Overview
The 156th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in May 1864 for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was composed of National Guard battalions from Preble, Mercer, and Auglaize counties. It served primarily in Ohio, Kentucky, and Maryland, performing guard and patrol duties and participating in a brief engagement during its short term of service.
Organization & Service
The 156th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) was organized between May 15 and 17, 1864, at Camp Dennison, Ohio. The regiment consisted of the 34th Battalion (Preble County), the 80th Battalion (Mercer County), and the 81st Battalion (Auglaize County) of the Ohio National Guard. Colonel Caleb Marker commanded the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel William Sayler and Major Alben L. Whiteman as principal officers.
On May 20, 1864, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, and H were sent to Cincinnati, Ohio, where they performed guard duty. Companies G, I, and K remained at Camp Dennison on guard and patrol duty. When Confederate cavalry under John Hunt Morgan threatened the area near Cynthiana, Kentucky, these companies were dispatched to Falmouth, Kentucky. The companies stationed in Cincinnati remained there until July 18, when the entire regiment was consolidated at Covington, Kentucky, and then moved to Paris, Kentucky. Shortly thereafter, the regiment was ordered to Cumberland, Maryland, arriving on July 31, 1864, and encamped near the city. On August 1, the regiment was engaged with Confederate forces near Falck’s Mills, Maryland, suffering slight losses. The 156th Ohio Infantry was mustered out of service on September 1, 1864.
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 patrol duty at Cincinnati, Camp Dennison, and Falmouth, Kentucky (May–July 1864)
- Operations in Kentucky during Morgan’s Raid (June 1864)
- Duty at Paris, Kentucky (July 1864)
- Movement to Cumberland, Maryland (July 31, 1864)
- Engagement near Falck’s Mills, Maryland (August 1, 1864)
Casualties
Available primary sources indicate the regiment suffered slight losses in the engagement near Falck’s Mills. Detailed casualty figures for the 156th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) are not specified in Dyer’s Compendium or the Official Records.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Caleb Marker
- Lieutenant Colonel William Sayler
- Major Alben L. Whiteman
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 156th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details valuable for genealogical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the 156th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 37, Part I
- 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)