Overview
The 128th 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 Columbus, Johnson’s Island, and Camp Cleveland between December 7, 1861, and January 8, 1864. It served primarily in the Northern theater, with its main duty being the guarding of Confederate prisoners at Johnson’s Island on Lake Erie. The regiment is notable for its role in prison security and for providing detachments for service elsewhere as needed.
Organization & Service
The 128th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized from December 7, 1861, to January 8, 1864. Companies A, B, C, and D were initially known as Hoffman’s Battalion and were officially transferred to the regiment on January 5, 1864. The regiment’s principal duty was guarding Confederate prisoners at Johnson’s Island, a key Union prison facility. Throughout its service, the regiment also furnished detachments for other assignments, including a brief but active campaign in pursuit of Confederate forces in West Virginia in 1862. The original members of Companies A and B were mustered out on January 20 and February 28, 1865, respectively, upon expiration of their terms. The remainder of the regiment was mustered out on July 13, 1865, in accordance with War Department orders.
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 Johnson’s Island, Ohio (1862–1865)
- Detachment: Pursuit of Confederate troops in West Virginia (1862)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 128th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. The regiment’s losses were primarily due to disease and the hardships of guard duty, as it saw limited combat action.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Charles W. Hill
- Lieutenant Colonel William S. Pierson
- Lieutenant Colonel Edward A. Scovill
- Lieutenant Colonel Thomas H. Linnell
- Major Junius R. Sanford
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 128th 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 128th 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)