Regimental History in Brief
On the 29th of October 1861, the 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry mustered into federal service with 931 officers and men. It had been forming and drilling at Camp Wood in Cleveland for over a week when Colonel Hazen arrived on the 16th of September and took command of Camp Wood and the 41st. Being a regular army man and a West Point graduate, Col. Hazen set about inculcating military discipline and establishing the "schools" for the volunteer officers. The men drilled and performed military duties all day long, and late into the night the officers would attend Hazen's "school" to learn basic and advanced military tactics. After leaving Ohio (and following a short movement into Western Virginia, Colonel Hazen and the 41st were ordered to report to General Buell in Louisville, where the Army of the Ohio was forming.
At Louisville the 41st was assigned to Nelson's division. Already it was proving the worth of all the drill and discipline by being assigned as the teaching regiment of the 19th brigade. And they looked different. The 41st OVI never wore the regulation army cap, but instead wore the cadet cap, or kepi. They also drilled using the old Scott's Tactics or heavy infantry manual. They used Scott's for the duration of the war.
Initially, they were issued the worthless Greenwood rifle, a state issued arm that was a .69 cal. smoothbore that had been rifled by contract with a Mr. Greenwood of Cincinnati. These were notoriously inaccurate and the men threw them away for captured confederate Enfields whenever they could. Eventually they were issued Springfields, which were regarded as good weapons.
Aside from some skirmishing, the
"baptism by fire" for the 41st was Shiloh. Here is a list of
the major actions the 41st took part in, excluding skirmishing:
|
-Shiloh (TN) |
April 6-7, 1862 |
||
|
-Stone River (TN) |
|
||
|
- Woodbury (TN) |
Jan 24th, 1863 |
||
|
-Chickamauga (GA) |
Sept. 19-20, 1863 |
||
|
-Brown's Ferry (TN) |
Oct. 27, 1863 |
||
|
-Chattanooga (TN) |
Nov. 23-25, 1863 |
||
|
Orchard Knob |
|
||
|
Mission Ridge |
|
||
|
-Rocky Face Ridge (GA) |
May 5-9, 1864 |
||
|
-Resaca (GA) |
May 13-16, 1864 |
||
|
-Adairsville (GA) |
May 17-18, 1864 |
||
|
-Cassville (GA) |
May 19-22, 1864 |
||
|
-Dallas (GA) |
May 25 - June 4, 1864 |
||
|
-Picketts Mills (GA) |
May 27, 1864 |
||
|
-Kennesaw Mountain (GA) |
June 9-30, 1864 |
||
|
-Chattahoochee River (GA) |
July 6-10, 1864 |
||
|
-Atlanta Campaign (GA) |
July 28 - Sept. 2, 1864 |
||
|
-Lovejoy Station (GA) |
Sept. 2-6, 1864 |
||
|
-Franklin (TN) |
Nov. 30, 1864 |
||
|
-Nashville (TN) |
Dec. 15-16, 1864 |
The 41st was then sent to San Antonio, Texas and environs. In the middle of November 1865 the regiment reached Columbus. It was mustered out of service on November 26th.
It was a "typical" unit from Ohio -- Fighting in the West and making a good account of itself. But its outstanding service record and deportment on both the battlefield and drill-field alike make it a remarkable regiment indeed.
Reprinted from The 41st Ohio Volunteer
Infantry Membership Handbook.
*Look for full original roster during the next few months! Updated
regularly. Check back often.