Overview
The 20th 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 composed of companies enrolled at various locations across the state in April 1861, in response to President Lincoln’s initial call for 75,000 volunteers. Its service was brief, primarily focused on operations in western Virginia, with the regiment mustering out in August 1861.
This unit is distinct from the 20th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service).
Organization & Service
The companies of the 20th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) were enrolled as follows: Companies A and F at Lima (April 20), B at Oxford (April 19), C and D at Eaton (April 22), E at St. Mary’s (April 17), G at Chesterville (April 25), H at Sidney (April 27), I at Steubenville (April 22), and K at Columbus (April 25). Companies A, B, C, D, I, and K were ordered to Camp Jackson in Columbus, while E, F, G, and H went to Camp Goddard in Zanesville. Due to the rapid filling of Ohio’s quota, the regimental organization was delayed until all companies were mustered into state service.
Once organized at Zanesville, the regiment was equipped and drilled until early June 1861, when it was ordered to Virginia. The regiment moved to Bellaire, crossed the Ohio River to Benwood, and was distributed along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as far as Grafton, with headquarters at Fairmount. The 20th Ohio performed extensive marching and guard duty, helping to secure the railroad and counter Confederate movements. The regiment participated in an expedition to intercept retreating Confederates from Carrick’s Ford, but the enemy withdrew before contact. With its term expiring, the regiment returned to Ohio and was mustered out on August 18, 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
- Guard and patrol duty along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (June–August 1861)
- Expedition following Confederate retreat from Carrick’s Ford
Casualties
- 2 killed in a railroad accident
- 1 died from accidental gunshot wound
- 7 died of disease
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Thomas Morton
- Lieutenant Colonel John W. Cruikshank
- Major Charles N. Lamison
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 20th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and enlistment details as recorded during the regiment’s brief service period.
To view the complete roster, visit the 20th 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)