37th Ohio Infantry Regiment


The 37th Ohio Infantry Regiment was a Union Army regiment, composed of German-Americans, in the American Civil War. It was organized in the fall of 1861, under Colonel Edward Siber, and served in the Kanawha Valley until December 1862. It joined the Union army operating against Vicksburg, Mississippi, in January 1863, and participated in the various engagements of the siege. After the fall of that stronghold it was moved across Tennessee from Memphis to Chattanooga, and took part in operations of the 15th Corps, subsequent to, and at the taking of Atlanta, Georgia. It then followed the fortunes of that well-known corps until the reaching of Washington, D.C. From Louisville, Kentucky, it went with the 2nd Division of the Corps to Little Rock, Arkansas, and was there mustered out in August 1865.

Service

The 37th Ohio Infantry Regiment was organized was organized at Cleveland, recruited among the Germans of Cleveland, Toledo, St. Marys, Youngstown, Columbus, and Chillicothe. It trained at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and mustered on October 2, 1861, to serve three years.
The regiment was ordered to the Kanawha Valley, West Virginia and attached to Benham's Brigade, District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, to October, 1861.
District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, to March, 1862.
2nd Brigade, Kanawha Division, Department of the Mountains, to May, 1862.
2nd Brigade, Kanawha Division, West Virginia, to August, 1862.
District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, Department of the Ohio, to December, 1862.
Ewing's Brigade, Kanawha Division, West Virginia, to January, 1863.
3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to October, 1863.
2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 15th Army Corps, to June, 1865.
Department of Arkansas to August, 1865.
On expiration of its term of service the original members were mustered out, and the organization, composed of veterans and recruits, retained in the service until August 7. 1865, when it was mustered out in accordance with orders from the War Department.

Detailed service

The 37th OVI's detailed service is as follows :

1861

  • Operations in the Kanawha District and New River Regiment, West Virginia, October 19-November 16, 1861.
  • Duty at Clifton until March, 1862.

1862

1863

  • To Young's Point, La., January 21, 1863, and duty there until March.
  • Expedition to Rolling Fork via Muddy, Steele's and Black Bayous and Deer Creek March 14–27.
  • Demonstrations on Haines and Drumgould's Bluffs April 27-May 1.
  • Movement to join army in rear of Vicksburg, Miss., via Richmond and Grand Gulf May 2–14.Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4.Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22.
  • Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5–10.Siege of Jackson July 10–17.
  • Camp at Big Black until September 26.
  • Moved to Memphis, thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 26-November 21.
  • Operations on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama October 20–29.
  • Bear Creek, Tuscumbia, October 27.Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23–27.
  • Tunnel Hill November 24–25.Battle of Missionary Ridge November 25.
  • March to relief of Knoxville November 29-December 8.

1864

1865

Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865.
  • Salkehatchie Swamp, S.C., February 2–5.
  • Cannon's Bridge, South Edisto River, February 8.
  • North Edisto River February 12–13.
  • Columbia February 16–17.Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20–21.
  • Mill Creek March 22.
  • 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 until August.
  • Mustered out August 7, 1865.

Medal of Honor recipients

Ten men earned the Medal of Honor while serving with the 37th Ohio.
Six were awarded the medal for their actions on May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg:
  • Private Joseph Hanks — Rescuing a wounded comrade and five others
  • Corporal Franz Frey — Participating in a diversionary "forlorn hope" attack on Confederate defenses, 22 May 1863.
  • Private Sampson Harris — Participating in the same "forlorn hope."
  • Private William John — Participating in the same "forlorn hope."
  • Corporal Louis Renninger — Participating in the same "forlorn hope."
  • Private Frederick Rock — Participating in the same "forlorn hope."
  • Corporal Christian Schnell — Participating in the same "forlorn hope."
At the Battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863:
  • Musician John S. Kountz — picked up a rifle and joined the attack, and was seriously wounded
  • Private William Schmidt — subsequently rescued Kountz from under heavy fire.
The regiment's last medal was earned on July 28, 1864, during the Battle of Ezra Church:
  • Sergeant Ernst Torgler — Saved the badly wounded commanding officer, Major Charles Hipp, from capture.

Casualties

The regiment lost during service 9 Officers and 102 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and 1 Officer and 94 Enlisted men by disease for a total of 206 fatalities.

Commander