Overview
The 76th Indiana Infantry (Thirty Days’ Service) was a short-term Union infantry regiment organized in Indiana during the summer of 1862. Mustered into service on July 20, 1862, the regiment was raised in response to guerrilla activity along the Ohio River, particularly following the raid at Newburg. The unit served primarily in Indiana and Kentucky, focusing on internal security and anti-guerrilla operations.
This regiment served the Union cause for a period of thirty days and was not engaged in major campaigns but played a key role in local defense and the protection of transportation routes.
Organization & Service
The 76th Indiana Infantry (Thirty Days’ Service) was organized rapidly in July 1862 at the initiative of Col. James Gavin and Lt. Col. John T. Wilder, following the capture of Union convalescents and property by guerrillas at Newburg, Indiana. The regiment was mustered into service on July 20, 1862, with a total strength of 786 men.
After mustering, the regiment moved to Evansville, Indiana, and Henderson, Kentucky. Its primary duty was to suppress guerrilla activity and protect the region from further raids. Companies G and H were specifically assigned to guard steamers operating on the Ohio River. The regiment engaged in several skirmishes with guerrilla bands during its brief service. The 76th Indiana Infantry was mustered out at the end of its thirty-day term.
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
- Skirmishes with guerrilla bands near Evansville, Indiana, and Henderson, Kentucky (July–August 1862)
- Guard duty on steamers along the Ohio River
Casualties
- Killed or died of wounds: 1
- Died of disease: Not reported
- Total losses: 1
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel James Gavin
- Lieutenant Colonel John T. Wilder
- Major Samuel W. Elliott
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 76th Indiana Infantry (Thirty Days’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served during the regiment’s brief term.
To view the complete roster, visit the 76th Indiana Infantry (Thirty Days’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XVI
- 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