This regiment was organized at Indianapolis in April, 1861, for the three months’ service, was mustered in on April 25, and on May 8 was transferred to Evansville for blockade duty along the Ohio river. A somewhat dramatic incident occurred upon the day the regiment left Indianapolis for the front. The patriotic women of that city presented it with a handsome stand of colors and when Col. Wallace received it he turned to the men and said in his most impressive tone: “Now remember Buena Vista, boys, and on our knees let us swear to defend this flag with the last drop of our blood.” Every man in the regiment, including Wallace himself, dropped to his knees and the colonel repeated the following oath: “We pledge ourselves before God and these our fellow-countrymen, to defend this flag with our lives, and to die for it if necessary, God being our helper. Amen.” A solemn “Amen” came in one breath from the regiment, and the subsequent history of the gallant 11th shows how well the oath was kept. It was ordered to Virginia, leaving June 7, and reached Romney on the 11th. It attacked the town but the main body of the enemy had fled an hour before, leaving but a few stragglers. The regiment encamped at Cumberland and on June 26 a body of mounted scouts, 13 in number, attacked 41 of the enemy and routed them, after killing 8. They were in turn attacked at the Potomac river by a body of 75 men, but fell back to a strong position and held it until dark. The regiment moved in July to Martinsburg, W. Va., thence to Bunker Hill and Harper’s Ferry. It was mustered out at Indianapolis, Aug. 2, 1861. Its original strength was 781 and it lost by death, 2; desertion, 1.
Spirit of '61 