57th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 57th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in October 1861 for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment served primarily in the Western Theater and was attached to various brigades and divisions throughout its service. Notable for its early and sustained participation in major campaigns, the 57th Ohio Infantry was among the first regiments to reenlist as veterans in the 15th Army Corps.

This unit served from 1861 to 1865 and participated in numerous significant battles, including Shiloh, Vicksburg, the Atlanta Campaign, and the March to the Sea. The regiment was mustered out on August 15, 1865.

Organization & Service

The 57th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Dennison in October 1861, initially numbering 956 men and 38 commissioned officers. The regiment left Ohio in February 1862 under orders to report at Fort Donelson, but upon arrival at Smithland, Kentucky, was redirected to Paducah. The regiment suffered from sickness early in its service, reducing its effective strength before the Battle of Shiloh.

At Shiloh in April 1862, only 450 men were fit for duty. The regiment held a key position near Shiloh church for four hours, repelling repeated Confederate attacks. Following Shiloh, the 57th participated in actions at Rising Sun, Tennessee, and near Wolf Creek bridge north of Memphis, successfully defending against Confederate cavalry attacks.

The regiment was engaged for five days at Chickasaw Bayou in December 1862, then led its brigade in the assault on Arkansas Post in January 1863. After the surrender of Arkansas Post, the 57th moved to the Vicksburg campaign, participating in the assault on May 19, 1863, and remaining engaged until the city’s surrender. The regiment then took part in operations against Jackson, Mississippi, and later moved to East Tennessee, where it fought at Missionary Ridge.

In January 1864, the 57th Ohio reenlisted as a veteran regiment, the first in the 15th Corps to do so. After a furlough, it returned to participate in the Atlanta Campaign, fighting at Resaca, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, and Atlanta. The regiment was heavily engaged at Jonesboro and then marched to the sea, fighting at Statesboro and in the assault on Fort McAllister. In 1865, the 57th participated in the Carolinas Campaign, fighting its last engagement at Bentonville, North Carolina. The regiment was mustered out on August 15, 1865, with only 481 men present out of 1,594 who had served in its ranks.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Battle of Shiloh (April 1862)
• Rising Sun, Tennessee (1862)
• Wolf Creek Bridge, near Memphis (1862)
• Chickasaw Bayou (December 1862)
• Arkansas Post (January 1863)
• Vicksburg Campaign (May–July 1863)
• Jackson, Mississippi (July 1863)
• Missionary Ridge (November 1863)
• Resaca (May 1864)
• Dallas (May 1864)
• Kennesaw Mountain (June 1864)
• Atlanta (July 1864)
• Jonesboro (September 1864)
• March to the Sea (November–December 1864)
• Statesboro (December 1864)
• Fort McAllister (December 1864)
• Carolinas Campaign (1865)
• Bentonville, North Carolina (March 1865)

Casualties

During its service, the 57th Ohio Infantry lost heavily in several engagements. At Shiloh, it lost 27 killed, 150 wounded (16 mortally), and 10 captured. At Chickasaw Bayou, the regiment lost 37 killed and wounded; at Arkansas Post, 37 killed and wounded; at Resaca, 57 killed and wounded; at Dallas, 15 men; at Kennesaw Mountain, 57 killed and wounded; at Atlanta (July 22), 92 men; at Atlanta (July 28), 12 killed and 55 wounded; at Fort McAllister, 10 killed and 80 wounded. Of the 1,594 men who served in the regiment, only 481 were present at muster out.

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel William Mungen
• Colonel Americus V. Rice
• Lieutenant Colonel Samuel R. Mott
• Major Silas B. Walker
• Major John McClure

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 57th 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.

To view the complete roster, visit the 57th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 10, 17, 24, 32, 38, 39, 44 (reports and correspondence relating to the 57th Ohio Infantry)
• 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