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<\/a>9th Indiana Co. A<\/p><\/div>\n
For most Americans, when asked about the Civil War struggle, their minds drift to the fields and marshes of the South. Few would consider Northwest Indiana to be a hotbed of conflict. That being said, there was intrigue along the Kankakee River in south Porter and LaPorte counties that brought the war closer to our Hoosier homes.<\/p>\n
In September, 1861 a tall, rather ungainly individual entered Porter County, across Eaton’s Ferry (today Baum\u2019s Bridge in south Porter County) and made his way slowly up the old Lake-to-River Trail.<\/p>\n
He was driving a one-horse buggy that sagged down on one side. On the seat beside him was an oblong grey canvas-covered valise, strapped loosely to the round-iron handle on the seat. He wasn\u2019t taking any chances of losing it.<\/p>\n
The stranger was asking locals: “What’s the people up this way thinking about the slavery question?” The answers were definitely in favor of abolition. Further along he found a few settlers who had been slave owners in the South, and they voiced no objection to slavery.<\/p>\n
Whenever this mysterious traveler\u2014who said he was an artist, and gave the name of John C. Brain\u2014found someone as a likely member, Brain explained that he was an organizer for the Knights of the Golden Circle.<\/p>\n
<\/a>John C. Brain<\/p><\/div>\n
The Knights of the Golden Circle was a secret society founded in 1854 by American George W. L. Bickley, the objective was to create a new country known as the Golden Circle, where slavery would be legal.<\/p>\n
In September of 1861 Brain crossed at Baum\u2019s Bridge on a mission to carry dispatches to Confederate officials in Montreal, Canada and recruit volunteers to the southern cause along the way. Indiana Governor Morton heard of his activities and ordered the 9th Indiana to capture him. After capture, but before he could be imprisoned, he made a daring escape to rejoin Confederate forces.<\/p>\n
After Brain\u2019s return south he enlisted in the Confederate Navy. With his natural leadership abilities, he quickly moved up the ladder in the navy. Eventually, being promoted to the rank of Commander, Brain was ordered to the West Indies theater of operations. Although, capturing and destroying many U. S. cargo ships, Brain could tell the tides of war were shifting. His final mission sent him back to Chesapeake Bay. On March 28, 1865, Brain landed on Barren Island, Maryland where he found 30 ships at anchor seeking refuge after a two-day gale. Taking two vessels Brain armed them for Confederate service. Needing to unload the number of prisoners he had taken, Brain sailed for Port Royal, Jamaica to land them. It was at Port Royal that on June 17, 1865 Brain received word of the South\u2019s surrender. He set sail for Liverpool and after paying off his crew Brain surrendered and was imprisoned. Brain\u2019s release on March 1, 1869 made him the last Civil War prisoner to be released. Brain passed away on December 6, 1906 in Tampa, Florida. So ends the story of Northwest Indiana\u2019s part in the Civil War.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Captain John C. Brain and family<\/p><\/div>\n
To honor Northwest Indiana\u2019s contribution in the Civil War the Kankakee Valley Historical Society is hosting \u201cThe Civil War Comes to Northwest Indiana\u201d program. The event will be held on Saturday February 8th<\/sup>, 2025 in the Open Door Fellowship Church hall: 636 S Baums Bridge Rd Kouts IN 46347. We will be open, free to the public, from 10 am to 2 pm. During the course of the program the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War-David D Porter Camp will be showing the typical kit of a Union solder in uniform.<\/p>\n Sons of Union Volunteers of the Civil War<\/p><\/div>\n Sons of Union Volunteers of the Civil War<\/p><\/div>\n Civil War reenactor, Thomas Wojciski, will tell the story of local valor, and discuss about the history and accomplishments of the men from Lake, Porter, and Laporte counties who served in the 9th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. The regiment saw combat from 1861 to 1865 and is listed in the top 15% of all Union regiments versus days in combat. The unit contained a large portion of recruits from NW Indiana, several members remained key figures in the region after the war. I invite people to come hear the journey of this group of soldiers and see what they wore and used in their years of service.<\/p>\n Thomas Wojcinski<\/p><\/div>\n Joining us for the Civil War presentation will be Bob DeRuntz, member of the Kankakee Valley Historical Society and history teacher at Chesterton High School. Bob incorporates living history and experiential learning into his history lessons, including a two-day living history Civil War Camp each year where 500 students go back in time to 1862 to learn about the life of a Civil War soldier. Part of this lesson includes a recitation of the Gettysburg Address, which Bob will include in The Civil War Comes to Northwest Indiana presentation.<\/p>\n Bob DeRuntz<\/p><\/div>\n Bob DeRuntz<\/p><\/div>\n Also participating is Erin Egnatz with her extensive antique Civil War collection. Erin\u2019s collection includes weapons, uniforms, photos, letters and more!<\/p>\n Erin Egnatz Collection.<\/p><\/div>\n Erin Egnatz Collection.<\/p><\/div>\n In conjunction with the “The Civil War Comes to Northwest Indiana” program, the Kankakee Valley Historical Society will be holding the Yankee Bake Sale–including original Civil War era recipe baked goods!<\/p>\n Yankee Bake Sale<\/p><\/div>\n Kankakee Valley Historical Society teaches<\/p>\n about life during Civil War<\/p>\n BY DOUG ROSS POST-TRIBUNE<\/p>\n Even longtime Civil War history buffs learned something new at the KankakeeValley Historical Society\u2019s event Saturday in Kouts.<\/p>\n Tom Schmitt<\/p><\/div>\n Tom Schmitt, of Fort Wayne, talks about the Marines\u2019 service during the Civil War. Schmitt, Indiana commander for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, was one of the speakers at a Kankakee Valley Historical Society event<\/p>\n Tom Wojicinski<\/p><\/div>\n Tom Wojcinski, a Civil War reenactor, told the harrowing story of Private Jack Miller, a member of the 9th Indiana Volunteers, who earned the nickname Center Shot.<\/p>\n Miller was shot in the forehead and left for dead. \u201cMy head had swelled so bad it shut my eyes, and I could see to get along only by raising the lid of my eye and looking ahead, then going on till I ran afoul of something,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was begging the surgeons to operate on my head, but they all refused. I suffered for nine months, then I got a furlough to go home to Logansport.\u201d<\/p>\n The musket ball was finally removed 17 years after Miller was wounded. \u201cMiller would suffer from delusions while he had the musket ball on his head,\u201d sometimes marching back and forth in the streets of Logansport and reliving the war, Wojcinski said. If Miller got a head cold, he would have excruciating pain.<\/p>\n Elaine Wojicinski<\/p><\/div>\n Once the operation to remove the musket ball was completed, he lived a fairly normal life, dying in his 80s, Wojcinski said.<\/p>\n Miller\u2019s tale is just one of Wojcinski\u2019s stories about that Indiana regiment\u2019s campaigns during the war.<\/p>\n Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War<\/p><\/div>\n Tom Schmitt, Indiana commander for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, served in the U.S. Marine Corps, his inspiration for telling about the Marines\u2019 service during the war.<\/p>\n About 40% of the Marines\u2019 officers sided with the South, he said. On the North\u2019s side, the Marines initially were supposed to fight within 35 miles of the sea, a distinction that faded as the war raged on, Schmitt said. Marines served aboard Navy ships, acting as sharpshooters in the rigging, firing down on the enemy as the ships rocked on the waves.<\/p>\n They were instructed to try to target the \u201cpowder monkeys,\u201d young boys who relayed powder and shot to the sailors operating the ships\u2019 big guns. Marines themselves carried about 60 rounds of ammo with them, Schmitt said. The powder monkeys were orphans who were, in effect, purchased from orphanages by the Navy to serve aboard ship, he said.<\/p>\n When the boys grew too big, they weren\u2019t useful for that purpose anymore. That\u2019s why the officers didn\u2019t want to feed them too much, Schmitt said. Southerners noticed the poor treatment those boys received from U.S. Navy officers. \u201cYou\u2019re doing the same thing, only you\u2019re doing it with white people,\u201d the rebels would say.<\/p>\n The Navy would counter that the boys were learning a trade, but few of them wanted to stay on as sailors, Schmitt said.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>