Overview
The 78th Indiana Infantry (Sixty Days’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized by the State of Indiana for Union service during the American Civil War. Mustered in during August 1862 at Evansville, Indiana, this regiment was raised specifically for a short-term, sixty-day enlistment to address the threat of guerrilla activity along the southern Indiana and Kentucky border. The regiment served in the Western Theater and was primarily tasked with border security and anti-guerrilla operations.
This unit is distinct from any other Indiana regiments with similar designations that served under different terms of enlistment.
Organization & Service
The 78th Indiana Infantry (Sixty Days’ Service) was organized in the summer of 1862 in response to frequent guerrilla raids in the region. The regiment was mustered into federal service on August 5, 1862, at Evansville, Indiana, with a total strength of 587 men. Its primary assignment was to guard the border and suppress guerrilla activity, operating mainly from Evansville.
The regiment conducted several expeditions into Kentucky in pursuit of guerrilla bands. During one such expedition, a portion of the regiment was captured and paroled at Uniontown, Kentucky. For most of its service, the 78th Indiana was engaged in picket and guard duty along the Indiana-Kentucky border. The regiment completed its term of service and was mustered out at the end of its sixty-day enlistment.
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
- Expeditions from Evansville, Indiana, into Kentucky (August–September 1862)
- Skirmish and capture at Uniontown, Kentucky
- Picket and guard duty along the Indiana-Kentucky border
Casualties
- Killed or died of wounds: 0
- Died of disease: 4
- Deserted: 2
- Total known losses: 6
Field Officers & Commanders
- Lieutenant Colonel William L. Farran
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 78th Indiana Infantry (Sixty Days’ 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 78th Indiana Infantry (Sixty 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