Overview
The 125th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized for Federal service during the American Civil War. Raised in Ohio, the regiment was mustered in at Columbus and Camp Cleveland between September 16, 1862, and December 5, 1863. Serving in the Union Army, the 125th Ohio Infantry participated in major campaigns in the Western Theater and became known for its discipline and fighting spirit. The regiment earned the nickname “The Tiger Regiment of Ohio” for its conduct in battle.
This unit is distinct from any other Ohio infantry regiments with different service terms.
Organization & Service
The 125th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Columbus and Camp Cleveland, Ohio, with companies mustered in from September 16, 1862, to December 5, 1863. The regiment was mustered into Federal service for a term of three years. Its initial commander was Colonel Emerson Opdycke, with Lieutenant Colonels Henry B. Banning, David H. Moore, and Joseph Bruff, and Major George L. Wood serving in key field officer roles.
The regiment was attached to various brigades and divisions within the Army of the Cumberland, serving under the XIV and IV Corps. The 125th Ohio participated in numerous campaigns and battles, including the Tullahoma Campaign, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, and the Nashville Campaign. The regiment was present at major engagements such as Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, the siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin, and Nashville. Companies were mustered out at different times: Company A on June 8, Company B on June 20, and the remaining companies on September 25, 1865, in accordance with War Department orders.
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
- Franklin, Tennessee (March 9, 1863)
- Chickamauga
- Missionary Ridge
- Dandridge
- Rocky Face Ridge
- Resaca
- Adairsville
- New Hope Church
- Kennesaw Mountain
- Big Shanty
- Peachtree Creek
- Siege of Atlanta
- Jonesboro
- Lovejoy’s Station
- Spring Hill
- Franklin (November 30, 1864)
- Nashville
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 125th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service) are not provided in the available primary sources. Fox’s Regimental Losses and state reports may contain further details.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Emerson Opdycke
- Lieutenant Colonel Henry B. Banning
- Lieutenant Colonel David H. Moore
- Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Bruff
- Major George L. Wood
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 125th 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 125th 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, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 2