American Civil War Regiments Regiment: 53rd Infantry Regiment Ohio Date of Organization: 6 Sep 1861 Muster Date: 11 Aug 1865 Regiment State: Ohio Regiment Type: Infantry Regiment Number: 53rd Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded: 4 Officers Died of Disease or Accident: 6 Enlisted Killed or Mortally Wounded: 76 Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident: 190 Regimental Soldiers and History: List of Soldiers

Regimental History
OHIO
FIFTY-THIRD INFANTRY
(Three Years)

Fifty-third Infantry. - Cols., Jesse J. Appler, Wells S.
Jones; Lieut.Cols., Robert A. Fulton, Preston R. Galloway;
Majs., Harrison S. Cox, Ephraim C. Dawes. This regiment was
organized at Camp Diamond Jackson, from Oct. 5, 1861, to Feb.
5, 1862, and mustered in for three years. On Feb. 16 it em-
barked on a steamboat at Portsmouth, O., and proceeded to Padu-
cah, Ky., where it was assigned to the 3d brigade of Sherman's
division. It maintained itself tolerably during the battle of
Shiloh, several of the companies keeping in almost perfect or-
der all the time. After the battle it remained in camp, en-
gaged in drilling, until April 29, when it advanced and took
part in the siege of Corinth. During the following year it was
employed in doing guard duty, building bridges, etc. and in
June, 1863, was sent to the vicinity of Vicksburg. It met the
enemy at the Black river, but after a little skirmishing re-
tired to Jackson. It assisted in the capture of that city and
then returned to the Black river and went into camp. It was
transferred to eastern Tennessee and participated in the battle
of Missionary ridge. In Jan., 1863, almost every man in the
regiment re-enlisted and after its furlough home was present at
the beginning of the Atlanta campaign. It participated in the
fighting at Resaca and Dallas, suffered severely in the engage-
ment at Kennesaw mountain, but after winning a position in a
hand-to-hand fight, held it for the remainder of the day under
a terrific fire of shot and shell. It was engaged at Ruff's
mill, being for an hour exposed to a heavy fire of grape and
shrapnel. It skirmished continually during the siege of At-
lanta, was closely engaged at Ezra Church and again on the Ma-
con railroad. It marched with Sherman to Savannah, shared in
the capture of Fort McAllister, and then after remaining on
duty a few weeks embarked for South Carolina. At the North
Edisto river it assisted in driving the enemy from his en-
trenchments. It then continued the march through the Caroli-
nas, then to Washington, and after the grand review was sent to
Arkansas, on guard duty, where it was mustered out on Aug. 11,
1865. Its losses in battle were 60 killed and 264 wounded.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 2

Shiloh after battle report:

Report of Lieut. Col. Robert A. Fulton, Fifty-third Ohio Infantry.

HDQRS. FIFTY-THIRD OHIO VOLUNTEERS,
Camp, Shiloh, April 9, 1862
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of part taken by
my regiment in the engagements of the 6th, 7th, and 8th;
Shortly after daylight on the morning of the 6th the regiment was
formed on the color line under order and direction of Col. Appler.
After remaining here for a time they were moved to the left of our
camp, forming line of battle perpendicular to the first line. Soon after
Col. Appler ordered the regiment to face about and wheel to the
right and taken position in rear of the camp, which maneuver was
executed under fire of the rebel skirmishers. The new line of battle was
formed just in rear of our camp, in the edge of the woods. A section of
Waterhouse's battery took position in the woods to our right. Gen.
Sherman and staff rode up to the open field in front of the left wing,
and were fired upon by the rebel skirmishers, now advancing through
the thicket in front of our camp, killing an orderly.

Gen. Sherman, riding back, ordered Col. Appler to hold his
position; he would support him. A battery opened upon us. The section
of artillery on our right, after firing two shots, limbered up and went to
the rear.

A line of rebel infantry advanced to within 50 yards and were fired into
by the left wing and recoiled. Advancing again, they were met by a fire
from the regiment, under which they again fell back. At this time
Col. Appler gave the command, "Fall back and save yourselves."
Hearing this order, the regiment fell back in disorder, passing around
the flanks of the Illinois Forty-ninth.

Here, in connection with the company officers and the adjutant, I
succeeded in rallying the regiment, and was about to station them at the
crossing of the creek, above the Big Springs, to repel force who were
turning the flank of the Fifty-seventh Ohio, when Col. Appler, by
direction, he says, of a staff officer of Gen. McClernand, moved the
regiment by the left flank up the ravine and afterward by the right flank,
taking position on the hill to the left of Shiloh Chapel, and near the front
of Gen. Sherman's headquarters.

The regiment remained in this for some time exposed to a galling fire,
which could not be returned without endangering the regiment in front,
who were hotly engaged. Col. Appler here abandoned the regiment,
giving again the order, "Fall back and save yourselves." Companies A
and F, under command of Capt.'s W. S. Jones and J. R. Percy, with
Adjutant Dawes, remained in the front, and soon after became hotly
engaged, in connection with the Seventeenth Illinois. This regiment
retreating these two companies fell back after them, making as much
resistance as possible. They afterwards joined the Forty-eighth Ohio,
and with them aided inn repelling the final assault made Sunday
evening, and joined me again at night.

When the remaining eight companies of the regiment fell back I became
separated from the. When I again joined them they were formed with a
portion of the Seventy-seventh Ohio, under command of Maj. B. D.
Fearing.

I immediately assumed command. Shortly afterwards, at the request of
Capt. Bouton, First Illinois Artillery, moved to a point near the
siege-gun battery, where he took position, with my regiment as support.
Shortly after, at about 3.30 p.m., Capt. Hammond, assistant
adjutant-general to Gen. Sherman, rode up and ordered Capt.
Bouton's battery into position on the front and right. He called upon us
to go out and support the battery. I immediately formed my men and
marched out, several fragments of regiments near by refusing to go.
Marching out, probably half a mile, the battery halted, and I formed on
their left. Capt. Bouton opened fire and was answered by sharp fire
of shot and shell from the rebel batteries, followed by canister, which
killed a number of his horses and rendered his position untenable.

A detail from my regiment, under Sergt. M. K. Bosworth, assisted in
drawing off his guns. Remained here during the night, and in the
morning were ordered to advance, the Eighty-first Ohio on our left and
the Forty-fifth Illinois on our right.

Moved out with skirmishers well to the front for nearly a mile, when
our skirmishers, under command of Lieut. R. A. Starkey and
Lieut. J. W. Fulton, encountered the rebel vedettes, driving them
steadily until we reached the edge of the field known as McClernand's
drill ground. Here a rebel battery opened upon us, doing but little
damage, however, as our men were protected by the conformation of the
ground. This battery was soon partially silenced by our artillery, and we
were ordered to fix bayonets and charge. My men advanced in good
style across the field. Nearing the battery, it was discovered to be
entirely abandoned.

The line was halted, and skirmishers sent out in front reported a large
rebel force rapidly advancing immediately in our front. They opened a
sharp fire upon us, which was returned with good effect. Shells from a
battery of our own upon our right and rear commenced bursting over
our heads. The rebels, repossessing the battery from which we had once
driven them, opened upon us again. The Eighty-first
Ohio, upon my left, fell back across the open field. The staff
officer who had taken upon himself the direction of the line rode up and
twice ordered my regiment to retreat. The second time they fell back in
considerable disorder, having to pass the line of fire of our own and the
rebel batteries. While engaged in rallying my regiment, upon the other
side of the field, Gen. McClernand rode up and ordered me to post
them as sharpshooters. Remained in this position until the advance of
Gen. Buell's troops across the field to the left closed the day in our
favor, when I marched my regiment to the left, through the drill ground
of our division, to Shiloh Chapel, where I was shortly afterward joined
by the remainder of the brigade.

On the morning of the 8th we were ordered with the rest of the brigade
to pursue the retreating army. About 5 miles out a cavalry charge was
made upon the Seventy-seventh Ohio, deployed in the advance, resulting
in the rout of that regiment and a battalion of the Fourth Illinois
Cavalry, their immediate support. We were ordered by Col.
Hildebrand to their support, and advanced at a double-quick, with fixed
bayonets, driving the rebel cavalry before us, killing and wounding a
number of them and forcing them to relinquish most of the prisoners
taken.

Halting here, details were made from my regiment to destroy the rebel
camp near at hand, to carry off the wounded, bury the dead, and collect
the arms. This being accomplished, we returned to our old camp near
Shiloh Chapel. The list of casualties during the 6th and 7th is as
follows; Killed, 9; wounded, 44; missing,0.*
Seven men were slightly wounded on the 8th.

Respectfully,

R. A. FULTON,
Lieut.-Col. Cmdg.

Lieut. S. S. McNAUGHTON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 10. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 10

Pvt Allen Keepers Army