The 7th 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 ...
formed in northeastern
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
for service 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 with the
Army of Virginia
The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...
and the
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 ...
, and was then transferred to the
Western Theater, where it joined the
Army 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 ...
besieged at
Chattanooga
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
. It was noted for its holding the high ground at the center of the line at Antietam as part of
Tyndale's 1st Brigade,
Greene's 2nd Division of
Mansfield's XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to:
* 12th Army Corps (France)
* XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army
* XII ...
. It is of the 7th regiment that a war historian wrote, "All in all, considering the number of its battles, its marches, its losses, its conduct in action, it may be safely said that not a single regiment in the United States gained more lasting honor or deserved better of its country than the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry."
Three-months regiment
On 27 April 1861, orders were given to form the 7th Ohio Infantry Regiment from independent companies gathered at Camp Taylor in
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. ...
.
The regiment elected its own
field officer
A senior officer is an officer of a more senior grade in military or other uniformed services. In military organisations, the term may refer to any officer above junior officer rank, but usually specifically refers to the middle-ranking group of ...
s, and
Erastus B. Tyler
Erastus Bernard Tyler (April 24, 1822 – January 9, 1891) was an American businessman, merchant, and soldier. He was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and fought in many of the early battles in the Eastern Theater before ...
of Ravenna became
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 ...
, William R. Creighton of Cleveland as
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
, and
John S. Casement of Painesville as
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
. Among the original officers was Captain
John W. Sprague
John Wilson Sprague (April 4, 1817 – December 27, 1893) was an American soldier and railroad executive. He served as a general in the Union Army in the Western Theater of operations during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of ...
of Sandusky; he would later be a brigadier general and
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. ...
recipient while serving in the
63rd Ohio Infantry
The 63rd Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment which served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was a part of the Union forces in the Western Theater of operations.
Organization
The original 63rd Ohio Infantry Regiment w ...
.
On 6 May 1861, the Seventh left Camp Taylor and traveled to
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 ...
, where the new soldiers trained at
Camp Dennison. In mid-June, the term of enlistment expired, and the men were asked to re-enlist for three-years' service. The vast majority did so, with their ranks augmented by fresh recruits.
Three-years regiment
Western Virginia
On 26 June 1861, the reconstituted regiment departed Camp Dennison for
western Virginia
Western Virginia is a geographic region in Virginia comprising the Shenandoah Valley and Southwest Virginia. Generally, areas in Virginia located west of, or (in many cases) within, the piedmont region are considered part of western Virginia.
T ...
, where the men would see their first action of the war. On 26 August, Brig. Gen.
John B. Floyd
John Buchanan Floyd (June 1, 1806 – August 26, 1863) was the 31st Governor of Virginia, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Confederate general in the American Civil War who lost the crucial Battle of Fort Donelson.
Early family life
John Buchan ...
, commanding
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 ...
forces 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 ...
, crossed the
Gauley River
The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. The river features numerous recreational whitewater areas, including those in Gauley River National Recreation Ar ...
to attack the 7th Ohio Infantry encamped at
Kessler's Cross Lanes. The Seventh was surprised and routed with severe loss, the two wings of Tyler's line retreating in opposite directions.
[Upton, H. Taylor. (1910). History of the Western Reserve. Chicago, New York: The Lewis publishing company. Vol II, page 805 ] Throughout the rout and carnage
Major Jack Casement, at the head of Tyler's left wing, commenced a retrograde march through Confederate territory over mountain ranges and rivers to Charleston, West Virginia without the capture of a single man.
Floyd then withdrew to the river and took up a defensive position at
Carnifex Ferry. During the month, General
Robert E. Lee arrived in western Virginia and attempted to coordinate his forces. On 13 November, the Seventh was involved in fighting at Cotton Hill.
Virginia
On 5 January 1862, the regiment was engaged at the Blue's Gap Affair. On 23 March, it was at
Kernstown, the opening battle of Confederate
Maj. Gen.
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge- ...
. The battle was a
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
victory, later proving to be Jackson's only defeat in the war. The last battle of Jackson's Valley Campaign was 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 ...
, which took place on 9 June. Here, the Seventh fought very effectively. With less than three thousand muskets, Jackson's force of fourteen thousand was held at bay for five hours. The Union forces however, were finally forced to retreat.
On 5 July, the regiment was issued new Model 1861 Springfield rifles to replace the obsolete Model 1816 muskets they had been carrying until then.
On 9 August, at the
Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate f ...
, the regiment was again at the front and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand conflict. Of the three hundred men engaged, only one hundred escaped unhurt. The Seventh suffered more than any other Union regiment in this battle. On 21 August, the men experienced a brief engagement at Snicker's Gap. During the subsequent campaign, which lasted until 2 September and culminated in the
Second Battle of Manassas
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 ...
, the Seventh was held in reserve guarding the railroads.
Antietam
On 17 September 1862, the 7th Ohio Infantry made the farthest advance of any Union regiment. With Tyndale's brigade of Greene's division, they first formed in the East Woods and came upon a line of Confederates. After the rebels were driven back, Tyndale's brigade began their movement at the edge of the Cornfield and proceeded through the fields along Smoketown Road until they were in front of the Dunker Church. They then moved forward into the West Woods, contesting the enemy. After the altercation, the division and brigade were forced to withdraw, leaving all of the ground they had gained. This was reflective of most Union units at Antietam.
After the battle, the Confederate army retreated back across the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
and into Virginia. During the hesitant march south against Lee and his army, the Seventh camped at
Loudoun Heights and then Bolivar Heights near
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 ...
.
Chancellorsville
The Seventh crossed the
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock ...
at Germanna Ford on 30 April 1863, and advanced to Chancellorsville by way of the Germanna Plank Road and Orange Plank Road. It took position just south of the Chancellor house, in support of a Union artillery battery that had unlimbered just across the intersection from the house. On 1 May, along with the rest of the 12th Corps, it moved eastward along the Plank Road. In the vicinity of the Catharpin Road, it encountered Stonewall Jackson's Confederates. In the evening, it beat off a probing attack by Confederate troops up the Plank Road.
During Jackson's famous flank march on 2 May, the Seventh held its position near the Chancellor house and did not take part in this action. The Confederates renewed their attacks the following morning, and the regiment found itself in a crossfire from Major General
Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws ( ; January 15, 1821 – July 24, 1897) was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served at Antietam and Fredericksburg, where Robert E. Lee praised his defense of Marye's Heights, ...
' Confederates, who were attacking it from the east, and from Jackson's men attacking from the west. The converging fire from Confederate
artillery batteries
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to facil ...
contributed to the Buckeye regiment's casualties. By 10 a.m., Hooker decided to retreat. Candy's brigade fell back through the regiment, which, along with several other regiments, helped cover the withdrawal. Once the rest of the army had fallen back, the Seventh joined the retreat, passing through the Chancellorsville clearing and retreating to a point on the United States Ford Road about two miles north of the battlefield. It moved back to the front later that afternoon, occupying a point near the apex of Hooker's final line. That evening, Hooker reshuffled his line, placing the Twelfth Corps on his left flank, next to the
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the entir ...
. The regiment was among the last regiments to retreat, crossing the river just before daylight on 6 May.
Gettysburg
The 7th Ohio Infantry arrived on the fields near
Gettysburg in the late afternoon of 1 July 1863. They camped in the area of
Little Round Top
Little Round Top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—the companion to the adjacent, taller hill named Big Round Top. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by Confederate troops against the Union left fla ...
for the night. On 2 July, they were sent to Culp's Hill and helped build breastworks with the rest of the division. Later in the day, the division was sent to the southern end of the battlefield to support the Union left. They ended up getting lost along Baltimore Pike and never reached the area they intended. That night, they returned to Culp's Hill.
On 3 July, at about 6 a.m., the Seventh was chosen to relieve the 60th New York at the left of Greene's line. It would be the first time the regiment had ever fought behind breastworks. Sherman R. Norris of Company D found that the Rebel formation in the 7th Ohio Infantry's front "melted away before our volleys, and after they had been broken, numbers of the enemy took refuge behind trees and rocks." At 8 a.m., the 60th New York again exchanged places with the 7th Ohio Infantry. Creighton's Ohioans were back in the breastworks by 9:45 a.m., relieving an unspecified regiment to the left of the 29th Ohio. This is when Confederate Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson flung his last assault at Culp's Hill. Among the attacking Confederates were the five regiments of the vaunted
Stonewall Brigade
The Stonewall Brigade of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, was a famous combat unit in United States military history. It was trained and first led by General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, a professor from Virginia Military ...
. After an attempt to storm the right center of Greene's line, some Rebels became stranded on the hillside.
About 11:00 a.m., Creighton noticed a makeshift white flag thrown out from behind rocks in front of the 7th Ohio Infantry's entrenchments. He shouted for his men to stop shooting. The Buckeyes then observed a mounted officer in gray at the foot of the hill. He spurred his horse forward hoping to stop any attempt of surrender. Partway up the slope, he was met by a fusillade of bullets. Rider and horse both tumbled to the ground, dead. The officer proved to be Major Benjamin W. Leigh, Johnson's chief of staff. Afterwards, 78 Rebel soldiers surrendered to the 7th Ohio Infantry, many of them members of the
4th Virginia Infantry. The next morning, Company H Corporal John Pollock climbed over the works and picked up the 4th Virginia's rumpled colors, one of three battle flags captured by Geary's division at Culp's Hill.
Gettysburg was the last battle for the 7th Ohio Infantry in the Army of the Potomac. After pursuing the
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 ...
back into Virginia, the 11th and 12th corps were transferred west as reinforcements in order to support the besieged Union Army of the Cumberland in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They were placed under the command of
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker (November 13, 1814 – October 31, 1879) was an American Civil War general for the Union, chiefly remembered for his decisive defeat by Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863.
Hooker had serv ...
.
Chattanooga
On 24 November 1863, the regiment marched with Geary's Division from Wauhatchie early in the morning, crossed Lookout Creek about 9:30 a.m. and formed the left of Geary's line when the latter was formed for advance toward the northern slope of
Lookout Mountain
Lookout Mountain is a mountain ridge located at the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the southeastern Tennessee state line in Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain was the scene of the 18th-centu ...
. Ireland's brigade was on their right about 50 paces in front, a march of a mile and a quarter uncovered the fords by which Grose's Brigade of Cruft's Division joined the left of the line. In the general attack, they pushed on to Cravens' house, and continued in action on the front line throughout the afternoon, and then participated in the heavy skirmishing of the night.
The next day, they were in the pursuit of the Confederates towards the Rossville Gap on Missionary Ridge. They captured many men and guns without losing a single man in the regiment. On 27 November, with General Hooker, the Seventh charged up a series of hills in which the Confederates were holding called Taylor's Ridge in the battle of Ringgold. In this battle, the Seventh lost their colonel, William R. Creighton, as well as many officers and many of their men. This would be the Seventh's harshest experience throughout the war.
Once the campaign concluded and the siege had been lifted, the Seventh encamped at Chattanooga for the winter.
Atlanta Campaign
The 7th Ohio Infantry joined the campaign against
Atlanta
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 498,715 ...
on 1 May 1864. First, it had an engagement at Rocky Face Ridge from 8–11 May. Then they took part in the
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 ...
on the 14th and 15th. Next, it had an engagement at Cassville on the 19th and then participated in reconnaissance at Pumpkin Vine Creek on the 25th. Later that day, they were in the
Battle of Dallas
The Battle of Dallas (May 28, 1864) was an engagement during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. The Union army of William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army led by Joseph E. Johnston fought a series of battles between May 25 ...
and in the engagement at
New Hope Church. Finally on 5 June, they fought at Allatoona Hills. Before Sherman's forces entered Atlanta, the Seventh was removed from the front because their three-year term of service had reached its expiration.
Withdrawal
On 11 July 1864,
[The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies, Series I, Volume XXXVIII; Part 1 – Reports, etc]
Official Report No. 2, Organization of the Union forces, page 98
/ref> with the regiment's term of enlistment having expired, men who wished to continue serving in the army were transferred to the 5th Ohio, while the others left the front for their withdrawal from active service. The regiment was mustered out in Cleveland on 6–7 July.
Commemoration
On 4 May 1885, the Ohio General Assembly passed an Act "To appropriate money to purchase land upon which to erect a monument to the memory of the soldiers of Ohio who died upon the battlefield of Gettysburg." The Act appropriated $5,000 to be spent for the purpose under the direction of the Battlefield Memorial Commission. To see that this Act would be carried out in the best means, a meeting of the surviving Ohio soldiers was held at the State Capitol on 4 July 1885. At that same meeting, it was agreed upon that a committee would accompany the Adjutant-General to Gettysburg, and assist him in locating the positions in which Ohio troops fought.
After inspecting the field, the committee declared that $2,000 would be appropriated for each Ohio regiment, battery, or other organization which took part in the battle. This sum would be for the proper placement of monuments and tablets, and for keeping the grounds and memorials in good condition. On 15 and 16 July 1886, after careful inspection and examination of the positions occupied by Ohio organizations during the battle, it was decided that each organization should have its own special monument. No two would be alike in pattern and design, and each would be $1,500. On 14 September 1887, they were formally dedicated and turned over to the Gettysburg Battlefield Commission for future care and protection.
The 7th Ohio Infantry's monument is located near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in Adams County. It is a simple stone structure located at the intersection of Slocum Avenue and Williams Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Slocum Avenue. It lies on the "saddle" between the lower and upper crest of Culp's Hill in Gettysburg National Military Park. Dedicated on 14 September 1887, it marks the position held by the regiment on 2 and 3 July 1863. It is vertical with mostly rough-hewn surfaces and an apexed top. There is a polished inscription stone on each one of its sides. On two faces, towards the top, are State Seal and unit reliefs. A relief of crossed muskets with a wreath in the center is on the lower front sloped surface. A Corps star insignia appears on the top of the front inscription tablet. It was constructed by Smith Granite Company
Smith Granite Company In 1845 Orlando Smith discovered a granite outcrop on the property owned by Joshua Babcock in Westerly, Rhode Island, and a year later purchased the site from him. He established a granite quarry shortly thereafter and by ...
.
(Front)
- 7th Ohio Infantry – 1st Brigade 2d Division – 12th Corps – 1, 2 July 3, 1863
(Left)
- Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori – 7th Ohio Infantry – Arrived near Little Round Top evening of 1 July on 2 July, held positions on Culp's Hill from morning until 6 p.m. then moved with Brigade to support the left. Returned at midnight to Culp's Hill and remained there until the close of the battle.
(Back)
- 7th Ohio Infantry – Mustered in for – 3 months 30 April 1861 – Mustered in for – 3 years 21 June 1861 – Mustered out in June 1864
(Right)
- Ohio honors her brave sons – 7th Ohio Infantry – Served with the national armies in Virginia and the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaigns. Was transferred in September 1863 to the Army of the Cumberland and served with that Army until June 1864.
Today, the lineage and honors of the 7th Ohio Infantry are carried on by the 145th Armored Regiment
The 145th Armored Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard, is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Stow, Ohio. It currently consists of the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment, a 600-soldier combined arms ...
, Ohio National Guard
The Ohio National Guard comprises the Ohio Army National Guard and the Ohio Air National Guard. The commander-in-chief of the Ohio Army National Guard is the governor of the U.S. state of Ohio. If the Ohio Army National Guard is called to fed ...
.
Notes
References
*
*
Ohio in the Civil War: 7th OVI by Larry Stevens
Home Camp of The Seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Itinerary of the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry 1861-1864
External links
*
* ttps://civilwarindex.com/7th-ohio-infantry-3-years.html Civil War Index: 7th Ohio Infantry – 3 Years Service in the American Civil War
{{Ohio in the Civil War
Units and formations of the Union Army from Ohio
1861 establishments in Ohio
Military units and formations established in 1861
Military units and formations disestablished in 1864
1864 disestablishments in Ohio