3rd Ohio Cavalry in the American Civil War

Overview

The 3rd Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Monroeville, Huron County, Ohio, from September 4 to December 11, 1861, for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Serving in the Western Theater, the regiment participated in numerous campaigns and engagements across Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. The unit was known for its active field service, including significant actions against Confederate cavalry and participation in major campaigns under prominent Union commanders.

Organization & Service

The 3rd Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) was organized from the state at large and mustered in at Monroeville, Ohio, between September and December 1861. The regiment was ordered to Nashville, Tennessee, in March 1862, arriving on March 18. Early in its service, the 1st Battalion engaged Confederate forces at Munfordville, Kentucky, in September 1862, suffering casualties but inflicting heavier losses on the enemy. Near Bardstown, the battalion, reinforced by elements of the 2nd Ohio and 3rd Kentucky Cavalry, attacked a larger Confederate force but was repulsed with losses.

In October 1862, a detachment of the regiment, along with part of the 4th Cavalry, was surrounded near Lexington, Kentucky, by John Morgan’s Confederate forces and compelled to surrender after resistance. The regiment was actively engaged at the Battle of Stone’s River, suffering losses and later escorting a large supply train to Nashville, where it repulsed an attack by Wheeler’s cavalry at Stewart’s Creek. Following this, the regiment pursued retreating Confederate forces, capturing a train near Middleton, Tennessee.

During the Battle of Chickamauga, the regiment held a position at Lafayette on the Federal left, was attacked, and withdrew to Charleston, Tennessee. It then served as the advance of General Crook’s forces in pursuit of Wheeler’s cavalry, engaging at McMinnville and on the Shelbyville Pike. In January 1864, the regiment reenlisted as veterans, and after furlough, returned to the front with nearly 1,500 men due to successful recruiting efforts.

In May 1864, the regiment fought at Courtland and Moulton, Alabama, against General Roddey’s Confederate command, and later participated in the Atlanta Campaign, including actions at Noonday Creek, Kennesaw Mountain, and Peachtree Creek. The regiment was part of General Garrard’s cavalry division during the flanking movements on Jonesboro and was the first to attack at Lovejoy’s Station. It fought at the first Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and took part in Wilson’s Raid through Alabama and Georgia, including the battles of Selma and Macon. The regiment was mustered out of service on August 4, 1865.

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

  • Munfordville, Kentucky (September 1862)
  • Bardstown, Kentucky
  • Lexington, Kentucky (October 1862)
  • Battle of Stone’s River
  • Stewart’s Creek
  • Middleton, Tennessee
  • Battle of Chickamauga
  • Lafayette and Charleston, Tennessee
  • McMinnville and Shelbyville Pike
  • Courtland and Moulton, Alabama (May 1864)
  • Noonday Creek
  • Kennesaw Mountain
  • Peachtree Creek
  • Jonesboro and Lovejoy’s Station
  • First Battle of Franklin, Tennessee
  • Wilson’s Raid (Alabama and Georgia)
  • Selma, Alabama
  • Macon, Georgia

Casualties

Casualty figures for the 3rd Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) are not fully detailed in all sources. Notable losses include:

  • Munfordville: 2 killed, 12 wounded
  • Bardstown: 6 killed, 20 wounded, 17 captured
  • Moulton: 2 killed, 23 captured
  • Selma: Heavy losses in killed and wounded (exact numbers not specified)

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

  • Colonel Louis Zahm
  • Colonel James W. Paramore
  • Colonel Charles B. Seidel
  • Colonel Horace N. Howland
  • Lieutenant Colonel Douglas A. Murray
  • Lieutenant Colonel Darius E. Livermore
  • Major John H. Foster
  • Major James S. Brisbin
  • Major Charles W. Skinner
  • Major Leonard Adams
  • Major Thomas D. McClelland
  • Major Martin Archer
  • Major Francis P. Gates

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 3rd Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ 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 3rd Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

  • Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts (Army of the Cumberland, Army of the Ohio, Army of the Tennessee)
  • 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”
  • Fox, William F., “Regimental Losses in the American Civil War”
  • “The Union Army,” Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 2
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