OHIO ONE HUNDRED and TWENTY-FIRST INFANTRY (Three Years)

One Hundred and Twenty-first Infantry. Cols., William P. Reid, Henry B. Banning; Lieut.-Cols., William S. Irwin, Maecenas G. Lawrence, Aaron B. Robinson; Majs., Reason R. Henderson, John Yager, Jacob M. Banning. This regiment was organized at Delaware, Sept. 11, 1862, to serve for three years. It entered Kentucky 985 strong, and participated in the fall campaign in that state, the most stirring event of which was the battle of Perryville, in which the regiment engaged at great disadvantage and of course did not win for itself much reputation for military efficiency. It remained in Kentucky doing guard duty until Jan., 1863, when it was ordered to Tennessee. It remained in that state during the summer and in the second day's fighting became fully engaged at the battle of Chickamauga. In a charge made by the regiment to save the only remaining road into Chattanooga, it performed feats of bravery second to no other in the army and won for itself an enduring name. It met and vanquished the 22nd Ala. Confederate infantry, capturing its colors and a majority of the regiment. But the loss of the 121st was severe 19 killed, 77 wounded and 3 missing, who were also probably killed. Falling back with the army behind the entrenchments at Chattanooga, the regiment remained quiet until the battles of Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge, in which it took a prominent part. It then remained in camp until it moved with the army on the Atlanta campaign. The first engagement on this campaign in which the regiment participated was that of Buzzard Roost gap, in which it drove the enemy from an important position. In the affair at Rome it was complimented by the brigade commander for having been first inside the city. It formed part of the charging column upon Kennesaw mountain and in that disastrous affair lost 164 killed and wounded. It was engaged at Peachtree creek, through the siege of Atlanta, and participated in the final assault at Jonesboro, which ended the Atlanta campaign. The regiment lost in that campaign 240, killed, wounded and captured only one captured however. The regiment marched with the expedition to Savannah and the sea and after the fall of that city joined in the movement through the Carolinas. At Bentonville, where the Federal forces were engaged with the enemy, it took a prominent part and lost 6 men killed and 20 wounded. This ended the fighting of the regiment and it was mustered out on June 8, 1865.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 2

Ohio 121st Volunteer Infantry (Union)

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