103rd Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 103rd Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio during August and September 1862 for service in the Union Army. The regiment served primarily in the Western Theater, participating in major campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. It was known for its heavy involvement in the Atlanta Campaign and for sustaining significant losses in several key battles.

Organization & Service

The 103rd Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at large in Ohio and mustered into service in August and September 1862. After receiving arms in Cincinnati, the regiment moved to Covington, Kentucky, where it was equipped for field service. Its initial duty was at Fort Mitchel, Kentucky, and it spent its first year performing operations in Kentucky.

In the fall of 1863, the regiment was ordered to eastern Tennessee, where it saw its first combat at the Battle of Blue Springs, suffering casualties including killed, wounded, and prisoners. During the siege of Knoxville later that year, the regiment again sustained losses. In May 1864, the 103rd Ohio became part of Sherman’s forces for the Atlanta Campaign, participating in the Battle of Resaca and subsequent actions, where it lost a significant portion of its strength. By the end of the Atlanta Campaign, the regiment’s numbers had been greatly reduced. The unit then participated in the pursuit of Hood’s army into Tennessee, fighting at Spring Hill and later moving with Union forces to North Carolina. The regiment was mustered out of service on June 12, 1865, in Ohio.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Operations in Kentucky (1862–1863)
• Battle of Blue Springs (October 1863)
• Siege of Knoxville (November–December 1863)
• Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864), including Battle of Resaca
• Pursuit of Hood into Tennessee (late 1864), including Battle of Spring Hill
• Operations in North Carolina (1865)

Casualties

At Blue Springs, the regiment lost 3 killed, 4 wounded, and 6 captured. During the siege of Knoxville, about 35 were killed or wounded. In the Battle of Resaca, the regiment lost over one-third of its effective force. At the start of the Atlanta Campaign, the regiment had 450 men; by the fall of Atlanta, only 195 remained. Detailed total casualty figures are not fully available in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel John S. Casement
• Lieutenant Colonel James T. Sterling
• Lieutenant Colonel Philip C. Hayes
• Major DeWitt C. Howard
• Major Henry S. Pickands

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 103rd 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 for members of the regiment.

To view the complete roster, visit the 103rd 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, Vol. 2 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)