Overview
The 108th Indiana Infantry (Minute Men) was a short-term infantry regiment organized by the State of Indiana for Union service during the American Civil War. Raised in response to the emergency created by Confederate cavalry under John Hunt Morgan’s raid into Indiana in July 1863, the regiment was part of a rapid mobilization of state forces. The 108th Indiana Infantry served for a brief period in July 1863, primarily in defensive operations in Indiana and Ohio.
This unit is distinct from other Indiana regiments with similar designations organized for different service terms.
Organization & Service
The 108th Indiana Infantry (Minute Men) was organized at Indianapolis on July 12, 1863, in response to Governor Morton’s call for volunteers following the incursion of Morgan’s Confederate cavalry into southern Indiana. The regiment consisted of ten companies, with five companies from Tippecanoe County, two from Howard County, and one each from Carroll, Montgomery, and Wayne counties. The total strength was approximately 710 men, rank and file.
The regiment left Indianapolis on the night of July 13, 1863, moving first to Hamilton, Ohio, and then to Cincinnati, where it was stationed for a brief period as part of the emergency defense. Following the retreat of Morgan’s forces and the reduction of immediate threat, the 108th Indiana Infantry returned to Indianapolis. The regiment was mustered out of service on July 18, 1863. Its entire term of service was less than one week, and it did not participate in any major engagements.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Emergency mobilization during Morgan’s Raid (July 1863)
- Movement to Hamilton, Ohio, and Cincinnati for defensive duty
Casualties
No casualties from battle are recorded for the 108th Indiana Infantry (Minute Men), as the regiment did not engage in combat during its brief service. No deaths from disease or other causes are reported in primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel William C. Wilson
- Lieutenant Colonel John H. Gould
- Major Henry A. Brause
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 108th Indiana Infantry (Minute Men), including officers and enlisted men from Tippecanoe, Howard, Carroll, Montgomery, and Wayne counties, is available for genealogical and historical research. For a complete list of members and additional service details, please visit the regiment’s roster page.
View the 108th Indiana Infantry (Minute Men) regimental roster.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, relevant volumes (Morgan’s Raid correspondence, July 1863)
- Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 3