83rd Indiana Infantry in the American Civil War

Overview

The 83rd Indiana Infantry (Union) was an infantry regiment organized at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and mustered into Federal service on September 9, 1862. Serving in the Western Theater, the regiment was composed of nine companies of enlisted men and one company of drafted men. The drafted men were discharged after nine months of service, ending in August 1863. The 83rd Indiana participated in major campaigns and battles from the Mississippi Valley to the Carolinas, serving until the close of the war.

The regiment was attached to various brigades and divisions within the Army of the Tennessee and later the Army of Georgia. It is notable for its active participation in the Vicksburg Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, and Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Organization & Service

The 83rd Indiana Infantry was organized at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and mustered in on September 9, 1862. The regiment initially consisted of nine companies of volunteers and one company of drafted men, the latter being mustered out after nine months of service from November 15, 1862.

After organization, the regiment moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where it was assigned to the army operating in western Tennessee. It participated in the march to the Tallahatchie River and the December 1862 campaign against Vicksburg, including the assault at Chickasaw Bluffs. The 83rd Indiana then joined the Arkansas Post expedition and took part in the storming and capture of Arkansas Post in January 1863.

Following this, the regiment joined Grant’s army for the Vicksburg Campaign. It was engaged at the battle of Champion’s Hill and participated in the assaults on Vicksburg on May 19 and 22, remaining in the trenches until the city’s surrender on July 4, 1863. The regiment then took part in the siege and capture of Jackson, Mississippi.

After the Vicksburg Campaign, the 83rd Indiana accompanied Sherman’s army to Memphis, marched to Chattanooga, and fought at Missionary Ridge in November 1863. The regiment wintered near Cleveland, Tennessee, before joining the Atlanta Campaign in 1864. It was engaged at Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, near Atlanta, and at Jonesboro. In October 1864, the regiment moved north in pursuit of Hood’s forces.

The 83rd Indiana then participated in Sherman’s March to the Sea, including the assault on Fort McAllister. In early 1865, it moved to Beaufort, South Carolina, and marched through the Carolinas, fighting at Columbia, South Carolina, and Bentonville, North Carolina. After the surrender of Johnston’s army, the regiment marched to Washington, D.C., via Raleigh, Petersburg, and Richmond, and participated in the Grand Review in May 1865. The regiment was mustered out on June 3, 1865, with remaining recruits transferred to the 48th 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

  • March to the Tallahatchie River (1862)
  • Chickasaw Bluffs (December 1862)
  • Arkansas Post (January 1863)
  • Vicksburg Campaign (May–July 1863), including Champion’s Hill and assaults on May 19 and 22
  • Siege and capture of Jackson, Mississippi (July 1863)
  • Missionary Ridge (November 1863)
  • Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864): Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, near Atlanta, Jonesboro
  • Pursuit of Hood (October 1864)
  • Sherman’s March to the Sea (November–December 1864), including assault on Fort McAllister
  • Carolinas Campaign (1865): Columbia, South Carolina; Bentonville, North Carolina
  • March to Washington, D.C., and Grand Review (May 1865)

Casualties

  • Original strength: 973
  • Gained by recruits: 120
  • Total served: 1,093
  • Loss by death: 249
  • Desertion: 19
  • Unaccounted for: 116

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources regarding the breakdown of deaths by cause.

Field Officers & Commanders

  • Colonel Benjamin J. Spooner
  • Colonel George H. Scott
  • Lieutenant Colonel James H. Cravens
  • Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin H. Myers
  • Lieutenant Colonel George H. Scott
  • Lieutenant Colonel William N. Craw
  • Major James S. Jelley
  • Major Jacob W. Eggleston
  • Major George H. Scott
  • Major Eli F. Scott

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 83rd Indiana Infantry, including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official sources.

To view the complete roster, visit the 83rd Indiana Infantry Regimental Roster page.

Sources & References

  • Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XVII, XXIV, XXXII, XXXVIII, XLIV
  • 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
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