131st Ohio Infantry

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=131st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry


caption=Ohio flag
country=United States of America
allegiance= Union
type=Infantry
branch=Ohio National Guard
dates=May – August 1864
specialization=garrison and guard duty
command_structure=
size=871 soldiers at outset of the war
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
nickname=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=none
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 131st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (or 131st OVI) was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

History

The 131st OVI was mustered into the service at Camp Chase in Columbus on May 14, 1864, as an Ohio National Guard unit. It was a part of the Hundred Days Regiments commissioned by Ohio Governor John Brough as rear guard troops in an effort to free up veteran regiments for front-line combat duty in an all-out effort to seize Richmond, Virginia, and hasten the end of the war. Its commander was Col. John G. Lowe.

On May 15, the new regiment travelled by train to Baltimore, Maryland, where it was assigned to the Second Separate Brigade of the VIII Corps. The 131st never saw any combat. Instead, it primarily served on garrison duty at Fort McHenry, then at Fort Marshall and Federal Hill. Detachments served at Washington D.C., Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, Fortress Monroe, and City Point, Virginia. On August 19 the regiment was ordered to return to Ohio because the soldiers were nearing the end of their short term of enlistment. The 865 remaining men mustered out at Camp Chase on August 25, 1864. The 131st Regiment lost two enlisted men by disease during its service.

ee also

*Ohio in the Civil War

References

* Dyer, Frederick Henry, "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion." 3 volumes. New York: T. Yoseloff, 1908.
* Reid, Whitelaw, "Ohio in the War: Her Statesmen, Her Generals, and Soldiers." Volume 2. Cincinnati: Moore, Wilstach, & Baldwin, 1868.

Further reading

* Ohio Roster Commission. "Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War on the Rebellion, 1861–1865, compiles under the direction of the Roster commission." 12 vol. Akron: Werner Co., 1886–95.

External links

* [http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw131.html Ohio in the Civil War: 131st OVI by Larry Stevens]
* [http://www.ohiohistory.org/etcetera/exhibits/fftc/relicroom/ Battleflags of OVI regiments at the Ohio Historical Society]
* [http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.htm National Park Service: Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System]