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3rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry (Three Months Service)

With the American Civil War's outbreak, neither the North nor the South had sufficient military forces to conduct a war. Both the United States of America and the Confederate States of America, at first, relied upon volunteers either to form or to bolster their respective militaries.

With the American Civil War's outbreak, neither the North nor the South had sufficient military forces to conduct a war. Both the United States of America and the Confederate States of America, at first, relied upon volunteers either to form or to bolster their respective militaries. Typically, individual states would recruit and send volunteers to their respective federal governments. Initially, many states relied on militia forces. Historically, every British colony in North America had established a militia. The militia usually consisted of adult, able-bodied men, who would rally to defend the colonies and, following the American Revolution, states during military crises. By the start of the American Civil War, unfortunately for both the Confederate States of America and the United States of America, most state militias were in a decline and unprepared for a major war.

In Ohio, Governor William Dennison hoped to supply the United States government with men and supplies from the Ohio militia. Ohio's militia system was virtually nonexistent by 1861. While militia forces played a vital role in Ohio's history from the American Revolution to the War of 1812, most major military threats to Ohio's security ended with the War of 1812. Following this conflict, the federal government quickly removed most Native Americans further west, and in the decades immediately following the war, no European or other major power attacked the United States. Facing no serious internal or external threats, most states, including Ohio, allowed their militia organizations to weaken. Most militia groups became mere social organizations and did not actively practice or study military maneuvers or tactics.

Dennison quickly discovered that Ohio's militia system could not play an active role in the American Civil War. Following the Battle of Fort Sumter and President Abraham Lincoln’s call for seventy-five thousand volunteers to return the seceded states to the Union in April 1861, Ohio's governor sent Jacob Cox, a state politician, and George McClellan, a former United States Army officer and current businessman, to Ohio's arsenal to assess the availability of weapons and supplies. Cox and McClellan found three or four crates of smoothbore muskets, a number of inoperable six-pound cannons, and some mildewed horse harnesses. Upon learning of the dire condition of the state's military supplies, Dennison still encouraged Ohioans to reestablish militia units to defend the state from Southern attack and to assist the federal government in reuniting the nation.

Ohioans quickly responded to the governor's and the federal government's call for troops. Among Ohio's earliest regiments was the 3rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This organization was formed on April 21, 1861, at Camp Jackson in Columbus, Ohio. The 3rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry's members enlisted for three months of military duty. By April 30, 1861, officials had sent the entire regiment to Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio, where the soldiers spent the month of May training. On June 20, 1861, the 3rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry was formally mustered into the United States military, with a term of service of three years. Those men who refused to serve three years were mustered out of the regiment on August 22, 1861, after three months of service.

3rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry (Three Months Service):

Roster of Officers:

Name

Rank

Age

Date of Entering Service

Term of Service

Isaac H. Marrow

Colonel

40

April 19, 1861

Three months

John Beatty

Lieutenant Colonel

32

April 18, 1861

Three months

J. Warren Keifer

Major

26

April 27, 1861

Three months

R.R. McMeens

Surgeon

30

April 19, 1861

Three months

H.H. Seys

Assistant Surgeon

29

May 2, 1861

Three months

W.H. Sage

Adjutant

24

April 19, 1861

Three months

Nicholas Jeroloman

Sergeant Major

24

April 25, 1861

Three months

L.H. Huett

Quartermaster Sergeant

29

April 19, 1861

Three months

Thomas A. Nevett

Drum Major

19

April 19, 1861

Three months

H.H. Welch

Fife Major

April 28, 1861

Three months

Isaac H. Marrow

Captain

40

April 19, 1861

Three months

Orris A. Lawson

Captain

33

April 19, 1861

Three months

James H. Wing

Captain

24

April 19, 1861

Three months

Joseph M. Dana

Captain

39

April 19, 1861

Three months

James C. Vananda

Captain

35

April 22, 1861

Three months

Ephraim P. Abbott

Captain

27

April 24, 1861

Three months

William C. Rossman

Captain

25

April 22, 1861

Three months

Owen T. Turney

Captain

24

April 18, 1861

Three months

Leonidas McDougal

Captain

38

April 19, 1861

Three months

David C. Rose

Captain

26

April 25, 1861

Three months

Henry Cope

Captain

63

April 25, 1861

Three months

Asa H. Batton

First Lieutenant

34

April 25, 1861

Three months

John McNeal

First Lieutenant

21

April 25, 1861

Three months

Leroy S. Bell

First Lieutenant

30

April 19, 1861

Three months

James Marra

First Lieutenant

20

April 18, 1861

Three months

Jerome B. Ebert

First Lieutenant

26

April 22, 1861

Three months

George Egan

First Lieutenant

29

April 24, 1861

Three months

Elitha D. House

First Lieutenant

24

April 19, 1861

Three months

Wilber H. Sage

First Lieutenant

24

April 19, 1861

Three months

Nelson H. Vanvorhes

First Lieutenant

38

April 19, 1861

Three months

Joel E. Thompson

First Lieutenant

47

April 22, 1861

Three months

William A. Swayze

Second Lieutenant

31

April 19, 1861

Three months

John R. Johnson

Second Lieutenant

27

April 24, 1861

Three months

James S. Wilson

Second Lieutenant

26

April 22, 1861

Three months

Edward McGill

Second Lieutenant

21

April 18, 1861

Three months

Francis P. Dale

Second Lieutenant

22

April 19, 1861

Three months

James St. John

Second Lieutenant

21

April 25, 1861

Three months

James T. Smith

Second Lieutenant

31

April 25, 1861

Three months

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