| May
1865 80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry An American Civil War Regiment |
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--William Knox, from his poem Mortality |
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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: AC=Army Corps; Co.=Company; Cpl.=Corporal; Dept.=Department; N.C.=North Carolina; Pvt.=Private; Sergt.=Sergeant; V.R.C.=Veterans Reserve Corps; Wag.=Wagoner; and '65=1865. 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 roughly 1,000 men who served in it, only 320 were still with the 80th when it came home. Sources: 80th Indiana Regimental and Company Order Books;
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, Volumes III and
IV, 1861-1865 (Indianapolis, Indiana, 1866); letters by 1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, 80th Ind. (1864-1865), courtesy of the Dept. of Special Collections, University of Notre Dame; and other items as noted. |
| Dates | Synopsis | Quotes |
May 1 Monday |
Raleigh. Camped at Raleigh, N.C. |
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May 2 Tuesday |
Leave Commences. Departs for 30 day leave of absence in Indiana. Capt. Isum Gwin Co D |
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May 3 Wednesday |
"...I See that the 23 AC is to be Scattered over North Carlina, as guards, So wee that belongs to the 23 Corps may be Sent to our command. I cant tell yet but I will finde out in a few days my health is still good oh how thankful I feel when I look back and see how poorly I have been and now I feel So well..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
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May 4 Thursday |
Father Abraham Buried. U.S. President Lincoln laid to rest in Springfield, Ill. |
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May 5 Friday |
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May 6 Saturday |
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May 7 Sunday |
Died at Wilmington, N.C. Recruit Richard McConnell Co. H |
"...John McCord [Corp. John McCord Co. C] has Just received a letter from Isaac [Corp. Isaac Demoss Co. C] it was ritten on the 25 of last month he said that they was going to start on a march the next morning but did not know where they was going he Said that Co C. was all well..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
May 8 Monday |
Discharged from Army due to disability. Sergt. George Sheyock Co. K "wounds" |
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May 9 Tuesday |
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May 10 Wednesday |
Discharged from the Army. Pvt. Patrick Stewart Co. G |
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May 11 Thursday |
"Say I fere that you have been built up to much with the hopes of our association so Soon any person that understands any thing of military movements knows that wee cant all be mustered out in a day or two thare is a greate deal of work to do before wee are mustered out you may say that wee hospital Bummers might be mustered out I will tell you thare is thousands that has not got any thing here to Show what Regt or Co. they belong to or how much pay thare is dew them. So all this has to be assertained before they can be discharged now in order to get this information the Surgeon in charge has to write a Seperet letter for every man Send it to his Co Commander and get the correct information and them being on the March in different parts of the U.S. it is very difficult to get all rite..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
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May 12 Friday |
Mustered out of the Army. Pvt. Albert G. Crow Co. H |
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May 13 Saturday |
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May 14 Sunday |
"...this day one year ago is a day long to be remembered by the Boys of Co. C. it was the Battle of resacea [Resaca, Ga.] where many a brave Soldier fell to rise no more Some that I almoste loved as Brothers..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
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May 15 Monday |
Mustered out of Army. Pvt. Henry H. Malone Co. F |
"...Jeff Davis [C.S.A. President Jefferson Davis] Captured is confirmed in this morning paper..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
May 16 Tuesday |
Transferred to V.R.C. Pvt. Absalom Hughes Co. C Cpl. James McGinnis Co. G |
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May 17 Wednesday |
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May 18 Thursday |
Mustered out of the Army. Pvt. Reason Carico Co. K Discharged from Army due to disability. Pvt. William C. P. Griffith Co. H "wounds" Cpl. William Jones Co. K |
"...thare is Some talk of mustering Some of the Soldiers out [of the Army] they have been making out some of the papers but they was all rong...the Surgeon in Charge Says that thare is no chance for us to get to go to our Regt[.] So thare is no telling what they will do with us yet one thing is Shure they cant keep us only three months and a half at the furtherst [till the end of his 3 year term of enlistment] wee are doing fine here nothing to do only to eate Sleep and reade the news..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
May 19 Friday |
Mustered out of the Army. Corp. Nathan L. Chambers Co. C |
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May 20 Saturday |
Mustered out of the Army. Recruit Aaron Baker Co. F |
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May 21 Sunday |
Salisbury. Camped at Salisbury, N.C. Mustered out of the Army. Wag. Richard P. Lanham Co. H |
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May 22 Monday |
Mustered out of the Army. Recruit Michael Garraughty Co. I Sergt. Gideon Wells Co. I |
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May 23 Tuesday |
Discharged from the Army. Pvt. James P. Stewart Co. D |
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May 24 Wednesday |
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May 25 Thursday |
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May 26 Friday |
Mustered out of the Army. Pvt. James P. Whiting Co. F |
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May 27 Saturday |
Discharged from Army. Pvt. Eli W. Knowles Co. F |
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May 28 Sunday |
"I am glad to here that N.T. Chambers [Corp. Nathan L. Chambers Co. C, who mustered out May 18, '65 ] has got home..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
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May 29 Monday |
"I received a letter from Isaac [Corp. Isaac Demoss Co. C] this moring they are Camped neare Golesburough [Goldsborough] N.C. Isaac is well he has concluded to Stay untill his time is out he Says that they are having a fine time one hour a day for drill Stand guard every 8 days..." --1st Sergt. Samuel T. Reeves Co. C, letter from Camp Dennison Oh., to his wife Huldah and family in Edwardsport, Ind. |
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May 30 Tuesday |
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May 31 Wednesday |
Salisbury. Encamped at Salisbury, N.C. |
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This page Copyright by Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep Vee Productions. All Rights Reserved. Created February 4, 2001. Last updated February 26, 2005. |
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