Overview
The 117th Indiana Infantry (Six Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Indianapolis, Indiana, and mustered into United States service on September 17, 1863. The regiment served in the Union Army, primarily operating in Kentucky and East Tennessee during its brief term. It was part of the Western Theater and is notable for its participation in the East Tennessee campaign and its challenging service conditions.
Organization & Service
The 117th Indiana Infantry (Six Months’ Service) was organized at Indianapolis and mustered in on September 17, 1863, for a six-month term. Immediately after organization, the regiment departed Indiana for Nicholasville, Kentucky, where it joined Mahan’s brigade. The brigade moved to Cumberland Gap and then advanced into East Tennessee, establishing camp at Greeneville.
The regiment remained at Greeneville until November 1863, when it marched to Bean’s Station. During the attack on General Hascall’s command by Confederate forces under Longstreet in November, the 117th Indiana was stationed at Clinch Gap, three miles from Bean’s Station. The regiment was temporarily cut off from the main Union body by a Confederate brigade positioned on the intersecting roads. Under Colonel Thomas T. Brady’s leadership, the regiment abandoned its baggage and retreated over lesser-known roads and by-paths, successfully rejoining the main command at Bean’s Station before the engagement concluded.
Following this episode, the regiment moved to Cumberland Gap, then to Tazewell, and subsequently over the mountains to Knoxville. In late December 1863, it marched to Strawberry Plains and, in early January 1864, to Maynardville. The regiment endured severe hardships, including limited rations, inadequate footwear, and exposure to harsh winter conditions. The 117th Indiana marched from Cumberland Gap back to Indianapolis, arriving on February 5, 1864, and was mustered out a few days later.
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
- East Tennessee Campaign (1863–1864)
- Operations at Cumberland Gap
- March to Greeneville
- Bean’s Station (November 1863)
- Clinch Gap
- March to Knoxville
- Strawberry Plains
- Maynardville
Casualties
- Original strength: 997
- Gained by recruits: 15
- Total enrolled: 1,012
- Loss by death: 95
- Deserted: 13
- Unaccounted for: 32
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Thomas T. Brady
- Lieutenant Colonel Stephen D. Sayles
- Major James E. Bryant
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 117th Indiana Infantry (Six Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and other service details for those who served in the regiment during its term.
To view the complete roster, visit the 117th Indiana Infantry (Six Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 30, Part I–III
- Indiana Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 3 (1908)