Author: Johanna Wickman

RG 94 Spotlight: 21st Michigan Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 21st Michigan Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 21st Michigan Infantry: From Perryville to Sherman’s March

A group of 21st Michigan Infantry soldiers pose in the field in the undated photo.
A group of 21st Michigan Infantry soldiers pose in the field in this undated photo. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/69595

When the 21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry was organized in the summer of 1862, few could have imagined the remarkable path the regiment would follow during the Civil War. Recruited primarily from western and northern Michigan counties and mustered into service on September 4, 1862, the regiment entered the war at a time when the Union desperately needed fresh troops. Over the next three years, the men of the 21st Michigan would participate in some of the war’s most significant campaigns, including Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, and Sherman’s March to the Sea.

The regiment’s story is one of endurance. The men faced hard marching, heavy combat, disease, captivity, and the constant challenge of maintaining their ranks. Yet despite these hardships, the 21st Michigan earned a reputation as a dependable regiment that could be called upon for both combat and engineering duties whenever the Union Army needed them.

A Regiment Raised in Michigan

The 21st Michigan was recruited from a large area of the state, including Ionia, Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Grand Traverse, Mackinac, and many other counties. According to Michigan’s official wartime records, the regiment entered service with approximately 1,000 officers and men. Before departing for the front, the regiment was presented with a silk flag by the women of Ionia, a symbol of the community’s support and confidence in the volunteers who were leaving home for war.

The presentation of colors was an important moment in the life of any Civil War regiment. Michigan records note that the flag was carried throughout the regiment’s service and survived all of its campaigns. After the war, it was formally returned to the citizens who had presented it, serving as a tangible reminder of the sacrifices made by the regiment and the communities that supported it.

First Battles in Kentucky and Tennessee

The 21st Michigan entered active service quickly. The regiment was sent west and soon found itself engaged in the Kentucky Campaign. Its first major battle came at Perryville in October 1862, one of the largest battles fought in Kentucky. Although still inexperienced, the regiment performed well under fire and gained valuable battlefield experience.

The men later participated in the Battle of Stones River near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where Union and Confederate forces fought one of the bloodiest engagements of the war. Like many regiments in the Army of the Cumberland, the 21st Michigan endured harsh winter conditions, long marches, and repeated combat operations that steadily reduced its numbers.

As casualties mounted from battle and disease, maintaining the regiment’s strength became increasingly difficult. Nevertheless, the regiment remained in active service and continued to accompany the Army of the Cumberland during some of its most important campaigns.

Chickamauga and the Capture of Colonel McCreery

Portrait of William B. McCreery, Colonel of the 21st Michigan Infantry later in life. McCreery escaped Libby Prison in Richmond, VA through a tunnel. After the war he had a successful career in banking and also served as Michigan's State Treasurer for three years.
Portrait of William B. McCreery, Colonel of the 21st Michigan Infantry later in life. McCreery escaped Libby Prison in Richmond, VA through a tunnel. After the war he had a successful career in banking and also served as Michigan’s State Treasurer for three years.

One of the regiment’s most difficult experiences came during the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. During the fighting, Colonel William B. McCreery was wounded and captured by Confederate forces. He was eventually transported to the notorious Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, where many Union officers were held under harsh conditions.

Years later, McCreery described Libby Prison as “that prison-house of torture and slow death, familiarly known as the ‘Libby Prison.'” His account provides a vivid firsthand description of the suffering endured by Union prisoners. Conditions were crowded, food was scarce, and disease was common. Prisoners often depended upon supplies sent from home for survival.

McCreery’s story did not end in captivity. In February 1864, he participated in one of the most famous prison escapes of the Civil War. More than one hundred Union officers tunneled out of Libby Prison in a daring attempt to regain their freedom. Reflecting on his successful return to Union lines, McCreery later wrote:

“It was like passing from death unto life, and our hearts filled with gratitude.”

His escape became one of the most remarkable episodes associated with the 21st Michigan and demonstrated the determination that characterized many of the regiment’s officers and men.

More Than Infantry: Engineers at Chattanooga

Headquarters of the 21st Michigan Infantry. 1865 (?) based on other photographs this camp was in Chattanooga Tn around November 1864.
Headquarters of the 21st Michigan Infantry. Based on other photographs this camp was in Chattanooga TN around November 1864. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/68091

Although organized as an infantry regiment, the 21st Michigan often performed engineering duties that proved vital to Union success. Following the Union victory at Chattanooga, the regiment helped rebuild essential infrastructure needed to support military operations in Tennessee and Georgia.

The soldiers worked as carpenters, laborers, and bridge builders. They assisted in constructing storehouses, repairing transportation routes, and improving supply lines. One of their most important contributions was helping create the Military Bridge across the Tennessee River. This bridge allowed Union forces to move men and supplies more efficiently and helped establish Chattanooga as a major logistical center.

These engineering assignments may not have carried the glory of battlefield charges, but they were essential to the Union war effort. Without reliable transportation and supply networks, armies could not remain in the field. The work of regiments like the 21st Michigan helped make future campaigns possible.

Sherman’s Campaigns

In 1864, the 21st Michigan returned to more active combat service during General William T. Sherman’s campaigns in Georgia. The regiment participated in operations leading to the capture of Atlanta and later joined Sherman during his famous March to the Sea.

The campaign represented a new style of warfare. Rather than simply defeating Confederate armies, Sherman sought to destroy the South’s ability to continue the war. Railroads, supply depots, and military resources were systematically targeted. Soldiers frequently conducted foraging expeditions to gather food and supplies from the countryside.

For the men of the 21st Michigan, these operations involved constant marching and hard labor. They moved through Georgia and later the Carolinas, helping to bring increasing pressure on the Confederacy during the final year of the war.

The Regiment’s Legacy

Like many Civil War units, the 21st Michigan suffered heavily from disease as well as combat. Hundreds of men who entered service in 1862 never returned home. Yet the regiment’s record illustrates the diverse responsibilities that Civil War soldiers often carried. They fought in major battles, guarded supply lines, built bridges, repaired infrastructure, and endured the hardships of military life over three long years of war.

The history of the 21st Michigan also reminds us that victory depended on more than battlefield heroics. The regiment’s engineering work at Chattanooga, its service during major campaigns, and the perseverance of men like Colonel McCreery all contributed to the Union cause.

When the war ended in 1865, the regiment returned home having participated in some of the most important operations of the Western Theater. Their battle-worn regimental flag, carried from Kentucky to Georgia and beyond, stood as a symbol of service, sacrifice, and endurance. Today, the story of the 21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry remains an important chapter in both Michigan history and the broader story of the Civil War.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 1,036 digital scans of the 21st Michigan Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of just over 1,000 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Order books, Letter books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “21st Michigan Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 21st Michigan Infantry.

 

Juneteenth and the Civil War: The Long Road from Emancipation to Freedom

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

Juneteenth and the Civil War: The Long Road from Emancipation to Freedom

Unidentified African American soldier in uniform posed before a stylized backdrop featuring a canon, other weaponry, a tent, an ironclad gunboat, and an American flag at Benton Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri. He appears to hold a conversion musket with a fixed bayonet, possibly a prop.
Unidentified African American soldier in uniform posed before a stylized backdrop featuring a canon, other weaponry, a tent, an ironclad gunboat, and an American flag at Benton Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri. He appears to hold a conversion musket with a fixed bayonet, possibly a prop. Source: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/21508

Every year on June 19, Americans commemorate Juneteenth, a holiday that marks one of the most important milestones in the history of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery in the United States. While many people know Juneteenth as the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free, the story is deeply rooted in the Civil War itself. The holiday represents not only the end of slavery in Texas but also the culmination of years of military struggle, political change, and the efforts of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who fought to preserve the Union and destroy the institution of slavery.

Understanding Juneteenth requires looking back at the Civil War and the events that transformed the conflict from a war to preserve the Union into a war for freedom.

The Emancipation Proclamation Changes the War

Following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federal Army began recruiting Black soldiers to serve in US Colored Troops regiments. One of the more famous of those regiments, the 54th MA Infantry, was portrayed in the film "Glory."
Following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federal Army began recruiting Black soldiers to serve in US Colored Troops regiments. One of the more famous of those regiments, the 54th MA Infantry, was portrayed in the film “Glory.” Source: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/35240

When the Civil War began in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln initially focused on preserving the Union. As the war continued, however, it became increasingly clear that slavery lay at the heart of the conflict. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that enslaved people in states actively rebelling against the United States “are, and henceforward shall be free.” Although the proclamation did not immediately free every enslaved person in the country, it fundamentally transformed the purpose of the war. It made emancipation a Union war aim and linked military victory with the destruction of slavery.

The proclamation also authorized the enlistment of Black men into the Union military. By the end of the war, nearly 200,000 Black soldiers and sailors had served in the Union armed forces. Their service strengthened the Union war effort while demonstrating the determination of African Americans to secure their own freedom. The participation of these troops helped ensure that emancipation would become a reality rather than simply a promise on paper.

Freedom Delayed in Texas

Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, its enforcement depended on the presence of Union military forces. In many areas of the Confederacy, enslavers continued to hold people in bondage as long as Confederate authorities remained in control. Texas, in particular, was geographically isolated and largely untouched by major Union military operations during much of the war.

As a result, thousands of enslaved people remained in bondage even after Lincoln’s proclamation. In fact, many enslavers from other Southern states moved to Texas during the war, bringing enslaved men, women, and children with them in hopes of avoiding Union armies and preserving slavery. Consequently, the enslaved population in Texas grew during the conflict, making the eventual arrival of Union forces even more significant.

The Confederacy officially collapsed in the spring of 1865. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia in April, and Union victory was all but assured. Yet freedom still had not reached many enslaved Texans.

June 19, 1865: The Birth of Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with federal troops. Upon his arrival, Granger issued General Order No. 3, announcing that all enslaved people in Texas were free. The order informed Texans that, in accordance with the proclamation of the President of the United States, “all slaves are free.” It further declared that the former relationship between enslavers and enslaved people would be replaced by that of employer and hired laborer.

For approximately 250,000 enslaved people in Texas, the announcement represented the long-awaited arrival of freedom. The moment was both joyous and life-changing. Families who had endured generations of bondage celebrated, prayed, gathered with loved ones, and began planning for new lives beyond slavery. Although significant challenges remained, June 19 became a symbol of liberation and hope.

The U.S. Army’s Role in Enforcing Freedom

An Army Soldier reads the Emancipation Proclamation to a group of formerly enslaved persons. This print accompanied a pamphlet published by Lucius Stebbins detailing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1864. Library of Congress
An Army Soldier reads the Emancipation Proclamation to a group of formerly enslaved persons. This print accompanied a pamphlet published by Lucius Stebbins detailing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1864. Library of Congress.

The connection between Juneteenth and the Civil War is inseparable from the role played by the United States Army. Freedom did not arrive in Texas simply because a proclamation had been issued two years earlier. It arrived because Union soldiers carried federal authority into the former Confederacy and enforced emancipation.

The Army became the instrument through which the promises of the Emancipation Proclamation were realized. Union troops occupied former Confederate territory, protected newly freed people, and ensured that federal law was recognized. The arrival of General Granger and his soldiers in Galveston demonstrated that the Union victory was not merely military—it was also a victory for emancipation. Without the presence of federal troops, many enslavers would have continued resisting the end of slavery for as long as possible. Juneteenth therefore stands as a reminder that military victory and freedom became closely intertwined during the final years of the Civil War.

From Local Celebration to National Holiday

Emancipation Day parade (Juneteenth) participants in Corpus Christi on June 19, 1913. Note the woman standing in the buggy behind the closest one. Courtesy DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University
Emancipation Day (Juneteenth) parade participants in Corpus Christi on June 19, 1913. Note the woman in patriotic attire standing in the buggy behind the closest one.
Courtesy DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University.

The first Juneteenth celebrations began almost immediately after June 19, 1865. Formerly enslaved communities in Texas gathered annually for prayer services, family reunions, educational events, and public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. These celebrations preserved the memory of emancipation and helped pass the story from one generation to the next.

As African Americans migrated from Texas to other parts of the country, they carried Juneteenth traditions with them. Over time, the holiday spread beyond Texas and gained wider recognition. What began as a local observance eventually became a nationwide commemoration of freedom, resilience, and the long struggle for civil rights. In 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in the United States, ensuring that the story of emancipation and its connection to the Civil War would be remembered by future generations.

Remembering the Legacy of Juneteenth

Juneteenth is often described as America’s second Independence Day because it commemorates the fulfillment of freedom for those who had been denied it for generations. Yet the holiday also serves as a reminder that emancipation was not a single event. Freedom arrived at different times in different places, often following the advance of Union armies during the Civil War.

The story of Juneteenth connects directly to some of the war’s most significant developments: Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the service of Black soldiers, the defeat of the Confederacy, and the enforcement of federal authority across the South. It reminds us that the Civil War was not only a struggle to preserve the Union but also a transformative conflict that ended slavery and reshaped the nation. Every Juneteenth, Americans commemorate the moment when the promise of emancipation finally reached Texas, while also honoring the millions whose lives were forever changed by the war that made freedom possible.

Additional Reading and Bibliography

To look up USCT and the service of Black soldiers in the Civil War, visit the Research Arsenal Libraries page, select “View All” and then filter by “USCT Infantry,” “USCT Artillery,” or “USCT Cavalry.” You’ll find a variety of letters, records and even photographs.

National Archives Museum. “The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth.” National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed June 15, 2026. https://visit.archives.gov/whats-on/explore-exhibits/emancipation-proclamation-and-juneteenth

National Museum of the United States Army. “Juneteenth and the U.S. Army.” Accessed June 15, 2026. https://www.thenmusa.org/articles/juneteenth-and-the-u-s-army/

National Museum of African American History and Culture. “The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth.” Smithsonian Institution. Accessed June 15, 2026. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth

 

Understanding National Archives Records Group 94: A Treasure Trove for Civil War Research

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

What is Records Group 94?

Descriptive Roll 4th NJ Infantry for companies A-E. This image is taken from one of our scans of documents located in Records Group 94.
Descriptive Roll of the 4th New Jersey Infantry for companies A-E. This image is taken from one of our scans of documents located in Records Group 94.

Over the past year or so, the Research Arsenal has been digitizing regimental books from Records Group 94 at the National Archives and adding them to our searchable database. But for those who many not be familiar with Records Group 94 and its contents, we thought it might be wise to put a bit of a primer out on it.

Understanding National Archives Record Group 94: A Treasure Trove for Civil War Research

For anyone researching the American Civil War, few collections at the National Archives are as important as Record Group 94 (RG 94), the Records of the Adjutant General’s Office. This massive collection contains millions of pages of military records created and maintained by the U.S. Army between the Revolutionary War era and World War I. For Civil War historians, genealogists, and descendants of Union soldiers, RG 94 is one of the most valuable sources available because it preserves the administrative records that documented the service of volunteer soldiers and military units throughout the war.

The Adjutant General’s Office served as the Army’s central recordkeeping agency. It was responsible for maintaining personnel records, recording military orders, collecting reports from units in the field, compiling returns, and preserving information about officers and enlisted men. As a result, Record Group 94 contains an enormous range of documents relating to the Civil War and the soldiers who fought in it. Today, it remains one of the primary collections used by researchers seeking to reconstruct military service histories.

What Is Record Group 94?

Record Group 94 encompasses the records of the Adjutant General’s Office from the late eighteenth century through 1917. The collection includes correspondence, orders, muster rolls, returns, personnel records, registers, indexes, and numerous specialized record series created by the War Department. The National Archives estimates that the record group contains more than 137 million pages of textual records, making it one of the largest military collections in federal custody.

While the collection covers many periods of American military history, Civil War researchers most often use the portions relating to volunteer organizations raised by the states for federal service between 1861 and 1865. These records provide both individual soldier information and detailed records concerning entire regiments and companies.

Regimental Descriptive Books

One of the lesser-known but extraordinarily useful record series within RG 94 is the collection of Regimental Descriptive Books and Company Descriptive Books.

These books were maintained by regimental adjutants and contain personal information about soldiers when they entered service. Researchers can often find details not available in the CMSRs.

Information commonly recorded includes:

  • Age at enlistment
  • Place of birth
  • Occupation
  • Height
  • Eye color
  • Hair color
  • Complexion
  • Date and place of enlistment
  • Name of recruiting officer
  • Remarks concerning service, transfers, desertion, death, or reenlistment

These books effectively provide a physical and biographical snapshot of a soldier at the time he entered the army. Modern historical databases and demographic studies of Civil War soldiers have relied heavily on these records.

Muster Rolls and Muster-In/Muster-Out Books

Muster rolls form the backbone of Civil War military recordkeeping.

Every company periodically submitted rolls listing the soldiers assigned to the unit and noting their status. These records documented whether a soldier was present for duty, absent, hospitalized, on detached service, captured, wounded, or deceased.

Researchers can often trace a soldier’s wartime experience through consecutive muster rolls. They may reveal:

  • Dates of service
  • Temporary absences
  • Transfers
  • Medical issues
  • Promotions and reductions in rank
  • Deaths during service

Muster-in and muster-out rolls additionally record the formal entry and exit of soldiers from federal service. These records served as the primary source material later used to create the Compiled Military Service Records.

Returns and Morning Reports

Another important category consists of military returns and reports.

Regiments, posts, and departments regularly submitted returns that summarized their condition and strength. Morning reports recorded the daily status of soldiers in a company or regiment.

These records may reveal:

  • Number of men present for duty
  • Sick soldiers
  • Soldiers absent on leave
  • Prisoners of war
  • Casualty figures
  • Unit locations
  • Changes in command

For researchers interested in reconstructing a unit’s activities rather than focusing on a single soldier, returns and reports can provide a detailed picture of day-to-day military operations.

Letters, Orders, Registers, and Correspondence

RG 94 also contains extensive correspondence series created by the Adjutant General’s Office.

The collection includes:

  • Letters received
  • Letters sent
  • Registers of correspondence
  • Telegrams
  • Administrative reports
  • Orders and circulars

These records can be especially useful when researching officers, disciplinary matters, promotions, resignations, courts-martial, recruiting efforts, or unusual service situations. The accompanying registers and indexes frequently allow researchers to locate individual pieces of correspondence concerning specific soldiers or military units.

Why Record Group 94 Matters

Record Group 94 remains one of the most important collections for Civil War research because it bridges the gap between individual soldiers and the larger military organizations in which they served. The records document not only who served, but also where they served, how they served, and what happened to them during their military careers.

A researcher studying a Union soldier can often use RG 94 to reconstruct an entire military history—from enlistment and physical description, through battles, hospitalizations, and promotions, all the way to discharge. Likewise, researchers studying a regiment can use muster rolls, returns, and Record of Events books to trace the unit’s movements and activities throughout the war.

More than 160 years after the Civil War, the records preserved in Record Group 94 continue to serve as one of the foundational sources for understanding the experiences of Union soldiers and the administrative machinery that supported the Union Army.

How to Access These Sources

The Research Arsenal currently has over 122,000 pages of Records Group 94 material online. These include a variety of books such as Regimental Descriptive books, Morning Reports, Letter Books and more. An important thing to remember is that the amount of information available for each regiment can vary wildly. Some regiments may have a nearly complete record of service, while others may only have a few books available at the National Archives. Presumably, the missing volumes have been lost or were perhaps never donated to the National Archives to begin with. Using the Research Arsenal to access the records saves you a potentially costly trip to Washington D.C. and is currently the only online database with these records available.

Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and then select the regiment of your choice from the drop-down menus. If the regiment you are looking for is not listed, then it likely has not been digitized yet. If you’d like to sponsor a regiment you can do so via the link here: https://www.11thovc.com/shop-2

For More Information on Records Group 94:

National Archives. “Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General’s Office.” https://www.archives.gov/findingaid/stat/discovery/94

National Archives. “Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s–1917 (Record Group 94).” https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/094.html

National Archives. “Pre-1917 Army Records at the National Archives.” https://www.archives.gov/research/military/army/pre-ww1

National Archives. “Civil War Records: Basic Research Sources.” https://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/resources

National Archives. “An Overview of Records at the National Archives Relating to Military Service.” https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/fall/military-records-overview.html

National Bureau of Economic Research. “Union Army Data: Regimental Record.” https://www.nber.org/programs-projects/projects-and-centers/union-army-data/union-army-data-regimental-record

 

RG 94 Spotlight: The 89th Illinois Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The 89th Illinois Infantry: The Railroad Regiment’s Hard Road from Stones River to Nashville

CB&Q locomotive No. 29, built in 1855
CB&Q locomotive No. 29, built in 1855. The 89th Illinois Infantry was largely recruited from Chicago-are railroad companies and earned the nickname the “Railroad Regiment.” Source: https://www.bnsf.com/news-media/railtalk/heritage/cb&q-history.html

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 89th Illinois Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

Among the many Illinois regiments that served in the Civil War, few compiled a combat record as extensive as the 89th Illinois Infantry. Known as the “Railroad Regiment” because it was organized with the support of Illinois railroad companies, the regiment entered Federal service in August 1862 and spent nearly its entire existence in the Western Theater. From Perryville and Stones River to Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, Franklin, and Nashville, the men of the 89th marched and fought across hundreds of miles of contested territory. Their story is one of endurance as much as battlefield heroism, and fortunately it survives through the letters of soldiers such as Charles C. Capron and William Harkness, whose firsthand accounts reveal what life was like inside one of the Army of the Cumberland’s hard-fighting regiments.

Organization of the Railroad Regiment

The 89th Illinois Infantry fully embraced their railroad background and their motto became "Clear the Track" which they even had sewn onto their regimental flag.
The 89th Illinois Infantry fully embraced their railroad background and their motto became “Clear the Track” which they even had sewn onto their regimental flag. Source: https://www.forestparkreview.com/2019/06/25/civil-war-volunteers-from-the-village-of-harlem-now-forest-park/

The 89th Illinois was organized at Chicago on August 27, 1862, under Colonel John Christopher and Lieutenant Colonel Charles T. Hotchkiss. It earned its nickname the “Railroad Regiment” because it was raised, funded, and heavily rostered by the executives and employees of the major Chicago-area railway companies–The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Chicago & North Western, and Illinois Central railroads. Many officers and enlisted men, such as Company C’s Lieutenant Joel Kinney, worked as station agents and rail operators before enlisting. The men famously stitched their motto, “Clear the Tracks,” onto their national flag.

Almost immediately after entering service, the regiment was sent to Kentucky and thrown into the campaign against Confederate General Braxton Bragg. The men had scarcely learned the routines of army life before finding themselves marching through Kentucky in pursuit of an elusive enemy. Like many new soldiers, they quickly discovered that war involved far more marching than fighting. Lieutenant William Harkness described the regiment’s early movements in a letter home, explaining that they had been “on the move all the time.” The regiment marched through Shelbyville, Frankfort, Lawrenceburg, Perryville, and Crab Orchard, often under difficult conditions and with little certainty about where the campaign would lead.

The campaign exposed the soldiers to the grim realities of war even before they entered major combat. Harkness remembered Perryville after the battle as a place overflowing with suffering. “Every house seemed to me to be filled with wounded men,” he wrote, estimating that thousands of wounded Union and Confederate soldiers remained in the town. He also described the constant struggle for food, noting that soldiers often left the ranks in search of chickens, potatoes, honey, and bread because army rations became monotonous after weeks of marching. Such observations reveal how quickly idealized notions of military glory gave way to the daily hardships of campaigning.

Battle of Stones River

The regiment’s true baptism of fire came at the Battle of Stones River at the end of 1862. Although only four months old, the 89th Illinois performed well enough that it quickly earned a reputation as a veteran organization. The cost was severe. The regiment suffered 142 casualties killed, wounded, and captured during the battle. Among the dead was Captain Henry S. Willett of Company H. Stones River demonstrated that the regiment could stand in battle, but it also introduced the men to the heavy losses that would become a recurring theme throughout their service.

For many recruits, the first experience under fire never faded from memory. One of the regiment’s most vivid chroniclers was Charles C. Capron, who enlisted in the 89th Illinois in 1863 at the age of seventeen. By joining an experienced regiment, Capron entered a unit that had already fought its way through Kentucky and Tennessee. Before his first battle at Chickamauga, he admitted his fear but also his determination to prove himself. Looking back, he recalled that on the morning of battle he took his place in the ranks “resolved to see what they done.” Those simple words capture the mindset of countless young Civil War soldiers who entered combat with equal measures of apprehension and curiosity.

The regiment continued to gain experience during the Tullahoma Campaign, including fighting at Liberty Gap, where Captain Herbert M. Blake of Company K was mortally wounded. Yet the greatest test of the regiment’s courage lay ahead at Chickamauga in September 1863. There, amid one of the bloodiest battles fought in the Western Theater, the 89th Illinois suffered devastating losses. Lieutenant Colonel Duncan J. Hall was killed, along with Captains Rice, Spink, and Whiting, Lieutenant Ellis, and many enlisted men. The regimental history later observed that Chickamauga seemed to place “the seal of its devotion” upon the regiment.

For Capron, Chickamauga was unforgettable. Years later he still remembered the terror and confusion of his first major engagement. The regiment lost 14 men killed, 88 wounded, and 30 missing. Veteran soldiers disappeared from the ranks, leaving painful gaps among comrades who had marched and campaigned together for months. The battle stripped away any lingering illusions about war and left survivors with memories that would remain vivid long after the conflict ended.

Following Chickamauga, the regiment participated in the Chattanooga Campaign. Under General August Willich’s brigade, the 89th Illinois joined the assault on Missionary Ridge. In one of the most dramatic attacks of the war, Union soldiers stormed the Confederate positions overlooking Chattanooga and drove the defenders from their works. The regiment paid for its success with additional casualties, including Lieutenant E. O. Young and Captain Henry L. Rowell. Yet Missionary Ridge helped reverse the Union’s fortunes in Tennessee and opened the door for future operations into Georgia.

Atlanta Campaign

The year 1864 proved to be the regiment’s most demanding period of service. The 89th Illinois marched south with General William T. Sherman’s army and participated in nearly every major engagement of the Atlanta Campaign. The regiment fought at Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Pickett’s Mill, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and numerous lesser actions. Casualties mounted steadily. Lieutenant Nathaniel Street and Captain William Harkness both lost their lives during the campaign.

Harkness’s surviving letters reveal a thoughtful and educated officer who viewed military service through both patriotic and religious lenses. Friends who knew him remembered him as a devoted Christian and respected leader. After his death near Atlanta in 1864, one comrade wrote to his family that “he was a brave man and a good soldier for his country.” The same writer added that Harkness appeared to be “full in the faith” and believed he was now reunited with his deceased child in heaven. Such letters remind modern readers that behind casualty statistics were families receiving heartbreaking news from distant battlefields.

The Atlanta Campaign inflicted some of the heaviest losses suffered by the regiment during the war. According to the regimental history, 211 men were killed, wounded, or captured during the operations around Atlanta. Yet even when not engaged in direct combat, the regiment found itself performing dangerous and essential work. Because of its railroad connections and experience, the “Railroad Regiment” was assigned important duties repairing rail lines damaged by Confederate raids. Maintaining Sherman’s supply network was crucial to the success of the campaign, and the regiment’s work helped keep the army moving forward.

After the fall of Atlanta, the 89th Illinois was sent back to Tennessee in time to participate in the final destruction of General John Bell Hood’s army. The regiment fought at Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville. At Nashville, Lieutenant P. G. Taite was killed when struck by a cannonball. The battle shattered Hood’s army and effectively ended major Confederate operations in Tennessee. The regiment then joined the pursuit of the retreating Confederates before settling into winter quarters.

The Toll of War

Captain Henry L. Rowell of of Co. C, 89th Illinois Infantry Regiment, in uniform with sword. Photograph shows identified soldier who was wounded at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, on November 25, 1863 and died from his wounds on December 3, 1863.
Captain Henry L. Rowell of of Co. C, 89th Illinois Infantry Regiment, in uniform with sword. Captain Rowell was wounded at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, on November 25, 1863 and later died from his wounds on December 3, 1863. Source: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/4304

By war’s end, the 89th Illinois had accumulated a remarkable combat record. The regiment had participated in nearly every major campaign fought by the Army of the Cumberland after 1862. It had endured losses at Stones River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, and Nashville. Out of 1,403 men who served on its rolls, only 381 remained to be mustered out with the regiment. The remainder had been killed, wounded, disabled, transferred, or otherwise lost to service. The casualty figures alone testify to the severity of the regiment’s experience.

For Charles Capron, survival brought little reward. When the regiment was mustered out in June 1865, he still had time remaining on his enlistment and was transferred to another unit. Writing home, he lamented, “The old boys has returned home and it is very lonesome here.” He feared that disease might prove more deadly than bullets, observing that “disease is some times worse than the bullet.” Tragically, his prediction proved correct. Having survived Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, Franklin, and Nashville, Capron died of fever in Texas in August 1865.

Perhaps the most fitting tribute to the 89th Illinois came from Colonel Charles T. Hotchkiss, who reflected on the regiment’s wartime service after the conflict ended. “Our history is written on the head-boards of rudely-made graves from Stone River to Atlanta,” he said. Those words captured both the pride and the sacrifice of the Railroad Regiment. The men of the 89th Illinois helped secure Union victory across the Western Theater, but they paid dearly for that achievement. Their story survives not only in official records and battle reports, but also in the letters of ordinary soldiers who endured the marches, hardships, fears, and sacrifices that defined the Civil War soldier’s experience.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 723 digital scans of the 89th Illinois Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of 708 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Morning Reports, Morning Reports and Letter Books and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “89th Illinois Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 89th Illinois Infantry.

 

From Decoration Day to Memorial Day: The Origins of America’s Day of Remembrance

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

From Decoration Day to Memorial Day: The Origins of America’s Day of Remembrance

Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Carol Highsmith, ca. 1980 – 2006. Highsmith Archive, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress).
Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Carol Highsmith, ca. 1980 – 2006. Highsmith Archive, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress).

Today, Memorial Day is recognized as the nation’s annual day to honor military personnel who died in service to the United States. Observed on the last Monday in May, the holiday is marked by ceremonies, parades, flags placed on graves, and moments of remembrance across the country. Yet the origins of Memorial Day reach back to the aftermath of the Civil War, when Americans sought ways to mourn the staggering loss of life caused by the conflict. Long before it became a federal holiday, it was known as “Decoration Day,” a tradition centered on decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and memorial tributes.

In the final years of the Civil War and immediately afterward, communities throughout both the North and South began holding springtime observances to honor the dead. According to the National Cemetery Administration, men and women alike participated in these ceremonies, decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers and other tributes. The practice itself was not entirely new, as decorating graves had roots stretching back to ancient Roman customs and nineteenth-century European traditions. What made these American observances unique was the enormous scale of grief after the Civil War, which left hundreds of thousands dead and burial grounds spread across nearly every town and community in the country.

Because these memorial traditions developed independently in many places, the exact birthplace of Memorial Day has long been debated. The VA history notes that recent scholarship points to the women of Columbus, Georgia, who in April 1866 advocated for a clearly designated day to place flowers on the graves of Civil War soldiers. Other communities also held early commemorations. In Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, women decorated soldiers’ graves as early as 1864, while in Charleston, South Carolina, formerly enslaved African Americans and white abolitionist allies organized a massive memorial event in May 1865 at a cemetery containing Union dead. These observances demonstrated that the desire to honor fallen soldiers existed across regional and racial lines during the difficult years following the war.

The movement toward a formal national observance gained momentum through the efforts of General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a powerful organization of Union veterans. On May 5, 1868, Logan issued General Orders No. 11, often called the “Memorial Day Order.” The order officially established a nationwide Decoration Day and designated May 30, 1868, as the date on which Americans would decorate the graves of soldiers who had died during the Civil War. Logan intentionally selected May 30 because it was not associated with any particular battle and because flowers would be in bloom across the country. His order declared that the graves of fallen comrades should be “strewn with flowers or otherwise decorated,” while allowing local communities to organize ceremonies in whatever manner they considered appropriate.

First National Decoration Day – 1868

Detail of a stereograph showing President Ulysses S. Grant and General John Logan seated at the flag-draped Old Amphitheater, Arlington Cemetery, on Decoration Day, May 30, 1873.
Detail of a stereograph showing President Ulysses S. Grant and General John Logan seated at the flag-draped Old Amphitheater, Arlington Cemetery, on Decoration Day, May 30, 1873.

The first national Decoration Day observance took place only weeks later at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. At the time, Arlington already held the remains of more than 11,000 Union soldiers and several hundred Confederate dead, many of them unidentified. The cemetery itself carried deep symbolism, as it had once been the estate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee before becoming a national burial ground during the war. For the ceremony, the Arlington mansion was draped in mourning decorations and surrounded by flags, while the tomb of over 2,000 unknown soldiers received elaborate floral arrangements.

More than 5,000 people attended the 1868 ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Veterans, government officials, families, and ordinary citizens gathered to honor the dead. Congressman and former Union General James A. Garfield delivered one of the day’s principal addresses, speaking about sacrifice, patriotism, and the duty of the living to remember the fallen. After the speeches concluded, participants spread throughout the cemetery, placing flowers on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. The scene established many of the traditions still associated with Memorial Day today: patriotic speeches, floral tributes, military remembrance, and public ceremonies at cemeteries.

Decoration Day quickly became an annual observance in Northern states, particularly through the influence of the Grand Army of the Republic. Veterans’ organizations organized parades, prayer services, speeches, and cemetery gatherings each spring. Families often attended these ceremonies together, decorating graves with flowers, wreaths, and American flags. Over time, the observance became deeply woven into American civic life, serving not only as a memorial for the dead but also as a way to preserve the memory of the Civil War generation.

Daisies gathered for Decoration Day, May 30, 1899. Frances Benjamin Johnston, 1899. (Johnston [Frances Benjamin] Collection, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress).
Daisies gathered for Decoration Day, May 30, 1899. Frances Benjamin Johnston, 1899. (Johnston [Frances Benjamin] Collection, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress).
In the decades that followed, the meaning of the holiday gradually expanded. Originally, Decoration Day primarily honored soldiers who died during the Civil War. However, after World War I, Americans increasingly used the holiday to commemorate military personnel lost in all wars. During this period, the name “Memorial Day” became more common and eventually replaced Decoration Day in popular usage. The shift reflected the country’s growing desire to create a single national day of remembrance for all American war dead rather than one focused solely on Civil War sacrifices.

Congress officially established Memorial Day as a federal holiday in 1971 through the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, moving the observance to the last Monday in May. Despite changes in name and date, many traditions from the original Decoration Day observances continue today. Cemeteries are still decorated with flowers and flags, patriotic ceremonies remain central to the holiday, and Arlington National Cemetery continues to host one of the nation’s most prominent Memorial Day commemorations. More than 150 years after General Logan’s order, the holiday remains rooted in the same purpose that inspired Americans after the Civil War: honoring those who gave their lives in service to the nation and ensuring their sacrifice is never forgotten.

Sources

“Memorial Day History.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration.

“General Orders No. 11.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration.

“First Official National Decoration Day.” National Park Service.

RG 94 Spotlight: The 32nd Indiana Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 32nd Indiana Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

A Regiment of “German Sons”

Troops of the 32nd Regiment, Indiana Volunteers by Captain Adolph Metzner, 32nd Indiana Infantry.
Troops of the 32nd Regiment, Indiana Volunteers by Captain Adolph Metzner, 32nd Indiana Infantry.

The story of the 32nd Indiana Infantry is inseparable from the immigrant experience in the Civil War. Organized in August 1861 at Indianapolis, the regiment was composed almost entirely of German-Americans—many of them political refugees from the failed revolutions of 1848.

Under the leadership of Colonel August Willich, himself a veteran of European revolutionary struggles, the regiment quickly gained a reputation for discipline and professionalism. Their drilling and battlefield conduct were shaped by European methods, particularly Prussian tactics, which set them apart from many volunteer regiments early in the war.

Observers noted that the unit’s precision and cohesion made a strong impression. As one contemporary description summarized, the regiment was known for its “highly disciplined” nature and distinctive training methods. This discipline would soon be tested under fire.

Baptism of Fire at Rowlett’s Station

The regiment’s first combat came at the Battle of Rowlett’s Station on December 17, 1861, in Kentucky—a relatively small engagement that nevertheless became central to the unit’s identity. Tasked with protecting a vital railroad bridge over the Green River, the 32nd Indiana found itself facing a much larger Confederate force, including the famed Texas cavalry.

The battle unfolded in dense woodland and open ground, where the Hoosiers held firm despite repeated attacks. Contemporary accounts emphasize the imbalance of forces, noting that “fewer than five hundred Union infantrymen…faced roughly thirteen hundred Confederates.”

Even more remarkable was their ability to withstand cavalry charges in open terrain—an uncommon feat for infantry early in the war. As later reports recalled, the regiment’s stand “against repeated cavalry assaults became a minor sensation.”

Though the battle itself was tactically inconclusive, the Union achieved its strategic objective. The railroad remained open, and the regiment earned praise from higher command. General Don Carlos Buell officially commended the unit for its “gallantry.” For the men of the 32nd Indiana, Rowlett’s Station was more than a fight—it was proof of their effectiveness as soldiers.

Memory and Sacrifice: The Bloedner Monument

32nd Indiana Infantry replacement Bloedner Monument
32nd Indiana Infantry replacement Bloedner Monument.

In the aftermath of Rowlett’s Station, one of the regiment’s soldiers, Private August Bloedner, undertook a remarkable act of remembrance. He carved a stone monument to mark the graves of fallen comrades—an artifact now considered the oldest surviving Civil War monument. The monument bore the names of thirteen soldiers, all German immigrants who had died in service to their adopted country. Their sacrifice carried symbolic weight:

“The 13 soldiers…enlisted, fought and died for their adopted country.”

The inscription, written in German, reflected the dual identity of the regiment—men who were both immigrants and Union soldiers.

Today, the monument stands as a powerful reminder of how deeply immigrant communities were invested in the Union cause, even in the war’s earliest and most uncertain days. It has been conserved and moved to the Frazier History Museum in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. A duplicate of the monument was carved in sturdier marble and installed in September 2011 at Cave Hill Cemetery.

From Shiloh to Atlanta: A Hard-Fought War

Troops of the 32nd Indiana Infantry at Chickamauga, September 1863. Drawing by Captain Adolph Metzner.
Troops of the 32nd Indiana Infantry at Chickamauga, September 1863. Drawing by Captain Adolph Metzner.

After Rowlett’s Station, the 32nd Indiana moved south with the Army of the Ohio, participating in some of the most significant campaigns in the Western Theater. At Shiloh in April 1862, the regiment endured the chaos of one of the war’s bloodiest early battles. It later fought at Corinth, Stones River, and Chickamauga—engagements that tested even veteran units.

In 1864, the regiment marched with Union forces through Georgia during the Atlanta Campaign, fighting at places such as Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, and Peachtree Creek. These campaigns transformed the regiment from green volunteers into seasoned veterans. Yet attrition was constant. By the later years of the war, the unit had been reduced and reorganized, with remaining soldiers continuing service in garrison and field operations.

Discipline, Identity, and Legacy

The 32nd Indiana Infantry stood out not only for its battlefield service but for its unique cultural identity. Its German-speaking ranks, European leadership, and strict discipline made it one of the most distinctive regiments in the Union Army. Their success demonstrated that immigrant soldiers—often viewed with suspicion in American society—could become some of the most effective troops in the field. At Rowlett’s Station, they proved their courage. In the long campaigns that followed, they proved their endurance.

Mustering Out—and Remembering

After years of campaigning, the regiment’s remaining members were sent to Texas, where they were finally mustered out in December 1865. Their service had spanned the entire arc of the war—from its uncertain beginnings in Kentucky to its conclusion on the far edges of the former Confederacy. Today, their legacy endures most tangibly in the Bloedner Monument—a simple, hand-carved memorial that speaks across generations. It reminds us that the Civil War was not only a struggle between North and South, but also a story of immigrants who fought—and died—for a nation they had chosen as their own.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 410 digital scans of the 32nd Indiana Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of nearly 400 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Order books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “32nd Indiana Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 32nd Indiana Infantry.

 

RG 94 Spotlight: The 29th Ohio Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 29th Ohio Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 29th Ohio Infantry: Voices from “Giddings’ Regiment”

The story of the 29th Ohio Infantry is best told not through summaries of battles, but through the words of the men who lived them. Organized in 1861 in northeastern Ohio, the regiment would serve in both eastern and western theaters, fighting from the Shenandoah Valley to Sherman’s March.

“Giddings’ Regiment”: Reputation and Risk

From its earliest days, the 29th Ohio carried a political identity. Raised largely within the district of abolitionist congressman Joshua R. Giddings, the regiment quickly became known by his name.

The regimental history explains both the pride and the danger attached to that identity:

“The Twenty-ninth Regiment was known as the ‘Giddings Regiment,’ having been recruited almost entirely within the bounds of his old Congressional District, and many of the officers and men had long been his personal friends. This fact gave to the regiment a certain notoriety from the beginning.”

But that notoriety came with fear—particularly if captured:

“It was often remarked in the early history of the regiment, that should any member of it be taken prisoner and his identity become known, he would be likely to receive but little mercy at the hands of the enemy; that he would be regarded not only as a common soldier, but as an Abolitionist fanatic, and especially hunted down and exterminated.”

Before the regiment had even proven itself in battle, its men understood that their cause—and their reputation—might mark them for harsher treatment.

Baptism in Campaign: Illness, Marching, and Reality

Like many regiments, the 29th Ohio’s first enemy was not Confederate fire, but disease and exhaustion.

As they prepared for early movements in 1862, the toll was immediate:

“About fifty-five men were left behind in camp sick, most of them suffering from measles… It was a severe trial to those who were compelled to remain, as the regiment moved away to meet the enemy, while they were left helpless in their tents.”

The emotional strain of absence is striking—these men feared missing the fight just as much as others feared entering it.

Camp Humor and Discipline

Illustration of Colonel Lewis P. Buckley of the 29th Ohio Infantry.
J. Hamp DeCheverell of Company B wrote: “Nobody who ever knew Colonel Buckley will ever forget him. A brave man, a great admirer of order and discipline, faultlessly neat and tidy, a confirmed dyspeptic; yet the most ticklish and fun provoking humor often cropped out in his conversation and intercourse with men. One morning, away down between Bull Run and Fredericksburg, when the tired and jaded men were in line for the day’s march, the Colonel was in his saddle with his toes daintily touching the stirrups, his pale, clean shaven face shaded by the visor of his blue cap, from beneath which his practiced eye swept the whole regiment at a glance, while his well-polished sword, firmly gripped, stood perpendicular, resting against the shoulder; with a stentorian voice he published the following order: ‘Men of the Twenty-ninth, let there be no straggling on the march to-day. But if any of you do straggle take Twenty-ninth off from your caps and put on One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania.'” Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65589/65589-h/65589-h.htm

Even in hardship, humor and identity shaped daily life. One oft-repeated moment in the regiment reveals both discipline and wit during a march:

“Let there be no straggling on this march. Keep closed up and preserve your distance. But if any man does fall out by the way, let him take off the number ‘Twenty-ninth’ from his cap, and when he reaches camp put on ‘One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania.’”

The joke carried a sharp edge: straggling was shameful—but the way it was enforced relied as much on pride as punishment.

The Emotional Weight of Soldiering

The regimental history frequently pauses to reflect—not just recount events. One passage captures the emotional bond forged through shared hardship:

“The eye will moisten, and the heart swell with emotions of no ordinary character, as he is reminded, by some familiar name or incident, of the camp, the march, and the battle; of the companions who shared his toils and dangers, and who now sleep in unknown graves, or linger with shattered constitutions, the wrecks of what were once strong men.”

This is not written in the immediacy of battle—but in memory. It shows how deeply the experience lingered long after the war.

Antietam to Gettysburg: Endurance Under Fire

The 29th Ohio fought through the Army of the Potomac’s hardest campaigns—Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg among them.

But rather than glorify combat, the regimental voice often emphasizes the anonymity of sacrifice:

“Many a brave man has fallen in this contest whose name will never be known beyond the narrow circle of his immediate friends. Their individual deeds of daring and patriotism will never be recorded… and yet they may have loved their country as well, and periled their lives as freely, as those whose names have been emblazoned in history.”

This quiet acknowledgment stands in contrast to official reports—it is the perspective of soldiers who saw how easily courage could go unrecorded.

Western Campaigns and National Recognition

Transferred west, the 29th Ohio participated in the Chattanooga and Atlanta campaigns, and ultimately in Sherman’s March.

Recognition came at the highest levels. The regimental history preserves a portion of General William T. Sherman’s praise:

“The officers and soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee have already received the thanks of the Nation… and it now only remains for me to thank you in person for the gallantry, endurance, and soldierly conduct which you have displayed in this campaign.”

Such words carried weight—but the men themselves often measured their service differently: in survival, in endurance, and in the memory of those lost.

The March Through the South

As the regiment moved through Georgia and the Carolinas, the tone of the war shifted. The end was approaching—but the strain remained constant.

The cumulative experience of years of campaigning shaped how veterans later reflected on their service:

“Four years of active service had wrought a wonderful change in the appearance and character of the men. The light-hearted boy had become the thoughtful, earnest man; the careless and indifferent had learned lessons of responsibility and duty which could never be forgotten.”

War had not just tested them—it had remade them.

Memory and Obscurity

29th Ohio Infantry monument at Gettysburg with veterans. Photo taken in the 1880s.
The 29th Ohio Infantry monument, located along the east side of Slocum Avenue on Culp’s Hill. Veterans pose with Gettysburg historian John Bachelder (standing), who was referred to by the Gettysburg Compiler in 1887 as “Colonel John B. Bachelder, of Massachusetts, the well-known superintendent of tablets and legends of the Gettysburg Memorial Association.” The monument was dedicated on “Ohio Day,” September 14, 1887. “Ohio Day” in Gettysburg saw the dedication of fourteen monuments to Ohio regiments. The 29th Ohio infantry monument was referred to in the Compiler as the “massive 29th.” The monument was constructed by the South Ryegate Vermont Company and “represent[s] the front of a wall tent with the flaps thrown back, the space being occupied with a stack of muskets and accoutrement suspended from them.” Source: https://www.gettysburgdaily.com/then-and-now-29th-ohio-infantry-monument/
Perhaps the most powerful theme in the regiment’s history is the tension between remembrance and obscurity.

One passage stands as a kind of quiet epitaph for the rank and file:

“No monument may mark the spot where they sleep; no friendly hand may ever plant a flower upon their graves; but their memory will live in the hearts of those who knew them, and in the history of the country for which they died.”

This is the essence of regimental history—not just recording movements and engagements, but preserving memory against disappearance.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 1,823 digital scans of the 29th Ohio Infantry’s regimental records on its database. These consist of nearly 1800 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Letter books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “29th Ohio Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 29th Ohio Infantry.

RG 94 Spotlight: The 17th Michigan Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 17th Michigan Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 17th Michigan Infantry in Battle: From South Mountain to the Overland Campaign

Officers of the 17th Michigan Infantry. Source: https://www.emich.edu/175-anniversary/stories/17th-michigan.php
Officers of the 17th Michigan Infantry. Source: https://www.emich.edu/175-anniversary/stories/17th-michigan.php

The 17th Michigan Infantry earned its place in Civil War history through hard fighting, endurance, and sacrifice. Known as the “Stonewall Regiment” after South Mountain, the unit went on to serve in some of the most brutal campaigns of the war—from Antietam and Fredericksburg to the grinding battles of 1864 under Ulysses S. Grant.

Through the diary of Private David Lane and additional historical records, we can follow the regiment’s journey from eager volunteers to hardened veterans.

Baptism by Fire: South Mountain and Antietam

As covered earlier, the regiment’s first experience of combat came quickly in September 1862. At South Mountain, the 17th Michigan proved its mettle under fire:

“Every man of us ‘bowed his acknowledgments;’ then… every spine became rigid… ‘No more concessions will you get from us.’”

The cost was steep:

“About thirty of our brave boys were killed, and over one hundred wounded… The Seventeenth has been baptized in blood and christened ‘Stonewall.’”

At Antietam, the regiment again advanced under heavy fire:

“We crossed the Antietam River… charged up the heights… and quietly sat down ’mid bursting shells and hurtling balls until relieved.”

These early battles transformed the regiment from raw recruits into seasoned soldiers.

Fredericksburg and the Crisis of Confidence

At Fredericksburg in December 1862, the Union army suffered a devastating defeat. Though not heavily engaged in the assault, the 17th Michigan witnessed the consequences.

Lane’s words reflect the army-wide disillusionment:

“This whole army… is thoroughly demoralized. It has lost all confidence in its leaders—a condition more fatal than defeat.”

This moment is crucial in understanding the regiment’s development—not just physically, but mentally. The soldiers were learning that courage alone could not overcome poor leadership.

Western Service: Kentucky and Tennessee, 1863

In early 1863, the 17th Michigan was transferred west with the Ninth Corps. Here, the regiment experienced a different kind of warfare—less formal, more unpredictable.

Lane described the volatile conditions:

“Kentucky is like a seething volcano, ready to burst into flames at any moment.”

Instead of major pitched battles, the regiment carried out:

  • Provost duty (maintaining order)
  • Guarding supply lines
  • Responding to guerrilla threats

This period tested discipline and endurance rather than battlefield aggression. It also exposed the men to political tensions surrounding Union control and emancipation in border states.

Return to the Eastern Theater

By early 1864, the Ninth Corps—including the 17th Michigan—returned east and was incorporated into the Army of the Potomac under General Ulysses S. Grant.

This marked the beginning of a new phase of the war: continuous, relentless campaigning against Robert E. Lee’s army.

The Wilderness (May 1864): Into the Inferno

The Overland Campaign opened with the Battle of the Wilderness, one of the most chaotic and terrifying engagements of the war. Dense jungle-like undergrowth, limited visibility, and rapidly spreading fires made combat especially brutal. The 17th Michigan fought in these tangled woods, where units often lost cohesion and men fought at close range. Though Lane’s diary does not cover this phase, regimental histories describe severe fighting and heavy losses. The Wilderness introduced a new kind of warfare with constant contact with the enemy, little rest, and no decisive victory.

Spotsylvania Court House (May 1864): The Bloody Angle

Depiction of the fierce hand-to-hand combat that the 17th Michigan Infantry engaged in during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse in the Bloody Angle. Source: https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/bloody-angle-worst-fighting-civil-war/
Depiction of the fierce hand-to-hand combat that the 17th Michigan Infantry engaged in during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse in the Bloody Angle. Source: https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/bloody-angle-worst-fighting-civil-war/

Following the Wilderness, the army moved to Spotsylvania, where the 17th Michigan participated in some of the most intense fighting of the campaign. The battle is best known for the “Bloody Angle,” where Union and Confederate troops fought in close quarters for nearly 24 hours in rain and mud. Conditions were horrific. The fighting at the “Bloody Angle” during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (May 12, 1864) was one of the most intense hand-to-hand engagements of the Civil War. It began when Union Gen. Winfield S. Hancock’s II Corps breached the “Mule Shoe Salient,” a critical defensive bulge in the Confederate line, leading to over 20 hours of brutal, relentless combat in a cold, pouring rain. Soldiers from both sides fought at point-blank range, often separated only by earthworks, using bayonets, clubbed muskets, and pistols, while artillery bombarded the cramped space. The carnage was unparalleled, with bodies piling up in the trenches, leading to the nickname “Hell’s Half Acre” and the felling of a 22-inch diameter oak tree by small arms fire alone. While the battle ended with the Confederates withdrawing to a new, shorter line, the day resulted in nearly 17,000 casualties combined, symbolizing the horrifying attrition of Grant’s Overland Campaign.

The 17th Michigan, like many regiments in the Ninth Corps, endured repeated assaults and heavy casualties during this period.

Cold Harbor (June 1864): Assault Against the Impossible

At Cold Harbor, Union forces launched one of the most infamous attacks of the war against entrenched Confederate positions. Though the 17th Michigan’s exact position varied within the corps, the experience reflected a broader truth of the campaign: frontal assaults against fortified positions often led to devastating losses. The soldiers—many now veterans—understood the danger. Across the army, men wrote their names on pieces of paper and pinned them to their uniforms before advancing, anticipating death.

Petersburg (1864–1865): Siege Warfare and Survival

After Cold Harbor, the campaign shifted to Petersburg, where the war became a prolonged siege.

Here, the 17th Michigan experienced:

  • Constant skirmishing
  • Trench warfare
  • Sniper fire and artillery bombardment
  • Exhaustion from long-term exposure

This phase of the war resembled, in many ways, the trench warfare of later conflicts. Survival required endurance more than maneuver.

The Human Cost: Endurance Beyond Battle

Looking back to Lane’s earlier reflections, we can see how the emotional and physical burdens of war only deepened over time.

His words from 1862 resonate even more strongly when applied to the later campaigns:

“It is all hardship—but I was prepared for all that. I expected to suffer—to endure…”

And his devotion to home remained a constant anchor:

“Thoughts of the dear ones at home are ever present, inspiring me with hope… a beacon light… on the stormy sea of strife.”

By 1864–1865, the regiment that had once marched out nearly 1,000 strong had been reduced repeatedly by battle and disease, replenished by recruits, and hardened into a veteran fighting force.

Conclusion: A Regiment Transformed by War

The 17th Michigan Infantry’s story is one of transformation:

  • 1862: Eager volunteers baptized in fire at South Mountain and Antietam
  • 1863: Hardened soldiers navigating uncertainty in the Western Theater
  • 1864–1865: Veterans enduring the relentless brutality of Grant’s campaigns

From open-field battles to trench warfare, from enthusiasm to endurance, the regiment’s journey reflects the broader evolution of the Civil War itself. Through the words of David Lane and the historical record, we see not just where they fought—but how they endured.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold digital scans of the 17th Michigan’s regimental records on its database. These consist of nearly 500 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Letter books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “17th Michigan Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 17th Michigan Infantry.

The Angry Archivist: Opening a Pandora’s Box of Archival Problems

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Angry Archivist: Opening a Pandora’s Box of Archival Problems

The Angry Archivist hasn’t had too much to be angry about lately, but a recent Colorado unboxing video of a time capsule changed all that. In the past I’ve discussed the myriad of archival problems I’ve discovered in various collections (like tracing over original Civil War letters), but watching one unfold in a news video was a new experience.

Image of the "On Guard" 1st Colorado Cavalry monument toppled after protests in Denver in 2020. The time capsule box was located under the pedestal that was recently removed.
Image of the “On Guard” 1st Colorado Cavalry monument toppled after protests in Denver in 2020. The time capsule box was located under the pedestal that was recently removed. Colorado Sun image.

In recent news, History Colorado just opened a time capsule that had been placed under a Civil War monument. The “On Guard” monument itself had been damaged and toppled during protests in 2020 and was removed. Plans are in place to move the statue to a new location on land owned by the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs. The monument of the Union soldier representing the 1st Colorado Cavalry was installed in 1909 at the Colorado State Capitol and that is when the time capsule was placed. In a PR move, History Colorado opened the box live with Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Take a look at this video and see if you notice any issues. Here is the link to the video of the unboxing: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/video/gov-jared-polis-opens-box-from-1907-found-underneath-statue-at-colorado-state-capitol/

History Colorado staff and Colorado Governor Jared Polis pulling historic documents from the time capsule box inside a collections room as the paper disintegrates in his hands.
History Colorado staff and Colorado Governor Jared Polis pulling historic documents from the time capsule box inside a collections room as the paper disintegrates in his hands. Image from CBS News video.

First off, there’s no way of knowing what was sealed inside that time capsule. They were opening something that was essentially completely unknown. If you look in the background, you will see that they are opening it inside what appears to be their collections room. At first glance, that might make sense. Afterall, they are opening a box of artifacts. Here’s why that’s a bad idea: they have no idea what is in that box or the condition of those items. And as you watch the video, you will notice that the governor pulls out a book with very obvious water and black mold damage. Mold spores do not “die” when they dry out, they simply become dormant and can be dormant for decades or even hundreds of years before reactivating with the introduction of moisture. Having black mold in your collection room is a serious problem. Any trained curator will not even consider bringing an object with black mold into their collections room without mitigating the mold first.

The second issue is that they are letting the governor remove the contents from the box. Obviously, Governor Polis is not a trained archivist and as you watch the video, you’ll see him pull papers out that essentially just fall apart, raining historic archival “confetti” across the table. As soon as the lid was opened, any removal of documents should have been done by a trained professional for the safety of the documents. Once things disintegrate into confetti, there’s really no way back from that.

Photograph of the time capsule's contents. Notice the extremely damaged document in the upper left. That is the one that crumbled into confetti as the governor removed it. Also notice the book with black mold directly below it. Image from CBS News.
Photograph of the time capsule’s contents. Notice the extremely damaged document in the upper left. That is the one that crumbled into confetti as the governor removed it. Also notice the book with black mold directly below it. Image from CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/pictures/gov-polis-opens-time-capsule-found-under-civil-war-statue/2/

I mention this video because I think it’s important for those of us in this field to always be on the lookout for ways to improve—even the professionals. I am guessing the reason there were so many archival issues with this “unboxing” video was because the governor was there. However, politician or not, the first duty should be to the artifacts and archives themselves. Unfortunately, in this video you can see those documents being damaged in real time by someone who was not qualified to handle them. Opening the box in a collections room introduced the very real risk of black mold into their collection. In addition, the book had very visible black mold to the camera, and it tends to spread like wildfire, meaning it has probably spread throughout all of those documents that were in the time capsule box.

In some cases, especially when documents have not been properly stored for the last over 100 years, it is natural to expect some damage. However, as museum professionals, we strive to minimize that as much as possible by taking proper steps and care to treat them as the fragile pieces of history that they are. The moral of this story is to always be careful when introducing new items into your collection, make sure they don’t have black mold! And just because someone is the governor, don’t let them handle your collection (especially the fragile pieces). Oh, and please don’t make origami out of your historic documents!

RG 94 Spotlight: The 4th New Jersey Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

“We Marched, Fought, and Endured”: The 4th New Jersey Infantry in the Overland Campaign and Petersburg

4th New Jersey Infantry photographed on parade in 1861.
4th New Jersey Infantry photographed on parade in 1861. Photograph featured in Baquet’s History of the First Brigade, New Jersey Volunteers (First Brigade), from 1861 to 1865, page 389 (481 in digital scan PDF).

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 4th New Jersey Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

By 1864, the men of the 4th New Jersey Infantry were no longer new soldiers. They were veterans—hardened by years of campaigning and now entering what would become the most brutal phase of the war.

The Wilderness: Into the Thicket of Fire

As the Army of the Potomac advanced in May 1864, the First New Jersey Brigade moved into the tangled, suffocating terrain of the Wilderness. Baquet describes the confusion and violence of the fighting:

“The brigade was soon hotly engaged, the enemy being encountered in force in the dense woods. The line advanced steadily, delivering its fire with coolness and precision, though the undergrowth was so thick as to render the alignment irregular and the movements difficult. The fire of the enemy was severe, and the men were subjected to a galling musketry which told heavily upon the ranks.” (Baquet, p. 452)

In this environment, visibility was limited, formations broke apart, and the fighting became intensely personal.

Capern’s letters reflect the same strain and anticipation that defined these early days of the campaign:

“We could hear the fierce rattle of the musketry, and the booming of the cannon, and we could see the shells bursting in the air above the trees. It was a grand but terrible sight, one that I shall never forget. We stood looking on for some time, watching the smoke rise and hearing the continual roar, and wondering how long it would be before we should be called into the fight.”

The Wilderness was not just a battle—it was chaos, noise, and suffocating fear.

Continuous Movement: No Rest for the Army

One of the defining features of Grant’s campaign was constant movement. Baquet emphasizes how little rest the men received as they pushed forward:

“The march was resumed with but little delay, the troops moving by night as well as by day, and halting only for brief intervals. The men were greatly fatigued, but there was no straggling; all seemed impressed with the importance of the movement and the necessity of pressing forward.” (Baquet, p. 456)

Capern’s account mirrors this exhaustion almost word for word:

“We kept on the march till daylight, and then lay down for a little rest. I was so tired that I believe I marched a good piece with my eyes shut. We have been two days without anything to eat, and feel it very much. Still, we have to keep along, for there is no stopping.”

Here, the official history and the soldier’s voice align perfectly—discipline and endurance carrying the men forward despite extreme fatigue.

Spotsylvania: Holding Under Fire

At Spotsylvania Court House, the fighting became even more intense. Baquet describes the brigade under heavy and sustained fire:

“The position occupied by the brigade was one of great exposure, and the fire to which it was subjected was exceedingly severe. Notwithstanding this, the men held their ground with great firmness, returning the fire with spirit and effect, and maintaining their line under circumstances of the utmost trial.” (Baquet, p. 468)

This was no brief engagement. The fighting dragged on, testing both physical and mental endurance.

Capern captured the cumulative toll of this kind of sustained combat:

“We are all sore after eleven days fighting and marching, and nearly worn out. We have had a most mighty hard time, and how much longer it will continue God only knows. The men are in good spirits, however, and determined to go through with it.”

The phrase “most mighty hard time” feels almost understated in light of the conditions they endured.

Hunger, Exposure, and Survival

As the campaign wore on, logistical strain added to the hardship. Baquet notes the increasing difficulty of maintaining the army in the field:

“The men suffered considerably for want of proper rations, the rapid movements of the army rendering it difficult for the supply trains to keep up. Notwithstanding these privations, the command continued in good condition, and was ready for duty whenever called upon.” (Baquet, p. 472)

Capern’s firsthand account reveals just how severe those privations could become:

“All I had to eat was a little dust and dirt out of the bottom of my haversack. I was so hungry that I ate it and thought it good. We have suffered a great deal for something to eat, and it tries a man very much.”

This is the lived reality behind Baquet’s more measured description.

Petersburg: Life in the Trenches

When the campaign settled into siege at Petersburg, the nature of the war changed—but the hardship did not lessen. Baquet describes the transition to trench warfare:

“The brigade was now engaged in the duties incident to a siege, occupying the lines before Petersburg, and constantly exposed to the fire of the enemy’s sharpshooters and artillery. The men were required to be continually on the alert, and the labor of strengthening and maintaining the works was unceasing.” (Baquet, p. 489)

This was a new kind of warfare—static, grinding, and relentless.

Capern’s earlier reflections on fatigue and exposure take on new meaning in this context:

“We do not get much rest, and when night comes we are glad enough to lie down, no matter where it is… It hurts a man to sleep out on the bare, frozen ground these frosty nights. We have but little to cover us, and the cold is very severe.”

Even without constant charges, the siege demanded endurance of a different kind—long-term survival under fire.

Preparing for Death

Whether in open battle or entrenched lines, the awareness of mortality never left the soldiers. Capern described preparing for combat in deeply personal terms:

“We piled up our knapsacks and everything we did not want to carry into the fight, never expecting to see them again. I felt that I might be called upon to die, and I tried to prepare myself for it. I put my trust in God and felt that whatever might happen would be for the best.”

This quiet moment—shared by countless soldiers—speaks more powerfully than any battle report.

Reflection: “Thankful… to Have Got Off with My Life”

Example of a letter from Thomas Capern, Company E, 4th New Jersey Infantry, sent to his mother, Mary.
Example of a letter from Thomas Capern, Company E, 4th New Jersey Infantry, sent to his mother, Mary.

By the end of these campaigns, survival itself was a kind of victory. Capern reflected:

“After seeing what I have seen, I am thankful to God for having got off with my life. Many a poor fellow has fallen who went out as strong and hopeful as I. It makes a man feel very serious when he thinks of these things.”

Baquet’s history records movements, engagements, and outcomes. Capern records something else entirely—the emotional cost.

Conclusion: The Veteran’s War

The pages of Baquet (451–504) show a regiment constantly in motion—fighting, marching, digging, and holding under pressure. Capern’s letters show what that experience felt like. Together, they reveal the true nature of the 4th New Jersey Infantry in 1864–1865: not just a fighting unit, but a body of men who endured hunger, exhaustion, fear, and loss—and continued forward anyway.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold digital scans of the 4th New Jersey’s regimental records on its database. These consist of over 1,100 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Order books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “4th New Jersey Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 4th New Jersey Infantry. Thomas Capern’s letters featured in this post are also available on the Research Arsenal.

 

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