89th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 89th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, on August 22 and 26, 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 with approximately 1,000 officers and men and was known for its involvement in significant actions such as Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and the Atlanta Campaign.

This regiment served the Union cause and was attached to various commands throughout its service, enduring heavy losses, particularly during its capture at Chickamauga and subsequent imprisonment of many of its men.

Organization & Service

The 89th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and mustered into service on August 22 and 26, 1862. Shortly after organization, the regiment crossed the Ohio River on a pontoon bridge and camped near Covington, Kentucky. After a brief period in Kentucky, the regiment moved into western Virginia before being ordered to Tennessee in early 1863 to join General Rosecrans’ forces.

Stationed at Murfreesboro until June 1863, the regiment participated in the Tullahoma Campaign, encountering enemy resistance and supporting Wilder’s brigade at Hoover’s Gap. The 89th suffered from harsh conditions, including severe rains that hampered supply efforts. The regiment was heavily engaged at the Battle of Chickamauga, where it held its position until surrounded and captured almost in its entirety. Most enlisted men were sent to Confederate prison camps, with many dying at Andersonville and Belle Isle.

Following the losses at Chickamauga, the regiment received recruits and rebuilt its numbers to about 200 men. It participated in the assault on Missionary Ridge and was engaged at Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, and throughout the Atlanta Campaign. The 89th Ohio Infantry also took part in the pursuit of Hood’s forces, the March to the Sea, and the Carolinas Campaign, including actions at Averasboro and Bentonville. The regiment was present at the surrender of Johnston’s army and was mustered out at Washington, D.C., on June 7, 1865, after nearly three years of service.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Defense of Kentucky (1862)
• Western Virginia operations (late 1862)
• Tullahoma Campaign (June 1863)
• Battle of Hoover’s Gap
• Battle of Chickamauga
• Chattanooga Campaign
• Assault on Missionary Ridge
• Rocky Face Ridge
• Battle of Resaca
• Atlanta Campaign (1864)
• Pursuit of Hood (late 1864)
• March to the Sea
• Capture of Savannah
• Carolinas Campaign (1865)
• Battle of Averasboro
• Battle of Bentonville
• Surrender of Johnston’s Army

Casualties

Exact casualty figures for the 89th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) are not fully detailed in all primary sources. The regiment suffered significant losses at Chickamauga, where most of the unit was captured and many died in Confederate prison camps. At Rocky Face Ridge, the regiment lost 2 killed, 10 wounded, and 2 captured. Additional losses occurred throughout the Atlanta and Carolinas campaigns. Total losses are not precisely enumerated in available official records.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel John G. Marshall
• Colonel Joseph D. Hatfield
• Colonel Caleb H. Carlton
• Lieutenant Colonel James Rowe
• Lieutenant Colonel William H. Glenn
• Major William Hays
• Major John H. Jolly

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 89th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served in the regiment.

To view the complete roster, please visit the 89th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 23, 30, 38, 44
• 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)