In early May 1864, the 92nd Regiment of the
Ohio National Guard and the 44th Battalion (
Mahoning County) were consolidated to form the 155th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The new unit was organized Sunday, May 8, at
Camp Dennison (
Cincinnati, Ohio) with 838 men under the command of
Colonel Harley H. Sage for one hundred days' service. Sage had previously served in the
13th Ohio Infantry and
43rd Ohio Infantry, and had commanded the 92nd Regiment, Ohio National Guard before taking command of the 155th.
On May 12, the 155th OVI left for
New Creek, West Virginia. The regiment did garrison duty at
Martinsburg until June 3, when it moved to
Washington, D.C. From there, it moved into
Virginia to White House,
Bermuda Hundred and then
City Point. On June 29, it went into an entrenched camp at
Norfolk, where it remained until July 27 as a part of the
Army of the James. On that date, a Union expeditionary force (including the 155th Ohio, 20th New York Cavalry, 1st U.S. Volunteers, and two sections of the 8th New York Independent Battery) left Norfolk for
Elizabeth City,
North Carolina. The troops marched the forty miles or so south to Elizabeth City to capture horses, cotton, tobacco and other contraband. On August 6, 1864, the regiment returned to Natick. Fifteen days later, its term of enlistment expiring, the 155th was ordered home. The regiment returned to
Ohio and was mustered out August 27, 1864. The 155th Ohio lost during its service 20 enlisted men by disease.[1]
July 27 - Expedition to Elizabeth City, North Carolina
July 28 - Arrived at Elizabeth City, North Carolina
August - Returned to Norfolk, Virginia
August - Left for Ohio
August 24 - Arrived at Camp Dennison, Ohio
August 27 - Mustered out
Statistics
The men of the 155th varied greatly in age, with 52 men aged 40 and older. The oldest recruit was 48-year-old Private McAlister of Company A, and the youngest was 13-year-old William Barker, a musician with Company B. There was also 14-year-old Private Jimmy Ross of Company K.
Five companies of the 155th were from
Pickaway County, Ohio—A, C, E, H, & I. Company H showed 83 men on the official roster; however two of the men never mustered, and another was discharged the day after muster on a Surgeon's Certificate of Disability. The remaining 80 active men of Company H ranged in age from a 15-year-old boy (the musician) to a 44-year-old sergeant. The average age of the company was 27, with 31 men aged 21 or younger, and six men aged 40 or over.[2]
Field & staff
Harley H. Sage, Colonel
Roswell Shurtleff, Lt. Colonel
Peter Lutz, Major
R. G. McLean, Surgeon
R. S. Stansbury, Surgeon
Thomas J. Watkins, Adjutant
Joseph Wallace, Regimental Quartermaster
Samuel M. Bright, Chaplain
Charles N. Dodd, Sergeant Major
Archibald Armstrong, Quartermaster Sergeant
Joseph B. Dunlap, Commissary Sergeant
William R. Elder, Hospital Steward
Charles B. Dowe, Principal Musician
Roll of Honor
Clavin, Wilson T., Sergeant, Co. D - died July 13, 1864, at Norfolk, Virginia
Howard, Cowden, Private, Co. G - died July 14, 1864, at Norfolk, Virginia
Holiday, Lewis, Private, Co. E - died July 15, 1864, at Norfolk, Virginia
Justice, G.A., Private, Co. F - died July 17, 1864
McKinlay, William, Private, Co. E - died July 18, 1864, at Washington, D.C.
Hunter, William, Private, Co. C - died July 19, 1864
McCollum, Joel, Private, Co. D - died July 20, 1864, at
Portsmouth, Virginia
Warner, A.O., Private, Co. E - died July 21, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Miller, James C., Private, Co. D - died July 31, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Martz, Soloman, Private, Co. G - died August 1, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Leopard, Manuel, Private, Co. D - died August 4, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Baker, Lawrence, Private, Co. D - died August 5, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Brothers, John W., 1st Sergt., Co. D - died August 13, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Floor, Hiram, Private, Co. G - died August 14, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
McClain, John, Private, Co. H - died August 15, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Shafer, David, Private, Co. G - died August 16, 1864, at Norfolk, Virginia
Haggard, Thomas C., Private, Co. I - died August 21, 1864, at Portsmouth, Virginia
Kennedy, Henderson G., Private, Co. D - died August 25, 1864, at Washington, D.C.
Cunningham, Benj. C., Private, Co. B - died August 27, 1864
Jacobs, Thomas, Private, Company B - died September 3, 1864, at Washington, D.C.