| March
1863 80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry An American Civil War Regiment |
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--portion of an unsigned letter dated Mar. 23,
1863 |
Below are brief descriptions of the 80th's day-to-day experiences during March, 1863. The regiment spent the bulk of the month camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown in Hardin County, Kentucky, guarding the vital Louisville & Nashville Railroad. They ended the month camped at Munfordville in Hart County, Ky., about 20 mi. northeast of Mammouth Cave. Also included below are quotes from primary and secondary sources that 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: Capt.=Captain; Cert.=certificate; Col.=Colonel; Co.=Company; Cpl.=Corporal; Gov.=Governor; Ill.=Illinois; Inf.=Infantry; Ind.=Indiana; Ky.=Kentucky; Lieut.=Lieutenant; Maj.=Major; Mus.=Musician; Pvt.=Private; Q.M.=Quarter Master; Sergt.=Sergeant; Surg.=Surgeon; Tenn.=Tennessee; U.S.=United States; Vol.=Volunteers; and '63=1863. The 80th Indiana was formed in response to President Lincoln's call for 300,000 more volunteers for the Federal Army. The 80th left Indiana in September, 1862, and did not return until July, 1865. During that time it marched over 3,700 miles on foot and fought in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. Of the 1,036 men who served in it, only 320 were still with the 80th when it came home. Sources: 80th Indiana Consolidated Morning Reports;
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, 1861-1865,
Volumes III, IV, and VIII, (Indianapolis, Indiana, 1866); personal diaries of
Capt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, and Pvt.
John K. King Co. A, 80th Ind.; and other items as noted. |
| Dates | Synopsis of 80th Servicce | Quotes |
Mar. 1 Sunday |
To Look for Deserters. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "A pleasant day." Ordered to Indiana to search for deserters. Sergt. Henry J. Faile Co. G Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H Sergt. Fielden T. Mayfield Co. C 2nd Lieut. Alexander R. Smith Co. F Sergt. Gideon Wells Co. K Died at Indianapolis, Ind. Pvt. Henry Fivecoat Co. I Died at Louisville, Ky. Pvt. William F. Myres Co. I |
"Jo Hinge went home." --Pvt. John K. King Co. A, personal diary. This is believed to reference Pvt. Joseph H. Higgins Co. A, who was officially discharged Feb. 22, '63. "...furlough are again played out but the french furlough are not played out. ...I think this war will soon end now..." --Cpl. John Mallette Co. G, letter to his cousin explaining that no official leave of absence ("furlough") is available ("played out"), but unofficial absences ("French leave") are being taken. |
Mar. 2 Monday |
Sword Presentation. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "A cloudy day and cool." |
"To day we had a sword presentation -- a very fine sword was presented to Col. Brooks [Lewis Brooks] by the officers of the regiment only as a very slight token of their esteem and regard for him as a gallant officer and gentleman. Our regiment here numbers 408 present -- [but only] 120 enlisted men [available] for duty -- it looks very small but it is large in comparison to that of our coming here." --portion of a letter written from Elizabethtown, Ky., on Mar. 2, '63, signed by "A.N.D." (believed to be Q.M. Sergt. Alexander N. Devin Field & Staff), published in the Princeton Clarion newspaper, Princeton, Ind., on Mar. 14, '63. |
Mar. 3 Tuesday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is snowing." Re-commissioned by Ind. Gov. Morton. Marmaduke M. C. Hobbs as Chaplain |
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Mar. 4 Wednesday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is cloudy." |
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Mar. 5 Thursday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is snowing." Died at Elizabethtown, Ky. Pvt. Warner Fisher Co. K "fever" Died at home in Newberry, Ind. Pvt. Jackson Hedrick Co. K |
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Mar. 6 Friday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is raining." |
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Mar. 7 Saturday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is raining." Died at Louisville, Ky. Pvt. Eli Sisson Co. G "bronchitis" Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Edwin Harrall Co. I |
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Mar. 8 Sunday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is raining." Died at Elizabethtown, Ky. Cpl. Greenup Blanford Co. B |
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Mar. 9 Monday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is a clear day." Discharged from the Army. Pvt. George Greenstreet Co. B |
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Mar. 10 Tuesday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is cloudy." Died at Elizabethtown, Ky. Pvt. James M. Payton Co. K "winter fever" |
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Mar. 11 Wednesday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is clear." |
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Mar. 12 Thursday |
Elizabethtown. Co. A on picket duty. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is clear." |
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Mar. 13 Friday |
Lieutenant Colonel Resigns. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is a clear day." Resigned from the Army. Lieut. Col. George T. Simonson F &S "Hemorhage of the Lungs" Discharged from the Army at Elizabethtown, Ky., due to disability. Pvt. James F. Alford Co. D "This soldier while in service and line of duty on or about Oct. 8, '62, near Perryville, Ky., engaged in assisting in prying out the ammunition wagon which had stalled, strained himself and produced hernia in left groin, and was discharged on Surg. Cert. of Disability March 13, 1863, by reason of said injury." Detached as Hospital Nurse. Mus. Leroy Williams Co. F |
"William Archer [Sergt. William Archer Co. A] went home." --Pvt. John K. King Co. A, diary. |
Mar. 14 Saturday |
Promotions. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is cloudy." Commissioned as 80th officers. Capt. James L. Culbertson Co. C, as Lieut. Col. Capt. John W. Tucker Co. D, as Maj. Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Franklin Barrett Co. H Cpl. James B. Gilley Co. D Pvt. John D. Kelley Co. B |
"We are once and a while visited by friends and relations from old Gibson [County, Ind.], and they are always welcome for we like to see that we are still remembered by friends of our firesides, so friends we will always be glad to see you... We are daily in receipt of the doings of those at home called "butternuts" -- the name is not a proper one; they are nothing less than the lowest grade of rebels, while their old companions are out in the tented field suffering hardships to retain the beloved government our fore fathers fought, bled and died to establish, they are sneaking around home talking and slandering the soldiers and seeking to destroy the government in every way they can." --portion of a letter from Elizabethtown, Ky., dated Mar. 2, '63, signed by "A.N.D." (believed to be Q.M. Sergt. Alexander N. Devin, Field & Staff), published in the Princeton Clarion newspaper, Princeton, Ind., on Mar. 14, '63. |
Mar. 15 Sunday |
Elizabethtown. Co. A on picket duty. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is cloudy." Discharged from the Army. Pvt. William R. Barton Co. F Pvt. Thomas J. Chesnut, Co. A "wounds" received at Perryville Pvt. Charles Dwire Co. B Pvt. Valentine Strange Co. B |
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Mar. 16 Monday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is clear." Transferred to US Marine Corps. Pvt. Frederick Simpson Co. K Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Henry Hogland Co. K Pvt. Thomas Watson Co. B |
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Mar. 17 Tuesday |
St. Patricks Day. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is clear." Died at Elizabethtown, Ky. Pvt. Newton Williams Co. F Pvt. Samuel Williams Co. C "consumption" Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Thomas L. White Co. F Resigned from the Army. 2nd Lieut. Porter Clarkson Co. G Capt. William D. Lewis Co. I |
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Mar. 18 Wednesday |
Company I Promotions. Co. A on picket duty. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is clear." Returned from search for deserters. Sergt. Henry J. Faile Co. G Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H Sergt. Fielden T. Mayfield Co. C 2nd Lieut. Alexander R. Smith Co. F Sergt. Gideon Wells Co. K Commissioned by Ind. Gov. Morton as Co. I officer. 1st Lieut. William S. Emery Co. I, as Capt. Discharged from the Army. Pvt. George W. Brown Co. G Resigned from the Army. 1st Lieut. Thomas Chambers Co. C |
"Found the affairs of the Regiment rather improved. There were less patients in the hospital, and quite a number of absentees had returned, 8 had already returned to Company H. in my absence." --Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, 80th Ind., diary entry, written after an absence of 17 days |
Mar. 19 Thursday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is cloudy." Mustered into the Army. Recruit James T. Knowles into Co. F Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Richard Baldwin Co. I Pvt. George F. Myres, Jr. Co. I Mus. Samuel C. Myres Co. I Pvt. Alfred B. Phillips Co. I |
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Mar. 20 Friday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is raining." Died at Louisville, Ky. Pvt. Francis Williams Co. I Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Joseph Small Co. A |
"Another death in hospital today, John [John C. Wilson] Wilson of Company A." Wilson of Company A." --Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, 80th Ind., diary, Elizabethtown, Ky. |
Mar. 21 Saturday |
Elizabethtown. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is clear." Deserter returned. Pvt. David Pressnel Co. G Discharged from the Army. Sergt. Richard M. Jones Co. I Pvt. Titus C. Jones Co. B |
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Mar. 22 Sunday |
Elizabethtown. Co. A on picket duty. Camped 1 mi. outside of Elizabethtown, Ky., guarding the Louisville & Nashville railroad. "It is cloudy." Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Edward W. Givens Co. A "wounds" received at Perryville |
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Mar. 23 Monday |
Orders to March. Received orders to march tomorrow from Elizabethtown to Munfordville in Hart County, Ky. Rained all night. Camped at Elizabethtown, Ky. |
"HOW THE SOLDIERS FEEL. -- We are permitted to make the following extract from a letter written by a man who was always a Democrat, and held office in one of the counties in this Congressional District, but who is now a private in the 80th Indiana regiment, in Kentucky: Elizabethtown, Ky., March 23, 1863, ---- ----: Dear Sir-- "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. We would rather meet three brave foes in our front than have to contend with one cowardly assassin in our rear. We desire peace and would like to return to our homes; but we will never consent for those in armed rebellion against the Government, nor their traitorous allies, to dictate the terms of that peace. We want an enduring peace, permanent tranquility, and a guarantee against another rebellion." --unsigned letter, Evansville Journal newspaper, Evansville, Ind., Mar. 28, '63 |
Mar. 24 Tuesday |
Through Mud and Rain. Regt. marched out of Elizabethtown at 8 A.M. and covered 14-19 mi. "Left [for] Munfordville Ky. Marched 14 mi. today." --1st Sergt. James F. Cantwell Co. G, Morning Report |
"It is raining. Left Elizabethtown at 8 A.M. and marched 18 miles though mud and rain." --Pvt. John K. King Co. A, diary. |
Mar. 25 Wednesday |
Arrived Munfordville. Marched 15-18 mi. Reached Munfordville in afternoon and camped there overnight. "Arrived at Mumfordville 2 PM" --1st Sergt. James F. Cantwell Co. G, Morning Report Died at Elizabethtown, Ky. Pvt. John C. Wilson Co. A Admitted to General Hospital No. 11, Louisville, Ky. Pvt. Hezekiah Blevens Co. C "Phthisis" Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Enoch Moore Co. G Pvt. James Robbins Co. B |
"We arrived here at Munfordsville at 4 P.M. Marched 15 miles. It is cloudy. I received a letter." --Pvt. John K. King Co. A, diary. |
Mar. 26 Thursday |
Munfordville. Part of day spent cleaning camp. Camped at Munfordville, Ky. "It is cloudy." |
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Mar. 27 Friday |
Munfordville. Co. A on picket duty. Camped at Munfordville, Ky. "It is cloudy." "Rained all night." --1st Sergt. James F. Cantwell Co. G, Morning Report Died at Cairo, Ill. Pvt. Charles Johnson Co. H Resigned from the Army. 1st Lieut. John J. Collins Co. H |
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Mar. 28 Saturday |
Dress Parade. Drill from 2:00 to 4:30 P.M. Dress parade at 5:00 P.M. Camped at Munfordville, Ky. "It is cloudy." "Aufill muddy." --1st Sergt. James F. Cantwell Co. G, Morning Report Died at Elizabethtown, Ky. Pvt. William Hunley Co. H "malignant sore throat" Commissioned by Ind. Gov. Morton as Co. H officer. Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, as 1st Lieut. |
"William Hunley [Pvt. William Hunley] of Company H. died this afternoon about 5 o'clock, of malignant sore throat. I wrote to his wife this morning but before the letter to notify her of his sickness left the Post Office, he was a corpse." --Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, 80th Ind., diary, Elizabethtown, Ky. |
Mar. 29 Sunday |
Inspection. Inspection at 10 A.M. Dress parade at 5:00 P.M. Camped at Munfordville, Ky. "It is partly clear. Very cool." Mustered into the Army. Recruit Hatsel P. Smith |
"We buried Wm Hunley [Pvt. William Hunley Co. H] today in the burrying grounds near town. Not knowing what his wife might send for his remains, I cut his name on a board, with the letter of the Company & number of his regiment and placed it at the head of the grave." --Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen Co. H, 80th Ind., diary, Elizabethtown, Ky. |
Mar. 30 Monday |
Drill. Camped at Munfordville, Ky. |
"It is a clear day. Drilled four hours. Received a letter." --Pvt. John K. King Co. A, diary. "I wrote to Mrs. Humley informing her of her husband's death, inclosing 85 cents found in the pocketbook of the deceased; also the receipt for the box of Hunley's clothing I expressed home." --Pvt. Joseph P. Glezen, Co. H, 80th Ind., diary, Elizabethtown, Ky. |
Mar. 31 Tuesday |
Munfordville. Co A and Co. F on picket duty. "Snowing at 4 P.M. as hard as it can." Camped at Munfordville, Ky. "PRESENT FOR DUTY. Captain...............1 1st Lieutenants...1 Sergeants...........4 Corporals..........6 Wagoners..........1 Privates...........11 Morning Report of Co. G, signed by: 1st Sergt. James F. Cantwell Capt. Willis H. Watson |
"A man of Co. F wounded while on picket duty, in the foot." --Pvt. John K. King Co. A, diary. |
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This page Copyright by Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep Vee Productions. All Rights Reserved. Created February 3, 2000. Last updated January 2, 2005. |
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