113th Ohio Infantry ​in the American Civil War

Overview

The 113th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was formed primarily at Camps Chase and Zanesville between October 10 and December 12, 1862, with additional companies organized at Camp Dennison, Urbana, and Columbus. The unit served in the Western Theater and participated in several major campaigns and battles, including Chickamauga, the Atlanta Campaign, Sherman’s March to the Sea, and the Carolinas Campaign.

The 113th Ohio Infantry was known for its rapid mobilization, enduring difficult marches, and sustaining significant casualties in key engagements. The regiment mustered out of service on July 6, 1865.

Organization & Service

The 113th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized with the majority of its companies at Camps Chase and Zanesville from October 10 to December 12, 1862. Company I, originally part of the 109th Ohio Infantry, was organized at Camp Dennison on December 1, 1862. Company K was organized at Urbana and Columbus between December 8, 1863, and March 31, 1864. All companies were mustered in for three years’ service.

In December 1862, the regiment was ordered to Louisville, Kentucky, in response to a potential threat from Confederate cavalry under John Hunt Morgan. Despite being incompletely organized, the regiment deployed within two hours, fully equipped. After several months in Kentucky, the 113th Ohio was sent to Tennessee. In September 1863, the regiment undertook a difficult march over the mountains and participated in the Battle of Chickamauga, suffering heavy losses. Following Chickamauga, the regiment moved to assist in the relief of Knoxville and endured the hardships of that campaign.

The winter of 1863–1864 was marked by occasional reconnaissance missions. In the spring, the regiment joined the Atlanta Campaign, engaging at Resaca, Dallas, and Kennesaw Mountain. At Kennesaw Mountain, the 113th Ohio formed the first line of assault and sustained significant casualties. During the subsequent operations around Atlanta, the regiment was present at several actions, notably at Peachtree Creek, and was frequently under fire from Confederate sharpshooters.

The regiment participated in Sherman’s March to the Sea, the siege of Savannah, and the Carolinas Campaign. At the Battle of Bentonville, the 113th Ohio was heavily engaged, including hand-to-hand combat and repelling assaults from both directions. The regiment’s service concluded with the end of the Carolinas Campaign, and it was mustered out on July 6, 1865.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Defense of Louisville, Kentucky (December 1862)
• Operations in Kentucky and Tennessee (1863)
• Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20, 1863)
• Relief of Knoxville (late 1863)
• Atlanta Campaign (May–September 1864), including:
  • Battle of Resaca
  • Battle of Dallas
  • Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
  • Battle of Peachtree Creek
• Sherman’s March to the Sea (November–December 1864)
• Siege of Savannah (December 1864)
• Carolinas Campaign (early 1865), including:
  • Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865)

Casualties

At the Battle of Chickamauga, the regiment lost 138 officers and men out of 382 engaged. At Kennesaw Mountain, casualties included 10 officers and 153 men. Total losses for the regiment during its service are not fully detailed in all sources.

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel James A. Wilcox
• Colonel John G. Mitchell
• Lieutenant Colonel Darius B. Warner
• Lieutenant Colonel Toland Jones
• Major L. Starling Sullivant
• Major Otway Watson

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 113th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ 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 113th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts (Army of the Cumberland, Army of the Tennessee, 1862–1865)
• 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