53rd Ohio Infantry

compiled by Larry Stevens

References for this Unit

E.C. Dawes Photo

History

This Regiment was organized in January, 1862, under Colonel J.J. Appler, who having resigned, was succeeded by Colonel W.S. Jones. The 53d took the field in February, joining General W.T. Sherman's Division; it went into camp near Shiloh Church, and sustained disaster in that sanguinary battle. It took part in the investment of Corinth, and after the evacuation marched westward to Holly Springs and then to Memphis; and in November advanced as far as Copperville, in Mississippi. In June, 1863, the Regiment joined Grant's army in the investment of Vicksburg, and after the surrender pursued Johnston to Jackson. In October it returned to Memphis and marched across the country to Chattanooga, taking part in the assault upon Mission Ridge, and after moving into East Tennessee returned and went into camp at Scottsboro, Alabama, where the veterans were furloughed. It joined Sherman's Atlanta campaign in May, 1864, taking part in all the battles to Atlanta. After pursuing Hood into Northern Alabama it returned south and marched to the Sea. It shared in the capture of Fort McAllister and moved through the Carolinas, then north to Washington; and after the close of the war went to Arkansas, where it was mustered out August 16, 1865. This Regiment lost over 300 men in killed and wounded during its term of service.

From Dyer's Compendium

53rd Regiment Infantry. Organized at Jackson, Ohio, September 3, 1861, to February 11, 1862. Ordered to Paducah, Ky., February 16. Attached to District of Paducah, Ky., to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, District of Memphis, 13th Army Corps, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps. to July, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, to July, 1865. Dept. of Arkansas to August, 1865.
SERVICE.--Moved from Paducah, Ky., to Savannah, Tenn., March 6-10, 1862. Expedition to Yellow Creek, Miss., and occupation of Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 14-17. Expedition toward Eastport, Miss., April 1-2. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Corinth Road, Monterey, April 8. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. March to Memphis, Tenn., via Moscow, Lafayette, Grand Junction and Holly Springs, June 1-July 21. Duty at Memphis and along Memphis & Charleston Railroad till November. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on the Mississippi Central Railroad to the Yockna River November, 1862, to January, 1863. Moved to LaGrange, Tenn., January, 1863, and duty there till June. Moved to Memphis, thence to Young's Point, La., June 9-12. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., June 12-July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Bolton's Ferry July 4-6. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Camp at Big Black till September 26. Moved to Memphis, thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 26-November 20. Operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama October 20-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November 28-December 28. Duty at Scottsboro, Ala., till March, 1864. Veterans on furlough till April. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May to September. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Near Resaca May 13. 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. Bush Mountain June 15. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Ruff's Mills July 3-4. Chattahoochie River July 6-17. Battle of Atlanta July 22. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Ezra Chapel, Hood's 2nd sortie. July 28. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Near Jonesboro August 30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. Turkeytown and Gadsden Road, Ala., October 25. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Fort McAllister December 13. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Salkehatchie Swamps, S.C., February 2-5. Cannon's Bridge, South Edisto River, February 8. North Edisto River February 11-13. Columbia February 16-17. Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21. 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, thence to Little Rock, Ark., and duty there till August. Mustered out August 11, 1865. Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 76 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 6 Officers and 190 Enlisted men by disease. Total 276.

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

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Copyright © 1995 Larry Stevens

Last updated December 13 2010