Overview
The 16th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment from Ohio that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Camp Chase, Wooster, and Zanesville between September 23 and December 2, 1861, the regiment was mustered in for a three-year term. It served primarily in the Western Theater, participating in several major campaigns and engagements throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
This unit is distinct from the 16th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service).
Organization & Service
The 16th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at multiple locations in Ohio and mustered into service between September and December 1861. The regiment initially moved to Kentucky, where it spent its first winter. In April 1862, it participated in a reconnaissance to the Cumberland Mountains near Cumberland Gap, engaging in a skirmish with minor casualties.
On August 6, 1862, the regiment was involved in the engagement at Tazewell, Tennessee, where it was forced to retreat after being overwhelmed. Later, the 16th Ohio took part in the assault on Chickasaw Bluffs, Mississippi, suffering heavy losses with 311 officers and men killed, wounded, or captured. The regiment then joined the expedition against Arkansas Post in January 1863, contributing to the capture of the fort.
Subsequent actions included fighting at Thompson’s Hill (Port Gibson), with additional losses, and participation in the battles of Champion’s Hill and Black River Bridge. The regiment played a prominent role in the assault on the Confederate defenses during the Siege of Vicksburg, remaining in the rear of the city until its surrender in July 1863. Following Vicksburg, the regiment was ordered to Jackson, Mississippi, where it took part in the siege and capture of the city.
After operations in Mississippi, the 16th Ohio was sent to Louisiana, where it performed garrison duty at Alexandria and participated in the Red River Expedition. The regiment remained in this area until October 1864, when it was ordered home. It was mustered out of service on October 31, 1864, with 477 officers and men remaining from the original 1,191 who had served in the regiment.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Reconnaissance to Cumberland Mountains, Kentucky (April 1862)
- Engagement at Cumberland Gap
- Battle of Tazewell, Tennessee (August 6, 1862)
- Assault on Chickasaw Bluffs, Mississippi (December 1862)
- Expedition and capture of Arkansas Post (January 1863)
- Battle of Thompson’s Hill (Port Gibson, May 1863)
- Battle of Champion’s Hill (May 1863)
- Battle of Black River Bridge (May 1863)
- Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863)
- Siege and capture of Jackson, Mississippi (July 1863)
- Operations at Alexandria, Louisiana
- Red River Expedition (1864)
Casualties
The 16th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) suffered significant losses during its term. At Chickasaw Bluffs alone, the regiment lost 311 officers and men killed, wounded, or captured. At Thompson’s Hill, 9 men were killed or wounded. The total number of officers and men mustered out at the end of service was 477, from an original strength and recruits totaling 1,191. Detailed breakdowns of killed, wounded, and disease-related deaths are not fully specified in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel John F. De Courcy
- Lieutenant Colonel George W. Bailey
- Lieutenant Colonel Philip Kershner
- Major Robert W. P. Muse
- Major Milton Mills
- Major Eli W. Botsford
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 16th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details for those who served in the regiment during its three-year term.
To view the complete roster, visit the 16th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XVII, XXIV, XXXIV
- Ohio Roster Commission, “Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion”
- Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
- Fox, William F., “Regimental Losses in the American Civil War”
- “The Union Army,” Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 2