The 4th Ohio Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

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 ...

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 ...

. It served in the Eastern Theater in a number of campaigns and battles, but perhaps is most noted for its actions in helping secure

Cemetery Hill Cemetery Hill is a landform on the Gettysburg Battlefield that was the scene of fighting each day of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863). The northernmost part of the Army of the Potomac defensive " fish-hook" line, the hill is gently ...

during the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

Three-months regiment

With the outbreak of the Civil War, President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

called for 75,000 volunteers to help put down the rebellion. Ohioans responded well, and several new regiments were enrolled for a term of three months, thought to be long enough to end the war. The 4th Ohio Infantry Regiment was organized April 25, 1861, at Camp Jackson in

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, with

Lorin Andrews Lorin Andrews (April 1, 1819 – September 26, 1861) was an educator and school reformer in Ohio. He co-founded the Ohio Teachers Association in 1848 and he was the president of Kenyon College from 1853-1861. He left the position to serve in ...

as its

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 ...

. The regiment moved to newly constructed

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 ...

near

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

on May 2, and served on garrison duty there until June 4, at which time, many of the men joined the newly reorganized a three-years regiment with the same numerical designation. Those three months men who elected not to join the three-years regiment were mustered out on July 24, 1861. Among the enlistees in Company I were future U.S. Congressmen Archibald Lybrand and

James S. Robinson James Sidney Robinson (October 14, 1827 – January 14, 1892) was a U.S. Representative from Ohio and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He served two terms in Congress from 1881 to 1885. Early life and career Born near ...

Three-years regiment

Early service

The three-years 4th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Dennison on June 4, 1861. After a few days of training and drilling, it moved to Grafton, Virginia (now

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

) on June 20–23, where it was attached to

Alexander M. McCook Alexander McDowell McCook (April 22, 1831June 12, 1903) was a career United States Army officer and a Union army, Union general in the American Civil War. Early life McCook was born in Columbiana County, Ohio. A Scottish family, the McCooks were ...

's Advance Brigade, West Virginia, until July. As part of the 3rd Brigade, Army of Occupation, the regiment saw action in the West Virginia Campaign, capturing the

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

-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. In January 1862, the regiment became a part of the 2nd Brigade, Lander's Division,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

until March 1862, when they were reorganized into the 1st Brigade, Shields' 2nd Division, Banks'

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...

in the Department of the Shenandoah. The brigade saw considerable action at the Battle of Kernstown on March 23, then advanced up the valley for the next few weeks, fighting again at the

Battle of Port Republic The Battle of Port Republic was fought on June 9, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War. Port Republic w ...

on June 9 before heading to

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...

to rejoin the

Brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

d with the 7th West Virginia, 14th Indiana, and

8th Ohio Infantry The 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater in a number of campaigns and battles, but perhaps is most noted for its actions in helping repulse Pickett's ...

under

Nathan Kimball Nathan Kimball (November 22, 1822 – January 21, 1898) was a physician, politician, postmaster, and military officer, serving as a general in the Union army during the American Civil War. He was the first statewide commander of the Grand Arm ...

in the

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

, the regiment was briefly stationed in

Fort Monroe Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...

before covering John Pope's retreat from the

Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

on September 1. Although the regiment was forced to miss the subsequent Maryland Campaign due to regiment-wide sickness, Kimball's Brigade attacked Confederate positions at the Sunken Road at

Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union ...

and suffered serious losses in a prolonged firefight, earning the nickname "

Gibraltar Brigade The "Gibraltar Brigade" was a famed infantry brigade within the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Recognizing its tenacity in combat at the Battle of Antietam, Brigadier General William French assigned the nickname as a compariso ...

." They marched to

Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

after Robert E. Lee's

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

withdrew from Maryland, staying there until October 30, when the brigade marched towards

Falmouth, Virginia Falmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U. ...

. The regiment fought at the disastrous

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

in December; among the losses was their wounded Colonel James H. Godman. Then it was part of the infamous January " Mud March," one of

Ambrose Burnside Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the Civil War and three times Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successful inventor ...

's follies as the commanding general of the Army of the Potomac. The 4th Ohio next saw action during the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

under new brigade commander Samuel "Red" Carroll.

Gettysburg and 1863 actions

After spending over a month in camp after the disaster at Chancellorsville, the regiment broke camp on June 11 and marched northward to

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, arriving in southern

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

on July 1 well after the start of the

. They were assigned a position along

Cemetery Ridge Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park, south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the ...

. Much of July 2 was spent holding this position in

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

. The 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment was detached from the brigade and sent forward along the Emmitsburg Road, while the 4th Ohio Infantry and the Indiana and West Virginia regiments were later rushed up the western slope of Cemetery Hill in the gathering darkness. They arrived in time to help repulse the

Louisiana Tigers Louisiana Tigers was the common nickname for certain infantry troops from the State of Louisiana in the Confederate army during the American Civil War. Originally applied to a specific company, the nickname expanded to a battalion, then to a brig ...

Harry Hays Harry William Hays, (December 25, 1909 – May 4, 1982) was a Canadian politician, 27th Mayor of Calgary, Cabinet minister in the government of Lester Pearson, and Senator from Alberta. Personal life Born in Carstairs, Alberta, Hays ...

, who had seized several Union

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

pieces. They briefly pursued Lee into Virginia before being ordered to board ships for transport to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to help quell the

New York Draft Riots The New York City draft riots (July 13–16, 1863), sometimes referred to as the Manhattan draft riots and known at the time as Draft Week, were violent disturbances in Lower Manhattan, widely regarded as the culmination of white working-cl ...

from August 15 until September 16. Returning to Virginia, they participated in the Bristoe and

Mine Run Campaign The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union A ...

s, but saw little combat.

1864 and 1865 actions

The 4th Ohio did not see significant combat until the

Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union ...

, fighting at the battles of the Wilderness and

Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 1864 ...

in May. After a series of smaller engagements, the 4th was a part of an ill-advised charge against Confederate entrenchments at the futile

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S ...

in June. They participated in the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

from June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. The old members of the regiment (the remainder of the original three-years men) mustered out June 21, 1864, and what was left of the 4th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was consolidated to a

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

five days later. The much depleted 4th saw action in a series of engagements near Petersburg, including Deep Bottom, Ream's Station, and Hatcher's Run. They served in the Appomattox Campaign from March 28 – April 9, seeing their final major combat in the triumph at the

Battle of Sayler's Creek The Battle of Sailor's Creek was fought on April 6, 1865, near Farmville, Virginia, as part of the Appomattox Campaign, near the end of the American Civil War. It was the last major engagement between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, c ...

. The victorious army marched to Washington, D.C. in early May, then participated in the Grand Review on May 23. The 4th Ohio mustered out July 12, 1865, in Columbus. During its service, the regiment lost 8 officers and 95 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 officers and 155 enlisted men by disease, a total of 261 fatalities. The 4th Ohio Infantry is memorialized with monuments at Antietam and Gettysburg, as well as an inscription at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Cleveland's

Public Square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...

. Its battle flags are in the collection of the

Ohio Historical Society Ohio History Connection, formerly The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society and Ohio Historical Society, is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1885. Headquartered at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio, Ohio History Connect ...

Cleveland 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 some artifacts and records in the

Western Reserve Historical Society The Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS) is a historical society in Cleveland, Ohio. The society operates the Cleveland History Center, a collection of museums in University Circle. The society was founded in 1867, making it the oldest cul ...

. Another regiment (unrelated) known as the 4th Ohio served in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

. It was also known as the 14th Ohio National Guard.

Medal of Honor Recipient

One man from the regiment received 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 valor. ...

for his actions during the Civil War: * Lewis Morgan, Private, Company I – (Spotsylvania): "Capture of flag from the enemy's works."VCOnline - Lewis Morgan
/ref>

Notes

References

* Baumgartner, Richard A., ''Buckeye Blood: Ohio at Gettysburg''. Huntington, West Virginia: Blue Acorn Press, 2003. . * * * *

External links

Ohio in the Civil War: 4th OVI by Larry Stevens

Ohio Historical Society: Battleflags and Relics

* ttps://civilwarindex.com/4th-ohio-infantry-3-years.html Civil War Index: 4th Ohio Infantry - 3 Years Service in the American Civil War {{Ohio in the Civil War Units and formations of the Union Army from Ohio Gibraltar Brigade Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865