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. On February 25, 1865, the 185th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry organized at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. The men in the regiment were to serve a one-year term of enlistment.
On February 27, 1865, authorities dispatched the 185th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry to Nashville, Tennessee, but as the regiment passed through Louisville, Kentucky, military officials ordered the men to remain in the state to serve on garrison duty. Authorities placed the soldiers of the 185th Regiment across Kentucky, with most men stationed at Cumberland Gap. Some companies also served on guard duty at Shelbyville, La Grange, Greensburg, Mt. Sterling, Lebanon, and several other Kentucky towns. On September 26, 1865, the entire regiment was located in Lexington, Kentucky, where officials mustered the regiment out of military service. The soldiers returned to Camp Chase in Columbus, where authorities discharged the 185th Regiment on October 2, 1865.
Unfortunately for the soldiers, the Civil War ended approximately seven weeks after the regiment’s formation on February 25, 1865, preventing the soldiers of the 185th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry from seeing any combat in the American Civil War. The regiment did lose thirty-five men due to disease or accidents. Despite not engaging in combat as the 185th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, approximately one-half of the regiment’s enlisted men had served in other regiments of Ohio Volunteer Infantry earlier in the war.
