During Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan's raid north of the Ohio River in Indiana and Ohio in July 1863, Governor Morton called Love back into service with the Indiana Legion and called out the militia to defend against Morgan's raiders. Union Army Major General Orlando B. Willcox was in command of the District of Indiana and Michigan. His commanding officer, Department of the Ohio commander, Major General Ambrose Burnside, ordered Willcox to defend Indianapolis and command all state troops raised in Indiana for defense against the raid.