded at the battle of Chickamauga
See also
- List of Indiana Civil War regiments
- Indiana in the Civil War