121st Ohio Infantry

compiled by Larry Stevens

References for this Unit

• see also Bibliography of State-Wide References
• Ohio In The War-Volume II. Whitelaw Reid. Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin. Cincinnati 1868
• The National Tribune. The 121st Ohio at Chickamauga. W.A. Hall. May 1, 1884
• The National Tribune. The Gap at Chickamauga. W.A. Hall. May 1, 1884
• The National Tribune. Averysboro and Bentonville, N.C.. Leroy Mason. June 23, 1887
• The National Tribune. On the Skirmish Line. C.R. Warfield. December 29, 1890. Kenesaw Mountain
• Roster of Survivors of the 121st Regiment, O.V.I., With Post Office Addresses. NP. 1891. Call# General PA Box 247 39. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
• The National Tribune. Benton's Crossroads. C.R. Warfield. July 6, 1893
• The National Tribune. Charging Kenesaw. C.R. Warfield. September 6, 1894
• The National Tribune. The 'Rooster Regiment.' Fighting Dick was the Pride of the Gallant 121st Ohio. NA. December 2, 1897
• The National Tribune. Men and Doings of the 121st Ohio. C.R. Warfield. November 15, 1900
• The National Tribune. A Picnic on the Skirmish Line. Abner Said. April 16, 1903. Kenesaw Mountain
• The National Tribune. The Battle Boy of Resaca. A. Said. January 12, 1905
• The National Tribune. Beatty's Brigade. It Took a Lively Part in the Battle of Lookout Mountain. C.R. Warfield. May 2, 1907
• The National Tribune. The Fight at Jonesboro. M.L. Schneider. September 2, 1909
• History of Jerome Township. Union County, Ohio. by W.L. Curry. Press of Edward T. Miller Co. Columbus. Ohio. 1913. Contains a history of the 121st OVI on pgs 132-137.
• The National Tribune. Went on Wild Goose Chase in Alabama. Rushed out of Atlanta to Head Off Forrest..... NA. July 2, 1925
• The National Tribune. Closing on Johnston's Army at Kennesaw. Milo H. Lewis. Second Lieutenant, 121st O.V.I.. 6 August 1925
• The National Tribune. Civil War Veteran at 19. S.W. Berry. June 25, 1931
• Reunion Records 1871-1933. Summary reunion records of the 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which include minutes of the meetings, newspaper clippings, full rosters of the regiment, roster of those in attendance, and resolutions of respect on deaths of members. 1 vol. Call# General VOL 977. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
• E.G. Wood Family Papers. 1862-1865. Collection includes letters and diary of Lucius Wood Co E. 121st OVI. 0.4 linear ft. Call# MS. 3290. Archives Library. Western Reserve Historical Society. Cleveland. Ohio
• Lewis Family Papers. Members of the Lewis family 1823-1880. Includes a series of letters to and from Herry Lewis, a soldier in the 121st O.V.I. Call# General VFM2011. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
• Henry Clyde Hubbart Papers. 1863-1952. Summary Collection of manuscript, typescript, and printed research materials of Professor Henry Clyde Hubbart; historian, professor at Ohio Wesleyan University (1917-1952). 9 linear feet (15 boxes). Includes 13 Civil War letters (April 10, 1863-June 15, 1864) of Marshall B. Clason (OWU '1859), Captain of the 121st Ohio Voluntary Infantry, killed at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864. Call# Beeghly Manuscript Collection # 1. Ohio Wesleyan University. Delaware. Ohio
• "If I Live to Get Home ..." The Civil War Letters of Private Jonathan McElderry. Jonathan McElderry. Co A. 121st OVI. edited by Edgar L. McCormick and Gary A. DuBro. Serif. Kent, Ohio, Kent State University Libraries, 1966. v. 3, no. 1, March, 1966, p. 21-30. Call# General 027.777137 Se67, v.3, no.1. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
• Unit Bibliography. U.S. Army Military History Institute. Carlisle Barracks. PA. 1995
• The Man Who Carried A Drum: 108 War Letters and Love Letters of a Civil War Medic. by Harvey Amasa Chapman. 121st OVI. Transcription and Commentary by David Wesley Chapman. 271 pgs. Paperback. iUniverse Inc. Bloomington. Indiana. 2006

Colonel Henry B. Banning

History

Organized in September, 1862, under Colonel William P. Reed, it soon joined Buell's army in Kentucky, where it participated in the battle of Perryville. In January, 1863, it moved into Tennessee, joined Rosecrans, and was actively employed until September, when it participated in the hard fought battle of Chickamauga, with a loss of 87 men. The Regiment took part in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge, and in May, started on Sherman's Atlanta campaign, taking part in all of the battles along the way. In the fall of 1864, it operated against Hood in Alabama and then joined Sherman's march to the Sea and through the Carolinas. After Johnston's surrender it marched via Richmond to Washington, participated in the Grand Review, and was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, June 12, 1865.

From Dyer's Compendium

121st Regiment Infantry. Organized at Delaware, Ohio, September 11, 1862. Ordered to Cincinnati, Ohio, September 11; thence to Covington, Ky., September 15, and to Louisville, Ky., September 20. Attached to 34th Brigade, 10th Division, Army of the Ohio, September, 1862. 34th Brigade, 10th Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. District of West Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to February, 1863. Reed's Brigade, Baird's Division, Army of Kentucky, Dept. of the Cumberland, to June, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Reserve Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.--Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-15, 1862. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. Moved to Lebanon, Ky., and duty there till November, and at Columbia till December. Operations against Morgan December 22, 1862, to January 3, 1863. Ordered to Louisville, thence moved to Nashville, Tenn., February 9; thence to Franklin, Tenn., February 12, and duty there till June. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Duty at Fayetteville August 25-September 5. Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23. Tunnel Hill November 24-25. Mission Ridge November 25. Chickamauga Station November 26. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November 28-December 17. Duty at Rossville, Ga., till May, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Tunnel Hill May 6-7. Demonstration on Rocky Face Ridge May 8-11. Buzzard's Roost Gap May 8-9. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. 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 Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Operations against Forest and Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Sandersville November 26. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Taylor's Hole Creek, Aversyboro, N. C., 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 19. Grand Review May 24. Mustered out June 8, 1865. Regiment lost during service 9 Officers and 92 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 246 Enlisted men by disease. Total 349.

Thanks to Dr. Richard A. Sauers for the initial research and indexing of the National Tribune articles.

More about the Civil War in Ohio.

Copyright © 1995 Larry Stevens

Last updated October 22 2011