31st 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
• A Journalistic History of the Thirty-first Regiment Ohio, Volunteer Infantry, With Its Lights and Shadows. Volume I, Embracing the First Years of Its Existence. by Capt. J.H. Putnam. Louisville. Ky. Printed by John P. Morton & Co. 1862. 114 pgs. Includes a unit roster. Call# E525.5 31st. Western Reserve Historical Society Archives Library. Cleveland. Ohio
• Mungo P. Murray Correspondence and Diary. Corporal Mungo Murray. Co K. 31st OVI. Enlisted man's correspondence 1861-63; Diary 1860-63; Biography 1838-63. Call# CWTIColl. USAMHI. Carlisle Barracks. PA. According to the Ohio rosters Murray was reported missing September 20, 1863 at the Battle of Chickamauga. No further record was found.
• Company H, Thirty-First Ohio Volunteer Infantry. in Military History of Ohio. Illustrated in Editions by Counties. Soldiers Edition. ..... Licking County Edition. pgs. 314-315. H.H. Hardesty Publisher. Toledo. 1886
• The National Tribune. Thomas' Corps at Missionary Ridge. S.A. McNeil. January 7, 1886,
• The National Tribune. Chickamauga. The Struggle of Sunday as Seen by an Enlisted Man. On Horshoe Ridge.... Pvt. Jacob H. Allspaugh. Co. H. 31st O.V.I. October 7, 1886
• The National Tribune. 31st Ohio at Chickamauga. S.A. McNeil. April 14, 1887
• The National Tribune. Mission Ridge. The Story of the Charge Told by an Enlisted Man. Pvt. Jacob H. Allspaugh. Co. H. 31st O.V.I. June 2, 1887
• The National Tribune. Chickamauga. A Comrade Replies to Gen. Wiley's Criticisms of Gen. Thomas. S.A. McNeil. August 18, 1887
• The Youngest Person in the Army. Anonymous. The Ohio Soldier. Volume I. Number 17. December 10, 1887
• The National Tribune. The Thirty-First Ohio at Chickamauga. S.A. McNeil. February 9, 1888
• The National Tribune. Answers to Col. Hunter. S.A. McNeil. June 7, 1888. Shiloh
• The National Tribune. The First in Fayetteville, N.C.. S.A. McNeil. November 29, 1888
• The National Tribune. Were They Demoralized? A Claim that the Army of the Cumberland had Lots of Fight Left. S.A. McNeil. November 5, 1891. Chickamauga
• The National Tribune. Army of the Cumberland. How that Gallant Aggregation of Men Always Came Out on Top. S.A. McNeil. March 24, 1892
• The National Tribune. The Record is Wrong. A Comrade Shows that his Regiment was not Properly Reported. S.A. McNeil. April 13, 1893
• The National Tribune. Missed the Honor. The 31st Ohio had a Little Experience with Gen. Morgan. By S.A. McNeil. November 29, 1894. Cage's Ford. Nov. 21, 1862
• The National Tribune. Tried Men's Nerves. Picket-Post Duty and Some of the Dangers Connected With It. Ferdinand Conner. July 22, 1897
• The National Tribune. Chronicle of a Long March. Incidents of a Jaunt from Somerset to Louisville. Albert Wike. August 26, 1897
• The National Tribune. Skirmish-Line Reminiscences. Dangerous Duty Silencing a Rebel Battery During the Atlanta Campaign. S.A. McNeil. December 15, 1898. Big Shanty. June 17, 1864
• The National Tribune. The Capture of Brown's Ferry. Levi G. Miller. May 30, 1901
• The National Tribune. Recollections of a Forager. S.A. McNeil. June 13, 1901
• Proceedings of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Reunion of the 31st Ohio Vet. Vol. Infantry, Held at Raymond, Ohio, September 25, 1902, Roster of the Surviving Members of the Regiment. Compiled by Henry L. Miller Co. C. 38 pgs. NP. ND. 1902?
• The National Tribune. A Pathetic Incident of the Atlanta Campaign. S.A. McNeil. November 27, 1902. August 12, 1864
• The National Tribune. Cage's Ford, Tenn. S.A. McNeil. January 28, 1904. Nov. 21, 1862
• The National Tribune. On Chickamauga's Bloody Field. G.W. Miller. November 3, 1904
• The National Tribune. Snake Creek Gap. S.A. McNeil. January 19, 1905
• The National Tribune. The 31st Ohio. G.W. Miller. June 15, 1905
• The National Tribune. In the Ranks at Chattanooga. The Army of the Cumberland's charge on Mission Ridge. S.A. McNeil. November 16, 1905
• The National Tribune. One Day on the Skirmish Line. S.A. McNeil. January 3, 1907
• The National Tribune. The Thirty-First Ohio at Chickamauga. G.W. Miller. February 21, 1907
• Sentenced to be Hanged. Thrilling Experience of a Union Scout, Who Was Once in His Life Glad to be Shelled, by Fred Conner, Co D, 31st Ohio Buchtel, Ohio. Fred Conner. pgs. 62-64. The National Tribune Repository, Good Stories of Experience and Adventure. Washington D.C. Volume 1. No. 1. November. 1907
• Personal Recollections of Service in The Army of the Cumberland and Sherman's Army From August 17, 1861 to July 20, 1865. By Samuel A. McNeil. Company F. 31st Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry. 76 pgs. NP. Richwood. Ohio. 1910. Located at Ohio Historical Society
• The National Tribune. Cutting the Macon Road. S.A. McNeil. May 26, 1910. Jonesboro
• The National Tribune. Capturing Delong Point. J.F. Whiting. June 1, 1911
• The National Tribune. Cutting the Macon Road. S.A. McNeil. January 5, 1911
• The National Tribune. The Capture of Fayetteville. S.A. McNeil. March 7, 1912
• The National Tribune. Thru a Bullet Storm. James Walker. May 17, 1923
• Alfred Edward Mathews 1831-1874: Union Soldier, Illustrator of Civil War Battles, Author, Traveler, Map Maker, and Delineator of Western Scenes, Especially of Colorado and Montana. by Nolie Mumey. 78 pgs. Johnson Publ. Co. Boulder. Colorado. 1961
• The Civil War Lithographs of Alfred Edward Mathews. by Elizabeth R. Martin. pgs. 230-242. Ohio History. Volume 72. Number 3. July. 1963. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
• Unit Bibliography. U.S. Army Military History Institute. Carlisle Barracks. PA. 1995
• Colors of the 31st O.V.I. Painting and Original Photo. Fight for the Colors. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio. 2000

David Moriart. 31st Ohio Inf. Co. A. Private.
Born in Perry County, Ohio. Settled in Newark, Ohio and died there.
Buried in New Lexington, Ohio.
Courtesy of and Copyright © J.D. Sills Collection

History

Organized in the summer of 1861, under Colonel Moses B. Walker, it served that fall and part of the winter in Kentucky. It was afterwards moved to the Army about Pittsburg Landing, and took part in the siege of Corinth. The Regiment continued in Tennessee until Buell's campaign in Kentucky, and was at Perryville. It later did good service at Stone River, Chickamauga and Mission Ridge. The Regiment went north on veteran furlough and returned to take part in Sherman's march to Atlanta, to the sea, and up through the Carolinas. It was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., in July, 1865.

Thomas M. Beathard. 31st Ohio Inf. Co. F. Cpl.
Courtesy of and Copyright © L.M. Strayer Collection

From Dyer's Compendium

31st Regiment Infantry. Organized at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, August 4, 1861. Left State for Louisville, Ky., September 27, thence moved to Camp Dick Robinson, Ky., October 2, and duty there till December 12. Attached to Thomas' Command, Camp Dick Robinson, Ky., to November, 1861. 12th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December, 1861. 12th Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, to January, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Centre 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.--March to Somerset, Ky., December 12, 1861, and to relief of Gen. Thomas at Mill Springs, Ky., January 19-21, 1862. Moved to Louisville, Ky., February 10-16, thence to Nashville, Tenn., February 18-March 2. March to Savannah, Tenn., March 20-April 8. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 6. March to Iuka, Miss., with skirmishing June 22, thence to Tuscumbia, Ala., June 26-28, and to Huntsville, Ala., July 18-22. Action at Trinity, Ala., July 24 (Co. "E"). Courtland Bridge July 25. Moved to Dechard, Tenn., July 27. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-15. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 22-November 6, and duty there till December 26. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31. 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro till March 13, and at Triune till June. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24-26. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River, and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Sequatchie Valley October 5. Reopening Tennessee River October 26-29. Brown's Ferry October 27. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23. Mission Ridge November 24-25. Duty at Chattanooga till February, 1864, and at Graysville till May. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1-September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Face Ridge May 8-11. 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 Mountain June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Ruff's Station, Smyrna Camp Ground, 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 Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Near Milledgeville November 23. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Fayetteville, N. C., March 11. 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 May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 5, and duty there till July. Mustered out July 20, 1865. Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 77 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 153 Enlisted men by disease. Total 233.

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 30 2010