41st Indiana Regiment / 2nd Indiana Cavalry in the American Civil War

Overview

The 2nd Indiana Cavalry (also designated as the 41st Indiana Regiment) served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Indianapolis in September 1861, it was the first complete cavalry regiment raised in Indiana. The regiment was mustered into Federal service on December 9, 1861, and served primarily in the Western Theater, participating in major campaigns and numerous engagements across Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.

The 2nd Indiana Cavalry was known for its active field service, including participation in the siege of Corinth, the pursuit of Confederate forces in Kentucky, and operations with Sherman’s army during the Atlanta Campaign. The regiment was mustered out on July 22, 1865.

Organization & Service

The 2nd Indiana Cavalry was organized at Indianapolis in September 1861 and mustered in on December 9, 1861. It departed Indiana for Louisville on December 16, then moved to Camp Wickliffe, Kentucky. The regiment joined Buell’s Army of the Ohio, advancing to the Tennessee River and arriving at the field of Shiloh after the battle had concluded.

In April 1862, the regiment engaged in a skirmish en route to Corinth and fought at Pea Ridge (Mississippi), followed by a reconnaissance in force that drove Confederate forces for several miles. The 2nd Indiana Cavalry was actively engaged during the siege of Corinth and, after the city’s evacuation, moved with Buell’s army into northern Alabama. The regiment saw action at Tuscumbia and participated in engagements at McMinnville and Gallatin in August 1862. In September, it moved into Kentucky in pursuit of Bragg’s forces, fighting at Vinegar Hill and Perryville. A detachment under Major Hill recaptured a government train, inflicting casualties and capturing prisoners.

During the winter of 1862–63, the regiment was stationed near Nashville and later moved to Kentucky before returning to Tennessee. It engaged at Triune in June 1863 and performed railroad guard duty in the fall. The regiment entered eastern Tennessee as winter approached, fighting at Talbot’s Station in December. On January 10, 1864, at Mossy Creek, the regiment reenlisted as veterans. Throughout the winter, it conducted numerous scouts and skirmishes.

In May 1864, the 2nd Indiana Cavalry joined Sherman’s army for the Atlanta Campaign, engaging at Varnell’s Station, Acworth, Newnan, and near Atlanta. After the occupation of Atlanta, non-veterans were mustered out, and the remaining veterans and recruits were consolidated into a battalion of four companies under Major Hill on September 14, 1864. This battalion served in Kentucky in late 1864 and was transferred to Eastport, Alabama, in January 1865. The regiment participated in Wilson’s Raid through Alabama, engaging at Scottsville and West Point, where it suffered significant losses. The 2nd Indiana Cavalry was mustered out on July 22, 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

  • Shiloh (arrived after battle)
  • Skirmish en route to Corinth
  • Pea Ridge (Mississippi), April 1862
  • Siege of Corinth, April–May 1862
  • Tuscumbia, Alabama
  • McMinnville, Tennessee, August 1862
  • Gallatin, Tennessee, August 1862
  • Vinegar Hill, Kentucky, September 1862
  • Perryville, Kentucky, October 1862
  • Triune, Tennessee, June 1863
  • Talbot’s Station, Tennessee, December 1863
  • Varnell’s Station, Georgia, May 1864
  • Acworth, Georgia
  • Newnan, Georgia
  • Near Atlanta, Georgia
  • Scottsville, Alabama, 1865
  • West Point, Alabama, 1865

Casualties

  • Original strength: 1,039
  • Gained by recruits: 301
  • Reenlistments: 5
  • Total served: 1,345
  • Loss by death: 131
  • Desertions: 47
  • Unaccounted for: 273

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources regarding the breakdown of killed, wounded, and died of disease.

Field Officers & Commanders

  • Colonel John A. Bridgland
  • Colonel Robert N. Hudson
  • Colonel Edward M. McCook
  • Colonel James W. Stewart
  • Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Morris
  • Lieutenant Colonel Edward M. McCook
  • Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Stewart
  • Lieutenant Colonel Joseph B. Presdee
  • Major Edward M. McCook
  • Major Robert R. Stewart
  • Major Samuel Hill
  • Major Jehu C. Hannum
  • Major James Conner
  • Major Isaiah D. Walker
  • Major James W. Stewart
  • Major Joseph B. Presdee
  • Major David A. Briggs
  • Major John S. Edwards

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of the 2nd Indiana Cavalry (41st Indiana Regiment) provides names and service details for all officers and enlisted men who served in the regiment. This information is valuable for genealogical and historical research.

To view the full roster, please visit the 2nd Indiana Cavalry (41st Indiana Regiment) Roster page.

Sources & References

  • Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 10, 16, 23, 38, and others as applicable
  • 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
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