21st Ohio Infantry - 3 Years Service
​in the American Civil War

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Online Books
21st Ohio Infantry Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 3, by Ohio Roster Commission (Joseph B. Foraker, Governor, James S. Robinson, Sec'y of State and H. A. Axline, Adjutant-General), 1886     View Entire Book
Regimental History
Twenty-first Infantry. — (Three Years' Service.) Cols., Jesse S. Norton, James M. Neibling; Lieut.-Cols., Dwella M. Stoughton, Arnold McMahon; Majs., Samuel A. Strong, George F. Walker. This regiment was organized at Findlay on Sept. 19, 1861, to serve for three years. It received marching orders a few days thereafter, was supplied with arms at Camp Dennison on Oct. 2, and marched the same day for Nicholasville, Ky. During that campaign no engagement occurred, excepting that at Ivy mountain, in which the Confederates attempted an ambush, but were foiled and whipped, mainly through a flank movement executed bv the 21st. In Gen. O. M. Mitchel's division it marched on Bowling Green, driving the Confederates from that strong position. It participated in the movement on Huntsville, Ala., driving the Confederates out, capturing 300 prisoners, 16 locomotives, and a large number of freight and passenger cars. At La Vergne, Tenn., during the siege of Nashville, the regiment captured a part of the 3d Ala. rifle regiment, with their colors, camp and garrison equipage, and 54 horses. The 21st was engaged in the fighting at Stone's river, first in the center and then on the left of the army. In the last day of the fight it charged across the river, through water waist-deep, and captured 3 brass field-pieces, the only artillery captured in the battle. In this battle the regiment lost 1 officer and 46 men killed, 76 wounded and 17 captured. Then the regiment moved with the army upon the enemy at Tullahoma and was also engaged at Dug gap. It took part in the hottest of the fighting on both of the days at Chickamauga, expending in this battle 43,550 rounds of Colt's fixed ammunition and sustaining a loss of 1 officer and 50 men killed, 3 officers and 98 men wounded, 12 officers and 104 men captured. It also was present at the battle of Missionary ridge. The remnant of the regiment veteranized, was furloughed home, and the following spring joined Sherman's grand army upon the campaign to Atlanta. Fighting soon commenced, and the regiment opened its veteran campaign with the battles of Buzzard Roost and Resaca. Moving forward the regiment was present at the battle of New Hope Church, and in capturing a ridge which had been abandoned without a fight on the evening before. Co. K sustained a loss of 4 men killed and 2 wounded. Skirmishing continued daily until the enemy presented front at Kennesaw mountain, and the 21st was engaged at this point every day, holding the front line at Bald knob for twelve days and nights in succession, at which point 3 men were killed and 10 wounded. In a severe engagement at Vining's station the regiment lost 15 men killed, 2 officers and 37 men wounded and 1 officer missing. Having crossed the Chattahoochee river, the regiment again engaged the enemy at Nancy's creek and continued to engage him until the battle of Peachtree creek was fought. During the siege of Atlanta the 21st was engaged with the enemy on several occasions and was under fire every day. At the battle of Jonesboro it was again engaged and added new laurels to its character as a fighting regiment, its loss in this battle being 5 killed, 30 wounded and 1 missing. The total loss of the regiment in this campaign, from May 7 to the occupation of Atlanta, Sept. 2, was 2 officers and 32 men killed, and 5 officers and 119 men wounded, many of whom subsequently died. The regiment then moved with Sherman to the sea and from Dec. 12 to 20 was engaged with the enemy's outposts before Savannah, entering the city the following morning in advance of its army corps. It was engaged at Rocky Mount, S. C, at Averasboro, N. C, and participated in the battle of Bentonville, which was the last hostile meeting of the regiment with the enemy. It returned to Washington, via Richmond, was present at the grand review, and then proceeded to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out on July 25, 1865.Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 2