| 1863
History 80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry An American Civil War Regiment |
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--President Abraham Lincoln |
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The 80th Indiana was formed in response to President Abraham Lincoln's July 1, 1862, call for 300,000 more men to volunteer for the Union Army in order to help the Federal government win the American Civil War. The table below contains information about the 80th's first full year of service. The column on the left contains links that lead to day-by-day overviews by month. The center column contains overviews of what the 80th was doing and where it was located in 1863. The column on the right features quotes from primary and secondary sources, which are intended to give insights into what the times, and the soldiers' lives, were like. These quotes have been entered on the date they were written or published (unless otherwise noted) and without changing the original grammar or spelling. Abbreviations used on this page include: Apr.=April; C.S.A.=Confederate States of America; Gen.=General; Ind.=Indiana; Inf.=Infantry; Ky.=Kentucky; Pvt.=Private; Regt.=Regiment; Tenn.=Tennessee; U.S.=United States; and Vol.=Volunteer. This is the first comprehensive history ever written about the 80th
Indiana. It is being assembled using data from many sources, and is very much a work in progress.
Contributions are both encouraged and welcomed. All
who do so will be credited on the list of Modern
80th Indiana Volunteers on this website. For details, visit the
Help
Needed section of this site. Together this history can grow
to be a rich tribute to the men of the 80th Indiana, who helped preserve
the United States of America and end slavery within it. |
| Months | Synopsis of 80th Service | Quotes |
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January 1863 |
Morgan's Raid. Pursuit of C.S.A. Gen. John Hunt Morgan's cavalry to the Cumberland River, followed by time at a convalescence camp at Elizabethtown, Ky. Regiment losing almost 2 men per day due to death, discharge, resignation, and desertion. |
"$50 Reward. RAN AWAY FROM JAMES THORNBERRY of Jefferson County, TWO NEGRO MEN -- one named Cornelius, 25 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches high, weighs about 160 pounds, very black... the other named Bill Bachelor, a bright mulatto, about 24 years old, 5 feet 9 or 10 inches high, of pleasant countenance, weighs about 150 pounds...I will give $50 for both, or $25 for either if delivered to me or put in the Louisville jail. --Louisville Journal newspaper, Louisville, Ky., seeking runaway slaves |
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February 1863 |
Guard Duty. Camped at Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville Railroad until late in month when transferred to Munfordville, Ky. |
"There is a great meny deserters out of our reagment. Ther was four out of our company in four days last week and there is a great many more sayes they is a going as soon as they get their pay...they don't think any disgreise to disurt under the present procklmetion..." --Pvt. Daniel McDonald Co. E, 80th Ind., letter to his wife about the Emancipation Proclamation |
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March 1863 |
Guard Duty. Camped at Woodsonville, just outside Munfordville, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge over the Green River. Transferred to Elizabethtown, Ky., around mid-month before returning to Woodsonville at end of month. |
"If you chance to see any of the 'Copperhead stripe' who desire to know what we think of their 'Peace Convention' and 'Compromise Resolutions,' please tell them we would rather meet them with arms in their hands in the rebel ranks, than to hear of their traitorous and cowardly efforts to stab us in the back." --portion of an unsigned letter dated Mar. 23, 1863, from a Private in the 80th Ind., Evansville Journal newspaper, Evansville, Ind. |
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April 1863 |
Guard Duty. Camped at Woodsonville, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge over the Green River for most of the month, then to Glasgow, Ky. |
"By the dispensation of an all-wise Providence, our worthy brother officers [2nd Lieut.] James F. Ruark [of Co. H], [2nd Lieut.] Alexander [W.] Anderson [of Co. K] and most recently Capt. Thomas [J.] Brooks [of Co. B] were removed from us from the effects of wounds received while gallantly discharging their duty on the battlefield of Perryville." --from a Resolution by 80th officers, in the Princeton Clarion newspaper, Princeton, Ind., Apr. 1, '63. |
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May 1863 |
Guard Duty. Camped at Woodsonville, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge over the Green River for most of the month, then to Glasgow, Ky. |
"Glasgow is a beautiful little town, and we were favored with the advantage of excellent spring water close to our camp." --1st Lieut. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, 80th Ind., diary |
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June 1863 |
Pursuit of Morgan. Camped at Columbus, Ky, till ordered after CSA Gen. Morgan's cavalry, which was just beginning its ill-fated raid into Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. |
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July 1863 |
Repulse of Morgan. Present at attack by Morgan's Scouts near Marrowbone, Ky., at beginning of month, followed by 1 week forced march in pursuit of Morgan's forces. Guard duty at Cave City, Ky., then at Glasgow, Ky., for remainder of month. |
"Kentuckians! I come to liberate you from the despotism of a tyrannical faction and to rescue my native State from the hand of your oppressors. Everywhere the cowardly foe has fled from my avenging arms." --C.S.A. Gen. John Hunt Morgan, appeal published during his July, 1863 raid into Ky. |
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August 1863 |
Burnside's East Tennessee Campaign. Guard duty at Glasgow, Ky., till 8th. Took railroad train to Lebannon, Ky., and marched to New Market, Ky., where joined Army of the Ohio commanded by U.S.A. Gen. Ambrose Burnside. Marched to Columbia, Ky., and over Cumberland Mountains to Sweetwater, Jamestown, and Montgomery in East Tenn. |
"I do as much for East Tennessee as I would, or could, if my own family were in Knoxville." --President Abraham Lincoln, 1863 letter to a Union delegation from East Tenn. |
September 1863 |
Burnside's East Tennessee Campaign. Passed through Kingston, Tenn. Camped at Loudon, Tenn. for most of month, except for quick march through Knoxville to Strawberry Plains, Tenn., and back to Loudon. |
"...it is reported on good authority that they have evacuated Loudon and Knoxville, on the Tennessee and Virginia rail road, and are on retreat towards Atlanta, Georgia. This indicates the entire abandonment of Tennessee by the Rebels, of which the fall of North Carolina will be the immediate result, and we may soon look for the final bursting of the great secession bubble, the mammoth humbug of the nineteenth century." --Capt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, diary |
October 1863 |
East Tennessee. Camped at Loudon, Tenn. Much cavalry skirmishing nearby, but 80th not involved in fighting. |
"The Chattanooga Rebel, before it was compelled to migrate, speaking of the perils of its situation, said: "The mountains of East Tennessee--to use the illustration of one of our ablest Generals--form a breastplate to the confederacy. Pass them and the probe of the enemy at once reaches the guts of the South. Therefore is East Tennessee to be defended at all hazards."" --Evansville Gazette newspaper, Oct. 3, '63, Evansville, Ind., about a statement in the Chattanooga Rebel newspaper before it ceased publication when Union troops captured Chattanooga, Tenn. |
November 1863 |
Fighting Wheeler's Cavalry. Camped near Loudon, Tenn., till the 9th. Relocated to Kingston, Tenn., for rest of month. Involved in action at Kingston on Nov. 24. Rations becoming very scarce. |
"We are put to great straights to get anything to eat...we consider ourselves very fortunate if we can have bread and meat both the same day. And what is worse than all is, we are now entirely out of salt." --Capt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, diary |
December 1863 |
Pursuit of Longstreet's Forces. Operations near Knoxville, Tenn. Action at Mossy Creek, Tenn., on the 29th. |
"My whole line is advancing handsomely and driving the enemy before it...His whole force moved to our front last night, and to-day got damned badly whipped." --U.S. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, report on fighting at Mossy Creek, Tenn., Dec. 29, '63 |
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This page Copyright by
Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep
Vee Productions. |
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