19TH INDIANA INFANTRY
3 YEAR ENLISTMENT
Colonels: Solomon Meredith, Samuel J. Williams, John M. Lindley
LT Colonels: Robert A. Cameron, Alois O. Bachman,
Samuel J. Williams, William W. Dudley, John M. Lindley
Majors: Alois O. Bachman, Isaac M. May, William W. Dudley,
John M. Lindley, William Orr
The Regiment was organized and mustered into service in Indianapolis on July 29th 1861.
Joined the Army of the Potomac in Washington August 9th 1861.
Its first action was at Lewinsville, Va September 11th losing 3 men killed & wounded with 3 missing.
The Next action was at Falls Church After which it went into winter quarters at FT. Craig near Washington.
March 10th 1862 found it attached to McDowell's 1st corps with which it moved towards Fredericksburg and then towards the Shenandoah Valley.
It remained at Warrenton until August 5th, Then making a reconnaissance toward Spotsylvania Court House.
It joined Generals Popes Army and fought at Cedar Mountain, Gainesville (Brawners Farm) and the 2nd Bull Run.
At the battle of Gainesville it lost 187 men killed & wounded with another 33 missing.
After the battle of 2nd Bull Run it was Station for a time in Washington, then moved to Frederick City, Md
When Lee began his invasion of Maryland the 19th moved with Hookers Corps in pursuit. At the battle of South Mountain the regiment lost 40 killed & wounded and 7 missing.
This was also the battle where together with 2nd,6th and 7th Wisconsin the brigade got it nickname the Iron Brigade.
The next action was Antietam where it lost 37 men in the action.
On October 6th Col. Meredith was promoted to Brigadier- General. Lt Col Williams becoming colonel.
At Fredericksburg the 19th was in the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps but was only slightly engaged.
It then went into winter quarters until the beginning of the Chancellorsville campaign when it was in the engagement at Fitzhugh's Crossing where it lost 4 men killed and wounded.
It was in position at Chancellorsville but was not called into the auction.
It was then attached to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps.
It was the first of the infantry to engage the enemy at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863.
The regiment aided in the capture of Archers Confederate Brigade.
It lost 210 men killed, wounded, missing out of 288 engaged.
July 2-3 found it in position on Cemetery Hill but was not seriously engaged.
It then took part in the Mine Run Campaign and pass winter quarters at Culpeper, were a portion of the regiment reenlisted.
The 19th then broke camp and took part in the battles of the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor.
It served in the trenches before Petersburg until the end of the siege.
Total losses from May 4th to July 30th 1864 were 36 killed, 168 wounded and 16 missing,
The non-veterans were mustered out at Indianapolis early in August 1864.
The veterans and recruits as part of the "Iron Brigade" took part in the Weldon Railroad expedition.
On October 18th, 1864 due loses that the regiment received while on duty and the army's policy of consolidation, the 19th Indiana was consolidated with the 20th Indiana.
Col Orr of the 19th becoming colonel and served thus until the 20th was mustered out at Louisville, Ky, July12,1865.
Source: The Union Army, Vol. 3