65th 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
• National Tribune. Dandridge Fiasco. Joel Wright. March 29, 1883
• National Tribune. Spring Hill to Franklin. Brewer Smith. February 5, 1885
• National Tribune. The Army Pests. W.F. Hinman. June 18, 1885. Body Lice
• National Tribune. Chattanooga and Franklin. Phillip Peter McCune. December 24, 1885
• National Tribune. Chattanooga and Franklin. P.P. McCune. December 24, 1886
• National Tribune. Explosive Musket Balls. J.W. Delano. November 4, 1886
• National Tribune. Franklin. Brewer Smith. June 28, 1888
• Corporal Si Klegg and His "Pard". How they Lived and Talked, and What They Did and Suffered, While Fighting for the Flag. by Wilbur F. Hinman, late Lieutenant-Colonel Sixty-Fifth Regiment, Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry. N.G.Hamilton & Co. Cleveland, Ohio 1889
  Reprint: J.W. Henry Pub. Ashburn. Virginia. 1997
• Charity for All. Wilbur F. Hinman. The Ohio Soldier. pgs. 123-124. Number 96. Volume 3. Number 8. November 23, 1889
• Reminiscences of the War. Samuel P. Snider. Read June 6, 1888. In: Glimpses of the Nations Struggle, Second Series. Minnesota MOLLUS. pgs. 234-244. St. Paul Book and Stationary Company. St. Paul. Minnesota. 1890
• Camp and Field. Sketches of Army Life. Written by those who followed the Flag. '61-'65. Compiled by W.F. Hinman, Author of "Corporal Si Klegg and His Pard," etc. The N.G. Hamilton Publishing Co. Cleveland, O. 1892
• Specific Articles by Wilbur F. Hinman. 65th OVI. In: Camp and Field. Sketches of Army Life. Written by those who followed the Flag. '61-'65. Compiled by W.F. Hinman, Author of "Corporal Si Klegg and His Pard," etc. 704 pgs. The N.G. Hamilton Publishing Co. Cleveland, O. 1892. Thanks to L.M. Strayer for these references.
  1: The "Tenderfoot." The Painful Process Which Transformed the Recruit Into the Soldier. pgs. 27-30
  2: A Chickamauga Experience. A Struggle for the Mastery in the Woods of Northern Georgia. How it Feels to Have Ones Blood Let Out by a Bullet. pgs. 192-196
  3: A Story of Shiloh. A Night March in a Thunder-storm and What We Did After We Got There. Sixty-Eight Hours of Tramping and Picketing Without Sleep. pgs. 208-218
  4: Stone River. The Struggle Between Rosecrans and Bragg at Murfreesboro. The Experience of a Regiment That Was Very Much "In It." pgs. 246-251
  5: Flanking Atlanta. How We Maneuvered Hood Out of His Strong Hold by Cutting His Line of Supply. pgs. 408-410
  6: Spring Hill and Franklin. How the Army of the Cumberland Got Out of a Tight Pinch. pgs. 436-442
  7: How We Yelled. Making a Night of It Over the News of Lee's Surrender. pgs. 663-664
  
• The Story of the Sherman Brigade. The Camp, the March, the Bivouac, the Battle, and how "The Boys" lived and died, during four years of active service. Sixty-Fourth O.V.V.I., Sixty-Fifth O.V.V.I, Sixth Battery, O.V.V.A., McLaughlin's Squadron, O.V.V.C. With 368 illustrations. by Wilbur F. Hinman, late Lieutenant-Colonel Sixty Fifth Ohio Regiment. 1104 pgs. Published by Author. Alliance, Ohio 1897
• National Tribune. An Ohio Officer's Experience. John Body. January 10, 1901
• National Tribune. Operations Around Chattanooga. Joel Wright. June 19, 1902
• National Tribune. Spring Hill. Henry G. Crum. August 17, 1905
• National Tribune. Col. Streight's Escape. Thomas C. Mays. February 28, 1907
• National Tribune. The Battle of Franklin. W.J. Shafer. February 24, 1916
• Civil War Letters. Washington Gardner. 65th OVI. 1845-1928. Michigan History Magazine. Vol. I. No. 2. pgs.3-18. 1917
• National Tribune. Was in the Enemy's Camp at Franklin. W.J. Shafer. February 7, 1929
• A Union Surgeon Views the War from Kentucky. John C. Gill. Edited by Harry F. Lupold. In: Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. pgs. 272-275. Volume 72. July. 1974
• Unit Bibliography. U.S. Army Military History Institute. Carlisle Barracks. PA. 1995
• The Life and Poems of Thomas Lemon. Thomas Lemon. 32 pgs. Published by Thomas Lemon. ND. Western Reserve Historical Society. Cleveland. Ohio
• Morrill Civil War Collection (#11031). Wilbur F. Hawxhurst letters by Corporal Wilbur F. Hawxhurst, Co. E 65th O.V.I.. 109 items and Charles P. Morrill letters by Charles P. Morrill, 24th Maine Infantry..35 items. Prepared by Ervin L. Jordan, Jr. Assistant Professor, Curator of Technical Services. University of Virginia Library. Morrill Civil War Collection (#11031), Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-2498
• 65th OVI Page. From Ohio in the War by Whitelaw Reid. Published on the web by Larry Stevens. Newark, Ohio 1995
• Colors of the 65th O.V.I. Painting and Original Photo. Fight for the Colors. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio. 2000
• William Henry Harrison Smith & Photos. William H.H. Smith 65th OVI. by Alice L. Luckhardt. 2003
• Sleeping With the Enemy. Story of Capt. Orlow Smith, Company G, 65th Ohio. From: The Story of the Sherman Brigade. Wilbur F. Hinman. Alliance. Ohio. Press of Daily Review. 1897. Published on the web by Rick Baumgartner at Blue Acorn Press. 2004

Civil War photo from New Orleans. 65th OVI Officers.
Standing L to R, 1st Lt. and Adj. Edwin Ely Scranton, Sutler George W. McKenzie, 1st Lt. Ezekiel "Zeke" Moores, 1st Lt. William A. Bell, 1st Lt. and QM John C. Zollinger.
Sitting L to R, Capt. Joseph Francis Sonnanstine Jr., Capt. Otho M. Shipley, Capt. Phillip Peter McCune. Image courtesy of Sarah E & Matt A

History

Organized October 3d, 1861, and mustered in December 1st, under Colonel Charles G. Harker, it proceeded to Kentucky and joined General Wood's Division. In April 1862, it marched to the Shiloh battle field and was engaged on the afternoon of the second day. It participated in the siege of Corinth and after the evacuation guarded the Tennessee River until August, when it joined the race with Bragg to Louisville. It soon returned to Nashville, and in December took active part in the battle of Stone River, losing over 150 men; and again fought at Chickamauga, losing 80 men. The Regiment participated in the battle of Mission Ridge, and joined Sherman's Atlanta campaign, being actively engaged entrenching and fighting all the way. In a charge upon Kenesaw Mountain, General Harker, former Colonel of the Regiment, was killed. After Atlanta fell it moved north against Hood and fought at Franklin and Nashville; again pursued Hood southward across the Tennessee. At the close of the war it moved to New Orleans and then to Texas, where it performed garrison duty until mustered out in December 1865.

From Dyer's Compendium

65th Regiment Infantry. Organized at Mansfield, Ohio, October 3 to November 14, 1861. Moved to Louisville, Ky., December 18; thence to Bardstown and to Hall's Gap, Ky., January 13, 1862. Attached to 20th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to January, 1862. 20th Brigade, 6th Division, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 20th Brigade, 6th Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Left Wing 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 21st Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to June, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of Texas to December, 1865.
SERVICE.--March to Munfordsville, Ky., thence to Nashville, Tenn., February 7-March 13, and to Savannah, Tenn., March 29-April 6. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Pursuit to Booneville June 1-12. Duty along Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama and at Bridgeport, Ala., till August 21, 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 (Reserve). March to Nashville, Tenn., October 15-November 7, and duty there till December 26. Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 26-30. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro till June. Reconnoissance to Nolensville and Versailles January 13-15. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Reconnoissance toward Chattanooga September 7. Lookout Valley September 7-8. Occupation of Chattanooga September 9. Lee and Gordon's Mills September 11-13. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-20. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Pursuit to Graysville November 26-27. March to relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November 28-December 8. Operations in East Tennessee till April, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Demonstrations on Rocky Face Ridge and Dalton May 8-13. Buzzard's Roost Gap or Mill springs May 8-9. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Near Calhoun May 16. Adairsville May 17. 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 Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Pine Hill 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. Buckhead, Nancy's Creek, July 18. Peach Tree 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 Station September 2-6. Operations in North Georgia and North Alabama against Hood October 4-26. Nashville Campaign November-December. Columbia, Duck River, November 24-27. Spring Hill November 29. 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 till March, 1865. Operations in East Tennessee March 15-April 22. At Nashville, Tenn., till June. Moved to New Orleans, La., June 16; thence to Texas and duty at San Antonio till December. Mustered out November 30, 1865, and honorably discharged from service January 2, 1866. Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 114 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 6 Officers and 129 Enlisted men by disease. Total 257.

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 July 11 2010