103rd Ohio Infantry

103rd OVI complex in Avon Lake

The 103rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was a three-years' infantry regiment from northeastern Ohio that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It participated in many of the campaigns and battles of the Army of the Ohio in the Western Theater.

On July 21, 1862, William B. Castle, as chairman of the District Military Committee in Cleveland, sent a letter to Governor David Tod, enclosing a copy of a resolution recommending that the appointment of company officers for the 103rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.^[1] The new regiment was to draw members from Cuyahoga County, Lorain County and Medina County.

The 103rd OVI was organized at Cleveland in August 1862 under command of Colonel John S. Casement. It was ordered to Kentucky on September 3, 1862, and attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Kentucky, Department of the Ohio. The regiment saw action in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

The 103rd mustered out on June 12, 1865. It lost during its term of service two officers and 137 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and three officers and 106 enlisted men by disease, a total 248 fatalities.

In 1866, veterans formed the 103rd O.V.I. Association. They and/or their descendants have held a reunion every year since, the only U.S. organization of its kind. The association operates the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Museum in Sheffield Lake, Ohio that houses, preserves and displays historic Civil War relics which have been inherited, collected by or donated to the descendants of the members.

See also

• Ohio in the American Civil War
• Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
• Cleveland in the Civil War

References

External links

• 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Civil War Museum
• 103rd Ohio Infantry, compiled by Larry Stevens
• 103rd OVI website

Ohio in the American Civil War
1861	Early military recruiting Camp Chase Camp Dennison Camp Harrison Camp Thomas Department of the Ohio McClellan's Buckeyes seize western Virginia Fighting McCooks Johnson's Island POW camp
1862	Anti-war movement Knights of the Golden Circle First Confederate incursion into Ohio Defense of Cincinnati Black Brigade of Cincinnati
1863	"Fort Fizzle" Morgan's Raid Battle of Buffington Island Battle of Salineville
1864-65	Hundred Days Men Ohio's generals and admirals Ohio's regiments Cincinnati in the War Cleveland in the War Buckeye POWs and the Sultana
Post-war	Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument