The 12th Ohio Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Service

The 12th Ohio Cavalry Regiment was organized at Camp Taylor in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

, and mustered in November 24, 1863, for a three years under the command of

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Robert Wilson Ratliff. The regiment was attached to 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, XXIII Corps, District of Kentucky,

Department of the Ohio The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River. 1st Department 1861–1862 Gene ...

, to July 1864. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, District of Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of East Tennessee,

Department of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

, to July 1865. Cavalry Brigade, District East Tennessee, to November 1865. The 12th Ohio Cavalry mustered out of service November 14, 1865, at

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

Detailed service

Duty at

Camp Chase Camp Chase was a military staging and training camp established in Columbus, Ohio, in May 1861 after the start of the American Civil War. It also included a large Union-operated prison camp for Confederate prisoners during the American Civil Wa ...

, Ohio, until February 1864,

Johnson's Island Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Initially, ...

(Company C as Guards) and at

Camp Dennison Camp Dennison was a military recruiting, training, and medical post for the United States Army during the American Civil War. It was located near Cincinnati, Ohio, not far from the Ohio River. The camp was named for Cincinnati native William ...

until March. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., March 31, 1862. Operations against Morgan's invasion of Kentucky May 31-June 20, 1864. Action at Mt. Sterling, Ky., June 9. Cynthiana June 12. Skirmish at Lebanon, Ky., July 30 (1 company). Burbridge's Expedition into southwestern Virginia September 20-October 17. McCormack's Farm September 23. Laurel Mountain September 29. Action at Saltville, Va., October 2. Stoneman's Raid from Bean's Station, Tenn., into southwestern Virginia, December 10–29. Bristol December 14. Marion December 17–18. Saltville December 20–21. Stoneman's Raid into southwestern Virginia and western North Carolina March 21-April 25, 1865. Wilkesborough March 29. Wilkinsville N.C., April 8. Danbury April 9. Statesville and Salem April 11. Salisbury April 12. Dallas and Catawba River April 17. Swannanoah Gap April 20. Howard's Gap, Blue Ridge Mountains, April 22. Asheville April 25. Duty in middle Tennessee, eastern Tennessee, and North Carolina, until November 1865.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 164 men during service; 50 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded and 112 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Robert Wilson Ratliff

Notable members

* Corporal

Merriman Colbert Harris Merriman Colbert Harris (July 9, 1846 – May 8, 1921) was a Missionary Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1904, who was active in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Japan. Birth and family Merriman was born July 9 ...

, Company H -

Missionary Bishop A missionary bishop is one assigned in the Anglican Communion to an area that is not already organized under a bishop of a church. The term was also used in the Methodist churches at one time, but this was discontinued in 1964. Anglican churches I ...

of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

, elected in 1904. * Bugler William Allen Magee, Company M - Third-last verified surviving Union veteran of the Civil War. He died January 23, 1953, in

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

, at age 106. He is listed as enlisting as a bugler on October 20, 1863, at age 18 (a 2-year age exaggeration).

References

* Bushong, William. ''The Last Great Stoneman Raid'' (S.l.: s.n.), 1910. uthor served in Company C* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Mason, Frank Holcomb. ''The Twelfth Ohio Cavalry: A Record of Its Organization, and Services in the War of the Rebellion, Together With a Complete Roster of the Regiment'' (Cleveland, OH: Nevins' Steam Printing House), 1871. * Ohio Roster Commission. ''Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War on the Rebellion, 1861–1865, Compiled Under the Direction of the Roster Commission'' (Akron, OH: Werner Co.), 1886–1895. * Reid, Whitelaw. ''Ohio in the War: Her Statesmen, Her Generals, and Soldiers'' (Cincinnati, OH: Moore, Wilstach, & Baldwin), 1868. * Sheldon, R. H. ''History of the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry'' (Philadelphia, PA: Grand Army Scout and Soldiers' Mail), 1885. ;Attribution *

External links

Ohio in the Civil War: 12th Ohio Cavalry by Larry Stevens

Booklet from the third annual reunion of the 12th Ohio Cavalry, 1888

Regimental flag of the 12th Ohio Cavalry

Guidon of the 12th Ohio Cavalry

Another guidon of the 12th Ohio Cavalry
{{Ohio in the Civil War Military units and formations established in 1863 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union army from Ohio 1863 establishments in Ohio