From Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana: Historical and biographical By Weston Arthur Goodspeed, F.A. Battey & Co., 1883.
Continued Enlistment
Early in 1864, the enlistment received a new impulse. About two-thirds of a company were furnished for the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Regiment, and about the same number for the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth. Thus the enlistment went on during the year 1864, quite a great many going out as recruits for the old companies. The One Hundred and Forty-second secured about half a company from the county. Companies A and H of the One Hundred and Fifty-first were almost wholly from Pulaski, the men being mustered in January and February, 1865. About the 15th of April, 1865, the welcome order was received to cease enlisting.
Bounty
In August, 1862, the County Commissioners appropriated out of the county treasury the sum of $25 for the family of each volunteer who would enter the company that was then forming. This was the first county bounty. The second was in December, 1863, when there was ordered paid to each volunteer, under the last call for 300,000 men, the sum of $100. These were the only bounties paid by the Commissioners during the war. Large amounts were paid, however, by townships and localities for volunteers to clear such places from drafts.
The first draft—that of October 6, 1862—has been mentioned. The second occurred in October, 1864, at Michigan City, the system having been changed in May, 1863, from counties to Congressional districts. The conscript officers of the Ninth District were: Commissioner, James B. Belford; Provost Marshal, W. W. Wallace, whose commission was revoked in the following November, and Kline G. Shryock took his place; Daniel Dayton, Surgeon. The names of the assistant conscript officers who were appointed in Pulaski cannot be given.
Early in 1865, the militia of the county had been so reduced by previous enlistments and drafts, that it was perceived that another draft would have to be made to meet the new calls, or rather the call of December 19, 1864, for 300,000 men. Every effort was made to escape the calamity. Heavy local bounties were offered for volunteers, and many responded, and the majority of the townships thus cleared themselves.
A few men, however, were drafted, as will be seen from the following table, made out by the authorities at Indianapolis on the 14th day of April, 1865, at which time all efforts to raise troops were abandoned, Lee having surrendered at Appomattox.
Number Of Men Furnished
It is impossible to give the exact number of men furnished by Pulaski County during the war; but the effort will here be made to give the approximate number.
There had volunteered prior to September 15, 1862, 494 men. As the county more than filled her quotas under subsequent calls, counting the drafts of October, 1862, October, 1864, and March, 1865, about the number of men furnished can be obtained, if the quotas are known.
The calls of June and October, 1863, for a total of 400,000 men would make the quota of Pulaski under the “First Enrollment,” in the next to the last table above, not far from 125 men. The calls of February, March and July, 1864, required 145, 67 and 163 men respectively.
The call of December 19, 1864, the last of the war, required eighty-six men, and under this call there was a deficiency of fourteen, owing to the sudden closing of the rebellion. It was estimated that not less than 100 men left the county to enlist, owing to the fact that heavier bounties were offered elsewhere.
The county then furnished 494, 125, 145, 67, 163, 86 and 100 men, less the deficiency of fourteen under the last call, a total of 1,166 men. This number includes the enlisted, the drafted, the “veteranized” men, and the men who left the county to enlist, and were credited elsewhere.
The following regiments contained Pulaski County men: Ninth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Twentieth, Twenty-sixth, Twenty-ninth, Forty-second, Forty-sixth, Forty-eighth, Sixty-third, Eighty-seventh, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth, One Hundred and Forty-second and One Hundred and Fifty-first.
Only two companies were fully organized in the county. These were Company H of the Forty-sixth, and Company B of the Eighty-seventh. The officers of the first were: Captains, Felix B. Thomas, George Burson, James W. Brown, and James F. Mitchell; First Lieutenants, George Burson, James W. Brown, James F. Mitchell and Martin L. Burson; Second Lieutenants, James W. Brown, J. F. Mitchell, Martin L. Burson and John E. Doyle. The officers of the Second were: Captains, James W. Solders, George W. Baker and William W. Agnew; First Lieutenants, G. W. Baker, W. W. Agnew, William Poole and Richard M. Hathaway; Second Lieutenants, Enoch Benefiel, William Poole and James B. Holmes.
THIS TOPIC WILL BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POST, WHICH WILL GO UP ON MARCH 15.