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108-519: The Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau has been open to the public since 1934. The first attempts to have a state library started when Indiana was still a territory with its capital in Corydon , making it the oldest agency of the Indiana government. However, the first actual Indiana state library would not be opened until the capital had moved to Indianapolis, starting on February 11, 1825, with

216-493: A frontal attack and an unsuccessful flanking movement against the east side of the Legion's works. Reinforcements and artillery soon arrived with the main body of Confederate troops, giving the attackers a strong numerical superiority. With the support of the artillery, a pincer movement caused the Legion to abandon their position to avoid being surrounded. A large part of the Legion were captured as they attempted to escape from

324-565: A reconnaissance mission into Indiana in search of Confederate sympathizers to support Morgan's coming raid. He did not find the support he was looking for, and had been pursued by elements of the 6th and 8th Regiment of the Indiana Legion who killed three of his men and captured several others before the remainder escaped back into Kentucky. Since then he had been waiting in the Brandenburg area for Morgan to arrive. The Ohio River

432-411: A breastwork of criss-crossed logs on a high ridge just south of the town. A pair of Confederate spies had already infiltrated Corydon and reported their findings back to Morgan. As the works were completed, the Legion fell back to the town to take up position behind them. Many older men in the town joined in the defense, swelling their numbers to about 450. Despite the emergency calls for reinforcements to

540-646: A company of unsuspecting Confederates into an ambush where they were surrounded; sixteen were captured and taken to the Corydon jail. The invaders also successfully captured about thirty defenders in several skirmishes. They were rounded up and held in a school house near Laconia . After Morgan crossed the river he addressed the prisoners and told them that if they would promise to go home and not return to arms, he would allow them to leave and keep their guns. They all agreed and were released. That night Morgan's men camped at Frakes' Mill just north of Mauckport. They found

648-401: A lynching. A mob of 150 mounted men, led by twenty masked Indiana white cap vigilantes, arrived at the county jail and demanded the release into their custody of two men (James Devin and Charles Tennyson) being held on charges of attempted murder. The leaders of the group demanded the keys to the jail, threatening to burn down the town if they were refused; after the sheriff refused to hand over

756-510: A male householder with no wife present, and 46.6% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the town was 40.8 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.4% were from 45 to 64; and 23.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of

864-627: A new era as the first state capital of Indiana. The Harrison County courthouse, now known as the Old Capitol, served as Indiana's first state capitol building. It housed state government offices from 1816 until 1825. Several other historic structures in Corydon date from the early statehood era, including the Governor's Mansion and the Old Treasury Building (Indiana's first state office building), which were built in 1817, and

972-475: A period of time. The prisoners in the county jail were freed, including the Confederates who had been captured the previous day. The cavalrymen spent the afternoon plundering stores and collecting ransom money ; Morgan threatened to torch three local mills, and demanded each of them pay $ 1,000 to prevent their destruction. The owners negotiated the rate down to $ 500. The county treasurer paid $ 690 to spare

1080-582: A public library, a branch of the Harrison County Public Library. Because of its historic sites and the historic events that took place at Corydon, it has become a southern Indiana tourist destination. The town hosts weekly events from early spring until late fall, usually centered on its historic town square . Local events include an annual Halloween Parade, the Harrison County Fair, Friday night band concerts during

1188-628: A revolutionary war officer and Secretary of War under President Thomas Jefferson . The building is made of Indiana limestone , sandstone , and walnut . Interior features include brass accents, fanciful murals , walnut-paneled walls, stained glass windows, and woodcarvings . The external architectural sculpture was created by Leon Hermant and carved by Adolph Wolter . The library has seven main divisions: Talking Book and Braille Library, Genealogy, Indiana Collection, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Reference and Government Services, Professional Development, and Library Development. A 1993 inventory of

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1296-554: A safe return across the Ohio River. He had his telegrapher tap the telegraph lines and send false messages indicating he was heading for Indianapolis to free Confederate prisoners of war held at Camp Morton . The Confederate dead were buried in unmarked graves on a farm on the western edge of town. Morgan's wounded were left in the town and were taken into a local Presbyterian church, where they were cared for. The wounded men were paroled after Union troops arrived. Two were taken to

1404-762: A tourist destination. A portion of its downtown area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Corydon Historic District . As of the 2010 census, Corydon had a population of 3,122. During the American Revolution , George Rogers Clark captured the surrounding area of what became the town of Corydon from the British , bringing it under the control of the fledgling United States government. The first American settlers entered Harrison County in 1792 and included

1512-415: A tract of land where Big Indian Creek and Little Indian Creek join to become Indian Creek and decided to build a town on the site. Harrison built a two-story home in the town, but sold it in 1809. The town gets its name from " The Pastoral Elegy ," a hymn that celebrates the death of a shepherd named Corydon. Tradition says that Harrison asked Edward Smith's daughter, Jenny, to name the town and she chose

1620-408: A weekly newspaper, has served the local area since 1856. It was the property of O'Bannon Publishing Company from 1907 to 2022. On June 30, 2022, O'Bannon Publishing sold the paper to Paxton Media Group. Southern Indiana Transit System provides deviated fixed-route and demand-response bus service in the town. Battle of Corydon One additional Confederate was killed by a civilian before

1728-406: A year-long series of events that included the unveiling of a $ 200,000 bronze statue of Honorable Frank O'Bannon , the late governor of Indiana and a former citizen of Corydon. A local attraction in Corydon was Butt Drugs , a drugstore known for its unique name, service, and merchandise. The store opened in 1952 and closed in 2023. Corydon remains the county seat of Harrison County. Corydon

1836-691: Is a town in Harrison Township and the county seat of Harrison County, Indiana , located north of the Ohio River in the extreme southern part of the state. Corydon was founded in 1808 and served as the capital of the Indiana Territory from 1813 to 1816. It was the site of Indiana's first constitutional convention , which was held June 10–29, 1816. Forty-three delegates convened to consider statehood for Indiana and drafted its first state constitution. Under Article XI, Section 11, of

1944-421: Is located near the center of Harrison County. Indiana State Road 62 passes through the town from east to west; Interstate 64 passes in the same direction less than a mile north of the town. The state capitol of Indianapolis is about 120 miles (190 km) to the north, and the city of Louisville, Kentucky is about 25 miles (40 km) to the east. Indian Creek passes through the town; the creek continues to

2052-711: The American Civil War as a force of 2,500 cavalry invaded the North in support of the Tullahoma Campaign . It was the only pitched battle of the Civil War that occurred in Indiana, and no battle has occurred within Indiana since. As news of an impending raid spread across the state, Governor Oliver P. Morton called out the state's militia force, the Indiana Legion , to defend against

2160-620: The Kintner House Inn where he read a newspaper and learned of the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg . The news caused him to realize his army was in serious danger; his hosts later said that upon his reading the paper he was "noticeably crestfallen." Morgan had intended to meet up with the Confederate army in Pennsylvania , but with their forces in retreat this was impossible and began to plan for

2268-532: The McCombs was used to simulate a distress call to lure in the fast sidewheel steamer Alice Dean . As the unsuspecting ship moved alongside the McCombs , the Confederates on board sprung out, lashed the two ships together, and boarded the Alice Dean . Taking the two ships back to shore, they released the crew and passengers just as Morgan arrived with the main body of the army. Some of the passengers escaped

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2376-563: The Union army hospital in Jeffersonville , and remained in the town until they were well enough to return home and await their exchange. Shortly after looting the town, detachments of raiders left Corydon and continued their raid, scouring the countryside for fresh horses and food. An African American from Corydon was forced to serve as their guide; he led them for two days before escaping and returning home. By about 6:00 pm Morgan and

2484-401: The 311-acre (126-hectare) Hayswood Nature Reserve to the county. Known as Hayswood Park, it is the county's second largest nature reserve. In 1973 a portion of Corydon's downtown area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Corydon Historic District . Initially, the district included major sites dating from the period when Corydon was a territorial and state capital:

2592-543: The 8th Regiment of the Indiana Legion based in Leavenworth and under the command of Capt. G.W. Lyon, was transported to Morvin's landing by the Lady Pike during the night. They brought with them their town's ceremonial 8-pound cannon which they deployed and camouflaged on a small bluff in front of an abandoned log cabin. On the morning of July 8, Lyon opened fire on the Alice Dean , intending to destroy or disable

2700-548: The Colonel Thomas Lloyd Posey home, among others. Corydon's Grand Masonic Lodge, the first in the state, was built in 1819. During the years Corydon served as a territorial and state capital, it was home to a number of politicians; notable residents during this time included Davis Floyd , a prominent local politician; two governors of Indiana, Jonathan Jennings and Ratliff Boon (the state's first and second governors, respectively); Dennis Pennington ,

2808-519: The Confederate forces under the command of Col. Adam R. Johnson , was sighted moving north along the Mauckport Road towards Corydon. Col. Johnson believed the artillery could have quickly dispersed the four hundred farmers-turned-soldiers, but Morgan was worried about any delay because during the night the Union forces had begun crossing the river in his rear. Morgan's main body with the artillery

2916-418: The Confederates launched a flanking maneuver on the eastern wing of the defensive works. The initial flanking attempt was prevented because of the superior weapons held by the thirty Legion soldiers on that wing. They were equipped with Henry rifles capable of firing fourteen rounds before reloading, and were able to keep the Confederates pinned down in the open field for about twenty minutes. Shortly after

3024-464: The Confederates resumed their march northward. As they passed up a county road, a shot was fired killing a soldier. The scouts opened fired on a nearby house from which they assumed the shot had come, killing a Lutheran minister and wounding his son. Corydon was the county seat of Harrison County and the former capital of Indiana . The town and immediate countryside had about one thousand inhabitants. The townspeople had been working all night building

3132-458: The Indiana 1816 constitution , Corydon was designated as the capital of the state, which it remained until 1825, when the seat of state government was moved to Indianapolis . In 1863, during the American Civil War , Corydon was the site of the Battle of Corydon , the only official pitched battle waged in Indiana during the war. More recently, the town's numerous historic sites have helped it become

3240-409: The Legion units. With the artillery bearing down on the works, the 2nd Kentucky and 9th Tennessee began to flank the Union defense on the east and west sides respectively. Col. Lewis ordered a retreat to prevent the army from being captured. With their superior numbers, the Confederates were able to move around both ends of the Legion's works and quickly turned the retreat into a rout. The second part of

3348-435: The Legion's position, and the second shot landed behind them and leveled the cabin. The Legion defenders set off a third shot that had already been loaded into their cannon, and fled into a nearby forest. As they moved up the ridge and into the woods, they became visible to the Confederate artillery who began to shell the forest. One shot struck a log where two of the defenders had stopped to rest. They were mortally wounded while

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3456-553: The Library was only for the use of state employees and government officials. After assigning a two-cent tax to attain funds in 1929, and having architects send proposals for a new building in 1931, it was built to designs by Pierre & Wright Architects . In 1945 the library was directed by Howard Henry Peckham , an early American historian who was the first to publish the Revolutionary War journals of Henry Dearborn ,

3564-477: The Mauckport road to slow the cavalry's advance towards Corydon . During the evening, elements of Morgan's division had advanced to within five miles (8.0 km) of Corydon. The four Legion companies that had attempted to prevent the crossing had been reinforced by four additional companies from Corydon, one from Elizabeth , and one from New Amsterdam , making the force about four-hundred strong. They lured

3672-723: The Old Capitol/Harrison County Courthouse building, the Governor Hendricks' Headquarters, Constitution Elm, the first state office building, the Kintner-McGrain House (Cedar Glade), and the Posey House, among others. In 1989 the historic district's boundary was increased to include The Kintner House Inn , among other commercial and residential buildings. In 2008 Corydon celebrated its bicentennial anniversary with

3780-587: The Union telegraph lines and send conflicting reports about his strength and destination. Most Union officials believed his target was Louisville, Kentucky . Not taking any chances, Governor of Indiana Oliver P. Morton telegraphed orders calling out all the state's militia, the Indiana Legion , south of the National Road . In the afternoon of July 7 an advance force of Confederates entered Brandenburg, Kentucky , where they rendezvoused with Capt. Thomas Hines , who assumed command. Hines had led

3888-462: The area deserted, as all the civilians had fled their homes. In the house where Morgan stayed, the table was set with supper which he and his men ate before resting for the night. Morgan's men tapped the telegraph lines again and began sending false reports that they were headed for New Albany. The disinformation dissuaded New Albany's Legion leaders from sending the large number of reinforcements to Corydon that they had been organizing. The next morning

3996-538: The armed steamer and the artillery on the shore dueled for about an hour. Once the Springfield ran out of ammunition she withdrew, allowing Morgan to resume the crossing. After about half of his army had been ferried into Indiana, the Union gunboat USS  Elk and an armed private ship, the Grey Eagle , arrived on the scene. The Elk fired a shot into the deck of the Alice Dean as it tried to escape to

4104-404: The average family size was 2.81. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males. The median income for a household in the town

4212-425: The battle began Three civilians were killed by Confederates. Two Legion defenders were also killed during the crossing of the Ohio River the day before the battle. The Battle of Corydon was a minor engagement that took place July 9, 1863, just south of Corydon , which had been the original capital of Indiana until 1825, and was the county seat of Harrison County . The attack occurred during Morgan's Raid in

4320-484: The battle resulted in a Confederate victory, which enabled Brig. Gen. John H. Morgan to secure supplies and money before continuing his raid through Indiana and into Ohio . The delay, however, proved critical in helping the pursuing Union army overtake and later capture Morgan and his forces. Following the 1862 Newburgh Raid into Indiana, the federal government had put a regiment of regular cavalry troops in south central Indiana for defensive purposes. After patrolling

4428-537: The battle, Morgan counted eleven dead and forty wounded among the raiders, plus one killed while advancing on the town. Additionally, three civilians were killed. Download coordinates as: Morgan led his division into Corydon. As the county commissioner exited the courthouse carrying a rifle he was shot dead, becoming the final casualty of the day. Morgan paroled the Legion as if they had been regular soldiers; their weapons and ammunition were seized or destroyed, and they were required to promise not return to arms for

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4536-516: The border for several months, no new raids materialized, and they were withdrawn in March 1863, leaving only the local militia for defense. On June 23, 1863, Brig. Gen. John H. Morgan led a cavalry division consisting of two brigades, totaling nearly 2,500 men, and two batteries of artillery, northward from Tennessee in the Confederacy . His movements began as a ride into Kentucky to disrupt

4644-461: The command of Col. Lewis Jordan. Along with the townspeople, they constructed breastworks that formed a defensive line south of Corydon. Despite promises of reinforcements from regional Legion commanders in New Albany , only about 450 men (consisting almost entirely of locals) were defending the town. As the raiders approached from the south, the advance elements formed a battle line and launched

4752-589: The communications of the Union Army of the Cumberland in support of Gen. Braxton Bragg 's Army of Tennessee during the Tullahoma Campaign . Bragg had ordered Morgan to attack any settlements of his choosing in Kentucky, but not to cross the Ohio River into Union territory. Bragg was worried about Morgan getting too far from the main army and being unable to come to his aid should it be needed. Morgan

4860-410: The condition of the first Indiana statehouse to public attention. The building had become filthy and infested with fleas and other pests such that many people refused to enter it. Their campaign proved successful, and in 1873 the building was given a major renovation. The walls and ceilings were replastered, a new staircase and furnishings were installed, and the building was thoroughly cleaned. In 1881

4968-648: The constitution acknowledges the site of the historic gathering: "We the Representatives of the people of the Territory of Indiana, in Convention met, at Corydon, on Monday the tenth day of June in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixteen,..." The delegates met in an unfinished log cabin near the Harrison County courthouse, which had not yet been completed; due to cramped conditions and

5076-600: The constitution of 1816: "Corydon, in Harrison County shall be the seat of Government of the state of Indiana, until the year eighteen hundred and twenty-five, and until removed by law." Corydon's selection as the capital led to rapid growth of the town and a housing shortage. There were only three taverns for visitor lodging in 1813. A fourth and much larger tavern, the Kintner House Tavern , opened in 1819. Many officials, including three successive Governors, and their staff moved to Corydon and built large homes in

5184-614: The county began construction of its third office building after demolishing the prior building. The building was completed in June 1882 and remained in use until 1929. The state of Indiana purchased the 1816 courthouse to preserve as a state historic site following the move. Beginning in 1882, the Louisville, New Albany and Corydon Railroad , an 8-mile (13 km) spur of the Southern Railway , connected Corydon to other towns in

5292-434: The courthouse from being burnt, and two leading stores paid $ 600 each. His men robbed the townspeople freely, stealing items ranging from ice-skates and bonnets to guns and horses. The total amount taken by ransom and plunder was estimated at $ 26,450 ($ 460,873 in 2009 chained dollars ). The value of most of the stolen goods and property destruction was later reimbursed, mostly by the state government . Morgan ate lunch at

5400-421: The downtown. On the western edge of the town, a company of Confederates seized the Legion's commissary. Morgan took command of the heights south of the town and fired two warning shells from his artillery into Corydon, one landing very near Cedar Glade , now a historic site that keeps a marker at the location where the shot landed. Col. Jordan realized that continued resistance was useless and did not "desire to see

5508-546: The eastern edge of the defenses and up the Plank Road, threatening the town directly and bypassing the defenses entirely. As they moved onto the Corydon Pike, they shot and robbed a toll gate keeper who refused to throw down his gun. Using the cannons and one infantry battalion to prevent the defenders from maneuvering, Col. Richard Morgan, the general's brother, launched a pincer movement in an attempt to surround

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5616-573: The elderly Col. Lewis Jordan, a veteran of the War of 1812 . Maj. McGrain, a lieutenant in the Regular Army and recently returning from the war front, was given command of the west wing. Capt. George Lahue, a veteran of the Mexican–American War , was in command of the east wing. Although the commanders were battle hardened, most of the men behind the works had never seen battle. The western wing

5724-505: The engagement was over in about twenty-five minutes; in total the battle lasted about one hour. As the Legion fled into the town, many threw their guns into the Indian Creek to prevent them from being captured by the enemy. About one hundred men attempted to escape by the Corydon Pike, unaware that the main Confederate force was advancing up it, and were captured. A large part of the Legion force, including Col. Jordan, retreated into

5832-582: The families of Harvey Heth and Squire Boone , who settled south of Corydon, and Dennis Pennington and the Harbisons, who settled east of Corydon. The region was in the midst of the Northwest Indian War during that period and the families were forced by Native Americans to leave the region and return to Kentucky. The families returned to the area in 1800 following the creation of the Indiana territory. The territorial government completed

5940-493: The first Speaker of the Indiana Senate ; and William Hendricks , Indiana's first U. S. Representative , its third governor, and a U.S. Senator . The state constitution's provision making Corydon the seat of state government was not a popular one, especially among the citizens of rival towns. Others expressed concern that the town's geographic location in the extreme southern part of Indiana would become inconvenient as

6048-513: The former slaves then settled around the town of Corydon. Although some of the former slaves left, the group became one of the largest communities of free blacks in the state. On April 19, 1816, President James Madison signed an Enabling Act that provided for the election of delegates to a convention at Corydon to consider statehood for Indiana. Forty-three delegates, including five men from Harrison County, convened June 10–29, 1816, to draft Indiana's first state constitution . The preamble of

6156-534: The former statehouse until a new, three-story county courthouse was completed in 1929, located on the north side of the original 1816 courthouse. In 1960 a fire destroyed much of the Harrison County Fairgrounds, including its grandstand. A replacement grandstand was acquired from the minor league baseball team at Parkway Field in Louisville, Kentucky , is still in use. In 1969 Corydon-born environmental historian Samuel P. Hays donated

6264-591: The former territorial governor, wanted to move the capital away from his political stronghold in Knox County. Supporters of the move felt that relocation of the territorial capital to the east would provide a more centralized location for its citizens, especially after its western portion was reorganized to form the Illinois Territory in 1809. Corydon competed with Charlestown , Clarksville , Lawrenceburg , Madison , and Jeffersonville to become

6372-542: The future site of the town. He purchased land at the edge of a fertile valley near a large spring, which is the site of the present-day Harrison County fairgrounds. William Henry Harrison , the first governor of the Indiana Territory and a future president of the United States, often stopped to rest at the Smith's home while travelling to and from Vincennes , the territorial capital. In 1804 Harrison purchased

6480-535: The keys, the mob used hammers to knock down the jail doors and removed the two alleged assailants. The two men were dragged to the old Western Bridge, where they were hanged. In 1917 the state of Indiana purchased the historic capitol building with the goal of restoring it. The Federal-style building opened as a state memorial in 1929–30; it is a part of the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site. The Harrison County government also used

6588-454: The land survey of what would become Corydon in 1807, and the first official land purchases occurred in April of that year. In 1803, Edward Smith and his family became the first Americans to settle in what would become Corydon. Following the completion of the 1807 land survey, he purchased the tract of land he had already been living on; at that time his family were the only recorded inhabitants of

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6696-577: The library's holdings included 60,000 books and pamphlets, 3,500 collected manuscripts, 1.5 million images, and 1,000 maps. Some of this included not only the history of Indiana , but that of the Old Northwest as well. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995. The Indiana Historical Bureau has a home at the library. Founded in 1915 as the Indiana Historical Commission , its initial purpose

6804-511: The main body had resumed their march northward, foraging in northern Harrison County before camping a few miles from Corydon, near New Salisbury . They left Harrison County early the next morning heading north. As soon as he learned of the defeat at Corydon, Governor Morton sent a series of telegrams to Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside , commander of the Army of the Ohio , first requesting then demanding

6912-446: The main body of the Union cavalry arrived in Brandenburg at about 10:15 pm, just as the Alice Dean went under the water. He set up his artillery and fired several shots at the Confederates who jeered at him from the opposite side of the river; they quickly withdrew out of range of his guns. The lead elements of the cavalry had already set out northward following the Legion forces who withdrew gradually and fought delaying skirmishes along

7020-676: The main stops on the only land route to the territorial capital of Vincennes. During the War of 1812 , Corydon sent a mounted militia company nicknamed the Yellow Jackets to support the territorial army. The company fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe , where it suffered more casualties than any other unit. Corydon became the second capital of the Indiana Territory on May 1, 1813, when it was relocated from Vincennes in Knox County . Opponents of William Henry Harrison ,

7128-523: The name from Harrison's favorite hymn , "The Pastoral Elegy." Harrison sold the town site to Harvey Heth in 1807. Corydon's official founding date of 1808 commemorates the year when Heth, a U.S. government surveyor and landowner, platted the town. Heth donated the town square for public use and sold individual lots to settlers and the territorial government. When Harrison County was established in 1808, Corydon became its county seat of government. The town originally consisted of 185 lots. In 1809 Corydon

7236-473: The new territorial capital. Dennis Pennington , a Harrison County representative and the speaker of the territorial legislature's lower house, helped secure the town's selection during the 1813 session of the Indiana Territory's general assembly. Pennington pointed out that Corydon would be an ideal location. The Harrison County court had approved a design for a new county courthouse on Corydon's public square in 1811 and it could be used as an assembly building for

7344-576: The next week and began pursuing on Morgan's cavalrymen. Gen. Hobson and his men arrived in Corydon on July 10, after crossing the Ohio River from Kentucky. Although a Confederate victory, the Battle of Corydon had delayed Morgan by six crucial hours, allowing the pursuing Union army to begin closing the gap. Union cavalry numbering six thousand men were soon only a few miles behind him. Morgan briefly continued north and raided Salem . He then turned his men east to Ohio as his raid turned into flight to escape. He

7452-407: The population. There were 1,171 households, out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and

7560-508: The region. Southern Railroad's main line ran across northern Harrison County at Crandall , and remained open to passenger traffic until 1996. As of 2008, the line was owned by Lucas Oil . A major fire broke out in 1871, in which the Kintner House Tavern was destroyed, along with the entire block from Cherry to Beaver Streets. The county jail also burned in the blaze. A second major fire broke out in Corydon on April 20, 1883, in

7668-587: The regional Legion commanders in New Albany, none of their men arrived before the battle began The Legion's barricade was between four and five feet high (1.5 m) and stretched 2,500 feet (760 m) from the Amsterdam Road on the far western wing to the Laconia Road on the far eastern wing and straddled the Mauckport Road in the center. The 6th Regiment of the Indiana Legion was commanded by

7776-577: The rest fled into the forest as the Confederates continued to shell the landing. With the resistance seemingly at an end, Morgan began crossing his troops in the captured steamers. The first company to land moved up the ridge on the north shore and engaged the Legion defenders in a skirmish. Union commanders in Louisville had sent out requests for naval support in preventing Morgan's crossing when they first received reports from Brandenburg. The tinclad Springfield , armed with six 24-pound howitzers,

7884-522: The return of two Indiana regiments recently sent to the defense of Louisville, Kentucky . Burnside refused but did order his cavalry to join in the pursuit of Morgan. As Corydon had until recently been capital of Indiana, the defeat was symbolic. The July 10 headline of the Indianapolis Gazetteer screamed "Former Capitol Corydon Ravaged By Morgan's Raiders; Two Hoosiers Dead." More than 150,000 men turned out to join Legion units during

7992-417: The river, the Alice Dean was set ablaze and sunk in the river between Morvin's landing and Mauckport to deny the Union pursuers use of the vessel and to block the landing, making their crossing more difficult. Morgan ordered the McCombs to be burnt, but Col. Duke countermanded the order because of his friendship with its captain. He was allowed to return with his ship to Louisville unharmed. Gen. Hobson and

8100-399: The seat of county government and a market town for the surrounding agricultural area. In 1826 a new County Clerk's office was constructed which remained the principal county office until 1848. During the early days of the town, Big Indian Creek and Little Indian Creek were both used for drinking water, bathing, and sewage, which resulted in a cholera outbreak in 1832. Following the outbreak,

8208-678: The secretary of state acting as librarian. In 1867, the library's law books were transferred to the Supreme Court to begin the Supreme Court Law Library, which has grown to 70,000 volumes. The library became its own institution in 1841. The State Board of Education gained control of the library in 1895, with the Department of Education gaining control in 1933. Between 1895 and 1933, the library amassed more material than it had in all its previous existence. Originally,

8316-414: The shoreline. Both the Union ships were wooden, and as the Confederate artillery opened fire, they quickly retreated upriver towards Louisville to avoid being destroyed. The crossing resumed again. In total, it took seventeen hours for Morgan to ferry his now 2,000 men and supplies across the river. By listening in on the telegraph, he learned that Brig. Gen. Edward H. Hobson with a force of 4,000 cavalry

8424-459: The southwest where it empties into the Ohio River . According to the 2010 census, Corydon has a total area of 1.65 square miles (4.27 km ), all land. As of the census of 2010, there were 3,122 people, 1,341 households, and 716 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,892.1 inhabitants per square mile (730.5/km ). There were 1,491 housing units at an average density of 903.6 per square mile (348.9/km ). The racial makeup of

8532-543: The state's population center shifted northward; however, Dennis Pennington and other Harrison County representatives to the Indiana General Assembly successfully resisted attempts to move the seat of government from Corydon until 1825. Governor Hendricks signed a legislative bill in 1824 to move the state capital to Indianapolis , effective January 10, 1825. After the seat of state government moved to Indianapolis in 1825, Corydon continued its role as

8640-463: The steamers. The men had only ever fired the cannon at celebratory events and were unsure how to aim it properly. Two shots were fired, with the second one hitting the upper deck of the McCombs , passing through the ship and landing near a group of men on the shore, wounding a Confederate. Just as the shelling began Provost Marshal John Timberlake arrived on the scene from Corydon with a small company of reinforcements and assumed command. Timberlake, who

8748-737: The summer heat, the men often sought refuge outside under a giant elm tree , later named the Constitution Elm. Although the tree was lost to Dutch Elm Disease in 1825, a portion of its trunk has been preserved, surrounded by a sandstone memorial built by the WPA during the Great Depression in the 1930s. The delegates completed their work in nineteen days, adjourning on June 29, 1816, when the newly signed state constitution went into effect. As outlined in Article XI, Section 11, of

8856-438: The summer, and an annual reenactment of the Battle of Corydon , as well as country and bluegrass music performances. A weeklong county fair is held the third week of June at the Harrison County fairgrounds. It is one of Corydon's more popular events, with attendance usually exceeding 3,000 each night. The fair includes 4-H exhibits, a midway, demolition derbies, harness racing, and musical entertainment. The Corydon Democrat ,

8964-474: The territorial legislature. Pennington supervised construction of the limestone courthouse, which was nearly completed when Indiana's first state legislature convened at Corydon in 1816. Prior to 1816, the territorial legislature met in the original county courthouse on High Street. Paul and Susannah Mitchem became Quakers and immigrated to Harrison County from North Carolina in 1814, bringing with them 107 slaves whom they freed after arriving. Most of

9072-442: The third repulse of the Confederates on the western wing, the 2nd Kentucky and 9th Tennessee regiments arrived from the Mauckport Road and joined the battle, giving the attackers a numerical superiority. At about 12:40 p.m., Capt. Byrnes arrived with the Confederate artillery and used his two ten-pound Parrott rifle cannons to pin down the defenders in the works. In the meantime, Morgan was leading his main body of troops far around

9180-459: The threat. Unaware of the size of the invading army, four companies of the 6th and 8th Regiments of the Legion, totaling about one hundred men, attempted to prevent the Confederates from crossing the Ohio River into Indiana, but were overcome by superior artillery fire which killed two of the defenders. The units retreated northward where they met with the main body of the 6th Regiment under

9288-424: The town and sent message to commanders in Louisville of the Confederate occupation of Brandenburg. Indiana militia leaders learned of Morgan's capture of Brandenburg, ten miles south of Corydon, and his intent to cross into Indiana in a dispatch from Regular Army commanders in Louisville. All the roads Morgan would likely take northward intersected at Corydon. Emergency requests for reinforcements were sent out from

9396-474: The town in all directions. New Albany leaders sent word promising to send a thousand men. Other companies around Harrison County immediately began to gather and advance to Corydon. Three companies of the 6th Regiment Indiana Legion based in Mauckport and totaling about one hundred men moved to Morvin's Landing, the north bank of the river opposite Brandenburg, to contest the crossing. A thirty-man company of

9504-418: The town only used the creeks for bathing and multiple wells were dug for drinking water. In 1836, the town began spreading gravel on the roads, which had been dirt roads before. During 1848, a new two-story federal style brick office building was constructed on the east side of the county courthouse. This second office building remained in use until 1881. On September 11–14, 1860, the first annual county fair

9612-431: The town surrendered. Corydon was sacked in retaliation for Union looting in Kentucky, the town's treasury of $ 690 was seized, and the inmates of the local jail were released. General Morgan demanded $ 600 to $ 700 in ransom from each mill and shop owner to keep their buildings from being burned. Tradition says one Corydon miller overpaid by $ 200; Morgan promptly returned it to him. In 1871 local journalists began to bring

9720-570: The town was 45.6% male and 54.4% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,715 people, 1,171 households, and 674 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,708.1 inhabitants per square mile (659.5/km ). There were 1,271 housing units at an average density of 799.6 per square mile (308.7/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 97.27% White , 1.14% African American , 0.41% Native American , 0.11% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 0.85% from other races , and 0.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of

9828-443: The town was 96.7% White , 0.7% African American , 0.2% Native American , 0.2% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.9% from other races , and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population. There were 1,341 households, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had

9936-414: The town, while Col. Jordan and others regrouped downtown. Confederates then seized the Legion's commissary supplies on the edge of town, and fired two warning shots into the downtown from their artillery, convincing Jordan that continued resistance was futile and leading him to surrender his force and Corydon. Although the short battle cost the cavalry twice as many casualties as the outnumbered militia units,

10044-442: The town. The town hosted meetings from national officials, including an 1819 visit by United States President James Monroe and Andrew Jackson . On November 4, 1816, the Indiana General Assembly met for the first time at Corydon under the new constitution and state government. President James Madison signed the congressional resolution admitting Indiana as the nineteenth state in the Union on December 11, 1816, and Corydon began

10152-449: The unnecessary loss of life", and promptly surrendered the town by running up a white flag in the town square. The Legion's cavalry and the infantrymen who had mounts were able to escape into the countryside, but almost all the remaining infantry was captured. Accounts vary as to the number of casualties, but the most reliable evidence suggests that Jordan lost four killed, ten to twelve wounded, and 355 captured—about 100 escaped. After

10260-472: The west end of Corydon; seven businesses, stables, and multiple homes were destroyed. The fire would have spread further, but it slowed as it spread through a lumber yard containing only freshly cut timber that did not burn easily. This allowed the townspeople to get the upper hand and extinguish the fire, but most of the western portion of the town was burned. It was not until 1922 that all the lots were rebuilt. In 1889 an attempted murder in Corydon resulted in

10368-507: Was $ 33,823, and the median income for a family was $ 41,630. Males had a median income of $ 29,159 versus $ 21,699 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 20,740. About 9.8% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over. It is located within the South Harrison Community Schools school district. Corydon has

10476-441: Was a colonel in the regular army, believed Morgan's force was small, and decided to spare the steamships and instead shell the massed cavalry. Before the cannon could be re-aimed, the superior Confederate artillery was set up and returned fire from their significantly higher position on the opposite side of the river. The dense morning fog in the valley obliged the Confederates to guess at their target. Their first shot landed short of

10584-402: Was advancing on his position from the south. The lead elements of the Union force arrived in Brandenburg at about 8:00 pm, where the Confederate rearguard was able to delay their advance long enough for Morgan's artillery to be carried across the river. On the last trip across, most of the rearguard was able to escape, but several were left behind and captured. Once the Confederates had crossed

10692-574: Was already planning to disregard the orders and had sent scouts beyond the river before leaving Tennessee. Crossing the Cumberland River at Burkesville, Kentucky , Morgan's column advanced to the Green River , where it was deflected by a Union regiment at Tebbs Bend on July 4. Morgan surprised and captured the garrison of Lebanon , and then rode northward via Springfield , Bardstown and Garnettsville . Morgan had his men tap

10800-486: Was at New Albany and was dispatched down-river and arrived on the scene just after Morgan had begun to ferry his force across the river. The Springfield opened fire on Morgan's two steamers who retreated back under the covering fire of the Confederate artillery. The ship began shelling both the north and south shores of the river, firing at least fifty shells into Brandenburg, damaging several buildings and killing three horses. Morgan's forces took cover in nearby forests while

10908-414: Was connected by road to Doup's Ferry, 15 miles (24 km) to the south at Mauck's Port , providing access to the Ohio River for trade. The first county courthouse was built at the northwest corner of the town at the summit of High Street. Corydon quickly grew into one of the most important early settlements in Indiana, in large part due to the political successes of its early inhabitants and as one of

11016-415: Was heavily wooded, but the slope of the ground prevented the defenders or the attackers from seeing each other until they were within close range. The eastern wing of the works was in a mostly open field and afforded little natural cover to the attackers, while the defenders were protected from gunfire behind their works. At 11:30 a.m. on July 9, the 3rd Regiment Kentucky Cavalry, the advance element of

11124-462: Was held on Corydon's 36-acre (15 ha) fairgrounds. It has been an annual event since 1860, making it the longest consecutive-running annual county fair in the state. The fairgrounds, established in the southwest corner of town, are bordered on the south and west by a large ridge that served as a natural grandstand until the first grandstand was built, circa 1910. During the Civil War , Corydon

11232-425: Was still en route, and he decided the Legion should be engaged by the advance forces. By about noon, the Confederates had formed an attack line and were in position to advance on the works. Because of the forest on the west side of the Mauckport Road, a company of men dismounted and attacked the works head on. They were repulsed three times, but the Legion suffered a casualty during the second wave. Simultaneously,

11340-416: Was swollen from recent rain, making any hope of fording it impossible and requiring that the Confederates secure boats to ferry their men across. Under Hines' guidance, the Confederates set an ambush to capture the steamship John T. McCombs as it landed in Brandenburg to deliver the mail. The one ship would not be enough to allow the Confederate division to quickly cross the river, so to capture another boat

11448-431: Was the site of the only "official pitched battle" fought in Indiana. On July 9, 1863, Confederate brigadier general John Hunt Morgan 's cavalry of more than 2,000 men crossed the Ohio River into Indiana to begin what is known as " Morgan's Raid ". The Confederate troops opposed about 450 members of a hastily assembled home guard at the Battle of Corydon outside of town, but the Union forces were quickly defeated and

11556-413: Was thwarted at the Battle of Buffington Island , where he tried to cross the Ohio River to safety. Only about 250 of his men were across the river, when Union gunboats brought his attempt to an end. Morgan was later captured at the Battle of Salineville , the furthest north regular Confederates ever reached. Other raids and small skirmishes took place in Indiana during the war, but the Battle of Corydon

11664-476: Was to prepare for the centennial of Indiana's statehood . The bureau largely concentrates on the placement of new historical markers across Indiana and encourages education in Indiana history . The bureau runs a gift shop at the library. The library's Martha E. Wright Conservation Lab has specialized equipment devoted to conservation and restoration of historic documents. Corydon, Indiana Corydon

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