34th Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 34th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment (or 34th OVI) was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It primarily served in the Eastern Theater
in what is now West Virginia
and in Virginia
's Shenandoah Valley
region. They are well known for wearing an americanized zouave uniform which consisted of: A dark blue jacket with red trimming, a pair of sky blue baggy trousers with two stripes of red tape going down vertically, a pair of tan gaiters, and a red ottoman stlyed fez with a blue tassel. They are known as Piatts Zouaves
on September 1, 1861. Most of the recruits came from the northwestern part of the state. After training and drilling, the new regiment moved to Camp Dennison
on September 1, and then entrained for the front lines, arriving on September 20 at Camp Enyart on the Kanawha River
in western Virginia. It initially served in the forces under George B. McClellan
, and then under a variety of generals for the next two years while engaging in several raids and operations in the region.
When the regiment's term of enlistment expired late in 1863, the men voted to re-enlist on December 23. They were part of Crook
's Expedition against the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad in early May and fought in the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain
on May 9 and later in the Battle of Cove Mountain
and in other smaller engagements in the region. The 34th OVI was re-mustered as a veteran regiment on January 19, 1864, and participated in many of the battles of the Valley Campaigns of 1864
, including the Battle of Opequon
near Winchester, Virginia
.
The 34th Ohio suffered 10 Officers and 120 enlisted men killed in battle or died from wounds, and 130 enlisted men dead from disease for a total of 260 fatalities. The much depleted regiment was amalgamated with the 36th Ohio Infantry
on February 22, 1865.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It primarily served in the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
in what is now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
's Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
region. They are well known for wearing an americanized zouave uniform which consisted of: A dark blue jacket with red trimming, a pair of sky blue baggy trousers with two stripes of red tape going down vertically, a pair of tan gaiters, and a red ottoman stlyed fez with a blue tassel. They are known as Piatts Zouaves
Organization and service
The 34th Ohio was raised at Camp Lucas near ToledoToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
on September 1, 1861. Most of the recruits came from the northwestern part of the state. After training and drilling, the new regiment moved to Camp Dennison
Camp Dennison
Camp Dennison was a military recruiting, training, and medical post for the United States Army during the American Civil War. It was located near Cincinnati, Ohio, not far from the Ohio River. The camp was named for Cincinnati native William Dennison, Ohio's governor at the start of the war.With...
on September 1, and then entrained for the front lines, arriving on September 20 at Camp Enyart on the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
in western Virginia. It initially served in the forces under George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, and then under a variety of generals for the next two years while engaging in several raids and operations in the region.
When the regiment's term of enlistment expired late in 1863, the men voted to re-enlist on December 23. They were part of Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
's Expedition against the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad in early May and fought in the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain
Battle of Cloyd's Mountain
The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain was a Union victory in western Virginia in 1864 that allowed the Union forces to destroy the last railroad connecting Tennessee to Virginia.-Background:...
on May 9 and later in the Battle of Cove Mountain
Battle of Cove Mountain
The Battle of Cove Mountain was a minor skirmish of the American Civil War, fought on May 10, 1864, in the southwest corner of Virginia near Cove Mountain in Wythe County....
and in other smaller engagements in the region. The 34th OVI was re-mustered as a veteran regiment on January 19, 1864, and participated in many of the battles of the Valley Campaigns of 1864
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
, including the Battle of Opequon
Battle of Opequon
The Battle of Opequon, more commonly known as the Third Battle of Winchester, was fought in Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864, during the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War....
near Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
The 34th Ohio suffered 10 Officers and 120 enlisted men killed in battle or died from wounds, and 130 enlisted men dead from disease for a total of 260 fatalities. The much depleted regiment was amalgamated with the 36th Ohio Infantry
36th Ohio Infantry
The 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Recruited from several counties in southeastern Ohio, the 36th OVI participated in several battles in the Eastern Theater before being transferred for a period to the...
on February 22, 1865.
See also
- Larry Stevens' 34th OVI Page
- Ohio in the Civil WarOhio in the Civil WarDuring the American Civil War, the State of Ohio played a key role in providing troops, military officers, and supplies to the Union army. Due to its central location in the Northern United States and burgeoning population, Ohio was both politically and logistically important to the war effort...