Overview
The 85th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio during the American Civil War. Mustered into Union service in May and June 1862, the regiment was formed for a three-month term. Its primary duty was the guarding of Confederate prisoners at Camp Chase, a major Union prison camp located near Columbus, Ohio. The regiment did not serve in the field and remained stationed at Camp Chase throughout its service.
Organization & Service
The 85th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was organized at large in Ohio during May and June 1862. The regiment was mustered into service under the command of Colonel C. W. B. Allison, with Lieutenant Colonel Percy S. Sowers and Major Peter Zinn as principal field officers. Upon organization, the regiment was assigned to duty at Camp Chase, Ohio, where it was tasked with guarding a large number of Confederate prisoners of war. The regiment remained at Camp Chase for the entirety of its service and did not participate in field operations or campaigns. The 85th Ohio Infantry was mustered out of service on September 23 and 27, 1862, upon the expiration of its three-month term.
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
- Guard duty at Camp Chase, Ohio (May–September 1862)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 85th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. The regiment did not participate in combat operations, and losses, if any, would have been due to disease or other non-combat causes.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel C. W. B. Allison
- Lieutenant Colonel Percy S. Sowers
- Major Peter Zinn
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 85th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served in the unit.
To view the complete roster, visit the 85th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
- Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 7
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Vol. 2 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)