Escaping with the colors: The 16th Indiana and the Fight for Richmond

     The story of the 16th Indiana regiment at the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky is similar to most of the Federal regiments that fought at that battle. One would think with a low regimental number like 16 that the Hoosiers would have been in service since 1861; in a way they had. The 16th Indiana had two regimental organizations: the first entered the service in May 1861 but only had a one-year term. The regiment saw service with the General Nathaniel P. Banks’ army in the eastern theater and took part in the fight at Ball’s Bluff before moving into northern Virginia and mustering out of service on May 14, 1862.

          After Lincoln’s call for 300,000 more troops in July 1862, it was decided to reorganize the 16th Indiana on a three-years basis and the regiment was quickly recruited to full strength and placed under the command of Colonel Thomas J. Lucas who had served in the first organization of the regiment as lieutenant colonel. Lucas, a distinguished veteran of the Mexican War who rose from drummer boy to regimental adjutant of the 4th Indiana Infantry, was commissioned colonel of August 19th, only ten days before his regiment went into action.

          The 16th Indiana went into action at nearly full strength and lost 200 men killed or wounded and another 600 men captured, decimating the regiment. “The men were undisciplined and could not go through field movements,” Adjutant James R.S. Cox wrote, “but they were not cowards.” Colonel Lucas would reorganize his regiment after it was paroled, and later served with great distinction in Grant’s army during the operations against Vicksburg where Lucas would be wounded on three occasions. The regiment would convert into mounted infantry and served under General Banks' command again during the Red River campaign in the spring of 1864. Colonel Lucas earned his brigadier’s star in November 1864 and earned a brevet promotion to major general in March 1865.

          Colonel Lucas wrote the following note to Governor Oliver P. Morton the day after Richmond as a preliminary report; it was originally published in the Indianapolis Journal and subsequently republished in the Cincinnati Daily Commercial.

 

Colonel Thomas John Lucas of the 16th Indiana escaped capture at Richmond but would be wounded three times during the Vicksburg campaign. He ended the war with a brevet promotion to major general. 


Headquarters, Fairgrounds, Lexington, Kentucky

August 31, 1862

 

To O.P. Morton, Governor of Indiana

          We engaged the enemy with the 16th, 55th, and 71st Indiana regiments the evening before last and repulsed them without loss upon our part. Saturday morning, we advanced about two miles the other side of Lancaster and found the enemy in position with a full battery. We engaged the enemy from 2-1/2 to 3 hours when, the enemy receiving reinforcements and finding ourselves outflanked on the right and left, we were obliged to retreat which we did in tolerable fair order. The men fought well under a heavy fire during the entire engagement which resulted in quite a number killed in our regiment, also a great many wounded. The other regiments suffered about equal to ours.

 

“Vainly the officers tried to rally them as well might they have attempted to stop a whirlwind, while high above the din of battle rose the infernal yell of the Rebels in victorious pursuit of our broken and scattered troops.” ~ Adjutant James R.S. Cox, 16th Indiana Infantry

 

          Colonel Melville Topping of the 71st was killed while the commanding officer of the 69th was badly injured by the falling of his horse. A retreat was ordered we fell back about three miles, rallied, and fought them again. We were reinforced by the 12th Indiana, one Ohio [95th] and one Kentucky regiment [18th] with General Manson in command. Our loss was considerable, particularly in the 12th Indiana. The enemy was again reinforced, we were outflanked, and compelled to fall back to Richmond with the loss of one piece of artillery.

          About 4 o’clock we engaged the enemy in front of Richmond again. The engagement at this place lasted about one hour to 1-1/2 hours. We were compelled to fall back and that in considerable disorder. At this place, General Nelson was in command. After retreating about 1-1/2 miles this side of Richmond, we found ourselves completely surrounded and our retreat cut off. At this place we had about 400 men rallied in order. The 12th Indiana and the other regiments were in about the same fix, our artillery being out of ammunition, cavalry in great confusion, the road jammed full of wagons, infantry completely worn out; it seemed impossible to do otherwise than for every man to take care of himself which appeared to be the order. At this time, we were charged by the cavalry, the artillery in the rear and in the front. I understand a large portion of the command with artillery and baggage was surrendered.

 

Sword and photo of Brigadier General Mahlon Manson

“Coming through a cornfield into a ravine, a squadron of Rebel cavalry drawn up poured in a volley and my horse threw me. As I fell, I heard someone scream. My foot caught in the stirrup and as my frantic horse dragged me along, a horrible death seemed before me. I wished I had fallen in the heat of battle, but my foot got loose. The rest swept by and I was left with the Rebels upon me, a prisoner.” ~ Adjutant James R.S. Cox, 16th Indiana Infantry

 

          General Nelson got away wounded and General Manson is as yet unaccounted for. When I last saw him, he was trying to make his way through the picket lines. Colonel Mahan with a part of his men made their escape. Major Orr and myself, after four attempts to pass the picket lines, concealed ourselves until after night when we passed the lines and are now here safe and getting our men together as fast as they come in. Scarcely one escaped, either officers or men, without a wound or bullet hole through his clothes. We have our colors with us though some little injured by bullets.

          Major Orr’s horse was wounded in the first engagement as was Colonel Wolfe’s and my own. So far, we all escaped uninjured. The enemy are on this side of the river and we are expecting an attack at any moment. Co. A of the 16th Regiment have five or six killed and several wounded, among that number Scott Parker. He lived but a few minutes after being shot. Captain Smith of Co. D was wounded in the hand. Captain Blackford of Co. C was wounded in the hand while Captain Hill was wounded in the hand. Several other officers were also wounded. Captain Doxsy is missing. I will report to you full particulars as soon as I can.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,

T.J. Lucas, Col.

Commanding 16th Indiana Regiment

 

Sources:

Letter from Colonel Thomas J. Lucas, 16th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Cincinnati Daily Commercial (Ohio), September 4, 1862, pg. 1

Letter from Adjutant James R.S. Cox, 16th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Cincinnati Daily Commercial (Ohio), September 23, 1862, pg. 1

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