The following information comes from the Owen County, Indiana, 1884 History, pgs 642-644, publ 1995. Some of the names mentioned in the articles by Vint Anderson are in Bold in the article included below. This writer has also taken the liberty of italicizing the names of some others in this unit who are, or their surnames are part of our family lines. Company B, twenty-first Indiana (First Heavy Artillery) "...Capt. James Grimsley, of Gosport, was organizing Company B, twenty-first Indiana, afterward First Heavy Artillery. This was in the month of July, 1861, and was ordered East almost immediately. It arrived at Baltimore on the 3rd of August, and was stationed there until February, 1862. On the 19th day of February, 1862 it sailed from Baltimore to Newport News, Va. from which place it embarked on the 4th day of March on the steamship Constitution, and sailed with Butler's expedition to New Orleans. A portion of the Twenty-first was the first of Butler's army to touch the New Orleans wharf, which it reached on 1 May. The regiment was then quartered at Algiers, where it remained until the 30th of May, making frequent marches into the interior, and capturing many rebel vessels. On the 1st of June, 1862, it was transferred to Baton Rouge, where it remained until the post was abandoned. On th 5th day of August, the regiment participated in the battle of Baton Rouge, making a long and desperate contest with a whole brigade of rebel troops. In this engagement, the Adjutant and three other officers in the regiment were killed. Company B lost the following soldiers killed and died from wounds: Joseph Petty, John T. Strong, William Stone, Henry H. Ward, Jasper White. After the battle of Baton Rouge, the regiment went into camp at Carrollton, and on the 8th of September it had a lively fight with Waller's Texas Rangers at Des Allemandes, in which twelve rebels were killed and thirty or forty prisoners were taken. The Twenty-first then went to Berwick's Bay; in October, where it remained until the latter part of February, 1863, participating in frequent affairs with the enemy on the river. In the month of February, 1863, the regiment was changed from infantry to heavy artillery service, and was thereafter known as the First Heavy Artillery. Company B was subsequently transported up the Mississippi, and bore an active part in the prolonged siege of Port Hudson, where Alexander Stines was killed on the 24th day of June. He was the sixth and last man of the company killed in battle. During the remaining part of the summer of 1863, the regiment and portions thereof took part in numerous expeditions on the river, but had no severe engagements. In the winter of 1863-64, a large number of Company B re-enlisted as veterans. The regiment was engaged in more or less active service until the close of the war. It took part in the reduction of Forts Morgan, Gaines and Spanish Fort, and in the capture of Mobile. The veterans and most of the recruits of Company B, as well as those of the rest of the regiment, were not finally mustered out of the service until January 13, 1866. Below is given the names of the officers and soldiers from Owen County who served in this company: Captains: James Grimsley, promoted Major; John W. Day, commissioned October 21, 1863; William H. Blankenship, commissioned October 1, 1864. First Lieutenants- John W. Day, promoted Captain; William H. Blankenship, promoted Captain; William M. Connor, commissioned January 6, 1864; Thomas J. Raper, commissioned October 1, 1864; William P. Goss, commissioned November 1, 1864. Second Lieutenants- William H. Blankenship, promoted First Lieutenant; William P. Goss, promoted First Lieutenant; Thomas J. Raper, promoted First Lieutenant; Richard M. Stamper, commissioned October 1, 1864; James R. Henry, commissioned November 1, 1864. First Sergeants- William H. Blankenship: Sergeants, Henry F. McMillan, Benjamin F. Card, J.H. Brown, John J. Shear. Corporals- William P. Goss, Wesley Acuff, Thomas J. Wilhite, James R. Henry, Richard M. Stamper, Parrot G. Harshbarger, Thomas P. Burt, Henry Demott. Musicians--John Wilhite, Isiah Long Wagoner-- Christopher Wilson Privates-- Luke Acuff, William H. H. Anderson, Vincent Anderson, Martin V. Arnett, Thomas J. Ashley, Thomas F. S. Baker, Thomas E. Best, Eli C. Beaman, Andrew J. Brim, Tobias D. Butler, George W,. Chambers, George E. Chrisman, Robert A. Davis, William R. Dagley, Joseph Dagley, Freeborn Duncan, Newton Edwards, William R. Finchum, George W. Hartsock, Elijah Hutton, Jacob Huffman, John M. Kerr, Nelson A. Kegley, John Keeley, John W. Massey, George W. Marksbury, Samuel A. Maulsby, William M. Mull, Charles Myers, Joseph Petty, George W. Perkins, James J. Phillips, Marcus, L. Rogers, James M. Seay, William B. Seay, William B. Shumaker, Henry Simmons, Andrew J. Sink, William C. Smith, Isaac N. Spangler, Samuel Stout, John Stark, John T. Strong, Abner Tabor, David C. Thompson, Demarcus Thompson, John H. Thomas, William Thomas, Henry H. Ward, William H. Westfall, Jasper H. White, John W. Wible. Recruits-- Robert D. Baker, John Beaman, Philip H. Blankenship, John M. Cromwell, Anderson T. Evans, John D. Fletcher, Simon P. Gibbs, John W. Green, Thomas M. Hollick, Benjamin F. Hancock, Jesse A. Hays, Silas Johnson, John L. Johnson, Harrison H. Jester, James E. Jewell, Jacob Kiphart, Henry Kiphart, Francis M. Kiphart, William Kiphart, Milo F. Little, Joseph M. Logan, John M. Logan, Eli Mitchell, Jacob D. McGinnis, Philip Porter, Warren P. Pierson, Alfred P. Redman, Cullin M. Redman, Alfred Runion, Joseph A. Shuler, Joseph Wampler, Thomas B. Wampler. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Mike Dean (© 2000 Mike Dean)