37th Ohio Infantry
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The 37th Ohio Infantry Regiment was a
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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
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 conscript ...
, composed of
German-American German Americans (german: Deutschamerikaner, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 43 million in 2019, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the Unite ...
s, in 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 ...
. It was organized in the fall of 1861, under Colonel Edward Siber, and served in the
Kanawha Valley The Kanawha River ( ) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi (156 km) long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, its valley has been a significant industrial region of the sta ...
until December 1862. It joined the Union army operating against
Vicksburg, Mississippi Vicksburg is a historic city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat, and the population at the 2010 census was 23,856. Located on a high bluff on the east bank of the Mississippi River across from Louisiana, Vi ...
, in January 1863, and participated in the various engagements of the siege. After the fall of that stronghold it was moved across
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
from
Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...
to Chattanooga, and took part in operations of the 15th Corps, subsequent to, and at the taking of
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
. It then followed the fortunes of that well-known corps until the reaching of
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
From
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, it went with the 2nd Division of the Corps to
Little Rock, Arkansas ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...
, and was there mustered out in August 1865.


Service

The 37th Ohio Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and mustered in October 2, 1861, to serve three years. The regiment was ordered to the Kanawha Valley, West Virginia and attached to Benham's Brigade, District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, to October, 1861. District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Kanawha Division, Department of the Mountains, to May, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Kanawha Division, West Virginia, to August, 1862. District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, Department of the Ohio, to December, 1862. Ewing's Brigade, Kanawha Division, West Virginia, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to October, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, to June, 1865. Department of Arkansas to August, 1865. On expiration of its term of service the original members (except veterans) were mustered out, and the organization, composed of veterans and recruits, retained in the service until August 7. 1865, when it was mustered out in accordance with orders from the War Department.


Detailed service

The 37th OVI's detailed service is as follows (NOTE — Battles are ''Bolded, Italicized''; campaigns are ''Italicized''):


1861

* Operations in the Kanawha District and New River Regiment, West Virginia, October 19-November 16, 1861. * Duty at Clifton until March, 1862.


1862

* Expedition to Logan Court House and Guyandotte Valley January 12–23. * Demonstrations against Virginia & Tennessee Railroad May 10–18. * Actions at ''
Battle of Princeton Court House The Battle of Princeton Court House was fought May 15–17, 1862 in Mercer County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in conjunction with Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign. It was a minor victory for the Confederate States Army. Background B ...
'' May 15, 16 and 17. * Charleston May 17. * Moved to Flat Top Mountain and duty there until August. * Moved to Raleigh Court House August 1. * Operations about Wyoming Court House August 2–8. * ''Battle of Wyoming Court House'' August 5. * Operations in the Kanawha Valley August 29-September 18 ( Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862). * ''Repulse of Loring's attack on Fayetteville'' September 10. * ''Battle of Cotton Hill'' September 11. * Charleston September 12–13. * Duty at Point Pleasant until October 15, and at Gauley Bridge until December 20. * Ordered to Napoleon, Ark., December 20


1863

* To Young's Point, La., January 21, 1863, and duty there until March. * Expedition to Rolling Fork via Muddy, Steele's and Black Bayous and Deer Creek March 14–27. * Demonstrations on Haines and Drumgould's Bluffs April 27-May 1. * Movement to join army in rear of Vicksburg, Miss., via Richmond and Grand Gulf May 2–14. * ''
Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mis ...
'', Miss., May 18-July 4. * ''Assaults on Vicksburg'' May 19 and 22. * Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5–10. * ''
Siege of Jackson The Jackson Expedition, also known as the Siege of Jackson, occurred in the aftermath of the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in July 1863. Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman led the expedition to clear General Joseph E. Johnston ...
'' July 10–17. * Camp at Big Black until September 26. * Moved to Memphis, thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 26-November 21. * Operations on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama October 20–29. * Bear Creek, Tuscumbia, October 27. * ''
Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign The Chattanooga campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Major general (United States), Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army, Union Army of the C ...
'' November 23–27. * Tunnel Hill November 24–25. * '' Battle of Missionary Ridge'' November 25. * March to relief of Knoxville November 29-December 8.


1864

* Regiment reenlisted at Larkinsville, Ala., February 9, 1864. * '' Atlanta Campaign'' May 1-September 8. * Demonstrations on Resaca May 8–13. * Near Resaca May 13. * ''
Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...
'' 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. * ''
Battle of New Hope Church The Battle of New Hope Church (May 25–26, 1864) was a clash between the Union Army under Major General William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American ...
'' May 25. * ''Operations about Marietta and Kennesaw Mountain'' June 10-July 2. * ''
Battle of Kennesaw Mountain The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tenne ...
'' June 27. * Nickajack Creek July 2–5. * Ruff's Mills July 3–4. * Chattahoochee River July 6–17. * '' Siege of Atlanta'' July 22-August 25. * ''
Battle of Atlanta The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Un ...
'' July 22. * Operations at Chattahoochie River July 6–17. * Ezra Chapel, Hood's 2nd Sortie, July 28. * Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25–30. * ''
Battle of Jonesboro The Battle of Jonesborough (August 31–September 1, 1864) was fought between Union Army forces led by William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under William J. Hardee during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. On the first ...
'' August 31-September 1. * Lovejoy Station September 2–6. * Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. * Turkeytown and Gadsden Road October 25. * '' March to the Sea'' November 15. * ''
Siege of Savannah The siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutena ...
'' December 10–21. * ''
Fort McAllister Fort McAllister was a Confederate earthen-work fort used to defend Savannah, Georgia during the American Civil War. It was the southernmost of the forts defending Savannah and was involved in the most battles. It was located on the Ogeechee Rive ...
'' December 13.


1865

* '' Campaign of the Carolinas'' January to April, 1865. * Salkehatchie Swamp, S.C., February 2–5. * Cannon's Bridge, South Edisto River, February 8. * North Edisto River February 12–13. * Columbia February 16–17. * ''
Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last battle between the armies of Union Maj ...
'', N. C., March 20–21. * Mill Creek March 22. * 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 20. * Grand Review May 24. * Moved to Louisville, Ky., June; thence to Little Rock, Ark., and duty there until August. * Mustered out August 7, 1865.


Medal of Honor recipients

Ten men earned the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
while serving with the 37th Ohio. Six were awarded the medal for their actions on May 22, 1863, during the
Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mis ...
: * Private Joseph Hanks — Rescuing a wounded comrade and five others * Corporal Franz Frey — Participating in a diversionary "
forlorn hope A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combatants chosen to take the vanguard in a military operation, such as a suicidal assault through the kill zone of a defended position, or the first men to climb a scaling ladder against a defen ...
" attack on Confederate defenses, 22 May 1863. * Private Sampson Harris — Participating in the same "forlorn hope." * Private William John — Participating in the same "forlorn hope." * Corporal Louis Renninger — Participating in the same "forlorn hope." * Private Frederick Rock — Participating in the same "forlorn hope." * Corporal Christian Schnell — Participating in the same "forlorn hope." At the Battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863: * Musician John S. Kountz — picked up a rifle and joined the attack, and was seriously wounded * Private William Schmidt — subsequently rescued Kountz from under heavy fire. The regiment's last medal was earned on July 28, 1864, during the Battle of Ezra Church: * Sergeant
Ernst Torgler Ernst Torgler (25 April 1893 – 19 January 1963) was the last chairman of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) faction in the German Reichstag before he worked for the Nazis. Early life Torgler was born the son of an urban resident in Berlin ...
— Saved the badly wounded commanding officer, Major Charles Hipp, from capture.


Casualties

The regiment lost during service 9 Officers and 102 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 1 Officer and 94 Enlisted men by disease for a total of 206 fatalities.


Commander

*
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 o ...
Edward Siber. (Entered service: September 12, 1861; Resigned: March 23, 1864.)


See also

*
List of Ohio Civil War units During the American Civil War, nearly 320,000 Ohioans served in the Union Army, more than any other Northern state except New York and Pennsylvania. Of these, 5,092 were free blacks. Ohio had the highest percentage of population enlisted in the ...
*
Ohio in the Civil War During 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 politica ...


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * *


External links


''37th Ohio Infantry by Larry Stevens''






{{Ohio in the Civil War Units and formations of the Union Army from Ohio German-American history Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 1861 establishments in Ohio