Overview
The 70th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was a Union regiment organized at Indianapolis, Indiana, and mustered into service on August 12, 1862. Serving in the infantry branch, the regiment was among the first Indiana units to respond to the July 1862 call for troops. The 70th Indiana saw extensive service in the Western Theater, participating in key campaigns and battles, and was notably commanded by Colonel Benjamin Harrison, who later became President of the United States.
The regiment was involved in guard, provost, and combat duties across Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas, and was mustered out in Washington, D.C., on June 8, 1865.
Organization & Service
The 70th Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis and mustered in on August 12, 1862. The regiment departed Indiana the following day for Bowling Green, Kentucky, becoming the first Indiana regiment in the field after the July 1862 call. Early in its service, the regiment participated in several expeditions, including an engagement at Russellville, Kentucky, where it fought against Confederate cavalry, inflicting losses and capturing horses and equipment.
Initially attached to Ward’s Brigade, Dumont’s Division, 14th Army Corps, the regiment moved to Scottsville, Kentucky, and then to Gallatin, Tennessee. From late 1862 into early 1863, the 70th Indiana performed guard duty along the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. After February 9, 1863, it was assigned to camp and provost duties until June 1, when it moved to Lavergne, Tennessee. On June 30, the regiment marched to Murfreesboro and was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Granger’s Reserve Corps. It moved to Nashville on August 19, 1863, and was engaged in guarding trains, picket, and fatigue duties.
On January 2, 1864, the regiment was transferred to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Corps, with Colonel Harrison assuming brigade command. In February, the regiment moved to Wauhatchie, Tennessee, and upon the formation of the 20th Corps, it was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division. The 70th Indiana participated in the Atlanta Campaign, notably capturing a fort and four Napoleon guns at Resaca. During the campaign, the regiment suffered significant casualties. On November 5, 1864, the reenlisted veterans and recruits of the 27th Indiana Infantry were consolidated with the 70th Indiana, and the combined unit participated in the Georgia and Carolina campaigns, concluding at Raleigh, North Carolina. The regiment then marched to Richmond, Virginia, and finally to Washington, D.C., where it was mustered out on June 8, 1865. Remaining recruits were transferred to the 33rd Indiana Infantry.
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
- Expedition to Russellville, Kentucky (1862)
- Guard duty on Louisville & Nashville Railroad (1862–1863)
- Camp and provost duty in Tennessee (1863)
- Atlanta Campaign (1864), including Resaca
- March to the Sea (Georgia Campaign, 1864)
- Carolinas Campaign (1865)
Casualties
The original strength of the regiment was 1,012, with an additional 358 recruits, totaling 1,370 men. Losses by death numbered 195. During the Atlanta Campaign, the regiment lost 41 killed, 43 died of wounds, and 191 were wounded. There were 39 desertions and 27 men unaccounted for. Figures are based on official reports and regimental records.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Benjamin Harrison
- Lieutenant Colonel James Burgess
- Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Merrill
- Major Samuel C. Vance
- Major Samuel Merrill
- Major Zachariah S. Ragan
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 70th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details for members of the regiment throughout its term of service.
To view the complete roster, visit the 70th Indiana Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts (see reports for the Army of the Cumberland and Army of the Tennessee, 1862–1865)
- 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, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 3