9th Ohio Cavalry in the American Civil War

Overview

The 9th Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) was a Union cavalry regiment organized in Ohio during the American Civil War. The regiment was formed in 1863, with initial companies mustered at Camp Zanesville and the remaining companies at Camp Dennison. Serving in the Western and Southern theaters, the 9th Ohio Cavalry participated in several notable campaigns, including Rousseau’s Raid and General Sherman’s March to the Sea.

The regiment was known for its active service in Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, engaging in numerous skirmishes and major battles. It mustered out of service on July 20, 1865, at Lexington, North Carolina.

Organization & Service

The 9th Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) began organizing in 1863. Companies A, B, C, and D were mustered in at Camp Zanesville in January 1863, while the remaining eight companies were mustered at Camp Dennison during September, October, and December of the same year. The regiment was not fully united until the spring of 1864, when all companies assembled in Alabama.

In April 1864, while stationed at Florence, Alabama, Company G suffered a surprise attack by an Alabama regiment, resulting in the capture of 41 men after a brief struggle. The 9th Ohio Cavalry contributed 700 men to Rousseau’s Raid through Alabama and Georgia, losing 26 men, most of whom were captured while foraging. The regiment was attached to General Sherman’s cavalry division during the March to the Sea, engaging in frequent skirmishes and participating in the general engagement at Waynesboro, Georgia, where it played a key role in breaking Confederate lines.

Subsequently, the regiment fought at Aiken, South Carolina, and assisted in driving Confederate forces beyond their lines. It was engaged at Monroe’s Cross Roads and supported the right flank of the 20th Corps at the Battle of Averasboro, becoming heavily engaged. The 9th Ohio Cavalry also fought at Bentonville, the final major battle of the campaign, and skirmished near Raleigh before entering the city. The regiment was mustered out on July 20, 1865, at Lexington, North Carolina.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Operations in Alabama (Spring 1864)
• Rousseau’s Raid (Alabama and Georgia, 1864)
• Sherman’s March to the Sea (1864)
• Engagement at Waynesboro, Georgia
• Engagement at Aiken, South Carolina
• Battle of Monroe’s Cross Roads, North Carolina
• Battle of Averasboro, North Carolina
• Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina
• Skirmishes near Raleigh, North Carolina

Casualties

During Rousseau’s Raid, the regiment lost 26 men, most of whom were captured while foraging. Specific figures for killed, wounded, or died of disease for the entire service term are not fully detailed in available primary sources.

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel William D. Hamilton
• Lieutenant Colonel Thomas P. Cook
• Lieutenant Colonel William Stough
• Major William Sims
• Major John Williamson
• Major Henry Plessner
• Major Elijah Hogue
• Major Lewis H. Bowlus
• Major John W. Macumber
• Major James Irvine

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of the 9th Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service information valuable for genealogical research.

To view the full roster, visit the 9th Ohio Cavalry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes (see operations in Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, 1864–1865)
• 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, Vol. 2