75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
This Regiment was organized at Camp John McLean, Ohio, from November 7, 1861 to January 8, 1862 to serve three years. The original members (except veterans) were mustered out by detachments at different dates, from November 16, 1864 to January 17, 1865 by reason of expiration of term of service, and the veterans and recruits consolidated into a Battalion of two companies and retained in service until July 27, 1865, when it mustered out in accordance with the orders from the War Department.. N.C. McClean was commissioned Colonel, R.A. Constable, Lt. Colonel & Robert Reilly Major. The Regiment began it's service with 984 officers and men.
The following is the official list of battles in which this Regiment bore an honorable part
3 Officers & 105 Enlisted died in battle or were mortally wounded in battle.
1 Officer and 63 Enlisted died of disease or other cause.
1 Officer and 28 Enlisted died as Prisoners of War.
This took place on the morning September 7th. The duty on this Island was terribly severe, owing to the extreme heat and the impossibility of even temporary relief; the hot sun beating pitilessly on the heads and bodies of the devoted troops. Large numbers died from this cause. Disease killed more than the enemy’s shells. In fact, only 2 men were killed and 5 wounded of the 75th during the siege. Soon after the fall of Morris Island, the 75th, together with it’s brigade, was sent down to Folly Island where it remained until February 22nd, 1864 (just after the Battle of Olustee, Florida). It was then sent to Jacksonville, Florida, and shortly thereafter mounted. From that time the regiment was designated in orders as the Seventy-fifth Mounted Infantry and performed all the duties of a regular cavalry regiment. On April 25th, General Birney, commanding the District of Florida, sent Col. Andrew L. Harris with the 75th on a raid to the head-waters of the St. John and Kissinnee Rivers, for the purpose of breaking up a system of blockade-running carried on in the Rebel cause along the Indian River. The regiment proceeded as far as Lake Harmer when it was divided into two parts; one division went to Smyrna, on the coast, where it captured two schooners loaded with cotton, and sent them together with their crew, safely to St. Augustine. The remainder of the regiment continued their march southward, captured and destroyed 500 bales of cotton, destroyed 3 salt furnaces and burned a large lot of resin, tar and turpentine stored by the Rebels at Sand Point, on the Indian River, from which the detachment made its way to the head-waters of the Kissinnee River, and captured a large lot of cattle driven there by the Rebel owners to prevent them from falling into the hands of the National army. The detachment brought in about 5000 head of fine beef cattle, an article just then much needed by the National forces in Florida. This was accomplished without the loss of a man. The regiment had scarcely time to rest and recruit its horses, when it was again dispatched to the head-waters of the St. John’s River for the purpose of protecting the Unionists of that locality from the barbarous cruelty of the Rebel cavalry. This expedition, though made with great rapidity, was only partially successful. The regiment was involved in actions near Rebel Camps Finegan and Milton in April and May. Rapidly following this, the 75th was ordered to Jacksonville to assist in repelling a threatened attack of the enemy. On its arrival, the regiment was placed on outpost duty, and hardly a day passed without a skirmish with the enemy – the 2nd Florida Cavalry – from whom a number of prisoners was taken, but not without loss on the part of the 75th. On July 12th, 1864, General Birney, tired of the constant and fruitless skirmishes with the enemy, determined to get in their rear, and if possible, force them to abandon their strong position at the Baldwin Crossing of the Florida Railroad by the Cedar Keys Railroad. The 75th was sent up the St. John’s River in steamboats to Black River (Creek), and there secretly disembarked and marched across the country to a point where the Florida RR crosses the St. Mary’s River. Here it burned the railroad bridge and a long range of trestle-work, and on the night of July 16th, burned 2000 barrels of resin near the enemy’s lines. The flanking movement proved entirely successful. The Rebels abandoned their works and on the next day, the 75thtook undisputed possession. This point being of great importance to the enemy, General Birney determined to hold it, and accordingly brought up his infantry force, while the enemy took up his position on the bank of the St. Mary’s, a distance of only 8 miles. Here, again, the 2nd Florida Rebel Cavalry tried its strength with the 75th in almost daily skirmishes, with slight loss to either side, excepting in the expenditure of horseflesh and excessive fatigue of constant duty every day. On August 10th, Gen. Birney was relieved as commander of the District of Florida by gen. Hatch. That General, as it turned out unfortunately for the 75th, sent it on an expedition to the rear of the enemy and into the interior of Florida. The horses of the regiment, by constant duty and without proper feed, were in bad condition for such service – so much so that but 200 of the command could be mounted at all. With this little band, Col. Harris started from Baldwin on the morning of August 14th; at daylight succeeded in getting in the rear of the enemy’s right flank, took a few prisoners, but was met by a much superior force, compelling him to ride night and day in order to keep out of the enemy’s hands. On the morning of August 17th, the regiment halted at Gainsville to rest, think it had distanced the enemy by several miles during the night. Before the regiment was ready to move the enemy attacked with a force of about 1400 men. No chance was left but to fight, as a retreat was impossible. The fight was kept up for 2 and a half hours, until the ammunition of the 75th giving out, no alternative was left but to surrender or cut their way through the enemy. The latter was tried, and partially succeeded. About half of the command getting through, and by swift marches reached Jacksonville. The 75th lost, in this affair, 5 men killed, 3 wounded and 100 captured. Those taken prisoners were held in Andersonville until their parole in April, 1865. On September 26th, 1864, companies A,B & C were sent to Columbus, Ohio for muster-out and in November companies D,G & F were also sent to the same place for the same purpose, their term of service having expired. On December 8th, Col. Harris with the 4 remaining companies of the 75th and the 107th Ohio, was sent from Jacksonville to Hilton Head, South Carolina; and from there to join Gen. Hatch’s forces, then essaying to make a diversion in favor of Gen. Sherman by threatening the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. After the fall of Savannah, the 75th was sent back to Jacksonville, Florida, to prepare the muster-out rolls and organize the veterans and recruits into a Veteran detachment. This was accomplished on January 15th, 1865 and thereafter the 75th Ohio was known as the Veteran Battalion under the command of Capt. William J. Rannells. This battalion performed valueable and arduous service at District Headquarters in Jacksonville. During the summer of 1865, the regiment was stationed at Tallahassa. In August it was mustered out of the service, thus ending the career of the 75th Ohio, and completing a record alike honorable to his members and to their State. {Information taken from Ohio in the Civil War: HER STATESMEN, Her Generals, and Soldiers. By Whitelaw Reid, 1872. Vol. 2, The History of Her Regiments and Other Military Organizations}