104th Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
in the Union army
during the American Civil War
. It played a conspicuous role at the Battle of Franklin
during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
, where six members later received the Medal of Honor
, most for capturing enemy flags.
on August 30, 1862, under Col.
James W. Reilly
in response to a need for additional three-years regiments.
Among the nearly one thousand recruits in the 104th OVI was future United States Congressman Laurin D. Woodworth
.
, on September 1, 1862, in preparation for the Defense of Cincinnati
against a threatened Confederate
invasion by troops under Edmund Kirby Smith
. It was involved in the subsequent skirmish at Fort Mitchel in northern Kentucky
.
The regiment spent 1863 in Kentucky and then moved to East Tennessee
until April 1864. It then was reassigned to duty as part of the XXIII Corps
in Georgia
, Washington D.C., and finally North Carolina
for the Carolinas Campaign
.
The 104th OVI mustered out of the army on June 17, 1865.
During its term of service, the regiment had 3 officers and 46 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded in combat. It also lost 4 officers and 130 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 183 fatalities out of the 1,740 men who served at various times in the regiment.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Union army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It played a conspicuous role at the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin II
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee conducted...
during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Franklin-Nashville Campaign
The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt....
, where six members later received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, most for capturing enemy flags.
Organization
The 104the OVI was organized at Camp MassillonMassillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
on August 30, 1862, under Col.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
James W. Reilly
James W. Reilly
James William Reilly was a lawyer, politician, and soldier from the state of Ohio who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
in response to a need for additional three-years regiments.
- Company A
- Company B
- Company C
- Company D: Captain Marcus C. Horton
- Company E
- Company F: Captain Joseph F. Riddle
- Company G
- Company H
- Company I
- Company K
Among the nearly one thousand recruits in the 104th OVI was future United States Congressman Laurin D. Woodworth
Laurin D. Woodworth
Laurin Dewey Woodworth was a U.S. Representative from Ohio and member of the Woodworth political family.-Education:...
.
Service record
The regiment moved to Covington, KentuckyCovington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, on September 1, 1862, in preparation for the Defense of Cincinnati
Defense of Cincinnati
The Defense of Cincinnati occurred during what is now referred to as the Confederate Heartland Offensive of American Civil War from September 1 through September 13, 1862, when Cincinnati, Ohio, was threatened by Confederate forces....
against a threatened Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
invasion by troops under Edmund Kirby Smith
Edmund Kirby Smith
Edmund Kirby Smith was a career United States Army officer and educator. He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, notable for his command of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederacy after the fall of Vicksburg.After the conflict ended Smith...
. It was involved in the subsequent skirmish at Fort Mitchel in northern Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
The regiment spent 1863 in Kentucky and then moved to East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
until April 1864. It then was reassigned to duty as part of the XXIII Corps
XXIII Corps (ACW)
XXIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Western Theater as part of the Army of the Ohio.The corps was organized in April 1863 by order of the departmental commander, Ambrose E. Burnside...
in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Washington D.C., and finally North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
for the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
.
The 104th OVI mustered out of the army on June 17, 1865.
During its term of service, the regiment had 3 officers and 46 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded in combat. It also lost 4 officers and 130 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 183 fatalities out of the 1,740 men who served at various times in the regiment.
List of Medal of Honor Recipients from the 104th OVI
Six men from the regiment were recipients of the Medal of Honor for gallantry at Franklin:- Joseph Davis: Rank and organization: Corporal, Company C. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., 30 November 1864. Entered service at: ---. Birth: Wales. Date of issue: 4 February 1865. Citation: Capture of flag.
- John C. Gaunt: Rank and organization: Private, Company G. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., 30 November 1864. Entered service at: Damascoville, Ohio. Birth: Columbiana County, Ohio. Date of issue: 13 February 1865. Citation: Capture of flag.
- Abraham GreenawaltAbraham GreenawaltAbraham Greenawalt was a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He earned the Medal of Honor for the capture of a Confederate corps headquarters flag at the Second Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, on November 30, 1864....
: Rank and organization: Private, Company G. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., 30 November 1864. Entered service at: Salem, Ohio. Birth: Montgomery County, Pa. Date of issue: 13 February 1865. Citation: Capture of corps headquarters flag (C.S.A.). - Newton H. HallNewton H. HallNewton H. Hall was an infantryman in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the Battle of Franklin during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign.-Biography:...
: Rank and organization: Corporal, Company I. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., 30 November 1864. Entered service at: ---. Birth: Portage County, OhioPortage County, OhioPortage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
. Date of issue: 13 February 1865. Citation: Capture of flag, believed to have belonged to Stewart's Corps (C.S.A.). - George V. KelleyGeorge V. KelleyGeorge VanStavoren Kelley was a line officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the Battle of Franklin during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign....
: Rank and organization: Captain, Company A. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., 30 November 1864. Entered service at: Massillon, Ohio. Born: 23 March 1843, Massillon, Ohio. Date of issue: 13 February 1865. Citation: Capture of flag supposed to be of Cheatham's Corps (C.S.A.). - John H. Ricksecker: Rank and organization: Private, Company D. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., 30 November 1864. Entered service at: ---. Birth: Springfield, OhioSpringfield, OhioSpringfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
. Date of issue: 3 February 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of 16th Alabama Artillery (C.S.A.).
External links
Further reading
- Smith, Barbara Bentley and Nina Bentley Baker, editors, Burning Rails As We Pleased: The Civil War Letters of William Garrigues Bentley, 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2004. ISBN 978-0-7864-1659-2.