Colonel Sion Bass, Civil War Fallen

The 30th Regiment of Indiana Infantry was formed at Camp Allen Fort Wayne, Indiana on the 24th of September, 1861. Under the command of Colonel Sion S. Bass. The regiment joined the 19th United States Infantry on September 29, 1861.

Colonel Bass was part of the Bass family, a major industrial force in Fort Wayne making axles for use at the “Pennsy Works” where cars and locomotives were. built.

While leading his troops in the second day of the Battle of Shiloh, Bass was wounded and died seven days later in Paducah, Kentucky.

His body was returned to Fort Wayne where a state funeral was held to honor the city’s first fallen hero. Colonel Bass was laid to rest in on April 14, 1862 in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne. A memorial to the Colonel was erected at the cemetery by his regiment and friends.  The memorial was restored in 2020 by the 30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Reenactors.