73rd Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (or 73rd OVI) was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in for three years service on December 30, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Orland Smith
.
The regiment was attached to Cheat Mountain, District Western Virginia, to March 1862. Schenck's Brigade, Department of the Mountains, to June 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps, Army of Virginia
, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XI Corps, Army of the Potomac
, to October 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XI Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October 1863, and Army of the Cumberland
, to April 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to July 1865.
The 73rd Ohio Infantry mustered out of service at Louisville, Kentucky
on July 20, 1865.
May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June and duty there until July.
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...
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...
.
Service
The 73rd Ohio Infantry was organized in Chillicothe, OhioChillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
and mustered in for three years service on December 30, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Orland Smith
Orland Smith
Orland Smith was a railroad executive and a brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In 1864, he led a spirited bayonet charge during the Battle of Wauhatchie that took a significant Confederate position on a hill that now bears his name.-Early life and career:Smith was...
.
The regiment was attached to Cheat Mountain, District Western Virginia, to March 1862. Schenck's Brigade, Department of the Mountains, to June 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps, Army of Virginia
Army of Virginia
The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...
, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XI Corps, Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
, to October 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XI Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October 1863, and Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
, to April 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to July 1865.
The 73rd Ohio Infantry mustered out of service at Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
on July 20, 1865.
Detailed service
Duty at Camp Logan until January 24, 1862. Moved to Grafton, Va., then to Fetterman January 24–26, and to New Creek February 3. Expedition to Romney, Va., February 6–7, 1862, and to Moorefield February 12–16. Moved to Clarksburg February 18, and duty there until March 20. Moved to Weston, Va., March 20, and duty there until April 10. Moved to Join Milroy at Monterey. Battle of McDowell May 8. Woodstock June 2. Mt. Jackson June 3. New Market June 4. Harrisonburg June 6. Battle of Cross Keys June 8. At Middletown until July 7, and at Sperryville until August 8. Expedition to Madison Court House July 16–19. Pope's Campaign in northern Virginia August 16 to September 2. Freeman's Ford August 22. Battles of Bull Run August 29–30. Duty In the defenses of Washington, D.C., until December. Reconnaissance to Bristoe Station and Warrenton Junction September 25–28. March to Fredericksburg, Va., December 12–16. "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1–5. Gettysburg Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1–3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5–24. Camp at Bristoe until September 24. Moved to Bridgeport, Ala., September 24-October 3. Duty at Bridgeport and Stevenson, Ala., until October 24. Reopening Tennessee River October 24–29. Battle of Wauhatchie, Tenn., October 28–29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27. Orchard Knob November 23. Tunnel Hill November 24–25. Missionary Ridge November 25. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November 28-December 17. Regiment reenlisted January 1, 1864, and veterans on furlough until March. Atlanta Campaign May 1-September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8–11. Buzzard's Roost Gap May 8–9. Battle of Resaca May 14–15. Cassville May 19. New Hope Church May 25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church, and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kennesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11–14. Lost Mountain June 15–17. Gilgal or Golgotha Church June 15. Muddy Creek June 17. Noyes Creek June 19. Kolb's Farm June 22. Assault on Kennesaw June 27. Ruff's Station July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5–17. Peachtree Creek July 19–20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Operations at Chattahoochie River Bridge August 26-September 2. Occupation of Atlanta September 2-November 15. March to the sea November 15. Siege of Savannah December 10–21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April 1865. Lawtonville, S.C., February 2. Reconnaissance on Goldsboro Road, N.C., March 14. Taylor's Hole Creek, Averysboro, March 16. Battle of Bentonville March 19–21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10–14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20. Grand Review of the ArmiesGrand Review of the Armies
The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in Washington, D.C., on May 23 and May 24, 1865, following the close of the American Civil War...
May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June and duty there until July.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 321 men during service; 4 officers and 167 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 149 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel Orland Smith
- Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Richard Long - commanded at the battle of McDowell as majorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
; commanded at the battle of Gettysburg - Major Samuel H. Hurst - commanded during the Chattanooga Campaign
Notable members
- Musician Richard EnderlinRichard EnderlinRichard Enderlin was a musician and United States Army soldier who received a Medal of Honor for the heroism he displayed when fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.-Gettysburg:...
, Company B - Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for actions at the battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863
See also
- List of Ohio Civil War units
- 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...