HISTORICAL NOTES:
The three-years 3rd Ohio Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Dennison on June 12, 1861. After a few days of training and drilling, it moved to Grafton, Virginia (now West Virginia) and then on to Clarksburg on June 20–25, where it was attached to the 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation, West Virginia, until September. The regiment saw action in the West Virginia Campaign, capturing the Confederate-held town of Beverly on July 12. They remained on duty in western Virginia through the balance of the year, fighting in several small skirmishes and battles, including the battles of Rich Mountain and Cheat Mountain.
In October, the 3rd Ohio Infantry was shipped to Louisville, Kentucky, and served for the rest of the war in the Western Theater. After wintering near Elizabethtown, Kentucky, the regiment, then in the army of Ormsby Mitchel, was part of the general advance on Confederate-held Nashville, Tennessee, in February 1862. After occupying the city, the 9th moved toward Murfreesboro, Tennessee and assisted in capturing the city of Huntsville, Alabama, on April 11. The 3rd Ohio remained in Alabama until late August when it was part of the Union forces that pursued Braxton Bragg's Confederate army during the Kentucky Campaign.
On October 8, 1862, the 3rd Ohio Infantry was heavily involved at the Battle of Perryville. Two weeks later, it marched back to Murfreesboro and remained there through the winter, participating in the Battle of Stones River at year's end.
In April 1863, the regiment was part of Streight's Raid to Rome, Georgia from April 26 until May 3. It was involved in fights at Day's Gap, Sand Mountain, and Crooked Creek and Hog Mountain. Much of the regiment was captured on May 3 near Rome and taken as prisoners of war. The officers and men were sent to Belle Isle and Libby Prison. The captives were exchanged later that month and sent northward to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio, to reorganize.
In June, the regiment helped quell the Holmes County Rebellion, and a month later was involved in the pursuit of Morgan's Raiders. On August 1, the regiment was transported to Nashville and then on to Bridgeport, Alabama, where it was on guard duty until October. Then, it was part of the Union expedition against Confederates under Nathan Bedford Forrest. On November 27, the regiment was sent to the rear lines to perform garrison duty at Chattanooga, Tennessee, until June 1864. It was then ordered back to Camp Dennison on June 9, where it mustered out June 23, 1864.
During its term of service, the 3rd Ohio Infantry lost 4 officers and 87 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 3 officers and 78 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 172 fatalities.
OFFICERS:
John Beatty,
J. Warren Keifer
ASSIGNMENTS:
Organized at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio, June 4, 1861. Moved to Grafton, W. Va., thence to Clarksburg, W. Va., June 20-25, 1861. Attached to 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation, West Virginia, to September, 1861. Reynolds' Command, Cheat Mountain, W. Va., to November, 1861. 17th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December, 1861. 17th Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 17th Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Centre 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Army Corps, to April, 1863. Streight's Provisional Brigade, 14th Army Corps, to May, 1863. Unattached, Dept. of the Cumberland, August to November, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 14th Army Corps, to April, 1865. Garrison at Chattanooga, Tenn., to June, 1864.
SERVICE:
West Virginia Campaign July 6-17, 1861. Action at Middle Fork Bridge, W. Va., July 6-7. Rich Mountain July 10-11. Pursuit to Cheat Mountain Summit July 11-16. Moved to Elkwater Creek August 4. Operations on Cheat Mountain September 11-17. Action at Elkwater September 11. Cheat Mountain Pass September 12. Scout to Marshall October 3. Reconnoissance to Big Springs October 6. Moved to Louisville, Ky., November 26-28. Duty at Elizabethtown and Bacon Creek, Ky., till Febuary, 1862. Advance on Nashville, Tenn., February 10-25. Occupation of Nashville February 25-March 17. Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., March 17-19. Reconnoissance to Shelbyville, Tullahoma and McMinnville March 25-28. Moved to Fayetteville April 7. Advance on Huntsville, Ala., April 10-11. Capture of Huntsville April 11. Pursuit to Decatur April 11-14. Action at Bridgeport April 27. West Bridge, near Bridgeport, April 29. Duty at Huntsville till August 23. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 23-September 25. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-15. Battle of Perryville October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7, and duty there till December 26. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. At Murfreesboro till April, 1863. Streight's Raid to Rome, Ga., April 26-May 3. Day's Gap, Sand Mountain and Crooked Creek and Hog Mountain, April 30. East Branch Black Warrior Creek May 1. Blount's Farm Gadsden, May 2. Near Centre May 2. Cedar Creek, near Rome, May 3. Regiment captured. Exchanged May, 1863. At Camp Chase, Ohio, reorganizing till August. Quelling Holmes County Rebellion June 13-18. Pursuit of Morgan July 15-26. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., August 1, thence moved to Bridgeport, Ala., and guard duty there till October. Expedition against Wheeler October 1-8. Duty at Battle Creek, Looney Creek and Kelly's Ford till November 27. Garrison duty at Chattanooga, Tenn., till June, 1864. Ordered to Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 9. Mustered out June 23, 1864.
Roster:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 2394 men.
HISTORICAL NOTES: