Overview
The 80th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio between October 1861 and January 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. It was mustered in for a three-year term and remained active until the end of the war.
The regiment was initially organized at large within the state and mustered in at Camp Meigs. It was known for its participation in key engagements, including the battles of Iuka, Corinth, Raymond, Jackson, Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge, and Bentonville, as well as its involvement in the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea.
Organization & Service
The 80th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized from October 1861 to January 1862 and mustered in at Camp Meigs, Ohio. The regiment left for active service in February 1862 with 919 men, traveling by rail to Columbus and then by rail and river to Paducah, Kentucky. Upon arrival, it was assigned to General Pope’s command and participated in operations during the siege of Corinth, Mississippi.
On May 9, 1862, the regiment was ordered to support a Missouri battery in front of Farmington, marking its first experience under fire. In September 1862, the 80th Ohio took part in the battle of Iuka, suffering 45 casualties. The regiment then played a prominent role in the battle of Corinth, where it lost 80 men killed and wounded.
During the Vicksburg Campaign, the regiment was engaged at Raymond but did not suffer losses there. At Jackson, Mississippi, two days later, the regiment and its brigade were heavily engaged, losing about one-third of its number killed and wounded in a charge. The regiment then returned to Vicksburg and participated in the siege and capture of the city.
After Vicksburg, the 80th Ohio was transferred to eastern Tennessee and fought at Missionary Ridge, where it was engaged until late in the day, losing several officers and nearly 100 men. The regiment reenlisted as a veteran organization, received a 30-day furlough, and then returned to the front in Georgia. It participated in the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, and the Carolinas Campaign, including actions at the Salkahatchie River and the closing scenes of the battle of Bentonville. The regiment was mustered out of service on August 13, 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
- Siege of Corinth
- Battle of Farmington
- Battle of Iuka
- Battle of Corinth
- Vicksburg Campaign (including Raymond, Jackson, and the Siege of Vicksburg)
- Missionary Ridge
- Atlanta Campaign
- March to the Sea
- Carolinas Campaign (including Salkahatchie River and Bentonville)
Casualties
The 80th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) suffered significant losses in several engagements. At Iuka, the regiment lost 45 men killed and wounded. At Corinth, it lost 80 killed and wounded. During the charge at Jackson, Mississippi, about one-third of the regiment was killed and wounded, with a reported loss of 90. At Missionary Ridge, the regiment lost several commissioned officers and nearly 100 men. Comprehensive totals for the entire service period are not provided in all sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Ephraim R. Eckley
- Colonel Matthias H. Bartilson
- Lieutenant Colonel William Marshall
- Lieutenant Colonel Pren Metham
- Lieutenant Colonel Thomas C. Morris
- Major Richard Lanning
- Major David Skeeles
- Major Henry C. Robinson
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 80th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details for those who served in the regiment.
To view the complete roster, visit the 80th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts
- 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