37th Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 37th Ohio Infantry was a Union Army
regiment
, composed of German-Americans, in the American Civil War
. It was organized in the fall of 1861, under Colonel Edward Siber, and served in the Kanawha Valley until December, 1862. It joined the Union army operating against Vicksburg, Mississippi
, in January, 1863, and participated in the various engagements of the siege. After the fall of that stronghold it was moved across Tennessee
from Memphis
to Chattanooga, and took part in operations of the 15th Corps, subsequent to, and at the taking of Atlanta, Georgia
. It then followed the fortunes of that well-known corps until the reaching of Washington, D.C.
From Louisville, Kentucky
, it went with the 2nd Division of the Corps to Little Rock, Arkansas
, and was there mustered out in August 1865.
Nine men earned the Medal of Honor
while serving with the 37th Ohio. Six were awarded the medal for their actions on May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg; Private Joseph Hanks for rescuing a wounded comrade and five others (Corporal Franz Frey, Private William John, Corporal Louis Renninger
, Private Frederick Rock, and Corporal Christian Schnell) for participating in a "forlorn hope
" attack on Confederate defenses. At the Battle of Missionary Ridge
on November 25, 1863, Musician John S. Kountz
picked up a rifle and joined the attack, was seriously wounded, and was subsequently rescued from under heavy fire by Private William Schmidt; both men received the Medal of Honor. The regiment's last medal was earned on July 28, 1864, during the Battle of Ezra Church, when Sergeant Ernst Torgler saved the badly wounded commanding officer, Major Charles Hipp, from capture.
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...
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...
, composed of German-Americans, in 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 was organized in the fall of 1861, under Colonel Edward Siber, and served in the Kanawha Valley until December, 1862. It joined the Union army operating against Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, in January, 1863, and participated in the various engagements of the siege. After the fall of that stronghold it was moved across Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
from Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to Chattanooga, and took part in operations of the 15th Corps, subsequent to, and at the taking of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. It then followed the fortunes of that well-known corps until the reaching of 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....
From Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, it went with the 2nd Division of the Corps to Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, and was there mustered out in August 1865.
Nine men earned 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...
while serving with the 37th Ohio. Six were awarded the medal for their actions on May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg; Private Joseph Hanks for rescuing a wounded comrade and five others (Corporal Franz Frey, Private William John, Corporal Louis Renninger
Louis Renninger
Louis Renninger was a Union soldier who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the American Civil War....
, Private Frederick Rock, and Corporal Christian Schnell) for participating in a "forlorn hope
Forlorn hope
A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combatants chosen to take the leading part in a military operation, such as an assault on a defended position, where the risk of casualties is high....
" attack on Confederate defenses. At the Battle of Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
on November 25, 1863, Musician John S. Kountz
John S. Kountz
John S. Kountz was a soldier in the United States Army during the American Civil War. He received a Medal of Honor.-Biography:...
picked up a rifle and joined the attack, was seriously wounded, and was subsequently rescued from under heavy fire by Private William Schmidt; both men received the Medal of Honor. The regiment's last medal was earned on July 28, 1864, during the Battle of Ezra Church, when Sergeant Ernst Torgler saved the badly wounded commanding officer, Major Charles Hipp, from capture.