Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-15

order If the War Department by re-
manning in Texas to make q home in
that State On the 9th of December we
broke mp camp for home. Five days
march brought us to Victoria, Texas,
where we waited nine days for q steam
er. As soon as / was informed that
was ready, started with
the regiment for Indianols, Texas, where
ws arrived on the 2Q.h and embarked on
the 2Ist Of December; did not leave In
dianola till the 23d on account of low
water on the bar. On the 25th we arr
rived before Galveston, running through
fog all the way, and for that reason
could not enter the harbor before next
day. Took Goals all day and left port
ON the 9th. On the 3lst of December
put up camp at New Orleans Left
there on The I'd of January, 1866, in
company with the 5lst Indiana aud 18th
Ohio, on the steamer Clara Dalsen; ar
rived at Cairo, Ills., on the 9th, and,left
same day. The miserable illinois Cen
trail railroad detained us two days. The
regiment, in all seventy officers aad
seventy seven enlisted men, reported
here yesterday.
y "a d FIFTY FIRST REGIMENT
z The 5lst regiment was organized at
Indianapolis on the l1th of October,
1861, and mustered in on the 18th of
December, 1861, with Abel ID. Streight
as Colonel. From Indianapolis it pro-
ceeded to Kentucky, going into camp OF
instruction at Bardstown In February,
1862, it marched with Buelrs army to-
wards Nashville, where il encamped for
awhile, and then moved to the Tonnes
see river, reaching the field Of Shiloh
too late to participate in the battle at
that place. In the movement upon the
siege of Corinth it took an active part,
and after the evacuation it marched with
Wood division, of the Army of the
Ohio, through Northern Alabama, to Ste
vsnson When Buell's army fell back
from Nashville to Louisville, the regi.
ment marched With it, and after the cam
paign in Kentucky 1t returnedto Nash
vile, from whence it marched with Rose
cranes army toward Murfreesboro IN
December.
The regiment was engaged in the bat
| tie of Stone river, on the 3lst of De-
cember, 1862 and LIST and I'd of January
1853, losing five killed, thirty-six woun-
ded and eight missing-making total
Of forty-nine. After this engagement it
| remained in the vicinity of Murfrees-
boro until the month of April, when it
left on the Streight expedition. The
forces engaged in this expedition had
been organized as provisional brigade
by Colonel Streight, ct his own solicita-
ton, and by command of General Ro-
secrans, and consisted of the 5lst and
| I'D Indiana, Sd Ohio and 80th Illinois,
| with two companies of cavalry and two
pieces Of artillery. The brigade, num-
bering seventeen hundred men end
eight hundred animals, left Nashville
under command Of Colonel Streight, on
the l1th of April, and proceeded to Pal
myra, on the Cumberland river, BY
transports, and then marched through
the country to Fort Henry, on the Ten
nessee river, picking up on the route al
the serviceable horses and males that
/ could be found. From thence it pro
ceeded on transports to Passport, Mis-
sissippi, which place it left on the 2ls
of April, (about two-thirds of the com
mand being mounted, and marched il
the direction of Rome, Georgia, for th'
purpose of making q raid in the rear o
Brsgg's army, then at Tullahoma.
The expedition reached the base o
Sand Mountains on the evening of tn
Goth, and on the 30sh were overtaken b,
the rebel cavalry under Forrest. when 1
battle ensued, resulting in the defeat o
the enemy. This was the battle of Day
Gap, in which the 61st lost thirty on,
killed and wounded. Among the latte
was Lient Col Sheers, who fell mortal,
wounded. On the LIST of May anothe
| fight took place on Crooked Creek, il
which the enemy was again repulsed
On the I'D of May another engagement
was fought on Blunts farm, near Cad
Esend, Alabama, the enemy being agair
defeated In this fight Col Hathaway
of the I'D Indiana, was killed. Ths
command pushed forward in hopes O
capturing Rome, Georgia, but on the 81
of May it was overtaken near Galesville
Alabama, by the command of Genera
Forrest, and compelled to surrender
The whole force was consigned to rebe
prisons, and the officers were treated
with great severity. After being KEEP
prisoners Ior some time, the enlisted mel
were paroled for exchange, and went in
to parole camp at Indianapolis unit
their exchange was affected. On th,
9th of February, 1864, Colonel Streigh
escaped from Libby Prison, by mean
of q tunnel, after ten months imprison
ment Essa 1883
In November, 1863, the regiment wa
exchanged, and at once returned to tn
field joining the army at Nashville
Daring the fall of 1863, the regim en-
was engaged In guarding the commani
cations of the army between Nashville
and Chatta nooga. 1t was afterward
sent into East Tennessee, and in th,
months of January and February, 1864
portion Of the regiment re-eHlisted a
veterans On the 18th of February, the
veterans reached Indianapolis on vete
ran furlough, and about the lst o
April returned to the field. During ths
campaign Of 1864, the regiment did dut,
at Chattanooga, and after the occupa
ton of Atlanta, moved to that place
where it remained until the Fonrtt
Corps marched ncrthward, when i
moved with the 6rst brigade, third divi
sion of that corps, reaching Pulaski
Tennessee, in November, and, upon the
advance OF Hoods army on Nashville. il
fell back toward that place. On the l4tt
OF December the non veterans were mus
tered out of service and proceeded home
On the 18th day of December, the regi
ment participated in the battle of Nash.
vile, and afterwards Joined in the pur
suit of the routed rebels, going as far az
Huntsville, Alabama. At this place il
remained until March, 1865, when il
moved with the 4th corps into East Ten
nessee. About the lst of May it re-
turned to Nashville, where numb,r oil
recruits that remained in service after
the muster-ont of the 18th regiment.
were transferred to the 5lst. fga
In June the regiment moved on tran >.
ports to Nav Orleans with the 4th corps
and from thence was transported tc
Texas, and, landing on the coast, march.
cd into the interior of Western Texas
90 far as San Antonio, where the regi
ment wss still stationed when thi:
sketch was closed-in November, 1865
L. al 2.