April 12, 1861... Fort Sumter has been fired upon! The Telegraph carried the news. No excitement before or since, has ever equaled that which swept over the State of Indiana. That Saturday night and into Sunday people crowded around the telegraph offices to hear the dispatches concerning Fort Sumter. The sermons on Sunday were a call to arms, some instructing their parishioners that they had one single duty to perform which was to support the Flag. The states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri were hanging in the balance. But, that sister state to the south for which Indiana was so closely tied concerned them the most, the state of Kentucky.

The "War of the Rebellion" or Civil War was on. Excitement was high in and around the town of Terre Haute, Indiana. The DAILY WABASH EXPRESS of Terre Haute, reported that a citizens meeting was held the night of April 16th, 1861 at the Court House. The crowd was large and enthusiastic and many could not get in. Upon displaying the "Stars and Stripes" the band enthusiastically played "The Star Spangled Banner" while the crowd saluted the flag. Speeches were given by several of the area's prominent citizens to rally support for the Union.

Within days after the firing on Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 troops to serve for a term of three-months. There were to be 94 new regiments, of which Indiana's quota was to be 6 new regiments. Indiana's newly inaugurated governor, Oliver P. Morton, was a very strong and proactive leader. In response to what he perceived to be a weak and unprepared central government, he took immediate steps to prepare for war. Governor Morton acted quickly by issuing a proclamation calling for the six regiments. Response was very high and there were enough for several more regiments. Never has the contributions and influences of a state been such a factor in determining the outcome of National or for that matter World events ever occurred. States, both northern and southern rallied to support their cause in terms of not only men, but tremendous financial and material means

Because it became clear that the war was not going to be over quickly, the need for 3 year enlistments became evident. In July and August, several companies were forming in Vigo County, Indiana at the 7th congressional district camp, known as Camp Vigo. Camp Vigo was located in Terre Haute at the old Fairgrounds, across from the present day Collett Park, off Maple Avenue. The first regiment to be raised at Camp Vigo was the 14th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. The new companies now forming would become the 31st and 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. The 31st Indiana Volunteers was organized under the leadership of Colonel, Charles Cruft.

Below is an example of the wording found in an advertisement that started appearing in the DAILY WABASH EXPRESS paper of Terre Haute in July of 1861. The paper just so happened to be owned by Charles Cruft.

The locations that men signed up for the 31st was varied. Some early recruits went to Indianapolis for enlistment at Camps Sullivan and Camp Morton. Others either signed up at the Vigo county Court House or in their local village or town. My Great, Great Grandfather, Andrew Gosnell enlisted in the small village of New Goshen Indiana. Andrew was enrolled as a private. He and his fellow "Vigo Rangers" and the other 9 companys were officially mustered in as the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry on the 15th of September for a term of 3 years. At the time he joined the regiment he was 26 years of age. The Military Records showed Andrew to have Blue Eyes with Light Hair and a Sandy Complexion. Andrew's height was 5 foot, 8 inches, which was the average height of Indiana Civil War soldiers.When companies formed they called themselves by Company Names or Guard Names and not by letters. Only once the regiment was formed were they assigned a Company Letter.The regions that the companies of the 31st Indiana were formed from were as follows:

The Regiment was officially mustered in as the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry on September 20, 1861 by Lt. Col. Wood of the U.S. Army. All did not go smooth at Camp Vigo. There were shortages of uniforms and arms. There was even an attempted group desertion at the camp, which was foiled. The regiment drilled and drilled at camp Vigo.

About sundown on the 21st of September, the 31st received its marching order. They packed up their things and headed toward the train depot in Terre Haute. Just after 9:00 p.m. they left for Evansville and arrived there the next morning around 7:00 a.m. There they received their arms and ammunition, but they had no provisions of food at that time. The good citizens of Evansville furnished the regiment a large breakfast.

The 31st had several camps in and around this area. The short lived camp near Evansville was called Camp Cruft. They camped in Spotsville, KY, Henderson KY and several other areas in this vicinity. Rumors flew about the area of possible invasions and so the 31st made several reconnaissance missions in the area.

On October 31st, 1861, Andrew Gosnell was placed on special guard duty at Lock No. 1 on the Green River. He remained on this special service until November 27, 1861.

Eventually the 31st Ind. along with other regiments from Indiana and Kentucky settled into a camp near Calhoun, KY, called Camp Calhoun.

In late November there were the following regiments at Calhoun:

• 31st Indiana, Volunteer Infantry
• 42nd Indiana, Volunteer Infantry
• 43rd Indiana, Volunteer Infantry
• 44th Indiana, Volunteer Infantry
• 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Calvary, previously camped at Daviess County, Kentucky Fairgrounds, aka Camp Silas F. Miller
• 11th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
• 17th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, previously camped at Hartford, Kentucky
• 25th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
• 26th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, previously camped at Daviess County, Kentucky Fairgrounds, aka Camp Silas F. Miller
  

The 31st was originally under the command of Brigadier General George H. Thomas but in November they were under the command of Brigadier General Thomas L. Crittenden at Calhoun. Crittenden's division was under the command of General Don Carlos Buell's Army.

On December 28th, a few miles south of Camp Calhoun, near Sacremento, the "Battle of Sacremento" took place. Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry attacked a battalion of Major Eli H. Murray's 3rd Kentucky Cavalry. The 3rd Kentucky Calvalry was part of the force stationed at Camp Calhoun. Murray's men were on a scouting mission to locate Confederate troop movements in the area. This event brought the war close for the first time to the green soldiers of the 31st.

The winter spent in Camp Calhoun was not good. Poor sanitary conditions at the camp at Calhoun led to the death of many men by disease. A large infestation of rats contributed to the disease problems. Measles mumps, malarial fever, and rheumatism were epidemic. Visitors to Calhoun, Kentucky complained about the deplorable conditions as in a letter written on stationery from an Indianapolis Hotel to Governor O. P. Morton which describes the conditions that they found the soldiers in. A few excerpts from the letter are as follows:

MORRIS HOUSE

Opposite the Union Depot,
Indianapolis, Ind, ....Jan.10.....1862

To the honorable [Governor] i have been visiting my friends in the 31st reg, at calhoun kentky to my sorrow they are in bad condition of health caused by imprudence incompatincy or neglect of the officers there health is so very bad only near half of the reg is able to turnout to service..............

many of the sick and feeble have spent there last money and there friends money to procure some little nourshing food............

we have given our neighbors our friends our sons to our Cuntrys call to put down the rebellion but to see them sick suffer and wast away by negligence or incompatency is more than we are willing to bare..........

The camp was then visited by the Sanitation Commission in January 1862. A long report of the conditions was made out. The 31st Indiana remained at Calhoun until February 9, 1862, when they embarked on board the steamer Ben J. Adams, and arrived at Paducah on the night of February 10th. The next morning they headed towards Fort Henry, up the Tennessee River. They then returned without disembarking, because Fort Henry had been taken the day before. They then ascended the Cumberland River, and arrived near Fort Donelson on the morning of February 14, 1862.

At this time the 31st became part of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Division of the Army of the Tennessee. The 1st Brigade was under the command of Colonel Charles Cruft and the 3rd Division was under the command of General Lew Wallace. The 1st Brigade was composed of the 31st Indiana, with Lieutenant Colonel Osborn temporarily commanding; the 25th Kentucky Volunteers, under Colonel James M. Shackelford; eight companies of the 44th Indiana Volunteers, under Colonel Hugh B. Reed; and the 17the Kentucky Volunteers, under Colonel John H. McHenry.

On February the 15th around 8:30 a.m., General Lew Wallace's order was received to put the brigade in motion to the extreme right of the Union line for the purpose of reinforcing General McClernand's division. The brigade moved in column with the 25th Kentucky in advance, followed by the 31st Indiana, the 17th Kentucky, and the 44th Indiana. The 31st was to fall in to the left of the 25th Kentucky. Before the 31st reached its position, it was exposed to a "galling" fire of musketry and artillery from a hill to their left. The regiment formed in line of battle at the foot of the hill and fired upon the enemy position. The enemy had outflanked the troops of the other brigade on the right and drove them back. The troops came rushing through the 31st's ranks near the center. The line quickly reformed on the hill to the right and rear of the previous position. During the confusion, Lieutenant Colonel Osborn and about 20 men became detached from the regiment and were unable to rejoin it during the day. From the new position a heavy fire was poured into the enemy. The line moved farther to the right and again fired into the enemy which soon gave way. There were reports that the Confederates were forming in a hollow leading to the hospital in the rear. The regiment was ordered back to protect the hospital until about 4:00 p.m. At this time the 31st Indiana was then ordered to march into a ravine below the fort, on the extreme right of the Union line in support of the 11th Indiana and 8th Missouri regiments. The 31st formed to the left of the 17th Kentucky and charged the hill. The regiment reached a ravine immediately below the enemy's batteries and was exposed to a terrible fire of grape, shrapnel and shells. To avoid the fire, the regiment was moved farther up the ravine. Five companies of the 31st were ordered up the hill on the extreme left and the rest were sent to the right with the rest of the brigade to outflank the enemy and attack in the rear. The assault was a complete success. The Confederates retreated to within the works of the Fort. The regiment was ordered to fall back to where the fight on the hill was made and there encamp for the night. From this position they were to prepare to storm the works early in the morning. The regiment slept on the hillside and were woke early the following morning on the 16th. They were drawn up in column and made ready to march to the assault until word came that the Confederates had surrendered. This was the very first fight for the 31st Indiana, and they performed gallantly.

STATS for Fort Donelson: 9 killed, 52 wounded, 6 of these Mortally, and 1 missing.

Battle of Shiloh:

Andrew Gosnell and the regiment marched to the previously captured Fort Henry. On March 9th the regiment loaded aboard the steamboat "Fannie Bullit" and started up the Tennessee River in the company of 75 other Steam Boats and 4 Gun Boats. An enlisted man noted that the trip was "pleasant" with "fine scenery". On March 13th the boat landed at Savannah, Tennessee.

The regiment later moved to Pittsburg Landing on the 16th. Here on the 18th, the 31st set up camp about a mile from the river, near the crossroads of the Hamburg and Savannah road and the road from Pittsburgh to Corinth. At this time the 31st was part of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, of Brigadier General Steven L. Hurlbut of the Army of the Tennessee which was under the command of Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant.

On April 5th the 3rd Brigade was placed under Brigadier General Jacob Lauman. The regiments of the Brigade were the same as at Fort Donelson, the 31st Indiana under Charles Cruft, the 44th Indiana, the 17th Kentucky and the 25th Kentucky.

Early Sunday morning on April 6th the rapid volleys of musketry from camps to the front indicated the commencement of the battle. At 7:30 Gen. Hurlbut received an urgent message from Sherman for help. He ordered Lauman to have the brigade form for action. In a little over 10 minutes the brigade line was formed and moving in column along the Hamburg Road. Prentiss' refugees were streaming back through the division. Hurlbut realized he could advance no further. The 31st with the brigade was formed in front of the famous sunken road and in the Hornet's Nest. The battle was progressing actively upon the right and left of the main line. Soon the Confederates attacked the brigade in great force and with much desperation. This first attack was probably made by Col. Winfield Statham's 3rd Brigade under John C. Breckenridge. The Confederate advance came to within 10 yards of their line and was repulsed by a "cool and steady fire". Each man expended approximately 30 rounds. Col. Cruft wrote that "the slaughter among the enemy in its front was terrible. A second attack was shortly made with increased fury. The line stood unbroken, however, and after exhausting nearly the last cartridge again repulsed the enemy. Here a slight cessation in the attack occurred, barely long enough to procure fresh ammunition from the rear. The boxes of the men were scarcely filled before the enemy were the third time upon us. The line stood firm, and again succeeded against superior numbers. There was now a short cessation of firing, during which the cartridge-boxes of the men were again filled. A fourth assault was soon made, which was gallantly repulsed, and the enemy withdrew, leaving my regiment, with the balance of the brigade, in position. The enemy, retreated and moved off toward the left of the main line."

Colonel Cruft states, "During the action my regiment fired an average of about 100 rounds per man. The piles of the enemy's dead which were lying along our front when he retreated attested the accuracy and steadiness of the fire."

Seeing that the Union left was about to be swept, Gen. Hurlbut ordered the brigade to move to the left about 2 p.m. For some minutes the brigade was halted near the Hamburg road, to protect Willard's battery, that was then playing upon the enemy. Cruft continues, "The various regiments were then moved farther to the left, and our regiment ordered to the extreme left, and placed in position to await the expected attack. An Illinois regiment subsequently formed to our left and rear. The action soon commenced to the right. It was apparent, from the reports of skirmishers sent to the front and from observations, that the enemy were preparing to flank our line to the left in great force. This was shortly accomplished. Regiment after regiment marched up from a large ravine to the left, moving in echelon, in compact lines, with Confederate flags flying, in perfect order, as if on parade, and came steadily down upon our small front. An order was given for our left to advance. My regiment did so promptly. It was soon evident that the advance could not be sustained, in the absence of a reserve, against the overwhelming force of well-disciplined troops of the enemy. After my regiment had fired some 10 rounds the regiment to the left was forced back. An order was now given along the entire line to fall back, and a general retreat was made about 3:30 o'clock p.m. to a ridge nearer the river, [Grants Last Line]. Here the regiment was again formed in brigade line and marched up to the support of a section of a battery of large siege guns, and occupied this position during the desperate fight which closed the day. After the final repulse of the enemy the regiment was moved forward, with the residue of the brigade, about three-fourths of a mile, and there bivouacked for the night, at about 7:30 o'clock."

On the next day April 7th, the regiment was actively engaged with the balance of the brigade on the right of Sherman's main line.

During the battle of Shiloh, Andrew Gosnell was slightly wounded in the right hand by a musket ball. Col. Cruft was badly wounded more than once during the battle and refused to leave the field until after the regiment had retreated to Grant's Last Line.

STATS for Shiloh: 21 killed, 114 wounded, 10 of these Mortally, and 3 missing.

On May 2nd 1862, the Thirty-first was transferred to the Army of the Ohio, and became a part of the Twenty-second Brigade, Fourth Division. Andrew was listed as being absent from the regiment due to an illness part of May. This was the only time he was listed absent due to sickness.

In May and June, the 31st participated in the siege of Corinth.

In July of 1862, Andrew was promoted to Corporal. The Colonel of the 31st Indiana, Colonel Charles Cruft was promoted to Brigadier General in July.

Chasing Braxton Bragg:

The regiment now began a chase of Confederate General Braxton Bragg. It traveled through middle Tennessee passing into Kentucky through Bowling Green and reached Louisville, KY. Here the regiment remained the rest of the month, and in the meantime were introduced to the Ninetieth Ohio Regiment, which became part of the brigade. Capt. John T. Smith writes... "A finer-looking regiment of men never went into service. And it was as true as steel, and as brave as it was true. The day they came into our brigade they were splendidly equipped; had everything allowed by the regulations, and more too. The next morning they did not have near so much. The fact is, the Thirty-first had made a draw, and it was with great difficulty that you could get the Ninetieth to believe that the Thirty-first had not robbed them of their household goods and kitchen furniture."

It was here in Louisville, that General William Nelson, was killed by Union General Jeff. C. Davis. The 31st Indiana participated in General Nelson's funeral procession.

After leaving Louisville the 31st was involved in the skirmishing at Perryville, Kentucky, but really did not really get involved in the main battle.

Marching in late October the regiment experienced the first snow storm of the season. They had left their tents behind. On the 26th of October the regiment began moving at 6 am toward Mt. Vernon, with snow six inches deep. Several of the men were barefooted and had no blankets. They halted an hour for dinner, then took the road to Sommerset, KY, marched 5 miles and halted for the night in a meadow. They had no tents but were able to get plenty of straw and hay to bed down in. On the 31st, they marched 21 miles and encamped at Columbia, KY, stayed one day and while there, drew some shoes and a few shirts, which was much appreciated by the men.

On Nov. 1, 1862, the regiment pitched their tents for the first time since leaving McMinnvile, Tennessee in August. Their knapsacks had finally caught up with them and many changed their clothes for the first time since leaving Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The Battle of Stones River:

The regiment now marched to Nashville, Tenn and remained there until December 26th, 1862. On the 26th, the regiment took up the march for Murfreesboro in Major General Roscrans plan to move against Bragg's Force holed up in Murfreesboro.

At the battle of Stone's River or Murfreesboro, the 31st Indiana was in the Left Wing of the Army of the Cumberland. They were in the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Division commanded by Brigadier Gen. John M. Palmer. The 1st Brigade was led by Gen. Charles Cruft and was made up of the 31st Indiana, 1st Kentucky, 2nd Kentucky and the "green" 90th Ohio.

Both General Roscrans and General Bragg planned similar battle plans. Both planned to hold the right and hit with their left. Bragg beat Rosy to the punch and thus controlled the early part of the battle. Shortly after 6A.M. on the morning of December 31st, 1862, Hardee's men hit McCook on the Union right and began battle. The Union right began to crumble under the sledge hammer attack of the Confederate Army.

The 31st IN and the 2nd KY were in the front line in front of the "Cedar Woods". Col. John Smith says in his History.... "after the skirmishers had been sent out, it was suggested by the Acting Major [John Smith] the building of a stone fence or wall for breastworks. The men laid down their guns and went to work, and in a few minutes you would have thought that every man was a natural-born stonecutter, and that each one was a master-builder. A rail fence in our front was thrown down, and by the time our skirmishers were driven in, our position was next to impregnable. We were here attacked by the brigade of the rebel General J. R. Chalmers, consisting of the Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, and Forty-first Mississippi Regiments and Blythe's Mississippi Regiment, together with the Ninth Mississippi Battalion of sharpshooters. The first charge made, Chalmers was carried off the field so severely wounded he did no further duty. The charge was repulsed with fearful slaughter. It made a second charge, and the result was that the brigade was so completely wiped out that the organization was destroyed. Chalmers's brigade was supported by the brigade of General D. S. Donelson, consisting of the Eighth, Sixteenth, Thirty-eighth, Fifty-first, and Eighty-fourth Tennessee Regiments. After Chalmers's total defeat -- almost destruction -- Donelson's Brigade came up with deliberate, steady step" All the line in Donelson's front was carried, except the extreme right of Palmer's Division.

In consequence of the terrible slaughter of Chalmer's Brigade, which were all Mississippians, that part of the battle-field is known a "Mississippi Half Acre."

Smith continues, "When we went into position here in the morning, we connected with Negley's command on our right, and with Hazen's Brigade on our left. We held our position here after the repulse of Chalmers and Donelson's Brigade until Negley's right had been so far turned that the line of battle stood at right angles with our line. In the meantime the ammunition of the Thirty-first and Second Kentucky having been almost exhausted, an attempt was made to relieve them by sending in the First Kentucky to take the place of the Thirty-first, and the Ninetieth Ohio to relieve the Second Kentucky. When the First Kentucky had nearly reached our Position, the Colonel gave the command to charge. The Thirty-first was ordered to lie down, and the First Kentucky charged immediately over us,....... The First Kentucky soon encountered such an unequal force, and being exposed to a crossfire of both musketry and artillery, that it rapidly fell back, and again charged over the Thirty-first, closely followed by double lines of the enemy. As soon at the First Kentucky had all passed to the rear, the Thirty-first gave the enemy such a deadly volley that they fell back as rapidly as they had come."

The brigades to the left and right began falling back and essentially the Brigade was about to be completely surrounded with no support. Their ammunition running low, a command to fall back was given, but several in the 31st did not hear the command and continued to fight until overrun. Andrew Gosnell was captured at this point, along with several of his comrades.

On Jan. 2nd 1863 the battle resumed. The 31st took part in the attack on General John C. Breckenridge's left.

STATS for Stones River: 5 killed, 45 wounded, 6 of these mortally, and 37 missing.

Andrew Gosnell was sent to Libby prison in Richmond, Virginia. He arrived there on January 15, 1863. Andrew was lucky, because after being confined at the prison for only 5 days, he was exchanged on January 20th and Paroled at City Point, Virginia. He reported in at Camp Parole near Annapolis, Maryland on the 21st and his long journey back home had now begun.

A few days after the battle, the Thirty-first Regiment, together with the brigade, moved out to Cripple Creek, some eight miles east of Murfreesboro, and went into camp, where it remained until the 24th of June, 1863.

Col. John Smith wrote, "From May 4, 1862, the time we left Corinth, Mississippi, to January 3, 1863, the close of the battle of Stone River, was about eight months, or two hundred and forty days. During all this time the regiment was considered in camp ninety-nine days. It actually had its tents up but fifty-six days, leaving one hundred and eighty-four days that the men were exposed to the inclemency of the weather, just as it came, without shelter of any kind, and the worst weather that came found us without our tents, and on short rations. During this time the regiment was under fire, in actual battle, twelve days, beside various skirmishes that sometimes amounted to quite a respectable little battle."

"The most laborious marching we had to do was what was called "flanking." The troops followed the road, and each regiment would detail a company, one-half of which were thrown out on each side of the road, two or three hundred yards, and march in Indian file, keeping as near the same distance as possible from the troops in the road. Of course fences, hills, and ravines had to be crossed, streams had to be waded, thickets and brier patches had to be penetrated, and, at the same time, you had to keep up with the troops in the road."

"Another laborious duty, one that got to be quite burdensome, was "train guarding." The trains, of course, would be given the road, and the guards would have to march as best they could, and, in the event a team got stuck in the mud, the guards had to lay down their guns, and put their shoulders to the wheels. This train guarding was almost an every-day business, and the Thirty-first Regiment, somehow, was lucky in getting jobs of this kind to do. It was astonishing to see how quick a wagon could be repaired. If an axle should break, with scarcely no tools, and with no material except such as could be picked on a farm where the rails had all disappeared, a man or two would go to work, and the next morning the wagon would be up and ready for use. The method of repairing a wheel was different. If a wheel gave way, the teamster would drive to one side of the road, and wait till night, and then look out for a teamster was off his guard, or a wagon that was not under the immediate eye of a sentinel, when it was only the work of a moment to take a good wheel off and put the broken one on. I have heard it said that sometimes a wheel would be carried five miles before the exchange could be made. It was insisted that there was no stealing in this, for the wagons all belonged to Uncle Sam, and that they were working for him. Be this as it may, it had all the symptoms of stealing."

Andrew Gosnell made it back to his regiment at Cripple Creek, TN in early June.

The Battle of Chickamauga:

The 31st Indiana at the battle of Chickamauga was part of the Army of the Cumberland under Gen. Roscrans, in the 21st Corps, under Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden, 2nd Division under Gen. John M. Palmer, in the 1st Brigade commanded by Gen. Charles Cruft and the Regiment was led by Col. John T. Smith. The 1st Brigade again consisted of the 31st Indiana, 1st Kentucky, 2nd Kentucky and the 90th Ohio.

On the 18th of September, 1863, the regiment with its brigade, was bivouacked up McLemore's Cove on the left of the road leading south from Lee & Gordon's Mill. At 6:30 p.m. of that day the brigade was formed in column along the road ready to move northward across Chickamauga Creek. Moving northward it crossed the Chickamauga at Lee & Gordon's Mill at about 1 a.m. of September 19th. Upon reaching this point the brigade was immediately put in line of battle by its Division Commander, Maj.-Gen. John M. Palmer, and in this position lay on its arms the remainder of the night. Upon the opening of the battle on the 19th the other brigades of the division were ordered northward to join the line of Major-General Thomas, and at 11 a.m. The 1st Brigade under Cruft, was ordered to follow the others. The 31st Indiana then with the brigade moved north on the Lafayette and Chattanooga road until it reached the Brotherton house, when it rejoined its (Palmer's) Division north of the Brotherton and Reed's Bridge road. The general orders were to move in line of battle eastward to join on the right of the troops then engaged, the formation being in echelong with Cruft's Brigade in advance. The brigade had moved from its line of formation only about 400 yards eastward, when the skirmishers engaged those of the enemy and drove them back upon their main lines. Cruft's Brigade then pressed forward and engaged the enemy, the time being then about 12:30 p.m., and the position being the west line of the Brock field, and about 150 yards west of the Brock house, on the south side of the creek, south of the Brotherton and Reed's Bridge road. The brigade went into the engagement with the 1st Kentucky Infantry in support of the artillery of the division, the other three regiments forming a single line with the 2nd Kentucky on the right of the brigade, the 31st Indiann in the center, and the 90th Ohio on the left. General Cruft indicated that "The fighting was severe from the time of joining battle, and lasted until 2:20 p.m., an hour and forty minutes, with but little intermission in the musketry on both sides." General Cruft reports that in this engagement, "The enemy made three very obstinate attempts to break my line by charges, and at each time were reenforced from the woods in the rear. They were on each occasion repulsed with apparently very heavy losses. My command behaved bravely, and steadily held the line. Not a straggler was observed going to the rear. The file closers did their duty, and every officer and man stood to his work." From 2:30 p.m. until about 3:50 p.m. there was a general cessation of firing along the front of this brigade, during which time ammunition arrived from the rear and the men replenished their cartridge boxes and their pockets. About 3:50 p.m. the battle again began to rage to the right of Cruft's Brigade, and extended rapidly towards the left, growing stronger and more severe until it reached and extended along the front of Grose's (Third) Brigade, of Palmer's Division. The battle became more and more critical on the right, and orders were received by General Cruft from General Palmer to send such reenforcements to General Grose's Brigade as he could spare. In obedience to this order the Second Kentucky and the Thirty-first Indiana were ordered to the relief of Colonel Grose. These two regiments reached Colonel Grose's line only to find it overpowered and giving way, stubbornly, under a most impetuous attack by overwhelming numbers, with its supporting lines on the right wholly gone. The situation now became critical in the extreme. The two regiments, the Second Kentucky and Thirty-first Indiana, moved off to the right a short distance in order to avoid the retreating troops and engaged the enemy hotly, thus checking him and holding its position for a time and preventing a disastrous retreat, but was finally forced to the rear about a hundred yards, when they were reenforced by the Ninetieth Ohio and a regiment from Turchin's Brigade, when an impetuous charge was made upon the advancing enemy by four regiments, including the Thirty-first Indiana. The charge was successful, and the lines of the enemy were broken and fled to the rear, and the Union line was restored and the ground previously lost being regained and firmly held until after nightfall."

The lines were formed to the front as best could be done in the darkness, without fires and without supper, except as could be had from the haversack, the men settled down for the night. This proved to be the line that was to be occupied by the Thirty-first Indiana in the battle of Sunday, September 20th, the east Kelly field line. During the night and by daylight of the morning of the 20th, the various regiments of the brigade constructed rough log breastworks along the front.

The attack commenced on their front at 7:40 a.m. It was very sharp and determined, and consisted of a series of assaults by the musketry and occasional artillery, continuing until about 12 p.m. Musketry and artillery were required almost constantly along the brigade line, during these four hours, to repel the enemy. The Confederate troops engaged in the assaults on the Kelly field line, were those of Polk's and Hill's Corps.

The punishment and loss inflicted on the Confederates by the Union east Kelly field line seems to have been sufficient to prevent any further serious attacks upon that portion of Thomas' line. At about 3 p.m. the troops of General Hazen's Brigade were withdrawn from this portion of the Union left, and again the 31st Indiana and the 2nd Kentucky were ordered out, as in Saturday's battle, to fill the gap and hold the line, and it was done. At about 5 p.m. General Cruft received orders to withdraw his troops and take position in the woods to the west of the Kelly house and the Lafayette and Chattanooga road. At the time that this order was given there was no indication that the movement was to be the beginning of a withdrawal from the battlefield. It was supposed by General Cruft and the officers and men that the brigade was being sent to the relief and support of their lines to the right. This movement took place while General Thomas was making the hard battle at Harker's Hill and Sondgrass Hill, and the movement of this brigade was in that direction. On reaching the Lafayette road the regiment was ordered to move toward Chattanooga. The brigade moved to the rear until it reached the summit of Missionary Ridge, were it was halted and a line of battle was formed facing to the front. Later the brigade was ordered to Rossville.

On the morning of September 21st it was marched east again from Rossville to the top of Missionary Ridge. Breastworks were constructed and all preparations made to meet the advance of Bragg's Army. The Thirty-first remained on this line during the day and when the brigade was withdrawn, at 9 o'clock on the night of September 21st, three companies of this regiment were ordered to remain with the pickets until daylight of the 22d, when they fell back and rejoined their brigade at Chattanooga.

STATS for Chickamauga: 5 killed, 61 wounded, 7 of these mortally, and 17 missing.

While at Chattanooga a confederate artillery shell came in close to Andrew Gosnell and exploded. The exploding shell knocked Andrew to the ground. From that time on Andrew was hard of hearing.

The 31st was ordered to Bridgeport Alabama in November and therefore missed the battle of Missionary Ridge. While in camp here at Bridgeport, two hundred and eighty-five men of the regiment re-enlisted, or veteranized. Those who re-enlisted were mustered as veterans on the 7th day of January, 1864. Andrew Gosnell did not re-enlist. I imagine that he had had enough. The veterans left Bridgeport on January 26th, and arrived at Indianapolis, where they were given a magnificent reception and later returned to Terre Haute. Back home, some men recruited new recruits for the regiment. They returned to the regiment April 1, 1864.