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 4, 1864, the 156th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry mustered into service at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio. The men in the regiment were to serve one hundred days. The regiment primarily consisted of the 34th Regiment Ohio National Guard and the 80th and 81st Battalions Ohio National Guard.
On May 20, 1864, authorities dispatched Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, and H to Cincinnati to perform guard duty, while Companies G, I, and K remained at Camp Dennison performing the same duty. Officials dispatched Companies G, I, and K to Falmouth, Kentucky in response to Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s operations near Cynthiana, Kentucky. On July 18, 1864, all of the companies of the 156th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry reunited together at Covington, Kentucky and then moved to Paris, Kentucky. In response to Confederate General Jubal Early’s advance on Washington, DC, officials sent the 156th to Cumberland, Maryland vvia Cincinnati and Parkersburg, West Virginia. The regiment arrived at Cumberland on July 31, 1864 and engaged enemy forces under the command of Bradley Johnson on August 1. The 156th remained at Cumberland on guard duty until August 26, 1864, when officials sent the regiment to Camp Dennison. Authorities discharged the regiment at Camp Dennison on September 1, 1864.
During the 156th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry’s term of service, twenty-three men, including one officer, died from disease or accidents. No men died from wounds received on the battlefield.
