Journey of the 32nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry
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Description
The important locations related to the 32nd Indiana Infantry of the Civil War
1. Oliver P. Morton Statue
This statue of Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton can be seen outside of the Indiana state capital. His likeness is also on the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, also in downtown Indianapolis. The capital grounds house several markers on this tour. The Morton statue bears mentioning in our tour because its subject was the state governor during the Civil War. He has the unique distinction of being the first Indiana governor to actually be born in the state of Indiana. After the Battle of Fort Sumter in 1861, Morton issued the call for volunteers. Prussian officer August Willich answered the summons and organized the 32nd Indiana made up of German immigrants, also known as the 1st German. There is a certain contentious nature involved with all Civil War monuments due to the iconography depicted. This memorial features the images of Union soldiers on guard and has not been challenged as inappropriate. The monument to Confederate prisoners of war in nearby Garfield Park was not so fortunate. Though Indiana was a Union state, this monument originally was a conciliatory gesture to a former foe. Later association of the monument with the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) tainted the original altruistic intent and caused the monument to be removed in 2020.
2. Turnverein Apartments
The Turnverein Apartments are located in a building originally built for supporting the activities of German immigrants in Indianapolis who belonged to the Turners Society. The Turners, named for the German word for gymnast, advocated physical fitness and the preservation of German culture. This society still exists today, though many of the member chapters disappeared or renamed during World War I and II because of the suspicion directed towards German immigrants. Above the main entrance of the building can still be seen the title "Turnverein", though other German wording on the building was removed during World War I.In the center of the building was a large open gymnasium area with a proscenium stage for performances. The facilities also included a swimming pool with dressing rooms and showers, club rooms, parlors, a ballroom and a roof garden The building's ballroom and gymnasium were converted into a full-sized penthouse and 50 apartments in 1980.The building was placed on the national register of historical places in 1983.
3. Indiana State Library and Historical Building
The Indiana State Library was established in 1825 shortly after the state capital was moved to Indianapolis and the building that now houses it was completed in 1934. The Indiana limestone building is the largest library in the state and contains over 2 million volumes within its walls. It features stained glass windows, oak and walnut paneling, a marble staircase, hand-painted murals and bas-relief sculptures on its exterior. The building is also home to the Indiana Historical Bureau and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
4. Letters of the 32nd Regiment (1st German) and Documents about 32nd Regiment
The Indiana Historical Society houses a collection of letters written by members of the 1st German regiment. These letters are written in German and talk about camp life. The advantage of having the letters in German was it was much more difficult to spy on their contents. Similar to the Navajo Wind-talkers of World War II, the German soldiers could openly discuss details with less fear of having their communications intercepted and used maliciously. In addition to the letters, there is a group of reports about the roster of soldiers serving in the regiment and the casualties that occurred both on the battlefield and at camp.
5. Indiana War Memorial Building
The Indiana War Memorial Building, located in the center of the Indiana War Memorial Plaza, was constructed starting in 1926 as a tribute to the Veterans of World War I. The architects modeled the building after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. On each side of the monument stand symbolic statues designed by Henry Hering: Courage, Memory, Peace, Victory, Liberty, and Patriotism.
6. Eli Lilly Civil War Museum (For Journey of the 32nd Indiana)
At the Eli Lilly Civil War Museum, various exhibits show artifacts from the Civil War, notably used by Hoosiers in the conflict. (Hoosiers are people from Indiana) Part of the exhibit includes a film about Hoosiers and their enthusiasm to serve their great nation. In particular, the 19th Indiana Volunteer Infantry was a part of the famous group of regiments collectively known as the Iron Brigade (for their stubborn iron wills). This nickname was coined by General George B. McClellan when he witnessed the brigade advancing forward despite immense fire during the Battle of South Mountain. Despite the worldwide web saying otherwise, this museum is not based at the Soldiers and Sailors monument but instead at the Indiana War Memorial.
7. Frazier History Museum
An affiliate of the Smithsonian, the Frazier History Museum offers exhibits that interpret both local and world history. The museum's collection spans over a thousand years of world history, with exhibits and that include armor and weapons from around the world, one of the largest collections of toy soldiers in America, exhibits that interpret the history of bourbon production, interactive family exhibitions that allow guests to experience the Lewis and Clark expedition, and local artifacts related to Kentucky history such as Daniel Boone's family Bible.
8. August Bloedner Monument (32nd Indiana Monument)
The Bloedner Monument is the oldest known memorial from the Civil War still in existence. With the Civil War costing so many lives, it is obvious that there would be a desire to honor those sacrificed lives. The 32nd Indiana Infantry monument honors the soldiers it is named after, the men of the 32nd who were all of German American backgrounds. The monument was carved in January 1862 and originally located on the battlefield where the Battle of Rowlett's Station took place near Munfordville, KY. Five years later in 1867, the monument would be moved to the Cave Hill National Cemetery in Louisville, KY along with the remains of eleven of the thirteen soldiers whose names were engraved on the monument. The two soldiers whose bodies do not rest at Cave Hill Cemetery are buried in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Price Hill and Spring grove Cemeteries respectively.The main body of the monument was made of St. Genevieve porous limestone. This limestone was known for being easy to carve but not built for the outdoors. The limestone of the monument began eroding over the years, resulting in over 50% of the original inscription disappearing by the early 2000s. Consequently, the monument was moved to the University of Louisville where it was restored, and its inscription recovered. The monument is now a part of the collection of the Frazier History Museum in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
9. Cave Hill Cemetery
Located in the original Highlands area of Louisville, KY is a cemetery that is an eternal resting place for famous figures as well as natives of the city and people from around the world. Spanning almost three hundred acres, Cave Hill Cemetery not only houses gravesites, but is home to wild life, trees, and exotic plants. Cave Hill Cemetery is Louisville’s only arboretum. Starting out as farm land, it involved into one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the state as well as the nation.
10. 32nd Indiana Monument (Replica)
Even after the original 32nd Indiana went through massive restoration at the University of Louisville over a time span of about two years, it was still deemed unfit for outdoor display. The original would take up residence at the Frazier History Museum indefinitely. Regardless there was still a desire to honor the soldiers of the 32nd Indiana Infantry buried at the Cave Hill National Cemetery. For this purpose, the National Cemetery Association commissioned a successor moment to be installed at the location of the original. The task of creating a successor monument to the original 32nd Indiana was not an easy one.
11. Battle of Rowlett's Station (For Journey of the 32nd Indiana)
The 32nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry is best well known for the Battle of Rowlett's Station. 32nd Indiana Infantry (Union) fought against the Terry's Texas Rangers, 8th Texas, Cavalry, and 1st Arkansas Battalion (Confederates) at the railroad whistle-stop (an unimportant town on the railroad) of Rowlett's. The victory was not conclusive. The battle should have been a curb-stomp victory for the Confederates as they held the advantage of numbers against the 32nd Indiana. Due to the fighting prowess of the 32nd, they were able to outwit their opponents. The 1st German was known for their expert military maneuvers which were taught by their Prussian command, August Willich. The Union Army managed to retain their objective: a railroad bridge across the Green River.
12. Battle of Stones River (For Journey of the 32nd Indiana)
The Army of Cumberland (Union) and the Army of the Tennessee (Confederates) fought in Middle Tennessee in a culmination of the Stones River Campaign. The western armies had been in an extended lull since the Battle of Perryville. Even Major General Don Carlos Buell had secured a victory at Perryville, he was unwilling to follow up on it. Lincoln had him replaced by William S. Rosecrans. The Union army won mostly due to multiple tactical miscalculations by the Confederates. Victory was achieved but at a high cost in casualties. The victory was worthy for the morale boost it provided post-defeat at Fredericksburg and for how it reinforced President Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.
13. Battle of Shiloh (For Journey of the 32nd Indiana)
Armies of the Tennessee & Ohio (Union) and the Army of the Mississippi (Confederates) fought at a church between Shiloh and Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River. The Confederates were attempting to overwhelm the Army of the Tennessee before they could regroup. The Union victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862 had put the Confederacy on edge. Confederate General Johnston withdrew from Kentucky and consolidated his forces to mount an attack that would start this battle. The Union army would end up winning but they would have more casualties than the Confederates making this the bloodiest conflict in the war thus far.
