Overview
The 75th 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 John McLean between November 7, 1861, and January 8, 1862, the regiment was mustered in for a three-year term. It participated in numerous campaigns and battles across both the Eastern and Southern theaters, earning distinction for its discipline and combat performance.
The regiment’s service included significant engagements in Virginia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Florida. Its members faced heavy casualties in several major battles, and the unit was noted for its resilience and gallantry under fire.
Organization & Service
The 75th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp John McLean, Ohio, beginning November 7, 1861, and mustered in by January 8, 1862. The regiment was initially attached to various brigades and divisions within the Army of the Potomac and later served with the Army of the Cumberland and the Department of the South.
Early in its service, the regiment participated in operations in western Virginia, including actions at Monterey and Shaw’s Ridge. It then moved with Union forces through the Shenandoah Valley, fighting at McDowell, Franklin, Strasburg, Cross Keys, and Cedar Mountain. The 75th Ohio was engaged at Freeman’s Ford, Waterloo Bridge, Sulphur Springs, and the Second Battle of Bull Run, suffering significant losses.
After serving in the defenses of Washington, the regiment took part in the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns. At Chancellorsville, it endured heavy casualties in a brief but intense engagement. At Gettysburg, the regiment was under fire throughout the battle and again sustained severe losses.
Following Gettysburg, the 75th Ohio was transferred to the Department of the South, where it participated in operations against Charleston, South Carolina, including actions at Fort Wagner, John’s Island, and Pocataligo Bridge. The regiment was also involved in the campaign in Florida, notably at Gainesville.
The original members, except for veterans, were mustered out by detachments from November 16, 1864, to January 17, 1865, as their terms expired. The remaining veterans and recruits were consolidated into a battalion of two companies, which continued in service until final muster out on July 27, 1865, by order of the War Department.
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
- Monterey
- Shaw’s Ridge
- McDowell
- Franklin
- Strasburg
- Cross Keys
- Cedar Mountain
- Freeman’s Ford
- Waterloo Bridge
- Sulphur Springs
- Second Battle of Bull Run
- Aldie
- Chancellorsville
- Gettysburg
- Hagerstown
- Fort Wagner
- John’s Island
- Camp Baldwin
- Gainesville
- Pocataligo Bridge
- Charleston
Casualties
- Monterey: 88 killed and wounded
- Freeman’s Ford: heavy losses (exact figures not specified in primary sources)
- Second Battle of Bull Run: 22 killed, 93 wounded
- Chancellorsville: 150 killed and wounded in approximately half an hour
- Gettysburg: out of 292 enlisted men, 63 killed, 106 wounded, 34 captured
- Gainesville, Florida: 14 killed, 32 wounded, about 72 captured
Total regimental losses are not fully detailed in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Nathaniel C. McLean
- Colonel Robert Riley
- Colonel Andrew L. Harris
- Lieutenant Colonel Robert A. Constable
- Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Friend
- Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Morgan
- Major George B. Fox
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 75th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides details on enlistment, rank, and service records for members of the regiment.
To view the full roster, visit the 75th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
- Ohio Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Fox, William F., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
- The Union Army, Vol. 2, Federal Publishing Company, 1908