At the beginning of the American Civil War, Indiana like most states had
only a small militia, not professional soldiers. From all walks of life, including
farmers, mechanics, and small shop owners, men left their jobs to become
soldiers. Enlisting in companies as a recruit each man mustered in with fellow
townsmen. They marched through town and boarded trains for Camp Morton in
Indianapolis to answer President Lincoln’s call for 75,000 troops. Governor
Morton’s telegraph indicated Indiana would send 10,000 troops, though the first
quota set for Indiana was for six regiments of infantry.
by the 19th (of April, 1861)---three days after the call —
there were twenty-four hundred men in camp, and arrivals continued
by every train. So rapidly did volunteering proceed, in less than seve
n days more than twelve thousand men, or nearly three times the quo
ta required had been tendered.
Camps were later established throughout Indiana. Examples were Camp Vigo,
Camp Tippecanoe, Camp Sullivan, Camp Wayne, and Camp Carrington.
Once in camp each man needed a uniform, a rifle, and various other
accouterments, but these supplies were not readily available at the beginning of
the war. Many men brought supplies from home and signed up for a three-month
enlistment. They marched off with thoughts of victory and being home for
Christmas. Instead they found life as a soldier to be dangerous though
sometimes boring. This did not stop them from re-enlisting for three years and
making friendships that lasted a lifetime. For duty and honor,
the letters home reflected the making of inexperienced citizen
recruits into hardened war veterans.
DID YOU KNOW?
· The Army camp is organized by company, regiment, brigade,
division, and corps. Each company has approximately 100 men,
with commonly ten (10) companies to a regiment and the number of regiments to a
brigade varying with the size of the regiment and the commanding officer.
· A soldier’s knapsack and accouterments could weigh between 30 and 50 pounds.
(A student’s book bag should weigh 15 to 20 percent of the child’s weight; i.e., a 40-
pound child would carry six pounds.)
· Under the Militia Act of 1792 & 1795, seventy-five thousand (75,000) troops was the
most a president could call up or ask to serve without the consent of Congress.
Prior to enlistment in the army, most men had never been very far from
home. One thing that made this situation easier was that companies of men
came from the same town, city, or county. They could talk about the same
places, the same people, in some cases the same relatives. Many soldiers joined
to save the Union. Others joined to preserve the status quo. A much smaller
third group wanted the slaves to be freed from their owners. At the first camp the
troops learned military discipline and rules, elected their leaders, were issued
their uniforms, and worried about the family they left at home. The month or two
spent in endless drills and inspections made them eager to be on the trains for
the East or South. Letters in early 1861 reflected the optimism that they were off
on a great cause. They hoped the war was not over before they arrived on the
battlefront. To show honor and courage and not embarrass oneself was the
highest aim. David Mitchell Hudson wrote on March 8, 1864, that in his camp, “we can
see 3,000 men drawn up to line for battle, which I tell you looks considerably
military. Our camp looks just like a town.”
Many camps were organized with
proper streets of tents for officers and enlisted men, kitchens, sutlers, stockade,
and latrines. On the open fields around the camp the soldiers drilled and drilled
and drilled.
J.W. Bartmess, a recruit, wrote from Camp Carrington on Nov. 26, 1862,
to his wife, “the following is a list of what we get and the prices:
Dress coat $6.71
Over Coat $7.20
pants $3.03
Shirts .88
drawers .50
Socks .26
blanket $2.60
knap sack $2.75
Canteen .48
haversack .48
Rubber blanket $1.25
hat $1.55
trimmings on hat .30
total $27.99
and he ended this commentary with “but we get no trimmings you know."
In addition to clothes soldiers carried food for the number of days they were on
the march, as well as, their rifle, accouterments, and any personal items such
as cards or a tin type photographs of loved ones.
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