The Indiana Jackass Regiment in the Civil War

This book contains never before published information, including artillery firing tables, for an Indiana infantry regiment converted to heavy artillery. It concentrates upon these Hoosiers’ three-and-a-half years of duty in the Trans-Mississippi Theater and Gulf states during the Civil War, often as a separate command. They acted as infantry, cavalry and light artillery (with captured cannons) before being converted to heavy artillery in 1863. Their cannons and artillery equipment were hauled by hundreds of mules. The regiment participated in the taking of New Orleans, securing an important rail link to Morgan City, Louisiana, the Teche Campaign, the siege and reduction of Port Hudson, the Red River Campaign, and sieges and reductions of Fort Gaines, Fort Morgan, Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, Alabama.

Retired administrative vice-president and corporate secretary Phillip E. Faller was educated at Indiana University and Indiana Central College in Indianapolis. He has published articles on siege artillery in The Artilleryman and wrote a two-part article on the evolution of the Merrill rifle and carbine for The Gun Report. He lives in Gonzales, Louisiana.

Phillip E. Faller
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 375
Bibliographic Info: 39 photos, 23 maps, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2013
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7046-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-9278-7
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments ix

Foreword by Lawrence Lee Hewitt 1

Preface 3

The Formation of the 21st Indiana Volunteer Infantry 5

Part I: History

One. Indianapolis and Baltimore 9

Two. Ship Island 18

Three. New Orleans Bound 25

Four. Life in the South Louisiana Swamps 31

Five. Baton Rouge and Environs 40

Six. Baton Rouge: Battle 50

Seven. Baton Rouge: Battle Aftermath and Abandonment 75

Eight. Swamp Life, New Orleans and Camp Delights 83

Nine. Cotton and Salt 90

Ten. The Cotton, Port Hudson and the Teche 99

Eleven. 48 Days at Port Hudson, Starting May 23, 1893 115

Twelve. At Port Hudson, May 28–June 14 139

Thirteen. At Port Hudson, June 15–July 9 160

Fourteen. Teche, Texas, Teche 190

Fifteen. Veteran Furlough—Red River Sideshow–Garrison

  Doldrums 202

Sixteen. Reorganization and Action at Mobile Bay 216

Seventeen. New Orleans. Garrison Life. Mobile Campaign! 232

Eighteen. The War Is Over. When May We Go Home? 256

Epilogue 262

Part II: Regimental Roster 263

Part III: Appendices, Notes, Bibliography, Index

A—Ship Island (The Regiment’s Losses Due to Privation) 325

B—The Battle of Baton Rouge 325

C—The Battle of Bisland 330

D—The Siege of Port Hudson 331

E—Spanish Fort and Blakely 340

Chapter Notes 341

Bibliography 355

Index 361

“The extremely detailed regimental roster makes this work a good genealogical resource…well organized, factually sound…outstanding…deserves very high marks”—Civil War News; “well researched and with an abundantly detailed narrative…a remarkable regimental history…highly recommended”—Civil War Books and Authors.