13th Indiana

The veritable painting frenzy that 2017 is thus far, continues with the arrival in the ranks of the Union Army of the 13th Indiana.. 

Robert "Sandy" Sanford Foster (courtesy Wikipedia)

The 13th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organised at Indianapolis from volunteers in camp and was originally mustered for state service for one year, but was one of the first four regiments who extended that to three years. They were mustered into service on June 19, 1861.

Their commanding officer at Kernstown was Robert "Sandy" Sandford Foster (left) who was born in Vernon, Indiana in 1834; his pre-war career was as a tinner (or tin-smith).

Foster had enlisted as a private in the Indiana volunteers at the start of the war but was quickly promoted to captain in the 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment where he saw action at the Battle of Rich Mountain.

After these battles he was transferred to the 13th first as a major but shortly after was promoted to colonel (April 30, 1862) - from private to Colonel in a year, and still only 28 not bad for a tin-smith!

Foster went on to lead the regiment throughout Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign of 1862 until his regiment was transferred to southeast Virginia a few months after Kernstown (which is the focus for this wargame project).

The regiment went on to extensive action and was eventually mustered out on September 5, 1865. Apropos of nothing Foster was given a Brigade after the transfer to south east Virginia, but ended the war as a (brevetted) major general with a divisional command, interestingly he was also as a member of the commission which tried the Lincoln Conspirators. He retired from the army in September 1865 and lived to 1903.

During the war the the 13th Indiana Infantry lost 3 officers and 104 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 2 officers and 146 enlisted men by disease. Total 255.

Figures as ever are by Newline, and their completion brings something of a halt to the project for the time being as I now have 1 regiment of horse, six regiments of foot, and one battery of artillery a side..  quite enough for a decent game on a six foot table..  I can see more of all types in the future but now I want to get the English Civil War project off the ground..!