Overview
The 14th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio for Union service at the outset of the American Civil War. The regiment was formed primarily from companies raised in and around Toledo, Ohio, in April 1861. It served in the Western Virginia campaign as part of the Union Army, participating in some of the earliest engagements of the war.
This unit is distinct from the 14th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service).
Organization & Service
The companies of the 14th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) were enrolled between April 19 and April 23, 1861, in various towns including Toledo, Bryan, Defiance, Stryker, Napoleon, Antwerp, Wauseon, and Waterville. The regiment assembled at Toledo and departed for Camp Taylor near Cleveland on April 25, 1861, where it completed its organization and underwent drill.
Companies A, C, D, E, F, G, H, and K were mustered into Ohio state service on May 18, 1861, with Companies B and I following on May 20. The regiment’s service was set for three months, dating from April 27, 1861. Following the President’s second call for troops, the regiment was transferred to United States service. On May 22, the regiment left Camp Taylor for Columbus, received arms and equipment, and proceeded to Zanesville and then Marietta, remaining at Camp Putnam until May 27. The regiment then moved to Parkersburg, (West) Virginia, where it first unfurled its flag in Confederate territory.
The 14th Ohio was tasked with guarding and repairing the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which had been damaged by retreating Confederate forces. The regiment advanced to Clarksburg by May 29, repairing railroad property en route. On June 2, it traveled by rail to Webster and marched 13 miles to Philippi, where it participated in a surprise attack on Confederate cavalry at dawn on June 3. The regiment continued operations in the region, including expeditions against guerrilla bands, and was engaged at Philippi, Laurel Hill, and Carrick’s Ford. The regiment remained in camp at Laurel Hill until July 22, when its term expired. It returned to Toledo on July 25 and was mustered out on August 13, 1861.
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
- Western Virginia Campaign (May–July 1861)
- Philippi (June 3, 1861)
- Laurel Hill (July 7–11, 1861)
- Carrick’s Ford (July 13, 1861)
Casualties
The 14th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) lost 8 men killed in action during its term of service. Additional men were wounded in the engagements at Philippi, Laurel Hill, and Carrick’s Ford. Detailed figures for wounded and deaths from disease are not fully documented in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel James B. Steedman
- Lieutenant Colonel George P. Este
- Major Paul Edwards
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 14th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and company assignments as recorded in official state and regimental records.
To view the complete roster, visit the 14th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 2
- Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 2
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 2 (1908)