John Murphy enlisted in Bissell’s Engineer Regiment of the West on July 26, 1861; he was appointed a second lieutenant and assigned to Company B. Promoted to first lieutenant on July 22, 1863, he became a captain on August 13, 1863 and assumed command of Company K.

Colonel Josiah W. Bissell’s “Engineer Regiment of the West” was mustered into service in the fall of 1861. The regiment contained men from Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa. Bissell’s Engineers contributed to Union battlefield victories early in the war, such as New Madrid, Island No. 10, and Corinth. They repaired and built railroads and bridges in Tennessee and Mississippi through the rest of 1862 and 1863. In early 1864 Bissell’s Engineer Regiment was consolidated with the 25th Missouri Infantry to form the 1st Missouri Engineers. The regiment took part in the Atlanta campaign, Sherman’s “March to the Sea”, and the Carolinas campaign.

Carte-de-Visite by I.R. Martin, Mattoon, Ill.

Image Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 11827