The Thirty-first Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Chase, in August, 1861, under Col. Moses B. Walker.

Company F, of this regiment, was recruited in Union County, and mustered into the service with A. J. Sterling as Captain; J. A. Cahill, First Lieutenant; John Hartshorn, Second Lieutenant, and J. J. Miller; First Sergeant.

Of the one hundred and fifteen men from this county who served in Company F, twenty-four died on the field and in the hospitals, twenty-eight were wounded, and five were taken prisoners. Several other companies of this regiment also contained representatives from Union County.

About the 1st of October, the Thirty-first crossed the Ohio River and entered Kentucky, where it was disciplined, drilled, and prepared for the duties of the field. In January, 1862, it marched to the assistance of Gen. Thomas, and took part in the battle of Mill Springs, after which it was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Army of the Ohio.

It joined Buell's army at Nashville, moved to Pittsburg Landing, then took part in the siege of Corinth. In June, it moved upon Iuka, and, after its capture, proceeded toward Tuscumbia. The Thirty-first continued to operate in Tennessee until Buell's campaign in Kentucky opened, when it participated in that terrible march from Battle Creek to Louisville, and wait present at the battle of Perryville, Ky. In November, the regiment, unaided by other troops, defeated a brigade of Confederate cavalry, commanded by Gen. Bazel Duke, near Gallatin, Tenn.

The Thirty-first was assigned to the Fourteenth Army Corps at the time that corps was organized, and "the boys" of this regiment wore the "Blue Acorn" signifying the Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps - until mustered out.

In the battle of Stone River, this regiment occupied the right center, and was in the brigade that turned the rebel lines at Hoover's Gap. Moving through Tullahoma to Chattanooga, it was next engaged at Chickamauga, on the 19th and 20th of September, and held a position on Snodgrass Hill, in that portion of the army commanded by Gen. Thomas in person. In this battle, Company F lost P. L. Seaman, D. M. Cahill and Elmer Danforth, killed; Harrison Hosack and R. S. Res, mortally wounded; Capt. A. J. Sterling, H. S. Colver, J. N. Carter, James Cooley, D. W. McIlroy, J. J. Miller, J. A. North, Allen Strickland, H. N. W. Simmons, J. H. Thompson, Winfield Winters, R. Williams, L . B. Glenn, D. J. Cheney and B. Tucker wounded, and N. F. Swank taken prisoner-twenty-one out of the forty-three who answered to roll-call on the morning of the 19th.

The regiment was next engaged at Brown's Ferry, then followed the battle of Mission Ridge, where the colors of the Thirty-first were the first to wave on the enemy's works. It was specially complimented Tented by General Thomas for its gallant service on this occasion.

In January, 1864, the Thirty-first re-enlisted, and on the expiration of veteran furlough, joined Sherman's army at Ringgold, and was in the front line from Chattanooga to Atlanta, sustaining heavy losses at Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and Sand Town Road. Company F lost in this campaign Capt. James A. Cahill, W. W. McKee, William Williams' J , H. Chapman and John Smith, killed; William Knox and S. T. Merrill, mortally wounded, and J. Harriman, E. Clark, S. McNeil, W. M. Blake, E. Brown, M. Blue, T. H. Chapman, H. E. W. Fields, H. T. Shirk, D. J. Phelps and E. Lister, wounded.

This regiment was in the left wing of Sherman's army "while marching through Georgia;" then moving from Savannah through the Carolinas, was in the battle of Bentonville, and near Raleigh at the time of Johnston's surrender; marched to Washington City and took part in the grand review on the 25th of May, 1865.

The Thirty-first was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 20, and discharged at Columbus, Ohio, on the 26th of July, 1865, proud to have belonged to the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by George H. Thomas, and of its faded "battle flag," all tattered and torn, which it had carried over the hills of Western Kentucky, against Morgan and Wheeler, across the State of Tennessee to the field of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth, on Buell's march to Louisville, Ky. Then upon the fields of Perryville, Harrodsburg, Cage Ford, Lavergne, Stone River, Triune, Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma, McMinnville and Chickamauga, where eight of its brave defenders were shot down while bearing the old flag aloft; again at Brown's Ferry and Mission Ridge-where two more of its bearers - fell home on veteran furlough, then into the battles of Tunnel Hill, Rocky Face Gap and Resaca.

"The banner was rent with seam and gash," having been pierced by eighty-nine bullets, and the staff by ten more.

© 2007 Chris Merriman