Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and NEWTON, Indiana Historical and Biographical F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1883 -696- One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment. - This regiment was recruited from the Ninth Congressional District during the fall and winter of 1863, rendezvoused at Michigan City, and was mustered into service on the 18th of March, 1864, with RICHARD P. DE HART, as Colonel, and JASPER PACKARD as Lieutenant Colonel. On the 23d, the regiment left Michigan City by rail, and proceeded by the way of Indianapolis and Louisville, to Nashville, where the division command- ed by Gen. HOVEY, was organized, and the regiment assigned to the First Brigade. On the 6th of April, the regiment started on a march for the front, and moving by the way of Stevenson, Bridgeport and Chattanooga - through a section of country famed for the beauty of its mountain scenery, where hills kiss the clouds, and the silver streams laugh in the sunshine - reached Charleston, East Tenn., on the 21st. Gen. HOVEY'S division was then designated as the First Division, and assigned to the Twenty-third Army Corps, under command of Gen. SCHOFIELD. On the 4th of May, the regiment marched with its corps from Charleston, and entered immediately on the campaign against Atlanta. SHERMAN'S moving columns were concentrating in the vicinity of Chatta- nooga, preparatory to moving with determined vigor upon the forces of the rebel Gen. JOHNSTON, who, apparently secure behind the inaccess- ible ridges of Rock Face, challenged our advance through the dangerous defile of Buzzard's Roost Gap, leading to Dalton. But SHERMAN decided to take another route, and not expose his men to certain destruction from the fire of plunging shot, or the deep waters of the creek, by which the enemy flooded the pass. The pass was unapproachable, and the "great flanker" turned to the left, and left the enemy in posi- tion. On the 9th day of May, Gen. SCHOFIELD moved with his corps close to Dalton, when Gen. THOMAS demonstrated with vigor against Rocky Face Ridge. Meanwhile, McPHERSON reached Snake Creek Gap, surprised a force of the enemy, and held the Gap. On the 12th, the whole army, save one corps, moved through the Gap on Resaca. The battle of Resaca followed. Thus constantly moving, threatening, flanking and fighting, the approaches to Atlanta were won, the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth taking part in the principal movements, culminating in such battles as Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta and Jonesboro. From the 8th of May until the 5th of September, under the broiling sun by day, and the pestilential dews by night, through difficult ravines, skirmishing in dense forests, drenched by heavy rains, strug- gling through mud and mire, our troops pressed on. Some portion of the regiment was on the skirmish line nearly every day for four months. On the 9th of June, Gen. HOVEY retired from the command of the First Division, and the First Brigade was assigned to the Third Divi- sion (COX'S) of the same corps. On the 6th of June, Col DE HART hav- ing been disabled by wounds, Lieut. Col. PACKARD assumed command of the regiment. On the 9th of August, the First Brigade was re-organ- ized, and the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth assigned to the Third Bri- gade of the same division. After the fall of Atlanta, the regiment marched from Jonesboro to Decatur, Ga., where it went into camp with the rest of the corps. On the 1st of October, the rebel Gen. HOOD crossed the Chattahoo- chee River with his army, and marched north, by the way of Dallas. SHERMAN'S army, with the exception of the Twentieth Corps, moved in pursuit. The regiment left Decatur with its corps on the 4th, and, crossing the Chattahoochee, moved toward Dallas, threatening the flank and rear of the enemy's forces then assaulting Alltoona. The rebels being defeated at Alltoona, moved rapidly to the northwest, striking the railway at Resaca on the 12th, and capturing Tilton and Dalton. The army of SHERMAN meanwhile made a march to Rome, where the Twenty- third Corps crossed the Oostanaula and drove a brigade of the enemy through the narrow entrance of the valley of the Chattooga, capturing two guns. Then learning that the enemy had moved for Resaca, the pur- suit was continued through Resaca, Snake Creek Gap and Grover's Gap to Gaylesville, Ala., which place was reached on the 20th. The regiment marched in this pursuit over 300 miles. On the 30th of October, the Twenty-third Corps was detached from SHERMAN'S army, and ordered to proceed to Chattanooga and report to Gen. THOMAS. The regiment marched with its corps to this point, and was moved from thence by rail to Pulaski and Nashville. As soon as it was ascertained that HOOD was moving to invade Tennessee, the regiment moved with its corps to Columbia. On the 24th of November, the skir- mishers of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth encountered the advance of the enemy. For six days, severe skirmishing was had with the enemy's line at Columbia, one-half of the regiment being alternately on the skirmish line. The enemy pressed our line strongly, but did not assault. Meantime, Gen. SCHOFIELD made preparations to fall back to Franklin. During the night of the 29th, the regiment marched twenty-six miles, and reached Franklin at daybreak of the 30th. The enemy followed closely, and repeatedly assaulted our line at Franklin as soon as we had formed, but Gen. SCHOFIELD had chosen an excellent position, and repulsed the rebel onslaught with decisive results. The regiment lost several officers and men in this battle, which was fought with great fury and obstinacy, the enemy continuing his assaults until late on the night of the 30th. The battle of Franklin was the first severe check of HOOD'S invasion of Tennessee. The regiment fell back the night after the battle to Brentwood Hills, and the next morning marched to Nashville and took position in its defenses. For two weeks the army of Gen. THOMAS faced the rebel force of Gen. HOOD, who occupied the southern approaches to Nashville. On the 15th of December, THOMAS' army moved upon the enemy in his chosen position, and after two days' hard fighting, utterly defeated the boastful foe and drove his demoralized command beyond the waters of the Tennessee. This battle closed the existence of HOOD'S army. From that time it ceased to exist as an organized body. The regiment was actively engaged in the closing up of HOOD, and joined in the pur- suit as far as Columbia, Tenn., arriving at that place on the 26th. Here the command rested for a short time preparatory to another cam- paign, which was to strangle the last army of the rebellion. On the 5th of January, 1865, the regiment left Columbia and marched by way of Mount Pleasant and Waynesboro to Clifton, on the Tennessee River, where it embarked on transports and sailed to Cincinnati, Ohio. From thence the regiment moved by rail to Washington, and thence to Alexandria, Va. On the 20th of February, the regiment embarked on the steamer Atlantic, and sailed to Fort Fisher, N.C., and from thence, without landing, sailed to Morehead City, N.C., where the regiment disembarked and proceeded by rail to New Berne. Early in March, the regiment set out with its division, and marched along the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad in the direction of Kingston, repairing the railroad as the column moved. On the 8th of March, the enemy was encountered in force at Wise's Fork, four miles below Kingston. The enemy had met with success in capturing two regi- ments of Eastern troops by surprise, and was pushing on, confident of victory, when he was met and checked by RUPER'S division, just arriv- ing on the field. For two days, heavy skirmishing resulted, and on the 10th, the enemy made heavy assaults, but was repulsed, and fled in great disorder from the field. The regiment took an active part in this fight, losing severely in killed and wounded. The whole command then moved to Kingston, which was occupied without resistance from the enemy. On the 20th, the regiment left Kingston, and after a march of thirty miles reached Goldsboro and marched to Le Noir Institute, where the regiment was employed in protecting the railroad until the 9th of April. The regiment then returned to Goldsboro, and was assigned to duty in that city. It was subsequently stationed at Raleigh, N.C., until the spring of 1866, when it was ordered home and mustered out April 13. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access more information about Newton County, Indiana by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/in/newton/ ===========================================================================