Overview
The 144th Indiana Infantry (One Year’s Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Indianapolis, Indiana, during the final months of the Civil War. Mustered into Union service in March 1865, the regiment was part of Indiana’s response to a late-war call for one-year troops. The unit served in the Eastern Theater, primarily performing guard and garrison duties in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
The regiment was composed of companies recruited from Indiana’s 2nd Congressional district. Its service was brief, reflecting the late date of its organization and the rapid conclusion of hostilities in the spring of 1865.
Organization & Service
The 144th Indiana Infantry (One Year’s Service) was organized at Indianapolis in March 1865. The regiment was mustered into United States service on March 6, 1865, with a total strength of 1,036 officers and men. Colonel George W. Riddle commanded the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel Henry C. Ferguson and Major Thomas Clark as principal field officers.
On March 9, 1865, the regiment departed Indiana for Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Upon arrival, it was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Provisional Division, Army of the Shenandoah. The 144th Indiana was subsequently ordered to Halltown and performed guard and garrison duty at several locations, including Charlestown, Winchester, Stephenson’s Depot, and Opequan Creek. The regiment remained on duty in these areas until August 5, 1865, when it was mustered out of service at the close of the war.
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
- Guard and garrison duty at Harper’s Ferry, Halltown, Charlestown, Winchester, Stephenson’s Depot, and Opequan Creek, Virginia (March–August 1865)
Casualties
- Killed or died of disease: 46
- Deserted: 19
- Unaccounted for: 1
Total losses are as reported in the regimental summary; more detailed breakdowns are not available in primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel George W. Riddle
- Lieutenant Colonel Henry C. Ferguson
- Major Thomas Clark
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 144th Indiana Infantry (One Year’s Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and company assignments as recorded at the time of service.
To view the complete roster, visit the 144th Indiana Infantry (One Year’s Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, relevant volumes
- Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 3 (1908)