History of the Fifty-Eighth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry

[Wabash&Erie]

Original of this 1890s book (the title of this poste) are not only rare but quite expensive.

My direct-line family all fought in the 58th which mustered just 500 yards from where I now live. They saw service from 1861 to 1865, and were in just about every major western theater battle.

This book is the compilation of the daily letters and journals of the Chaplain John J. Hight. He would write daily as the events occurred, and as the opportunity became available he would send his pages home for safe keeping. His intent was to put it all together for publication. He died (after the war) before he could accomplish this, but his comrade and friend Gilbert Stormont, publisher of the local "Clarion" newspaper undertook the compilation and publishing of this work.

This work is a first hand account by a participant/eye-witness of the daily life and encounters of the 58th Indiana. This isn't written 130 years after the fact from various first hand accounts.

I have found this wonderful volume on Google books where it can be read for free online or downloaded via pdf. I just wanted to pass this information along.

The link is a little long, but it is:

http://books.google.com/books?id=tJUvAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=History+of+the+Fifty-eighth+Indiana+Regiment&source=bl&ots=HIWHCF9JU4&sig=CLZ2usb6ZqAnpllL0BQVyfmgN7k&hl=en&ei=MaCzS9fgMcL-8Aa2y632AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Thanks,
Mark Wallace
Wabash & Erie

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: History of the Fifty-Eighth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry

What company did your ancestors serve in? My great-great-great grandfather, Jacob E. Voorhees, was a Lt. and Capt. in Co. E. For much of his service he was detached in the Pioneer Brigade. (see pages 348-50 & 527 of the history)

The 58th Regimental History can also be downloaded here, from archive.org (a great source for additional regimental histories)

http://www.archive.org/details/historyoffiftyei00high

[Wabash&Erie]

Re: History of the Fifty-Eighth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry

He was in Co. A. He brought his own horse according to the Muster rolls I obtained. Also, he is on Muster rolls as early as July '61 which is prior to formation of the 58th. From Hight's history of the 58th I deduce he was part of the contingent that tried to join the 42nd forming in Evansville. They were sent up to Princeton to be in the 58th.

He mustered out in Indianapolis on June 30, 1864.

Mark Wallace