Overview
The 28th 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 Dennison between June 10, 1861, and March 1, 1862, the regiment was mustered in for a three-year term. The 28th Ohio participated in operations across western Virginia, Maryland, and the Shenandoah Valley, and was noted for its involvement in several significant engagements.
The regiment was composed largely of German-American volunteers and was led by Colonel Augustus Moor. It served in the Kanawha Division and later in the Army of the Shenandoah, distinguishing itself in both West Virginia and the Eastern Theater.
Organization & Service
The 28th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, beginning June 10, 1861, and completed by March 1, 1862. Upon organization, the regiment moved to Point Pleasant, Virginia (now West Virginia), on July 31, 1861, and then to Parkersburg on August 10. Its first combat occurred at Carnifex Ferry in September 1861, where it sustained casualties.
In May 1862, the regiment was engaged at Princeton, West Virginia. Later that year, it was transferred to the vicinity of Washington, D.C., and ordered to Frederick, Maryland, where it participated in driving Confederate forces from the town. The 28th Ohio was heavily engaged at the Battle of South Mountain as part of the Kanawha Division, and at Antietam, it was the first regiment to ford Antietam Creek above the stone bridge, maintaining a skirmish line in front of the IX Corps overnight.
Throughout 1863, the regiment operated in the District of West Virginia, including action at Droop Mountain in November. In April 1864, the 28th Ohio joined the Army of the Shenandoah and fought at New Market in May. The regiment played a prominent role at the Battle of Piedmont, suffering significant casualties. Its term of service expired in July 1864, and the regiment was mustered out at Cincinnati on July 23, 1864.
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
- Carnifex Ferry (September 1861)
- Princeton (May 1862)
- Frederick, Maryland (September 1862)
- South Mountain
- Antietam
- Operations in the District of West Virginia (1863)
- Droop Mountain (November 1863)
- New Market (May 1864)
- Piedmont (June 1864)
Casualties
- 2 officers killed, 7 wounded
- 90 enlisted men killed, 162 wounded
- 175 disabled by disease
- Total losses: 434
Casualty figures are based on official reports and regimental histories. If discrepancies exist in other sources, these numbers reflect the most widely cited totals.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Augustus Moor
- Lieutenant Colonel Gottfried Becker
- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Bohlender
- Major Rudolph Heintz
- Major Ernest Schache
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 28th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official state and federal records.
To view the full roster, visit the 28th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 5, 12, 19, 27, 37
- 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