James R. (James Richards) Carnahan

Born in 1840, James Richards Carnahan studied at Wabash College before serving as an officer in the 86th Indiana Regiment during the Civil War. After the war, he returned to civilian life in Indiana and went on to serve as prosecutor in Tippecanoe County.

Carnahan wrote from experience. He is best known today for Personal Recollections of Chickamauga, a veteran's account of one of the war's hardest-fought battles. He also helped write The Eighty-Sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry and published Pythian Knighthood, Its History and Literature, showing how wide his interests were beyond battlefield memory alone.

His career also included public service and veterans' leadership. Records from the Indiana Historical Society describe him as a commander of the Indiana Grand Army of the Republic and later a commissioner from Indiana for Chickamauga National Military Park, roles that fit well with the memorial and historical spirit found in his writing.