47^th Indiana Volunteer Infantry

It is useless to speak in praise of the ...47th Indiana...They have won laurels on

many fields, and not only their country will praise, but posterity will be proud to claim

kindred with the privates in ranks. They have a history that...their childrens' children

will be proud to read - Brig. Gen. Alvin Hovey (Vicksburg Official Records)

The Forty-Seventh Regiment was organized at Anderson, on the 10th of October,1862, with James R. Slack as Colonel, the regiment being composed of companies raised in the Eleventh Congressional District. On the 13th of December it left Indianapolis for Kentucky and reached Bardstown on the 21st, where it was assigned to Gen. Wood's brigade of Buell's army. From thence it moved to Camp Wickliffe, arriving there on the 31st of December, and remained there until the 14th of February, 1862, when it marched to West Point, at the mouth of Salt River, and there took transports for Commerce, Missouri. Arriving there on the 24th of February, it was assigned to Gen. Pope's army, and marched at once to New Madrid, and there engaged the enemy, being the first regiment to enter Fort Thompson. Moving on to Riddle's Point it participated in the engagement at that place between the shore batteries and rebel gunboats. From thence it moved to Tiptonville, Tennessee, where it remained for nearly two months.

After the capture of Fort Pillow the regiment was transported to Memphis, reaching that place on the 30th of June, and remaining there during the following month, Colonel Slack being in command of the post. On the 11th of August it had a skirmish with the enemy at Brown's plantation, Mississippi, losing a few men killed and wounded. Moving to Helena, Arkansas, the regiment remained there until March,1863, when it took part in Gen. Quinby's expedition to Yazoo Pass. Returning from this expedition it joined Grant's army and moved with it to the rear of Vicksburg, engaging in the battles and skirmishes of that campaign. In the battle of Champion Hills on the 16th of May, it lost one hundred and forty-three in killed and wounded. Going into the trenches near the enemy's works at Vicksburg, it remained in them until the surrender on the 4th of July, being almost constantly engaged in the siege. After this it marched to Jackson with Sherman's expedition, and took part in the engagement at that place.

Returning to Vicksburg it took transports for New Orleans in August, from whence it moved to Berwick Bay. While in this portion of Louisiana the Forty-Seventh participated in Bank's expedition through the Teche country, engaging the enemy at Grand Coteau. It then moved to New Iberia, and while there in December, 1863, the regiment re-enlisted and left Algiers on the 9th of February, 1864, for home on veteran furlough, reaching Indianapolis on the 18th, with four hundred and sixteen veterans. On the 19^th it was present at a public reception given to veterans of the Twenty-First and Forty-seventh regiments at Metropolitan Hall in that city; on which occasion addresses were made by Gov. Morton, Col. Slack and others.

Upon its return to the field the regiment moved with Bank's army up Red River in the spring of 1864, engaging in the marches, battles and retreats of that unfortunate campaign. On the 28th of July it engaged the enemy at Atchafalaya Bayou, Louisiana, losing several wounded. The regiment was then stationed at Morganza, at which post it remained on duty for some time. On the 31st of December, 1864, Colonel James R. Slack was commissioned a Brigadier General, where upon John A. McLaughlin was promoted Colonel of the regiment. In February, 1865, it was transported to Dauphin Island, Alabama, near Mobile, and in Canby's campaign against that city the Forty-Seventh took an active part. After the fall of Mobile it moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, with Gen. Herron to receive the surrender of Gen. Price and the army of the Trans-Mississippi Department. At this place the regiment remained until the 23d of October, 1865, when it was mustered out of service. Reaching Indianapolis with five hundred and thirty men and thirty-two officers, it was present on the 1st of November at a reception given to the regiment in the Capitol grounds, and was addressed by Gov. Morton, Gen. Slack, and Cols. Milton S. Robinson and John A. McLaughlin. The next day the regiment was finally discharged.