121st Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (or 121st OVI) was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in for three years service on September 11, 1862 under the command of Colonel
William P. Reed. The regiment was recruited in Delaware
, Knox
, Logan
, Marion
, and Morrow
counties.
The regiment was attached to 34th Brigade, 10th Division, Army of the Ohio
, September 1862. 34th Brigade, 10th Division, I Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. District of West Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, to February 1863. Reed's Brigade, Baird's Division, Army of Kentucky, Department of the Cumberland, to June 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Reserve Corps, Army of the Cumberland
, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June 1865.
The 121st Ohio Infantry mustered out of service at Washington, D.C.
on June 8, 1865.
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...
.
Service
The 121st Ohio Infantry was organized at Delaware, OhioDelaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
and mustered in for three years service on September 11, 1862 under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
William P. Reed. The regiment was recruited in Delaware
Delaware County, Ohio
Delaware County is a fast-growing suburban county in the state of Ohio, United States, within the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the United States Census Bureau's 2004 population estimates, Delaware County's population of 142,503 made it the fastest growing county in...
, Knox
Knox County, Ohio
Knox County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 60,921. Its county seat is Mount Vernon and is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the first Secretary of War....
, Logan
Logan County, Ohio
Logan County is a county in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,858. The county seat is Bellefontaine. The county is named for Benjamin Logan, who fought Native Americans in the area....
, Marion
Marion County, Ohio
Marion County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 66,501. Its county seat is the city of Marion and is named for General Francis "The Swamp Fox" Marion, an officer in the Revolutionary War....
, and Morrow
Morrow County, Ohio
Morrow County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. Shawnee people used the area for hunting purposes before white settlers arrived in the early 19th century. Morrow County was organized in 1848 from parts of four neighboring counties and named for Jeremiah Morrow, Governor of...
counties.
The regiment was attached to 34th Brigade, 10th Division, Army of the Ohio
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.-History:...
, September 1862. 34th Brigade, 10th Division, I Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. District of West Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, to February 1863. Reed's Brigade, Baird's Division, Army of Kentucky, Department of the Cumberland, to June 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Reserve Corps, Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June 1865.
The 121st Ohio Infantry mustered out of service at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on June 8, 1865.
Detailed service
Ordered to Cincinnati, September 11; thence to Covington, Ky., September 15, and to Louisville, Ky., September 20. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–15, 1862. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. Moved to Lebanon, Ky., and duty there until November, and at Columbia until December. Operations against Morgan December 22, 1862 to January 3, 1863. Ordered to Louisville, thence moved to Nashville, Tenn., February 9; thence to Franklin, Tenn., February 12, and duty there until June. Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Duty at Fayetteville August 25-September 5. Chickamauga Campaign. Battle of Chickamauga September 19–21. Siege of Chattanooga, September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27. Orchard Knob November 23. Tunnel Hill November 24–25. Missionary Ridge November 25. Chickamauga Station November 26. March to relief of Knoxville, November 28-December 17. Duty at Rossville, Ga., until May 1864. Atlanta Campaign May 1 to September 8. Tunnel Hill May 6–7. Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8–11. Buzzard's Roost Gap May 8–9. Battle of Resaca May 14–15. Advance on Dallas May 18–25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kennesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11–14. Lost Mountain June 15–17. Assault on Kennesaw June 27. Ruff's Station July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5–17. Peachtree Creek July 19–20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5–7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25–30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Operations against Forrest and Hood in northern Georgia and northern Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the Sea November 15-December 10. Sandersville November 26. Siege of Savannah December 10–21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April 1865. Taylor's Hole Creek, Aversyboro, N. C., March 16. Battle of Bentonville March 19–21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10–14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 349 men during service; 9 officers and 92 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 246 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel William P. Reed
- Colonel Henry Blackstone BanningHenry B. BanningHenry Blackstone Banning was a lawyer and three-term U.S. Representative from Ohio, as well as an infantry officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
- commanded at the battle of Chickamauga as lieutenant colonel; promoted from lieutenant colonel November 10, 1863
See also
- List of Ohio Civil War units
- Ohio in the Civil WarOhio in the Civil WarDuring the American Civil War, the State of Ohio played a key role in providing troops, military officers, and supplies to the Union army. Due to its central location in the Northern United States and burgeoning population, Ohio was both politically and logistically important to the war effort...
External links
- Ohio in the Civil War: 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry by Larry Stevens
- Regimental flag of the 121st Ohio Infantry
- Another regimental flag of the 121st Ohio Infantry
- History of the 121st Ohio Infantry (Archived 2009-10-19)
- Company H, 121st Ohio Infantry living history organization; includes history, biographies, brief history and photographs