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 16, 1864, the 157th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry mustered into service at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. Most enlistees came from the 88th Battalion Ohio National Guard from Carroll County and the 39th Battalion Ohio National Guard from Jefferson County. The men in the regiment were to serve one hundred days.
On May 17, 1864, authorities dispatched the 157th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry to Baltimore, Maryland. At Baltimore, the regiment performed garrison duty and drilled for a few weeks, before transferring to Fort Delaware. At Fort Delaware, the 157th served on guard duty, watching over between 12,000 and 14,000 prisoners on average. In late August 1864, the 157th returned to Camp Chase, where officials mustered the regiment, except for Company C, out of service on September 2, 1864. On detached service from the rest of the regiment, Company C remained in the military until mustered out on September 10, 1864.
During its time of service, the 157th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry lost ten men to disease or accidents.
