Overview
The 71st Indiana Regiment, later designated as the 6th Indiana Cavalry, was an infantry and cavalry unit from Indiana that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized initially as infantry in August 1862, the regiment was later converted to cavalry in February 1863. The unit participated in significant campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, and was attached to various commands within the Army of the Ohio and the Military Division of the Mississippi.
The regiment is notable for its early heavy losses at the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, and for its later service as cavalry in the Atlanta Campaign, Stoneman’s Raid, and the Battle of Nashville. The 71st Indiana/6th Indiana Cavalry mustered out of service in September 1865.
Organization & Service
The 71st Indiana Regiment was organized as infantry and mustered in at Terre Haute, Indiana, on August 18, 1862. Shortly after organization, the regiment was sent to Kentucky to help repel Confederate General Kirby Smith’s invasion. At the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, the regiment suffered severe losses, with 215 killed and wounded and 347 captured, including Lieutenant Colonel Melville D. Topping and Major William Conkling among the killed. Only 225 men escaped capture. The captured members were paroled, returned to Terre Haute, and were exchanged late in the fall of 1862.
On December 27, 1862, the regiment returned to the field, with 400 men sent to Muldraugh’s Hill to guard trestle work. The next day, these men were surrounded and captured by Confederate cavalry under John Hunt Morgan. The regiment then returned to Indianapolis, remaining there until August 26, 1863. On February 23, 1863, the regiment was converted to cavalry and redesignated as the 6th Indiana Cavalry. Two additional companies were added during the year.
As cavalry, the regiment participated in the siege of Knoxville and operations against Longstreet on the Holston and Clinch Rivers, suffering further casualties. In the spring of 1864, the unit was ordered to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, to be remounted and stationed at Nicholasville until April. The regiment then moved to join Sherman’s army at Dalton, Georgia, arriving on May 11, 1864, and was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Ohio. It participated in the battles of Resaca, Cassville, Kennesaw Mountain, and other engagements during the Atlanta Campaign. The regiment aided in the capture of Allatoona Pass and was the first to raise a flag on Lost Mountain.
The 6th Indiana Cavalry took part in Stoneman’s Raid to Macon, Georgia, losing 166 men killed, wounded, or captured. After returning to Nashville on August 28, 1864, the regiment was remounted and sent in pursuit of Wheeler’s cavalry. It participated in the defense against Forrest’s invasion of Middle Tennessee, engaging at Pulaski and pursuing Confederate forces to Waterloo, Alabama. The regiment moved to Dalton, Georgia, on November 1, 1864, and returned to Nashville on November 26. It fought in the Battle of Nashville and joined in the pursuit of Hood’s army afterward.
The regiment remained at Nashville until April 1865, then moved to Pulaski, Tennessee, with the 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi. On June 17, 1865, the original members (425 men) were mustered out at Pulaski. The remaining recruits were consolidated with those of the 5th Indiana Cavalry, and the new organization continued as the 6th Indiana Cavalry. The unit remained in Middle Tennessee until September 15, 1865, when it was mustered out at Murfreesboro.
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
- Battle of Richmond, Kentucky (August 1862)
- Defense of Muldraugh’s Hill (December 1862)
- Siege of Knoxville (November–December 1863)
- Operations against Longstreet on Holston and Clinch Rivers (Winter 1863–1864)
- Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864): Resaca, Cassville, Kennesaw Mountain, Allatoona Pass, Lost Mountain
- Stoneman’s Raid to Macon, Georgia (July–August 1864)
- Operations against Wheeler’s and Forrest’s cavalry (August–October 1864): Pulaski, Waterloo
- Battle of Nashville (December 1864)
- Pursuit of Hood’s army (December 1864)
Casualties
- Original strength: 1,200
- Gained by recruits: 548
- Total enrollment: 1,748
- Loss by death: 260
- Deserted: 105
- Unaccounted for: 72
- Battle of Richmond: 215 killed and wounded, 347 captured
- Stoneman’s Raid: 166 killed, wounded, or captured
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel James Biddle
- Colonel Courtland C. Matson
- Lieutenant Colonel Melville D. Topping (killed at Richmond)
- Lieutenant Colonel Courtland C. Matson
- Major William Conklin (killed at Richmond)
- Major William W. Carter
- Major Daniel A. Conover
- Major Orlando J. Smith
- Major Jacob S. Stephens
- Major Chauncey H. Thompson
- Major Edward H. Thompson
- Major Russell P. Finney
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 71st Indiana Regiment / 6th Indiana Cavalry, listing all officers and enlisted men who served, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster includes details on company assignments, ranks, and service records where available.
To view the complete roster, visit the 71st Indiana Regiment / 6th Indiana Cavalry Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts
- Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H. 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