15th Regiment Indiana Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 15th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
for a one year enlistment in May 1861. It was subsequently reorganized and mustered in for a three year enlistment on June 14, 1861 under the command of Colonel
George Day Wagner
.
The regiment was attached to 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation, Western Virginia, July to September 1861. Reynolds' Cheat Mountain District, Western Virginia, to November 1861. 15th Brigade, Army of the Ohio
, to December 1861. 15th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to March 1862. 15th Brigade, 6th Division, Army of the Ohio, March 1862. 21st Brigade, 6th Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 21st Brigade, 6th Division, II Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Left Wing, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XXI Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, IV Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to February 1864. Garrison, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland, to June 1864.
The 15th Indiana Infantry mustered out of service at Chattanooga, Tennessee
on June 16, 1864. Veterans and recruits were transferred to the 17th Indiana Infantry
.
Pass September 12. Greenbrier River
October 3–4. Ordered to Louisville November 19. Duty at Bardstown and Lebanon, Ky., until February 1862. March to Nashville, Tenn., February 17-March 13, and to Savannah, Tenn., March 21-April 6. Battle of Shiloh
April 6–7. Advance on and siege of Corinth
, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 30-June 12. Buell's Campaign in northern Alabama and middle Tennessee June to August. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–22. Battle of Perryville
, Ky., October 8 (reserve). March to Nashville, Tenn., October 22-November 7, and duty there until December 26. Lavergne December 11. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26–30. Battle of Stones River
December 30–31, 1862 and January 1–3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until June. Reconnaissance to Nolensville and Versailles January 13–15. Tullahoma Campaign
June 23-July 7. Camp at Pelham until August 17. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign
August 17-September 22. Occupation of Chattanooga September 9, and assigned to duty there as garrison. Siege of Chattanooga, September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27. Orchard Knob November 23–24. Missionary Ridge
November 25. Pursuit to Graysville November 26–27. March to relief of Knoxville, November 28-December 8. Duty at Knoxville and vicinity until February 1864. Ordered to Chattanooga, and garrison duty there until June.
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 15th Indiana Infantry was organized at Lafayette, IndianaLafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
for a one year enlistment in May 1861. It was subsequently reorganized and mustered in for a three year enlistment on June 14, 1861 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...
George Day Wagner
George D. Wagner
George Day Wagner was an Indiana politician, farmer, and soldier, serving as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. His controversial actions at the Battle of Franklin in 1864 overshadowed his positive performance earlier in the war.-Early life and career:Wagner was born in...
.
The regiment was attached to 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation, Western Virginia, July to September 1861. Reynolds' Cheat Mountain District, Western Virginia, to November 1861. 15th Brigade, 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:...
, to December 1861. 15th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to March 1862. 15th Brigade, 6th Division, Army of the Ohio, March 1862. 21st Brigade, 6th Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 21st Brigade, 6th Division, II Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Left 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. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XXI Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, IV Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to February 1864. Garrison, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland, to June 1864.
The 15th Indiana Infantry mustered out of service at Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
on June 16, 1864. Veterans and recruits were transferred to the 17th Indiana Infantry
17th Indiana Infantry Regiment
The 17th Indiana Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in West Virginia before being transferred to the Western Theater....
.
Detailed service
Moved to Indianapolis, Ind., thence to Clarksburg, Va., July 1–6. Western Virginia Campaign July 6–17. Duty in Elkwater Valley, Va., July to November 1861. Operations on Cheat Mountain September 11–17. Elkwater September 11. Cheat MountainBattle of Cheat Mountain
The Battle of Cheat Mountain, also known as the Battle of Cheat Summit Fort, took place from September 12 to 15, 1861, in Pocahontas County and Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of the Civil War in which Robert...
Pass September 12. Greenbrier River
Battle of Greenbrier River
The Battle of Greenbrier River, also known as the Battle of Camp Bartow, took place on October 3, 1861 in Pocahontas County, Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War....
October 3–4. Ordered to Louisville November 19. Duty at Bardstown and Lebanon, Ky., until February 1862. March to Nashville, Tenn., February 17-March 13, and to Savannah, Tenn., March 21-April 6. Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
April 6–7. Advance on and siege of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 30-June 12. Buell's Campaign in northern Alabama and middle Tennessee June to August. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–22. Battle of Perryville
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive during the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Mississippi won a...
, Ky., October 8 (reserve). March to Nashville, Tenn., October 22-November 7, and duty there until December 26. Lavergne December 11. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26–30. Battle of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
December 30–31, 1862 and January 1–3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until June. Reconnaissance to Nolensville and Versailles January 13–15. Tullahoma Campaign
Tullahoma Campaign
The Tullahoma Campaign or Middle Tennessee Campaign was fought between June 24 and July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. The Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Maj. Gen. William S...
June 23-July 7. Camp at Pelham until August 17. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign
Chickamauga Campaign
The Chickamauga Campaign was a series of battles fought in northwestern Georgia from August 21 to September 20, 1863, between the Union Army of the Cumberland and Confederate Army of Tennessee.-Background:...
August 17-September 22. Occupation of Chattanooga September 9, and assigned to duty there as garrison. Siege of Chattanooga, September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27. Orchard Knob November 23–24. Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
November 25. Pursuit to Graysville November 26–27. March to relief of Knoxville, November 28-December 8. Duty at Knoxville and vicinity until February 1864. Ordered to Chattanooga, and garrison duty there until June.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 183 men during service; 4 officers and 103 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 76 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel George Day Wagner
- Colonel Gustavus A. Wood - commanded at the battles of Perryville and Stones River as 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...
Notable members
- Sergeant George L. Banks, Company C - Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for action at Missionary Ridge - Private Charles Gerard ConnC. G. ConnC.G. Conn Ltd., sometimes called Conn Instruments or commonly just Conn, was a United States manufacturer of musical instruments, especially brass instruments. In 1985 their Strobotuner division was bought by Peterson Electro-Musical Products, who continue to service their line of products.Assets...
, Company B - founder of C. G. Conn Ltd. instrument company - 2nd Lieutenant Thomas N. Graham, Company G - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Missionary Ridge
- Chaplain John Whitehead - Medal of Honor recipient for action at Stones River
See also
- List of Indiana Civil War regiments
- Indiana in the Civil War