39th Ohio Infantry

compiled by Larry Stevens

References for this Unit

Groesbeck Photo
Col. John Groesbeck 39th OVI
Web Publishing Copyright © 1998 Larry Stevens

History

Mustered into service at Camp Dennison in August, 1861, with John Groesbeck as Colonel, it went to St. Louis the same month and reported to General Fremont, taking part in the operations at New Madrid and Island No.10. Leaving that vicinity in the spring of 1862, it joined Halleck's movement against Corinth. In the fall, joining Grant's army at Grand Junction, it engaged in the numerous skirmishes in the advance on Oxford, Mississippi. The following spring found it in the Tuscumbia Valley under General Dodge, and in May at Memphis. Returning from veteran furlough in February, 1864, to Nashville, in May, it formed part of the 16th Corps on the Atlanta campaign. It lost one-third of its strength on July 22nd, at Atlanta, and terminated its fighting only at Bentonville, North Carolina, after passing through the various battles and skirmishes of the Savannah and Carolina campaign. The Regiment was a member of the famous Fuller's Ohio Brigade and re-enlisted more veterans than any Ohio unit. It mustered out at Louisville in July, 1865.

From Dyer's Compendium

39th Regiment Infantry. Organized at Camp Colerain and Camp Dennison, Ohio, July 31 to August 13, 1861. Left State for St. Louis, Mo., August 18; thence moved to Medon September 6 (9 Cos.). (Co. "K" served detached at St. Louis, Mo., September, 1861, to February, 1862.) Companies "A," "B," "E" and "I" on duty at St. Joseph, Mo., guarding Northern Missouri Railroad September, 1861, to February, 1862. Companies "C," "D," "F," "G" and "H" march to relief of Lexington, Mo., September 12-20; thence to Kansas City September 21-22. Attached to Army of the West and Dept. of Missouri to February, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Mississippi, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of Mississippi, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 8th Division, Left Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 8th Division, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. 4th Brigade, District of Corinth, Miss., 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, to May, 1863. 3rd Brigade, District of Memphis, Tenn., 5th Division, 16th Army Corps, to November, 1863. Fuller's Brigade, 2nd Division, 26th Army Corps, to January, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 16th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.--Fremont's advance on Springfield, Mo., October 15-November 2, 1861. March to Sedalia November 9-17. Duty at Sedalia and Syracuse, Mo., till February, 1862. Action at Shanghai December 1, 1861. Moved to St. Louis, Mo., February 2, 1862, thence to Commerce, Mo., February 22-24. Siege operations against New Madrid, Mo., March 3-14. Siege and capture of Island No. 10, Mississippi River, and pursuit to Tiptonville March 15-April 8. Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17. Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 18-22. Action at Monterey April 29. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Reconnoissance toward Corinth May 8. Near Corinth May 24. Occupation of Corinth and pursuit to Booneville May 30-June 12. Duty at Clear Creek till August 29. Battle of Iuka, Miss., September 19. Battle of Corinth, Miss., October 3-4. Pursuit to Ripley October 5-12. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November 2, 1862, to January 12, 1863. Expedition to Jackson December 18. Action at Parker's Cross Roads December 30. Red Mound or Parker's Cross Roads December 31. Duty at Corinth till April, 1863. Dodge's Expedition to Northern Alabama April 15-May 8. Rock Cut, near Tuscumbia, April 22. Tuscumbia April 23. Town Creek April 28. Duty at Memphis, Tenn., till October, and at Prospect, Tenn., till February, 1864. Reenlisted at Prospect December 26, 1863. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8, 1864. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Sugar Valley, near Resaca, May 9. 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. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Ruff's Mills July 3-4. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Battle of Atlanta July 22. 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 against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Monteith Swamp December 9. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Reconnoissance to the Salkehatchie River, S.C., January 20. Skirmishes at Rivers and Broxton Bridges, Salkehatchie River, February 2. Action at Rivers Bridge, Salkehatchie River, February 3. Binnaker's Bridge, South Edisto River, February 9. Orangeburg, North Edisto River, February 12-13. Columbia February 16-17. Juniper Creek, near Cheraw, March 3. Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21. Occupation of Goldsboro and Raleigh, 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. Mustered out July 9, 1865. Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 62 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 129 Enlisted men by disease. Total 196.

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Copyright © 1995 Larry Stevens

Last updated October 12 2012