Overview
The 180th Ohio Infantry (One Year Service) was an infantry regiment from Ohio that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio, in September and October 1864, the regiment was mustered in for one year of service. The unit primarily operated in the Western and later the Eastern theaters, serving as railroad guards, participating in the Carolinas Campaign, and performing garrison duty in North Carolina until the end of its service.
This regiment was part of the late-war mobilization and saw active duty in Tennessee, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina, including participation in the operations to open communications with General Sherman’s army.
Organization & Service
The 180th Ohio Infantry (One Year Service) was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, during September and October 1864, with Colonel Willard Warner commanding. The regiment left Camp Chase on October 15, 1864, and proceeded to Nashville, Tennessee. Shortly after arrival, it was ordered to Decherd, Tennessee, where it spent nearly three months guarding the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, a vital supply line for Union forces in the region.
On January 6, 1865, the regiment was ordered back to Nashville and, after a brief stay, assigned to guard a wagon train bound for Eastport, Mississippi. The regiment advanced as far as Columbia, Tennessee, before receiving orders to return to Nashville. From there, it was sent to Washington, D.C., arriving on January 31, 1865, and was stationed at Camp Stoneman for about three weeks.
In February 1865, the 180th Ohio was ordered to Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Upon arrival at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, news of the fort’s capture made its services there unnecessary, and the regiment was redirected to New Berne, North Carolina. It joined General J. D. Cox’s forces in efforts to open railway communications with Goldsboro and General Sherman’s advancing army. At Kinston, North Carolina, the regiment engaged Confederate forces under Generals Bragg and Hoke, suffering casualties. The 180th then marched to Goldsboro, arriving on March 21, 1865, and remained there until April 9. Subsequently, it marched with Sherman’s army to Raleigh, North Carolina, performing garrison duty until the surrender of General Johnston’s army.
After the Confederate surrender, the regiment moved to Greensboro and then to Charlotte, North Carolina, where it served as the city garrison until July 12, 1865. The 180th Ohio Infantry was mustered out of service at Charlotte 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 on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, Tennessee (late 1864–early 1865)
- Operations in Tennessee and movement to Washington, D.C. (January 1865)
- Carolinas Campaign (February–April 1865)
- Engagement at Kinston, North Carolina (March 1865)
- Advance to Goldsboro and Raleigh, North Carolina (March–April 1865)
- Garrison duty at Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte, North Carolina (April–July 1865)
Casualties
According to available records, the 180th Ohio Infantry lost men in action and by disease during its service. Specific figures for killed, wounded, and deaths from disease are not fully detailed in primary sources.
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Willard Warner
- Lieutenant Colonel Hiram McKay
- Lieutenant Colonel John T. Wood
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 180th Ohio Infantry (One Year Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details for members of the regiment.
To view the complete roster, visit the 180th Ohio Infantry (One Year Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XLVII, Part I–III
- Ohio Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 2 (1908)