104th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 104th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Massillon, Ohio, and mustered into Union service on August 30, 1862, for a term of three years. Serving in the Western Theater, the regiment participated in major campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. The 104th Ohio was noted for its active service in several significant engagements, including the siege of Knoxville, the Atlanta Campaign, and the battles of Franklin and Nashville.

This unit served exclusively as an infantry regiment for the Union Army and was mustered out on June 17, 1865.

Organization & Service

The 104th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Massillon, Ohio, and mustered in on August 30, 1862. The regiment departed for Cincinnati on September 1, 1862, and crossed into Kentucky, encamping near Newport and later moving to Covington and Fort Mitchel. Early in its service, the regiment engaged in skirmishes with Confederate forces near Fort Mitchel, suffering its first casualties.

Throughout late 1862 and into 1863, the 104th Ohio operated in Kentucky, conducting picket and outpost duty to counter Confederate movements. In the summer of 1863, the regiment joined General Ambrose Burnside’s army in East Tennessee. During the siege of Knoxville in late 1863, the regiment occupied key defensive positions and sustained several wounded under fire.

In April 1864, the regiment moved to Cleveland, Tennessee, in preparation for the Atlanta Campaign. The 104th participated in all major engagements of that campaign, including the assault at Utoy Creek, where it suffered significant casualties. Following the fall of Atlanta, the regiment pursued Confederate General Hood into Tennessee, engaging in skirmishes at Columbia and fighting in the severe battle of Franklin, where it incurred heavy losses. The regiment also took part in the battle of Nashville and the subsequent pursuit of Confederate forces to Clifton, Tennessee.

In early 1865, the 104th Ohio was ordered to North Carolina. It skirmished with Confederate forces at Fort Anderson and participated in the charge at Town Creek, capturing prisoners and materiel at the cost of additional casualties. The regiment was mustered out of service on June 17, 1865.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Skirmishes near Fort Mitchel, Kentucky (September 1862)
• Operations in Kentucky (1862–1863)
• Siege of Knoxville, Tennessee (November–December 1863)
• Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864), including Utoy Creek
• Columbia, Tennessee (November 1864)
• Battle of Franklin, Tennessee (November 30, 1864)
• Battle of Nashville, Tennessee (December 15–16, 1864)
• Pursuit to Clifton, Tennessee (December 1864)
• Operations in North Carolina (February–March 1865), including Fort Anderson and Town Creek

Casualties

During its service, the 104th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) sustained the following losses:

• At Utoy Creek: 26 killed and wounded
• At Franklin: 60 killed and wounded
• At Town Creek: 2 killed, 20 wounded

Comprehensive total casualty figures for the regiment are not specified in all primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel James W. Reilly
• Colonel Oscar W. Sterl
• Lieutenant Colonel Asa S. Mariner
• Lieutenant Colonel William J. Jordan
• Major Lawrin D. Woodworth
• Major Joseph F. Riddle

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of officers and enlisted men who served in the 104th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details valuable for genealogical and historical research.

To view the full roster, visit the 104th 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)