Note: 2013 continues the 150th anniversary of the greatest conflict in which Americans were ever engaged – the Civil War. This is the thirty-first in a series of articles providing a month by month synopsis from the pages of The Indianapolis Daily Journal of Hoosier reactions to national events.
Wednesday, July 1, Indianapolis readers opened their morning paper to see dispatches from Pennsylvania reporting “rebel movements mysterious” and “that a large body of cavalry reached Gettysburg, and took possession of that place, capturing a number of rebels. Our army is moving in that direction.” Over the following days, Hoosiers anxiously followed accounts of “Severe Battle at Gettysburg — A Heavy Loss!” — “Great Battle on Friday! — Meade Still Successful.” On the grounds of Northwestern Christian University the degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred on Henry C. Guffin, the sole graduate, “the other members of the Senior Class . . . serving on the ‘tented field’ and . . .perhaps at this very moment . . . bleeding — dying — dead.”
Celebration of the Fourth of July began at 5:30 a.m. with the 23rd Battery firing the national salute in University Square. The battery then joined in the military review on the open grounds near the City Hospital with troops from the 71st Regiment, two companies of the 2nd Cavalry, and other soldiers stationed in Indianapolis. Afterwards, the troops marched into the city to Washington Street where they dispersed to enjoy a military picnic with an “immense crowd” in Johnston’s Woods near Camp Burnside. Early in the afternoon, orders were received for the 71st Regiment and the 23rd Battery to immediately depart for Kentucky because of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s invasion of that state. Dancing and fireworks were postponed as the festivities broke up with numerous affecting scenes of farewells between the soldiers and their wives, family, and friends who had gathered for the picnic.
The initial quiet satisfaction to the news of the fall of Vicksburg, gave way to the “most exuberant glorification” with crowds of all “sizes, sexes and ages” filling the city streets. A large bonfire blazed at Illinois and Washington Streets between the Palmer House and the Bates House as firecrackers, rockets and Roman candles popped, whistled, and burst in a crescendo of sparkling lights from roof tops to curbstones in every direction. Amid this animated scene, the city band played patriotic tunes from the Bates House balcony and Gov. Morton addressed the cheering multitude.
Union victories in the East and the West did not abate the need for continued vigilance in Indiana. Meetings were held in the school houses in each city ward for the purpose of organizing a militia “for immediate use” following reports that rebel general John Hunt Morgan was in the vicinity of Louisville, Kentucky. Thursday morning July 9 Hoosiers read the chilling news, “Indiana Invaded Again. Morgan Crossing the Ohio! The rebels are moving on Corydon with artillery.” Was Indianapolis Morgan’s objective? Gov. Morton requested the city’s businesses to close and “all able bodied white male citizens [to] form themselves into companies.” The banks sent their gold and currency to New York. Adjutant General Noble ordered out the companies of the Legion and tolling bells across Indiana summoned militia men as the railroads struggled to provide transportation. Quickly, Indianapolis once again became “one vast camp” as over 40,000 men began forming companies, regiments, and brigades. Home Guards in Harrison and Washington counties offered resistance to the invaders, but the rebel force overwhelmed them. Citizens felled trees across roadways in the path of Morgan’s force to impede its advance. At several points, farmers were bushwhacking the rebels, making Indiana the “hottest place” they have ever been in. The marauders wreaked havoc across the countryside, ravaging farms and villages, stealing horses, and bringing panic to the citizenry of Greenville, Palmyra, Paoli, Brownstown, Mitchell, Seymour, Salem Vienna, Lexington, Paris, and Vernon. Dwellings and barns stripped of their contents, burned buildings, destroyed bridges, trestles, and track were left in Morgan’s wake. Town fathers and mill owners were extorted by the “Blue Beard of Kentucky” to have their property spared. By Saturday, to the great relief of nervous Indianapolis citizens, the rebel raiders were reported moving towards Versailles and Madison with a small Hoosier army of several thousand trained men in pursuit. Following several skirmishes, Morgan’s Raiders left the state and entered Ohio at Harrison. More than three hundred raiders were captured and imprisoned at Camp Morton. All were “compelled to disgorge the money” plundered from the citizens of Indiana and Ohio. Indianapolis, however, was not spared a “frightful catastrophe” when a caisson of the 12th Michigan Battery exploded at the intersection of Indiana Av., New York St. and Tennessee Av. (Capitol Av.) while racing to the depot to board cars for Ohio. Two men on the caisson were instantly killed and a boy on the street was mortally wounded.
By mid-month accounts of Indiana soldiers killed and wounded at Gettysburg began to appear in the Journal, and Hoosiers read of the “bravery of the officers and men.” More than two-thirds of the 19th Infantry was lost. Hoosiers in and around the capital city paid 25 cents to be entertained by the “magnificent array of unparalleled novelties” with the Thayer & Noyes United States Circus and Hippozoonomadom. The appearance of the Magnificent Golden Chariot along with trained horses, ponies and mules, the Delevanti Brothers gymnasts, and Dan Bushnell, the East Indian juggler and wire walker, were among the attractions.
