1861–1865
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.
Artillery units in Ohio served for varying lengths of time, averaging one hundred days to three years. In September 1861, Battery D of the 1st Regiment Ohio Light Artillery mustered into service at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio. This regiment had previously served for three months as a state organization. Battery D's members were now to serve three years.
On November 1, 1861, Battery D departed Camp Dennison for Mount Sterling, Kentucky, where the organization joined Brigadier General William Nelson’s command. Nelson’s force quickly left Mount Sterling for Piketon, Kentucky, arriving on November 10, 1861. On the march to Piketon, Battery D engaged Confederate forces at Ivy Mountain, Kentucky and had one man killed. In mid November 1861, Nelson’s command traveled by steamers to Louisa, Kentucky and then marched to Louisville, Kentucky, arriving at the final location on November 25, 1861. Three days later, Battery D left Louisville for Camp Wood at Munfordsville, Kentucky, arriving the following day and joining General Alexander McCook’s command.
Battery D remained at Camp Wood until February 13, 1862, when the organization moved to Elizabethtown, Kentucky, but officials soon ordered the unit to return to Munfordsville. In late February, Battery D advanced with McCook’s force to Nashville, Tennessee. In March 1862, Battery D departed Nashville for Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, arriving on April 7, 1862, just after the Battle of Shiloh (April 6 and 7, 1862) ended. The battery participated in the Siege of Corinth, Mississippi. Following the Union's capture of Corinth, Battery D traveled to Athens, Alabama, arriving at this location by June 30, 1862, and eventually moved to Columbia, Tennessee.
On July 30, 1862, Battery D departed Columbia, eventually arriving at Lebanon, Kentucky on August 31, 1862. The battery next marched to Munfordsville, where in September 1862, Confederate forces captured the entire organization. The Southerners paroled the unit’s members and sent them to Camp Chase at Columbus, Ohio. Battery D remained at Camp Chase until exchanged in January 1863. By March 1863, the battery had advanced to Lexington, Kentucky, where the organization joined the 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 23rd Army Corps. Battery D left Lexington on April 4, 1863, arriving at Mount Vernon, Kentucky on April 18, 1863.
On June 14, 1863, two of Battery D’s gun crews accompanied the 23rd Corps’s cavalry forces on a raid into east Tennessee. The Union soldiers numerous bridges, miles of railroad tracks, and captured or destroyed a large amount of supplies. In this expedition, the battery had one man killed by Confederate guerrillas, and the gun crews were unable to return to Mount Vernon with their two artillery pieces.
In July 1863, the entire Battery D accompanied General Ambrose Burnside’s command to Cumberland Gap, with the Union forces capturing this Southern stronghold. The battery spent August and September 1863 engaging in raids into Kentucky and Tennessee, primarily operating with Frank Woolford’s cavalry force. During the Knoxville Campaign of late 1863, Battery D participated in practically every battle. Upon the Union victory in this campaign, many members of the battery reenlisted and received a thirty-day furlough to their homes in Ohio.
After the furlough, Battery D returned to Knoxville, Tennessee. In May 1864, the battery, along with the 23rd Army Corps, embarked upon General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. Battery D participated in every major engagement of this expedition. Following the Union's capture of Atlanta, Georgia in early September 1864, the organization rested in the vicinity of this city for several weeks, before joining the Northerners' pursuit of Confederate General John Bell Hood's army, which was advancing into northern Georgia, northern Alabama, and Central Tennessee during the autumn and early winter months of 1864. Battery D participated in the Battles of Franklin (November 30, 1864) and of Nashville (December 15 and 16, 1864). The Union victory at the last battle ended Hood's invasion.
In early 1865, officials sent the 23rd Corps, including Battery D, to Wilmington, North Carolina, where both organizations joined General Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign. With Confederate General Joseph Johnston’s surrender in late April 1865, the battery traveled to Washington, DC and participated in the Grand Review. Authorities sent Battery D to Cleveland, Ohio in early July 1865, where the organization mustered out of service on July 15, 1865.
