1861–1864
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.
Artillery units in Ohio served for varying lengths of time, averaging one hundred days to three years. On December 3, 1861, Battery M 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 M's members were now to serve three years and primarily came from Auglaize, Shelby, and Miami Counties, Ohio.
In January 1862, Battery M, along with Battery F of the 1st Regiment, departed Camp Dennison for Louisville, Kentucky, where the organization became part of the Army of the Ohio. Battery M soon advanced to Bowling Green, Kentucky and then to Nashville, Tennessee, where the battery became part of the Army of the Ohio's Artillery Reserve. In late March 1862, Battery M 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 M traveled to the Alabama communities of Huntsville and Stevenson. In August 1862, the organization returned to Nashville, where the battery served; on garrison duty. In late 1862, Battery M joined the 14th Army Corps and took part in numerous skirmishes in December 1862 between the Union's Army of the Cumberland and Braxton Bragg's Confederate army. The battery also fought in the Battle of Stones River (December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863), near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Battery M remained in the vicinity of Murfreesboro until embarking upon the Tullahoma Campaign in June 1863. The organization next participated in the Chattanooga Campaign, engaging Confederate forces at the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia (September 19 and 20, 1863). After this Union defeat, Battery M retreated with the rest of the Army of the Cumberland to Chattanooga, Tennessee, shelling Confederate positions at the Battles of Lookout Mountain (November 24, 1863) and Missionary Ridge (November 25, 1863).
Following the Union victory at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Battery M returned to Nashville, where the organization formed part of the Artillery Reserve. On June 24, 1864, the battery joined General Sherman's Atlanta Campaign at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia. The organization participated in the Siege of Atlanta, Georgia and the Battles of Jonesborough and Lovejoy's Station. During the campaign, officials assigned Battery M to the 1st Division, 4th Army Corps. Upon the Union's capture of Atlanta in early September 1864, the battery remained at this city for a few weeks before returning to Chattanooga. Officials mustered the organization out of service at Chattanooga in October 1864. Battery M next traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, where authorities discharged the unit's members from the service.
