Overview
The 117th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio during the American Civil War. Mustered into United States service for the Union, the regiment was formed in 1862 and served primarily in the Western Theater. The 117th Ohio Infantry is notable for its later conversion to heavy artillery and redesignation as the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery.
This unit is distinct from the 117th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) as an infantry regiment prior to its conversion to artillery service.
Organization & Service
The 117th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, Ohio, and mustered into service in September 1862. The regiment was initially assigned to guard duty along the Kentucky Central Railroad and performed provost and garrison duties in Kentucky and Tennessee. Throughout its service as infantry, the regiment was attached to various brigades and divisions within the Department of the Ohio and the Department of the Cumberland.
In April 1864, the regiment was converted to heavy artillery and redesignated as the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery. After this date, the unit served in the capacity of heavy artillery for the remainder of the war. For further details on its service after conversion, see the history of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery.
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 and garrison duty in Kentucky and Tennessee, 1862–1864
- Operations along the Kentucky Central Railroad
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 117th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) prior to its conversion to artillery are not separately reported in primary sources. For consolidated losses, refer to records for the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Charles B. White
- Lieutenant Colonel Milton Barnes
- Major William H. Martin
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 117th 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 as recorded in official state and federal records.
To view the complete roster, visit the 117th 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,” Vol. 8
- Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
- Federal Publishing Company, “The Union Army,” Vol. 2 (1908)