54th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 54th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in October 1861 for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment served primarily in the Western Theater, participating in major campaigns and battles from early 1862 until its muster-out in August 1865. The 54th Ohio was notable for its extensive service, heavy combat losses, and participation in key operations including the Atlanta Campaign and Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Organization & Service

The 54th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Dennison in October 1861 and mustered into Federal service for three years. In February 1862, the regiment moved to Paducah, Kentucky, with an aggregate strength of 850 men and was assigned to a brigade in General William T. Sherman’s division.

The regiment saw its first major action at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, suffering significant casualties. Following Shiloh, the 54th Ohio participated in the advance on Corinth, Mississippi, engaging in skirmishes at the Russell House and being among the first Union troops to enter Corinth upon its evacuation. During the summer of 1862, the regiment took part in various expeditions and, in November, moved with the army to Jackson, Mississippi.

In late 1862, the 54th Ohio was engaged in the assault on Chickasaw Bluffs, sustaining further losses. In January 1863, the regiment participated in the assault and capture of Arkansas Post. During the Vicksburg Campaign, it marched via Grand Gulf and fought at Champion’s Hill and Big Black River Bridge. The regiment took part in the assaults on Vicksburg’s defenses on May 19 and 22, and remained active during the siege, except for a brief march toward Jackson. After Vicksburg’s fall, the regiment was engaged in operations around Jackson in July 1863.

In January 1864, the 54th Ohio reenlisted as a veteran organization. After a furlough, it joined the Atlanta Campaign, fighting at Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek, Atlanta (July 22), Ezra Church, and Jonesboro. The regiment then participated in Sherman’s March to the Sea, including the assault on Fort McAllister, and continued through the Carolinas, fighting its last battle at Bentonville, North Carolina. After the war, the regiment took part in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C., and was assigned to garrison duty at Little Rock, Arkansas, until mustered out on August 15, 1865. At muster-out, the regiment numbered 24 officers and 231 men.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Battle of Shiloh (April 1862)
• Advance on and Siege of Corinth (April–May 1862)
• Expeditions and operations in Mississippi (Summer–Fall 1862)
• Assault on Chickasaw Bluffs (December 1862)
• Assault and Capture of Arkansas Post (January 1863)
• Vicksburg Campaign, including Champion’s Hill, Big Black River Bridge, and Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863)
• Operations around Jackson, Mississippi (July 1863)
• Atlanta Campaign: Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek, Battle of Atlanta (July 22), Ezra Church, Jonesboro (May–September 1864)
• March to the Sea (November–December 1864)
• Assault on Fort McAllister (December 1864)
• Campaign of the Carolinas, including Battle of Bentonville (March 1865)

Casualties

The 54th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) sustained a total loss of 506 men killed, wounded, and missing during its service. Specific breakdowns of killed, wounded, and died of disease are not fully detailed in all sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith
• Lieutenant Colonel James A. Farden
• Lieutenant Colonel Cyrus W. Fisher
• Lieutenant Colonel Robert Williams
• Lieutenant Colonel Israel T. Moore
• Major George F. Kili

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of the 54th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides details on enlistments, promotions, casualties, and mustering out information.

To view the full roster, visit the 54th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts (reports on Shiloh, Vicksburg, Atlanta Campaign, and others)
• 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, Volume 2