The First Seventh

Union BG Thomas A Morris

The 7^th Indiana Infantry was sent to Grafton, Virginia on May 30^th 1861, and just four days later was in battle.

The 7^th Indiana Infantry was organized in Indianapolis, Indiana in April 1861 as a three month regiment.  The men were shipped to Grafton, Virginia on May 30^th 1861.  On June 3^rd 1861 the men of the 7^th took part the Battle of Philippi, one of the first battles of the Civil War.

The men of the 7^th were placed in Union Major General George B McClellan’s Army of West Virginia, in Brigadier General Thomas A Morris’ Indiana Brigade.  They would see almost continuous action from July 6^th through 17^th 1861 at the Battles of Laurel Hill, Belington, Corrick’s Ford and in the pursuit of Confederate Brigadier General Robert S Garnett’s troops.

The 7^th mustered out of service on August 2^nd 1861.  The 7^th was reorganized on September 13^th 1861 in Indianapolis, Indiana into a three year regiment.  The original 7^th had one man killed in action and two who died from disease.

False Information And A Moving Fight

On the Cheat River in what is now West Virginia the Battle of Corrick’s Ford was fought on July 13^th 1861.

Some of Union Major General George B McClellan’s men defeated a part of Confederate Brigadier General Robert Selden Garnett’s force at the Battle of Rich Mountain on July 11^th 1861.  Garnett moved his remaining 4,500 men around about midnight, falling back toward Beverly, Virginia.  They received false information indicating that Union occupied the town, and so Garnett crossed the Cheat Mountain, moving into the Cheat River Valley.

As Garnett moved his men they were being followed by Union Brigadier General Thomas A Morris’ men.  About noon on July 13^th 1861 the Union soldiers moved in on the Confederate rear guard at Corrick’s Ford.  Garnett took personal command of the rear action setting up skirmisher to delay the Union attack.  It was during this slow retreat that Garnett was killed.  After Garnett’s death the Confederates ran, leaving 1 cannon, 40 wagons, and the body of their commander.

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