19th Indiana Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War

Overview

The 19th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment from Indiana that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Indianapolis and mustered in on July 29, 1861, the regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac and was notably assigned to the famed “Iron Brigade.” The unit was engaged in many of the major campaigns and battles in the Eastern Theater, earning a reputation for its discipline and heavy combat losses.

The 19th Indiana Infantry participated in significant actions from its early service in Virginia through the end of the war, including the battles of Second Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, and the Petersburg siege. The regiment was consolidated with the 20th Indiana Infantry in October 1864, and its veterans served until final muster out in July 1865.

Organization & Service

The 19th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized and mustered in at Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 29, 1861. The regiment moved to Washington, D.C., on August 9, 1861, joining the Army of the Potomac. Its first engagement occurred at Lewinsville, Virginia, on September 11, 1861, followed by action at Falls Church. The regiment spent the winter at Fort Craig near Washington.

In March 1862, the regiment was attached to McDowell’s (1st) Corps and participated in movements toward Fredericksburg and the Shenandoah Valley, remaining at Warrenton until August. It then joined General Pope’s army and fought at Cedar Mountain, Gainesville, and the Second Battle of Bull Run, suffering heavy losses at Gainesville. Afterward, the regiment was stationed in Washington before moving to Frederick, Maryland, and pursuing Lee’s army during the Maryland Campaign. The 19th Indiana sustained significant casualties at South Mountain and Antietam, where only 37 of 200 engaged returned from the field.

Following Antietam, Colonel Solomon Meredith was promoted, and Lieutenant Colonel Samuel J. Williams assumed command. The regiment was present at Fredericksburg but only lightly engaged. It wintered until the Chancellorsville Campaign, participating in the action at Fitzhugh’s Crossing and being present but not engaged at Chancellorsville. In June 1863, the regiment joined the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, and was among the first infantry to engage at Gettysburg, suffering severe losses on July 1. The regiment then participated in the Mine Run Campaign and wintered near Culpeper, with some men reenlisting as veterans.

In 1864, the 19th Indiana took part in the Overland Campaign, fighting at the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spotsylvania, North Anna River, and Cold Harbor, and then served in the trenches before Petersburg. From May 4 to July 30, 1864, the regiment lost 36 killed, 168 wounded, and 16 missing. Non-veterans mustered out in August 1864, while veterans and recruits continued service as part of the Iron Brigade, joining the expedition against the Weldon Railroad. On October 18, 1864, the regiment was consolidated with the 20th Indiana Infantry, and the combined unit served until final muster out at Louisville, Kentucky, on July 12, 1865.

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

  • Lewinsville, Virginia (September 11, 1861)
  • Falls Church
  • Cedar Mountain
  • Gainesville
  • Second Bull Run
  • South Mountain
  • Antietam
  • Fredericksburg
  • Fitzhugh’s Crossing (Chancellorsville Campaign)
  • Gettysburg
  • Mine Run Campaign
  • Wilderness
  • Laurel Hill
  • Spotsylvania
  • North Anna River
  • Cold Harbor
  • Petersburg Siege
  • Weldon Railroad Expedition

Casualties

  • Lewinsville: 3 killed and wounded, 3 missing
  • Gainesville: 187 killed and wounded, 33 missing
  • South Mountain: 40 killed and wounded, 7 missing
  • Antietam: Of 200 engaged, only 37 returned
  • Fitzhugh’s Crossing: 4 killed and wounded
  • Gettysburg: 210 casualties out of 288 engaged on July 1, 1863
  • May 4–July 30, 1864 (Overland Campaign): 36 killed, 168 wounded, 16 missing

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

  • Colonel Solomon Meredith
  • Colonel Samuel J. Williams
  • Colonel John M. Lindley
  • Lieutenant Colonel Robert A. Cameron
  • Lieutenant Colonel Alois O. Bachman
  • Lieutenant Colonel William W. Dudley
  • Major Alois O. Bachman
  • Major Isaac M. May
  • Major William W. Dudley
  • Major John M. Lindley
  • Major William Orr

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 19th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details where available.

To view the complete roster, visit the 19th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

  • Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XII, XIX, XXVII, XXXVI, XL
  • Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
  • Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
  • Fox, William F., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
  • The Union Army, Vol. 3 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)
Scroll to Top