56th Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 56th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (or 56th OVI) was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in for three years service On December 12, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Peter Kinney.
The regiment was attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Tennessee
, to July 1862. Helena, Arkansas, District of Eastern Arkansas, to November 1862. 2nd Brigade, 12th Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, Department of the Tennessee, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 12th Division, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to July 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to August 1863, and Department of the Gulf, to June 1864. Defenses of New Orleans, Louisiana, Department of the Gulf, to April 1866.
The 56th Ohio Infantry mustered out of service on December 25, 1866 at New Orleans, Louisiana
.
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 56th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Morrow in Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
and mustered in for three years service On December 12, 1861 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...
Peter Kinney.
The regiment was attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
, to July 1862. Helena, Arkansas, District of Eastern Arkansas, to November 1862. 2nd Brigade, 12th Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, Department of the Tennessee, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 12th Division, XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to July 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to August 1863, and Department of the Gulf, to June 1864. Defenses of New Orleans, Louisiana, Department of the Gulf, to April 1866.
The 56th Ohio Infantry mustered out of service on December 25, 1866 at New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Detailed service
Moved to Paducah, Ky., then to Fort Donelson, Tenn., February 12–15, 1862. Fort Donelson February 15–16. Expedition toward Purdy and operations about Crump's Landing March 9–14, 1862. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6–7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. March to Memphis, Tenn., June 1–13, and duty there until July 24. Germantown and Lafayette Station June 25. Ordered to Helena, Ark., June 24, and duty there until April 1863. Gorman's Expedition from Helena to Eunice August 28-September 5, 1862. Expedition against Arkansas Post November 16–21. Ordered to Milliken's Bend, La., April 11, 1863. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25–30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. Fourteen-Mile Creek May 12. Battle of Champion Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4–10. Siege of Jackson July 10–17. Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 13. Duty there until September 13, and at Berwick Bay until October. Western Louisiana Campaign October 3-November 30. Grand Coteau November 3. At New Iberia until December 17. Moved to New Orleans December 17, then to Madisonville January 22, 1864, and duty there until March 1. Moved to New Orleans March 1. Red River Campaign March 10-May 5. Advance from Franklin to Alexandria March 14–26. Battle of Sabine Cross Roads April 8. Pleasant Hill April 9. Monett's Ferry, Cane River, April 23. At Alexandria April 26-May 4. Davidson's Ferry, Red River, May 4–5. Natchitoches May 5. Dunn's Bayou, destruction of transport Warner, May 5. Veterans absent on furlough May to July. Return to New Orleans, La., and duty in the defenses of that city until April 1866. Expedition from New Orleans to Mandeville January 15–17, 1865 (detachment).Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 216 men during service; 3 officers and 55 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 156 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel Peter Kinney
- Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
William H. Raynor - commanded at the battle of Champion Hill
Notable members
- Captain George Wilhelm, Company F - Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe 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...
recipient for action at the battle of Champion Hill; later promoted to lieutenant colonel of the regiment
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...