The 12th Ohio Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Service

The 12th Ohio Cavalry Regiment was organized at Camp Taylor in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, and mustered in November 24, 1863, for a three years under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Robert Wilson Ratliff. The regiment was attached to 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, XXIII Corps, District of Kentucky,

Department of the Ohio The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River. 1st Department 1861–1862 Genera ...

, to July 1864. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, District of Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of East Tennessee,

Department 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 The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

, to July 1865. Cavalry Brigade, District East Tennessee, to November 1865. The 12th Ohio Cavalry mustered out of service November 14, 1865, at

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

Detailed service

Duty at

Camp Chase Camp Chase was a military staging and training camp established in Columbus, Ohio in May 1861 after the start of the American Civil War. It also included a large Union-operated prison camp for Confederate prisoners during the American Civil War ...

, Ohio, until February 1864,

Johnson's Island Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Initially, Johnson ...

(Company C as Guards) and at

Camp Dennison Camp Dennison was a military recruiting, training, and medical post for the United States Army during the American Civil War. It was located near Cincinnati, Ohio, not far from the Ohio River. The camp was named for Cincinnati native William De ...

until March. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., March 31, 1862. Operations against Morgan's invasion of Kentucky May 31-June 20, 1864. Action at Mt. Sterling, Ky., June 9. Cynthiana June 12. Skirmish at Lebanon, Ky., July 30 (1 company). Burbridge's Expedition into southwestern Virginia September 20-October 17. McCormack's Farm September 23. Laurel Mountain September 29. Action at Saltville, Va., October 2. Stoneman's Raid from Bean's Station, Tenn., into southwestern Virginia, December 10–29. Bristol December 14. Marion December 17–18. Saltville December 20–21. Stoneman's Raid into southwestern Virginia and western North Carolina March 21-April 25, 1865. Wilkesborough March 29. Wilkinsville N.C., April 8. Danbury April 9. Statesville and Salem April 11. Salisbury April 12. Dallas and Catawba River April 17. Swannanoah Gap April 20. Howard's Gap, Blue Ridge Mountains, April 22. Asheville April 25. Duty in middle Tennessee, eastern Tennessee, and North Carolina, until November 1865.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 164 men during service; 50 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 112 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Robert Wilson Ratliff

Notable members

* Corporal

Merriman Colbert Harris Merriman Colbert Harris (July 9, 1846 – May 8, 1921) was a Missionary Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1904, who was active in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Japan. Birth and family Merriman was born July 9, ...

, Company H - Missionary Bishop of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

, elected in 1904. * Bugler William Allen Magee, Company M - Third-last verified surviving Union veteran of the Civil War. He died January 23, 1953, in

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

, at age 106. He is listed as enlisting as a bugler on October 20, 1863, at age 18 (a 2-year age exaggeration).

References

* Bushong, William. ''The Last Great Stoneman Raid'' (S.l.: s.n.), 1910. uthor served in Company C* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Mason, Frank Holcomb. ''The Twelfth Ohio Cavalry: A Record of Its Organization, and Services in the War of the Rebellion, Together With a Complete Roster of the Regiment'' (Cleveland, OH: Nevins' Steam Printing House), 1871. * Ohio Roster Commission. ''Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War on the Rebellion, 1861–1865, Compiled Under the Direction of the Roster Commission'' (Akron, OH: Werner Co.), 1886–1895. * Reid, Whitelaw. ''Ohio in the War: Her Statesmen, Her Generals, and Soldiers'' (Cincinnati, OH: Moore, Wilstach, & Baldwin), 1868. * Sheldon, R. H. ''History of the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry'' (Philadelphia, PA: Grand Army Scout and Soldiers' Mail), 1885. ;Attribution *

External links

Ohio in the Civil War: 12th Ohio Cavalry by Larry Stevens

Booklet from the third annual reunion of the 12th Ohio Cavalry, 1888

Regimental flag of the 12th Ohio Cavalry

Guidon of the 12th Ohio Cavalry

Another guidon of the 12th Ohio Cavalry
{{Ohio in the Civil War Military units and formations established in 1863 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Ohio 1863 establishments in Ohio