62nd Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 62nd Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Recruitment and organization took place at Zanesville, McConnelsville, and Somerton from September 17 to December 24, 1861. The regiment served primarily in the Eastern Theater and was known for its participation in several major campaigns and battles, including the assault on Fort Wagner and the final operations around Petersburg and Appomattox.

Organization & Service

The 62nd Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was mustered into Federal service between September and December 1861. The regiment moved to Cumberland, Maryland, in January 1862 and joined Brigadier General Lander’s command at Patterson’s Creek. Throughout 1862, the regiment was active in Virginia, engaging in various operations and reconnaissance missions, particularly from Suffolk to Blackwater, where it encountered enemy forces in several skirmishes.

In late 1862, the regiment was transferred by transport to South Carolina. It took part in the assault on Fort Wagner in July 1863, suffering significant casualties. The regiment reenlisted as a veteran unit in January 1864 and was granted a 30-day furlough. Returning to the field, the 62nd Ohio was engaged in continuous operations throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 1864, frequently under fire and maintaining constant readiness.

In the spring of 1865, the regiment participated in the assault on Confederate works below Petersburg, notably being among the first to storm Fort Gregg on April 2. The 62nd Ohio was also present at the action at Appomattox Court House. On or about September 1, 1865, the regiment was consolidated with the 67th Ohio Infantry, and its independent designation ceased, with the 67th’s name retained.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Operations in Virginia, 1862
• Reconnaissances from Suffolk to Blackwater, December 1862
• Assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, July 1863
• Operations in Virginia, 1864
• Assault on Confederate works below Petersburg, spring 1865
• Assault on Fort Gregg, April 2, 1865
• Action at Appomattox Court House, April 1865

Casualties

During the assault on Fort Wagner in July 1863, the 62nd Ohio Infantry lost approximately 150 men killed, wounded, and missing. Comprehensive casualty figures for the entire service term, including losses from disease and other engagements, are not fully detailed in available primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Francis B. Pond
• Lieutenant Colonel Clemens F. Steele
• Lieutenant Colonel Samuel B. Taylor
• Lieutenant Colonel Henry R. West
• Major Delafield Dubois
• Major William Edwards
• Major Francis M. Kahler
• Major Thomas J. Platt

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 62nd Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official state and federal records.

To view the complete roster, visit the 62nd Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
• 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