Overview
The 21st Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio for service in the Union Army at the outset of the American Civil War. The regiment was formed in April 1861 in response to President Lincoln’s first call for troops and was mustered into state service to help defend Ohio, a border state considered vulnerable to invasion. The unit served primarily in western Virginia (now West Virginia) and southeastern Ohio during its brief term.
This unit is distinct from the 21st Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service).
Organization & Service
The companies of the 21st Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) were enrolled between April 19 and April 26, 1861, at various locations: Companies A, F, and G at Findlay; B at Gilead; C at Perrysburg; D at Ottawa; E at Kalida; H at Fostoria; I at Elmore; and K at Defiance. The companies proceeded to Camp Taylor in Cleveland, where the regiment was officially organized and prepared for field service under Colonel Jesse S. Norton, Lieutenant Colonel James M. Neibling, and Major A. J. Taylor.
After the initial quota for federal service was filled, the 21st Ohio was mustered into state service to provide additional defense for Ohio. On May 23, 1861, the regiment moved to Gallipolis, stopping in Columbus to receive arms and equipment. The unit remained in camp at Gallipolis until July 3, when it was ordered to Ravenswood, (West) Virginia, by General George B. McClellan to reinforce Union troops expecting an attack from Confederate forces under O. J. Wise. The regiment made a forced march to Ripley, surprised and drove off the Confederate forces, and then returned to Gallipolis by steamer.
On July 11, the 21st Ohio became part of General Jacob D. Cox’s brigade and marched to Red House on the Kanawha River, where it was ordered to reconnoiter Confederate positions. The regiment participated in the action at Scarey Creek, where Colonel Norton led a bayonet charge and was wounded. During this engagement, Colonel Norton and Lieutenant Brown of the 12th Ohio were captured after remaining with the wounded. The regiment continued in the field under Lieutenant Colonel Neibling until it was ordered home and mustered out at Columbus on August 12, 1861.
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
- Defense and patrol duties in southeastern Ohio and western Virginia (May–July 1861)
- March to Ripley, (West) Virginia (July 1861)
- Action at Scarey Creek (July 17, 1861)
Casualties
- Killed in battle: 4
- Drowned: 3
- Died of disease: 8
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Jesse S. Norton
- Lieutenant Colonel James M. Neibling
- Major A. J. Taylor
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 21st Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and company assignments for those who served during the regiment’s brief term.
To view the complete roster, visit the 21st Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 2
- Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 2
- 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, Vol. 2