80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, January 1864 History

Below are brief descriptions of the 80th's day-to-day experiences in East Tennessee during January, 1864. The regiment spent the first half of the month near Mossy Creek before moving to Strawberry Plains and then to near Knoxville as part of 2nd Brig., 3rd Div., 23rd A.C. During this time the 80th picked up 22 new recruits while losing 8 men by death, transfer, and resignation.

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: A.C.=Army Corps; Asst.=Assistant; Brig.=Brigade; Chap.=Chaplain; Co.=Company; Col.=Colonel; Cpl.=Corporal; C.S.A.=Confederate States of America; Div.=Division; F&S=Field & Staff; Ind.=Indiana; Lieut.=Lieutenant; Pvt.=Private; Surg.=Surgeon; Tenn.=Tennessee; V.R.C.=Veterans Reserve Corps; Wag.=Wagoner; and '64=1864.

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, Volumes III and IV, 1861-1865 (Indianapolis, Indiana, 1866); personal diary of Pvt. John K. King, Co. A, 80th Ind. (1862-1865); and other items as noted.

*Dates*	*Synopsis of 80th Service*	*Quotes*
Jan. 1 Friday	Mossy Creek. Camped "in the field" at Mossy Creek, Tenn. "Number of enlisted men in the Company into which I desire to be mustered ...34... Number of Commissioned Officer in the same ...1..." --1st Sergt. Enos H. Kirk, Co. E, application for discharge as 1st Sergt. so he could be mustered in as the new 1st Lieut. of Co. E. Mustered in at Columbia, Tenn. 1st Sergt Enos H. Kirk as 1st Lieut. Co. E	"S.D. McCormick [Pvt. Samuel D. McCormick Co. A], A.R. Hopkins [Pvt. Andrew R. Hopkins Co. A], and I went to New Market and stayed all day and night. From January 1 at up to the 17th we were in camp at Mossy Creek, 26 miles from Knoxville [Tennessee]. Nothing of great interest going on. Cavalry skirmishing with the Rebels occasionally." --Pvt. John K. King, Co. A, personal diary.
Jan. 2 Saturday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 3 Sunday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 4 Monday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 5 Tuesday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 6 Wednesday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 7 Thursday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn. Mustered into the Army. Recruit Jefferson McCombs into Co. K
Jan. 8 Friday	Mossy Station. Camped at "Mossy Station," Tenn.
Jan. 9 Saturday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn. Mustered into the Army. Recruit Henry L. Douglass into Co. F Recruit William P. Males into Co. F Recruit John F. Moell into Co. F Recruit William W. Montgomery into Co. F Recruit Joseph W. Stevens into Co. F Recruit Thomas Taplor into Co. F
Jan. 10 Sunday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn. Died at Knoxville, Tenn. Pvt. John W. Doffran Co. I
Jan. 11 Monday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn. Mustered into the Army. Recruit Martin Belcher into Co. D Recruit William H. Belder Recruit William D. Clark Recruit Shadrick Holdren into Co. D Recruit John Pierson into Co. F Recruit James W. Sinclair Recruit Sasser Sullivan into Co. H
Jan. 12 Tuesday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 13 Wednesday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 14 Thursday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 15 Friday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn. Transferred to V.R.C. Pvt. Benjamin Alcom Co. F Cpl. Samuel N. Montgomery Co. F "wounds" Mustered into the Army. Recruit Andrew J. Hawkins into Co. H
Jan. 16 Saturday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 17 Sunday	Mossy Creek. Camped at Mossy Creek, Tenn.
Jan. 18 Monday	Strawberry Plains. Left Mossy Creek at 2 A.M. Marched 13 mi. to Strawberry Plains, Tenn., and went into camp. Rained all day. Co. F camped at "Mossey Station," Tenn.
Jan. 19 Tuesday	Snowed. Camped at Strawberry Plains, Tenn., on bank of Holston River. Snowed. Mustered into the Army. Recruit David P. Pitcher into Co. F Recruit Alvin Twity into Co. G
Jan. 20 Wednesday	In Camp. Camped at Strawberry Plains, Tenn., on bank of Holston River. Mustered into the Army. Recruit William H. Wells into Co. K
Jan. 21 Thursday	In Camp. Camped at Strawberry Plains, Tenn., on bank of Holston River.
Jan. 22 Friday	Burned the Bridge. Left camp at Strawberry Plains at 1 A.M., crossed the river, "burned" the bridge. Starting at 9 A.M., marched 9 mi. and camped. Clear day.
Jan. 23 Saturday	Skirmished. Moved several mi. toward Knoxville. Skirmished with Rebels. "Remained in line of battle all night."
Jan. 24 Sunday	All Quiet. Remained in place.
Jan. 25 Monday	Rations Scarce. Went into camp north of Knoxville. "Very scarse of rations. Drew no bread."
Jan. 26 Tuesday	Culbertsons Depart. Captured near Knoxville, Tenn. Pvt. Newton E. Redman Co. F Pvt. Isaac Spillman Co. F Resigned from the Army. Col. James L. Culbertson, F&S Assist. Surg. Robert H. Culbertson, F&S	"Can't get any bread. The boys are out of the notion of going into the veteran service." --Pvt. John K. King, Co. A, personal diary. When men joined the 80th they volunteered for a 3 year term of service. To encourage soldiers to re-enlist "for the duration of the war" the Army offered them several rewards, including designation as a veteran and a 30-day furlough at home. This was the "veteran service" referenced above.
Jan. 27 Wednesday	Bushwacked. Camped "in the field near Knoxville," Tenn. Killed by C.S.A. guerrillas near Knoxville, Tenn. Pvt. John F. Frederick Co. I Pvt. Sylvester T. McMullen Co. A Captured by C.S.A. "guerrillas" near Knoxville, Tenn. Pvt. William Gibson Co. D Pvt. Joseph Marlett Co. A Pvt. Edward Monk Co. K Pvt. Thomas Sizemore Co. A Wag. Moses Spencer Co. K Commissioned by Ind. Gov. Morton as 80th officer. Maj. John W. Tucker as Lieut. Col.	"Sent out a forage train and 17 men as guards. The Guerrillas captured 14. One got away. Two were killed. S.T. McMillen [Pvt. Sylvester T. McMullen] of Co. A and Joe Marlett [Pvt. Joseph Marlett] of Co. I [and] T. Sizemore [Pvt. Thomas Sizemore] of Co. A was captured." --Pvt. John K. King, Co. A, personal diary.
Jan. 28 Thursday	Half Rations. Camped in the field near Knoxville, Tenn. "Drawed one-half rations of crackers." Reported as Missing in Action. Pvt. George W. Carpenter Co. G Pvt. John W. Hodges Co. G
Jan. 29 Friday	Knoxville. Camped in the field near Knoxville, Tenn.
Jan. 30 Saturday	Winter Quarters. Camped in the field near Knoxville, Tenn. Ordered to build winter quarters. Clear day. Mustered into the Army. Recruit Tilford M. Brown into Co. D Recruit Theodore Busha into Co. G Recruit John Goun into Co. G Recruit William Jett into Co. D	"S.T. McMullin [Pvt. Sylvester T. McMullen Co. A] was buried." --Pvt. John K. King, Co. A, personal diary.
Jan. 31 Sunday	Sunday Services. Camped in the field near Knoxville, Tenn. Resigned from the Army. 2nd Lieut. Alexander R. Smith Co. F PRESENT FOR DUTY. Captain...............1 Sergeants...........3 Corporals..........6 Drummers..........1 Fifers.................1 Privates...........15 --Morning Report of Co. G, signed by: 1st Sergt. James F. Cantwell Capt. Jeremiah C. Gladish	"Brother Hobbs [Chap. Marmaduke M. C. Hobbs F&S] preached at 3 P.M." --Pvt. John K. King, Co. A, personal diary.

This page Copyright by Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep Vee Productions. All Rights Reserved. Created February 28, 2000. Last updated January 1, 2005.

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	January 1864 80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry An American Civil War Regiment
Corporal Samuel Newton Montgomery of Company F Was transferred Jan. 15, '64, to V.R.C. due to wounds suffered at Perryville, Ky. This post-war image courtesy of his Great Granddaughter Jaunita Montgomery Ruff Photograph has been electronically enhanced by Deep Vee Productions To view a larger copy of this, and the original image, click HERE.