74th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 74th 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 Columbus, Enon, Xenia, Hamilton, and Cincinnati from October 5, 1861, to March 27, 1862. The regiment served in the Western Theater, participating in major campaigns and battles in Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The 74th Ohio was notable for its heavy engagement at Stone’s River and its participation in the Atlanta Campaign and Sherman’s March to the Sea.

Organization & Service

The 74th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was mustered into Federal service between October 1861 and March 1862. After organization, the regiment was ordered to the field in April 1862 and reported at Nashville, Tennessee, where it established camp. Throughout the summer of 1862, the regiment performed various detailed duties in Tennessee.

At the end of December 1862, the 74th Ohio took part in the Battle of Stone’s River, entering the engagement on December 31 with 380 effective men. The regiment was heavily engaged through January 3, 1863, including a notable charge across the river against Confederate forces under Breckenridge on January 2. The regiment suffered significant losses in this action.

In June 1863, the regiment participated in the Tullahoma Campaign, including the battles of Hoover’s Gap and Dug Gap, and later fought at Chickamauga in September. The 74th Ohio was also present at the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge during the Chattanooga Campaign.

A majority of the regiment reenlisted as veteran volunteers and, after a furlough home, returned to the field in April 1864 with 619 men. The regiment was actively engaged at Buzzard Roost Gap, Resaca, and Kennesaw Mountain during the Atlanta Campaign, as well as at the Chattahoochee River, Peachtree Creek, and in front of Atlanta. At Jonesboro, the regiment made three charges and sustained further losses.

Following the fall of Atlanta, the 74th Ohio marched with Sherman through Georgia and the Carolinas, encountering heavy skirmishing at Averasboro and fighting in the Battle of Bentonville. The regiment was mustered out of service on July 10, 1865.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Battle of Stone’s River (December 31, 1862 – January 3, 1863)
• Hoover’s Gap
• Dug Gap
• Battle of Chickamauga
• Battle of Lookout Mountain
• Battle of Missionary Ridge
• Buzzard Roost Gap
• Battle of Resaca
• Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
• Chattahoochee River
• Battle of Peachtree Creek
• Siege of Atlanta
• Battle of Jonesboro
• Sherman’s March to the Sea
• Battle of Averasboro
• Battle of Bentonville

Casualties

• Battle of Stone’s River: 109 killed and wounded, 46 captured (entered with 380 effective men)
• Buzzard Roost Gap: 16 killed and wounded
• Resaca: 9 killed and wounded
• Jonesboro: 14 killed, 25 wounded
• Atlanta Campaign aggregate: 18 killed, 88 wounded

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Granville Moody
• Colonel Josiah Given
• Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Von Schrader
• Lieutenant Colonel Robert P. Findley
• Major Alexander S. Ballard
• Major Thomas C. Bell
• Major Joseph Fisher
• Major Cornelius McGreevey

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 74th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides details on enlistment, rank, and service records for members of the regiment.

To view the complete roster, visit the 74th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XX, XXIII, XXXVIII
• 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, Vol. 2 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)