37th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 37th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Cleveland, Ohio, from September 9, 1861, to March 1, 1862, for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment served primarily in the Western Theater and participated in several major campaigns and battles. Notably, the 37th Ohio was composed largely of German immigrants and was involved in significant actions from West Virginia to the Carolinas.

Organization & Service

The 37th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was mustered into Federal service at Cleveland, Ohio, between September 9, 1861, and March 1, 1862. The regiment initially moved to the Kanawha River region in West Virginia, where it spent the winter of 1861–1862. In the spring of 1862, the regiment engaged in combat near Princeton, suffering notable losses. In August 1862, a detachment was ambushed near Wyoming Court House, resulting in casualties and prisoners. The regiment also saw action at Fayetteville and Cotton Hill, with further losses during the subsequent retreat.

In early 1863, the 37th Ohio was transferred to the Western Theater. It participated in the assaults and siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, incurring heavy casualties. Following the surrender of Vicksburg, the regiment joined the expedition against Jackson, Mississippi, and performed provost-guard duty after the city’s capture. The regiment later took part in the assault on Missionary Ridge during the Chattanooga Campaign.

In March 1864, a majority of the regiment reenlisted as veterans. After furlough, the 37th Ohio rejoined the army for the Atlanta Campaign, fighting at Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, and in the battles around Atlanta, including Ezra Church. The regiment then participated in Sherman’s March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign. After the war’s conclusion, the 37th Ohio took part in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C., before being sent to Arkansas, where it was mustered out on August 7, 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

  • Operations in the Kanawha Valley, West Virginia (1861–1862)
  • Princeton, West Virginia (Spring 1862)
  • Wyoming Court House (August 1862)
  • Fayetteville and Cotton Hill (1862)
  • Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863)
  • Expedition and capture of Jackson, Mississippi (July 1863)
  • Missionary Ridge (November 1863)
  • Atlanta Campaign, including Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Ezra Church (May–July 1864)
  • March to the Sea (November–December 1864)
  • Campaign of the Carolinas (1865)

Casualties

  • Princeton (Spring 1862): 1 officer and 13 men killed; 2 officers and 46 men wounded; 14 men missing
  • Wyoming Court House (August 1862): 2 killed; 1 officer and 7 men captured
  • Fayetteville and Cotton Hill: 2 killed; 3 wounded; 62 missing
  • Vicksburg assaults and siege: 19 killed; 75 wounded
  • Missionary Ridge: 5 killed; 36 wounded (including 5 officers)
  • Resaca: 3 killed (2 officers); 10 wounded
  • Dallas and New Hope Church: 4 wounded
  • Kennesaw Mountain: 4 killed; 19 wounded
  • Atlanta (July 22, 1864): 4 killed; 10 wounded; 38 captured
  • Ezra Church: 1 killed; 5 wounded

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

  • Colonel Edward Siber
  • Lieutenant Colonel Louis Von Blessingh
  • Major Charles Ankele
  • Major Charles Hipp

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 37th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details when available.

To view the complete roster, visit the 37th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

  • Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 9, 16, 24, 30, 38
  • Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861–1866
  • 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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