63rd Indiana Infantry

Early Formation
The 63rd Indiana became part of the Army of the Ohio in December 1862, staying with that organization until February 1865 when it was assigned to the Department of North Carolina.

The 63rd Indiana saw action at Second Bull Run, East Tennessee, Rocky Face Ridge and Resaca; Dallas, Lost Mountain, the Atlanta Campaign, and Hood’s Tennessee campaign, including Franklin and Nashville.
 * Source: The Union Army, Vol. 3.

63rd Indiana at Franklin
At Franklin (30 November 1864), the 63rd Indiana served on the far left Union flank with Israel N. Stiles' brigade, along with the 120th Indiana and 128th Indiana regiments. These three Indiana regiments faced the onslaught of the Confederates under Scott and Featherston that fateful day.


 * . . . Day before yesterday [would have been the Dec 20th], we was up at Franklin where there are hundreds of new made graves filled by the enemy. I went up into the old Breastworks where we lay and all over the front of our Brigade which is pretty well doted with rebble graves at our place there is 14 of Co. K of Miss[issippi] laying in a row. I see one grave marked Lt. J.P. See (sic), 55th Tenn. [This was J.P. Seed]. There are horses laying around almost on our works . . ..


 * - wrote to his wife on December 22nd, from Nashville (1864).Addison Lee Ewing letter

History of the 63rd Indiana
Sixty-third Infantry. -- Cols., John S. Williams, James McManomy Israel N. Stiles; Lieut.-Cols., John S. Williams, James McManomy Israel N. Stiles, Majs., Henry Tindall, James E. Patterson, Frank Wilcox Jonathan Birch.

Cos. A, B. C and D of this regiment were organize at Covington in Jan., 1862, and were ordered to Lafayette to guard a detachment of Confederate prisoners there, being formed into a battalion with John S. Williams as lieutenant-colonel. Soon after it was transferred to Camp Morton at Indianapolis for similar duty.

It was ordered east on May 27, and was engaged at the second battle of Bull Run. It then returned to Indianapolis, where the regiment was completed and mustered in Oct. 3, 1862.

Cos E, F. G and I were detached for provost guard duty and the other six companies left the state Dec. 25, for Shepherdsville, Ky., where they were engaged in railroad guard duty until Jan., 1864, being in several skirmishes. About the middle of Jan., 1864, the regiment came together at Camp Nelson, Ky., and left there on Feb. 25 for Knoxville, Tenn.

It left the latter place for Mossy creek on March 16, marched from there for Bull's Gap, where it was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 3d division, 23rd army corps, and moved toward Jonesboro on Apr. 23, marching 100 miles in four days, and burning the bridges and destroying the tracks of the Tennessee & Virginia railroad for many miles.

It effected a junction with Sherman's army at Red Clay, GA, May 4; was engaged at Rocky Face Ridge and Resaca. At the latter place the brigade, with the 63d in the front line, charged across an open field, more than half a mile in extent, under terrific fire and took a portion of the enemy's works, its loss being 18 killed and 94 wounded. It overtook the enemy at Cassville and drove him all the following day.

It took position at Dallas, where it lay in intrenchments until June 1, under the fire of three batteries, and was in line of battle from June 3 to 6. It was then in reserve until the 15th when it again took the front line near Lost Mountain.

It was under fire at the Kennesaw line, crossed Nose's Creek under a heavy fire, and was then in intrenchments until July 1. It reached Atlanta July 20 and was in the engagement of the 22nd. It was in various movements about Atlanta until Sept. 5 and then moved to Decatur, where it remained until Oct. 4, when it joined the force sent to intercept Hood.

From Dalton it marched to Nashville and Pulaski and then fell back before Hood's advance, being engaged daily. It participated in the battle of Franklin, repulsing repeated assaults, was also at the battle of Nashville; joined in the pursuit of Hood as far as the Tennessee River; moved on Jan. 16, 1865, for Alexandria, Va., and sailed from there on Feb. 3, for Fort Fisher, N. C.

It participated in the unsuccessful attempts to turn Hoke's position and was engaged at Fort Anderson, pursuing the retreating enemy to Town Creek. The regiment then moved into Wilmington and from there marched to Kinston, which place was reached on March 12. It left on the 20th for Goldsboro, moved to Raleigh on April 10, and to Greensboro May 5.

Cos. A, B. C and D were mustered out at Indianapolis May 20, 1865, and the remaining companies were mustered out June 21.

The original strength of the regiment was 872; gain by recruits, 373; total, 1,245. Loss by death, 184; desertion, 47; unaccounted for, 14.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 3

Links

 * Soldier from 63rd Indiana writes of Franklin-action detail
 * Addison Lee Ewing, 63rd Indiana Infantry