Overview
The 159th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) was an infantry regiment from Ohio that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organized at Zanesville, Ohio, on May 9 and 10, 1864, the regiment was composed primarily of men from the 11th Regiment, Ohio National Guard (Muskingum County) and the 73rd Battalion (Fairfield County). The unit was mustered in for a service term of 100 days and was assigned to duty in the Eastern Theater, primarily in Maryland and West Virginia.
The 159th Ohio Infantry was part of the broader mobilization of Ohio National Guard units in 1864, intended to free veteran troops for active campaigning. The regiment performed a variety of guard and provost duties, with detachments seeing action during the Confederate invasion of Maryland in July 1864.
Organization & Service
The 159th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) was organized at Zanesville, Ohio, and mustered into Federal service on May 9 and 10, 1864. Shortly after organization, the regiment was sent to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, where it encamped on Maryland Heights until May 17. At that time, the regiment was ordered to report to General Lew Wallace and was subsequently assigned to General Kenly’s command.
Four companies were detailed for guard duty at Camp Bradford, Baltimore, Maryland, where they remained for the duration of their service. One company performed provost guard duty in Baltimore, another was assigned to Patterson Park Hospital, and the remaining companies were detailed to guard bridges along the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad. During the Confederate invasion of Maryland in July 1864, 100 men from the regiment were mounted and participated in the Battle of Monocacy Junction and related skirmishes. On July 12, Companies B, E, G, and I, along with other troops, moved on an expedition to Pikesville against Confederate forces. On July 28, four companies were stationed at Havre de Grace to guard the railroad at that location.
The regiment was relieved from duty on August 13, 1864, returned to Zanesville on August 17, and was mustered out of service on August 22 and 24, 1864.
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
- Guard and provost duty at Baltimore, Maryland, and along the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad (May–August 1864)
- Battle of Monocacy Junction (July 9, 1864) – detachment of 100 men participated
- Expedition to Pikesville, Maryland (July 12, 1864)
- Skirmishes during the Confederate invasion of Maryland (July 1864)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 159th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. Available records do not indicate significant losses in battle, as the regiment’s duties were primarily guard and provost assignments, with only a detachment engaged at Monocacy Junction.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Lyman J. Jackson
- Lieutenant Colonel Horace D. Munson
- Major William S. Harlan
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 159th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details valuable for genealogical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the 159th Ohio Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XXXVII, Part 1–3
- Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 8
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 2 (1908)