Military History of Indiana through 1898

Indiana has had some of its citizens in four wars in which the United States has engaged since 1800: the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War. One of the most important engagements ever fought against the Indians in the United States was that of the battle of Tippecanoe, November 7, 1811. For the two or three years preceding, Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, had been getting the Indians ready for an insurrection. Tecumseh made a long trip throughout the western and southern part of the United States for the purpose of getting the Indians all over the country to rise up and drive out the white man. While he was still in the South, Governor Harrison descended upon the Indians at Tippecanoe and dealt them a blow from which they never recovered. The British had been urging the Indians to rise up against the settlers along the frontier, and the repeated depredations of the savages but increased the hostility of the United States toward England. General Harrison had about seven hundred fighting men, while the Indians numbered over a thousand. The Americans lost thirty-seven by death on the battlefield, twenty-five mortally wounded, and one hundred and twenty-six more or less seriously wounded. The savages carried most of their dead away, but it is known that about forty were actually killed in the battle and a proportionately large number wounded. In addition to the men who fought at Tippecanoe, the pioneers of the territory sent their quota to the front during the War of 1812. Unfortunately, records are not available to show the enlistments by counties.

During the administration of Governor Whitcomb (1846–49) the United States was engaged in a war with Mexico. Indiana contributed five regiments to the government during this struggle, and her troops performed with a spirit of singular promptness and patriotism during all the time they were at the front.

No Northern state had a more patriotic governor during the Civil War than Indiana, and had every governor in the North done his duty as conscientiously as did Governor Morton, that terrible struggle would undoubtedly have been materially shortened. When President Lincoln issued his call on April 15, 1861, for 75,000 volunteers, Indiana was asked to furnish 4,683 men as its quota. A week later there were no less than 12,000 volunteers at Camp Morton at Indianapolis. This loyal uprising was a tribute to the patriotism of the people, and accounts for the fact that Indiana sent more than 200,000 men to the front during the war. Indiana furnished practically seventy-five percent of its total population capable of bearing arms, and on this basis Delaware was the only state in the Union which exceeded Indiana. Of the troops sent from Indiana, 7,243 were killed or mortally wounded, and 19,429 died from other causes, making a total death loss of over thirteen percent for all the troops furnished.

During the summer of 1863, Indiana was thrown into a frenzy of excitement when it was learned that General Morgan had crossed the Ohio with 2,000 cavalrymen under his command. Probably Indiana never experienced a more exciting month than July of that year. Morgan entered the state in Harrison County and advanced northward through Corydon to Salem in Washington County. As his men went along they robbed orchards, looted farmhouses, stole all the horses which they could find and burned considerable property. From Salem, Morgan turned with his men to the east, having been deterred from his threatened advance on Indianapolis by the knowledge that the local militia of the state would soon be too strong for him. He hurried with his men toward the Ohio line, stopping at Versailles long enough to loot the county treasury. Morgan passed through Dearborn County over into Ohio, near Harrison, and a few days later, Morgan and most of his band were captured.

During the latter part of the war, there was considerable opposition to its prosecution on the part of the Democrats of this state. An organization known as the Knights of the Golden Circle at first, and later as the Sons of Liberty, was instrumental in stirring up much trouble throughout the state. Probably historians will never be able to agree as to the degree of their culpability in thwarting the government authorities in the conduct of the war. That they did many overt acts cannot be questioned and that they collected firearms for traitorous designs cannot be denied. Governor Morton and General Carrington, by a system of close espionage, were able to know at all times just what was transpiring in the councils of these orders. In the campaign of 1864 there was an open denunciation through the Republican press of the Sons of Liberty. On October 8 of that year the Republican newspapers carried these startling headlines: “You can rebuke this treason. The traitors intend to bring war to your home. Meet them at the ballot box while Grant and Sherman meet them on the battlefield.” A number of the leaders were arrested, convicted in a military court and sentenced to be shot. However, they were later pardoned.

The Spanish-American War of 1898 has been the last one in which troops from Indiana have borne a part. When President McKinley issued his call for 75,000 volunteers on April 25, 1898, Indiana was called upon to furnish three regiments. War was officially declared April 25, and formally came to an end by the signing of a protocol on August 12 of the same year. The main engagements of importance were the sea battles of Manila and Santiago and the land engagements of El Caney and San Juan Hill. According to the Treaty of Paris, signed December 12, 1898, Spain relinquished her sovereignty over Cuba, ceded to the United States Porto Rico and her other West India island possessions, as well as the island of Guam in the Pacific. Spain also transferred her rights in the Philippines for the sum of twenty million dollars paid to her for public work and improvements constructed by the Spanish government.

Research further: Indiana Military Forts