In "History of the 85th Indiana Volunteer Regiment" by Rev. J.E. Brant, he states:
"Company "A" came from Park County about Rockville; Company "B" from Terre Haute and vicinity; Company "C", Terre Haute, from South-east part of Vigo County and a few from Clay County; Company "D" from Vermillion County and West part of Park County; Company "E" from South part of Vigo, and a few from about Darwin, Illinois and some from Clay County; Company "F" from Southern part of Vigo about Middleton and a few from North part of Sullivan County; Company "G" from Southern Park and Northern Vigo; Company "H" from Sullivan County; Company "I" from Clay County; Company "K" from about Jasonville, some from Clay County and part from Greene County."
Unlike the men who had enlisted in 1861 in that they were of maturer years. Many of them leaving young families behind. Our stay in Camp so near our homes was a mixed sort of picnic: organizing, some drilling but more eating of picnic dinners furnished by home folks and dear ones from whom we were soon to part. We took our number "85th Indiana" as a Regiment and was mustered into the United States service September 2, 1862.
Those who went out in 1861 were under the impression that the war would soon end, but we who answered to the call of '62, faced an era of dread that the struggle would be long and fearful. So the separation from loved ones in Camp was fraught with dire forebodings.
On the 3rd of September, we went to Indianapolis where we were equipped and armed with the out of date Belgian Muskets, -- Sword Bayonets. We arrived in Cincinnati on the 7th, where we were fed royally by the good women of that City and bidding good-bye to such dinners we crossed into Kentucky and went into Camp South of Covington. We were without tents and had a rough introduction to soldier-life sleeping on the ground, answering nearly every night to the long roll.
The change in the habits of life were such as to cause sickness and by the 8th of October when we camped at Falmouth River, over 100 men of the Regiment were in hospitals. By this time we had tents, and by constant drilling and marching and picket duty we were in some ways prepared to do our part if called to repel "Bragg's and Kirby Smith's invasion of Kentucky".