Overview
The 88th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was formed at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, initially as a battalion in late 1862 and expanded to full regimental strength in 1863. It served primarily in the Western Theater and was chiefly tasked with guard and garrison duties, particularly at Camp Chase, where it oversaw Confederate prisoners of war. The regiment also participated in operations against Morgan’s Raiders and in the suppression of the Holmes County rebellion.
Organization & Service
The 88th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) originated as the “First Battalion Governor’s Guards,” consisting of four companies organized at Camp Chase from September 24 to October 27, 1862, for three years’ service. In July and August 1863, six additional companies were organized at Camp Chase and consolidated with the battalion, completing the regiment’s organization. The regiment was officially designated as the 88th Ohio Infantry at that time.
Throughout its service, the 88th Ohio Infantry was primarily stationed at Camp Chase, where it performed guard duty over Confederate prisoners. In July 1863, elements of the regiment took part in the pursuit of Morgan’s Raiders during their incursion into Ohio. The regiment was also involved in the suppression of the Holmes County rebellion in July 1863. The 88th Ohio Infantry continued its garrison and guard duties at Camp Chase until the end of the war. It was mustered out of service on July 3, 1865, in accordance with orders from 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
- Guard duty at Camp Chase (1862–1865)
- Pursuit of Morgan’s Raiders (July 1863)
- Suppression of Holmes County rebellion (July 1863)
Casualties
According to available records, the 88th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) suffered relatively light casualties, primarily due to disease and non-combat causes, as the regiment was largely engaged in garrison and guard duty. Exact figures are not consistently reported in primary sources.
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel George W. Neff
- Lieutenant Colonel Edwin L. Webber
- Major Peter Zinn
- Major John W. Skiles
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 88th 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 years of service.
To view the complete roster, visit the 88th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
- 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”
- Federal Publishing Company, “The Union Army,” Vol. 2 (1908)