133rd Indiana Infantry Regiment

The 133rd Indiana Infantry Regiment was a Union Army volunteer infantry regiment raised in Indiana during the American Civil War. It was organized at Indianapolis and formally mustered into federal service on May 17, 1864. Unlike Indiana regiments that served through several years of campaigning, the 133rd had a short-term assignment and remained in service for less than four months. After organization, the regiment was ordered to Tennessee and became associated with the Union military presence around Bridgeport, Alabama. Its principal duties were garrison and security assignments rather than participation in a major named offensive. The regiment also performed railroad guard duty, protecting transportation infrastructure that was important to Union operations in the region. Such assignments were strategically significant because rail lines supported the movement of troops, supplies, communications, and matériel across the wartime South, even when the units guarding them were not engaged in large field battles. The regiment remained in this theater until early September 1864. It was mustered out on September 5, 1864, ending its federal service. The unit’s recorded losses were seventeen men who died from disease. The available summary does not identify a significant number of combat deaths or a distinct battle honor, reflecting the regiment’s primary role in occupation, garrison, and infrastructure protection during its brief existence. As an Indiana Civil War regiment, the 133rd formed part of the state’s contribution to the Union war effort. Its history illustrates the wide range of responsibilities assigned to volunteer regiments: not all units were deployed in major assaults, and many supported military operations through guard duty, local defense, and the maintenance of logistical routes. The regiment ceased to exist as an active military organization after its September 1864 muster-out.

The 133rd Indiana Infantry Regiment was one of the volunteer organizations raised in Indiana for Union service during the American Civil War. It was organized at Indianapolis and mustered into federal service on May 17, 1864. Its creation came during the later period of the war, when the Union continued to require troops for field operations, garrison work, transportation protection, and the occupation of strategically important points. Following its muster-in, the regiment was sent to Tennessee. It was assigned to duty at Bridgeport, Alabama, a location connected to Union military logistics and transportation in the region. Bridgeport’s position on the Tennessee River and its relationship to railroad and river routes made the area important for sustaining Union forces operating farther south and west. The 133rd Indiana’s duties therefore centered on military security rather than a prolonged sequence of battlefield engagements. The regiment also performed railroad guard duty. Railroads were essential to Civil War armies, providing routes for moving soldiers, food, ammunition, medical supplies, and other equipment. Guarding these lines could involve protecting bridges, stations, depots, and stretches of track from raids or disruption. Although such work was generally less visible than combat in a major battle, it was a necessary part of the Union war effort and helped maintain the logistical network on which military campaigns depended. The 133rd remained in service in the Tennessee-Alabama area until early September 1864. It was mustered out on September 5, 1864, after a service period of roughly three and a half months. The regiment’s recorded wartime loss was seventeen men who died from disease. The available historical account does not report a major battle in which the unit took part, nor does it provide a detailed roster of commanders or subordinate officers. Its surviving summary consequently emphasizes dates, locations, assignments, and disease mortality rather than battlefield operations. The regiment’s short existence reflects the temporary nature of many Civil War volunteer units. Some were raised for limited terms and assigned to specialized or protective duties before returning to their home state. The 133rd Indiana Infantry Regiment’s contribution was consequently tied to the Union Army’s broader system of regional defense and logistics. Its service at Bridgeport and on railroad guard duty supported the continuation of Union operations during the final year of the conflict, even though the regiment did not become associated with a major named campaign.

• 1864

  Organization and federal muster

  [1]133rd Indiana Infantry Regimenten.wikipedia.org

  The regiment was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana, and mustered into Union service on May 17, 1864.

• 1864

  Assignment to Tennessee and Bridgeport

  [1]133rd Indiana Infantry Regimenten.wikipedia.org

  After entering service, the regiment was ordered to Tennessee and assigned to duty at Bridgeport, Alabama.

• 1864

  Railroad guard duty

  [1]133rd Indiana Infantry Regimenten.wikipedia.org

  The regiment performed railroad security duties in support of Union transportation and logistics in the region.

• 1864

  Muster-out

  [1]133rd Indiana Infantry Regimenten.wikipedia.org

  The 133rd Indiana Infantry Regiment was mustered out on September 5, 1864, ending its federal service.

A short-term Union volunteer regiment focused primarily on garrison service and railroad security in the Tennessee-Alabama theater during the American Civil War.

1. 1133rd Indiana Infantry Regimenten.wikipedia.org