51st Ohio Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 51st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (or 51st OVI) was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
beginning September 17, 1861 and mustered in for three years service on October 26, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Thomas Stanley Matthews. The regiment was recruited in Coshocton
, Darke
, Madison
, and Tuscarawas
counties.
The regiment was attached to 15th Brigade, Army of the Ohio
, to December 1861. 15th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to March 1862. Unattached, Nashville, Tennessee, to June 1862. 10th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to July 1862. 23rd Independent Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to August 1862. 23rd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 23rd Brigade, 5th Division, II Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Left Wing, XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland
, to January 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XXI Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, to June 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, to August 1865. Department of Texas to October 1865.
The 51st Ohio Infantry mustered out of service at Victoria, Texas
on October 3, 1865. The regiment was discharged at Columbus, Ohio
November 3, 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...
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 51st Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Meigs in Dover, OhioDover, Ohio
Dover is a city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,210 at the 2000 census.-History and features:Dover was originally part of a grant to Col. James Morrison of Kentucky, who had received it from the federal government for Revolutionary War services...
beginning September 17, 1861 and mustered in for three years service on October 26, 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...
Thomas Stanley Matthews. The regiment was recruited in Coshocton
Coshocton County, Ohio
Coshocton County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,901. Its county seat is Coshocton. Its name comes from the Delaware Indian language and has been translated as "union of waters" or "black bear crossing".The Coshocton...
, Darke
Darke County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 53,309 people, 20,419 households, and 14,905 families residing in the county. The population density was 89 people per square mile . There were 21,583 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
, Madison
Madison County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,213 people, 13,672 households, and 10,035 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 14,399 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
, and Tuscarawas
Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Tuscarawas County is a county located in the eastern part of the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 92,582. Its county seat is New Philadelphia...
counties.
The regiment was attached to 15th Brigade, Army of the Ohio
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.-History:...
, to December 1861. 15th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to March 1862. Unattached, Nashville, Tennessee, to June 1862. 10th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to July 1862. 23rd Independent Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to August 1862. 23rd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Ohio, to September 1862. 23rd Brigade, 5th Division, II Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Left Wing, XIV Corps, 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 January 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XXI Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, to June 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, to August 1865. Department of Texas to October 1865.
The 51st Ohio Infantry mustered out of service at Victoria, Texas
Victoria, Texas
Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,...
on October 3, 1865. The regiment was discharged at Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
November 3, 1865.
Detailed service
Moved to Wellsville November 3, thence to Louisville, Ky., and duty there until December 10. Duty at Camp Wickliffe, Ky., until February 1862. Expedition down the Ohio River to reinforce General Grant, thence to Nashville, Tenn., February 14–25. Occupation of Nashville February 25. Provost duty there until July 9. Moved to Tullahoma, Tenn., and joined Nelson's Division. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1–22. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 22-November 7, and duty there until December 26. Dobbins' Ferry, near Lawrence, December 9. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26–30. Battle of Stones River December 30–31, 1862 and January 1–3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until June. Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. At McMinnville until August 16. Passage of Cumberland Mountain and Tennessee River and Chickamauga Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19–20. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Reopening Tennessee River October 26–29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27. Lookout Mountain November 23–24. Missionary Ridge November 25. Ringgold Gap, Taylor's Ridge November 27. Duty at Whiteside until January 1864. Reenlisted January 1, 1864. At Blue Springs, near Cleveland, until May. Atlanta Campaign May to September. Tunnel Hill May 6–7. Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge and Dalton May 8–13. Buzzard's Roost Gap May 8–9. Battle of Resaca May 14–15. Near Kingston May 18–19. Near Cassville May 19. Advance on Dallas May 22–25. 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. Assault on Kennesaw June 27. Ruff's Station, Smyrna Camp Ground, July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5–17. Peachtree Creek July 19–20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25–30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy's Station September 2–6. Operations against Hood in northern Georgia and northern Alabama September 29-November 3. Moved to Pulaski, Tenn. Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24–27. Battle of Franklin November 30. Battle of Nashville December 15–16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17–28. Moved to Huntsville, Ala., and duty there until March 1865. Operations in eastern Tennessee March 15-April 22. Duty at Nashville, Tenn., until June. Ordered to New Orleans, La., June 16, thence to Texas. Duty at Indianola, Green Lake and Victoria, Texas, to October.Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 346 men during service; 4 officers and 108 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 233 enlisted men died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel William P. N. Fitzgerald - appointed and resigned October 14, 1861
- Colonel Thomas Stanley Matthews - commissioned October 23, 1863 and resigned April 14, 1863
- Colonel Richard W. McClain - commanded at the battles of Perryville and Stones River as 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...
; promoted to colonel, May 25, 1863 and resigned September 30, 1864 - Colonel Charles H. Wood - commanded at the battle of Nashville as lieutenant colonel
- Colonel David W. Marshall - appointed regimental commander as lieutenant colonel January 21, 1865
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...