1864
In the American Civil War, Ohio provided the federal government with 260 regiments of men, including infantry, artillery, and cavalry units. Ohioans also served in several other regiments from other states, most notably from Kentucky, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, as well as in federal units.
In the American Civil War, Ohio provided the federal government with 260 regiments of men, including infantry, artillery, and cavalry units. Ohioans also served in several other regiments from other states, most notably from Kentucky, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, as well as in federal units. Almost 330,000 Ohio men, including 5,092 African Americans, served in the Union military during the conflict.
Infantry regiments formed in Ohio became known as regiments of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. They served for varying lengths of time, averaging one hundred days to three years. In 1864, the governors of several Northern states convinced federal authorities to call up state militia forces for regular military duty. The governors believed that these militiamen would free regular soldiers currently serving in forts or guarding other important sites in Northern states for duty with the Union's invading armies in the Confederacy. Hopefully this surge of men, known as Hundred Days' Men, would allow the North to defeat the South in one hundred days or less while keeping Northern states safe from Confederate attack and anti-war unrest.
On May 14 and 15, 1864, the 132nd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry mustered into service at Camp Chase, at Columbus, Ohio. The men in the regiment were to serve one hundred days. The 132nd consisted of Logan County’s 38th Regiment Ohio National Guard, three companies of Paulding County’s 42nd Battalion Ohio National Guard, and one company of; Montgomery County’s 12th Battalion Ohio National Guard.
The 132nd remained at Camp Chase in drill until March 22, 1864, when authorities dispatched the regiment to Washington, DC via the Central Ohio Railroad and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. On March 24, the regiment arrived at Washington and garrisoned Fort Albany until May 30, when the 132nd boarded the steamer John Brooks at Alexandria, Virginia. The regiment sailed to White House, Virginia, where officials assigned it to the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps. The 132nd remained at White House, where it performed picket duty, until June 11, 1864, when the regiment sailed to Bermuda Hundred, Virginia. At Bermuda Hundred, the 132nd again engaged in picket duty until August 12, 1864, when the regiment traveled to Norfolk, Virginia. On August 27, 1864, the 132nd sailed for Washington, DC and then traveled by train to Camp Chase via Baltimore, Maryland and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The regiment reached Columbus on August 30, 1864 and mustered out of service on September 10, 1864.
During the 132nd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry’s term of service, forty-five men perished from disease or accidents. Two men died from wounds received on the battlefield.
