Overview
The 11th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Cincinnati, Ohio, in early September 1862 as part of the emergency militia response to the Confederate invasion of Kentucky under General Kirby Smith. This unit served on the Union side, primarily in the Department of the Ohio, during a period of heightened alarm for the defense of Cincinnati and its environs.
The regiment was one of three Ohio militia regiments (along with the 6th and 8th) called into service for a brief term of one month. Its formation was directly related to the threat posed by Confederate forces advancing toward the Ohio River and the city of Cincinnati in late summer 1862.
Organization & Service
The 11th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) was organized in Cincinnati in response to General Lew Wallace’s call for militia to defend the city. Martial law was declared in Cincinnati on September 2, 1862, and the regiment was quickly assembled from local militia volunteers. The unit was mustered into service with Colonel William Floto commanding, supported by Lieutenant Colonel John H. Carter and Major M. Wesolinski.
On September 10, 1862, the regiment crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky and took up defensive positions near Fort Mitchell, joining other militia units to reinforce the city’s fortifications. The regiment remained in line of battle on September 12, as an engagement with Confederate forces seemed imminent. However, the Confederate army withdrew during the night, and by the following morning, the immediate threat had passed. The 11th Ohio Infantry returned to Cincinnati and performed provost guard duty until October 4, 1862, when it was discharged from service.
Due to the emergency nature of their service, the regiment’s official muster in and out of United States service was conducted retroactively on October 26, 1866, with service dates recorded from September 2 to October 3, 1862. Congress subsequently authorized payment for the regiment’s service during this period.
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
- Defense of Cincinnati, September 1862
- Operations near Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
- Provost guard duty in Cincinnati
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 11th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service) are not recorded in available primary sources. The regiment’s service was primarily defensive, and it did not participate in any major engagements resulting in significant losses.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel William Floto
- Lieutenant Colonel John H. Carter
- Major M. Wesolinski
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 11th Ohio Infantry (1 Month Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. For a complete listing of members who served in this regiment during its brief term, please visit the regimental roster page.
Roster details are compiled from official state records and contemporary reports.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XVI
- Ohio Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 2 (1908)