The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-30

written the following history of the
regiment:
The Sixty-ninth Regiment Indiana
Volunteers was organized at Rich
mond. Ind, during the months of July
and August. 1862, and was encamped
at "Old Camp Wayne" 1t was a
home" regiment, for the reason that
it was recruited exclusively from the
counties composing the "Old Fifth
Congressional District Companies
A and f a part of D and F were
from Wayne county, Company c, a
part of ID and F were from Randolph
county. Company B. was from Della
ware county, G from Union, Fl and
from Henry, and X from Fayette
county:
On the 18th day of August, 1862. the
regiment went by rail to Indianapolis.
On the 10Th they were mustered into
the United States service with 80 COM
missioned officers and 1000 men. The
men were at once marched to the ar
senal and drew arms and 40 rounds of
ammunition and at once took the train
III i<ouioSiAlSp ny ASA uoyo oilSl
without having ever had battalion
drill, with about 5000 other green
troops, on the Both of August engaged
in an open field battle with 10000 vet
Grams under the rebel general, E. Kir-
by Smith, at Richmond, KY, where
it lost in killed and wounded 27S of
ficers and men and nearly the entire
regiment was taken prisoners. They
were Immediately paroled and sent to
parole camp at Camp Wayne" No
vember Is they were exchanged and
at once went to Indianapolis, where
they were reorganized. Col. William
A. Bickle resigned and General T. w.
Bennett was appointed colonel. The
regiment was sent to Memphis, Tenn.
and on the Goth of December it went
down the Mississippi river with the
advance of Sherman's army to Vicks-
burg; was in the five days fight at
Chicasaw Bluffs; thence to Arkansas
Post and was engaged in the battle
and capture of that stronghold Janu-
airy II, 1868.
The regiment was two weeks in ad-
burg campaign, and by long and cir.
cuitous march captured and held a
landing for Grants boats thirty miles
below Vicksburg. 1t was in advance
and participated in all the battles in
that wonderful campaign which result
ed in the fall of that Gibraltar of the
Southern Confederacy, Vicksburg, and
which, as the immortal Lincoln SO apt
ly said, permitted the Father Of Wa
tiers to flow unvexed to the sea-"
1t participated in the battles of
Thompson Hill, Champion Hills, Black
River Bridge, the siege of Vicksburg,
the six days battle and siege of Jack
ments it's loss in killed and wounded
was severe. Afte: which it was trans
ferred to the Department of the Gulf
and was sent to New Orleans, where
it joined General Banks expedition,
marched across Louisiana nearly to
the Texas line, then back to New Or
leans, where it was transported across
the gulf to Texas, thence back to New
Orleans and up Red river, and partici-
pated in the battles of that disastrous
campaign. After which it was sent to
Pensacola, Fla, via New Orleans and
the gulf, and participated in the Mo-
bile campaign, and fought it's last bat
tie in storming Fort Blakely, Ala,
April 8, 1865, the day that Grant re-
ceived the sword of Lee at Appomat-
tox. In this last real battle of the war
the regiment lost 10 in killed and
wounded
The six days siege, the charge and
capture of Fort Blakley was one of
the most desperately fought battles of
the war, but it was the end, it was