OHIO FIFTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY (Three Years)

Fifty-seventh Infantry. Cols., William Mungen, Americus V. Rice; Lieut.Col., Samuel R. Mott; Majs., Silas B. Walker, John McClure. This regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, in Oct., 1861, to serve for three years. It originally numbered 956 men and 38 commissioned officers. It left the state in Feb., 1862, under orders to report at Fort Donelson, but when it arrived at Smithland, Ky., the order was changed and it reported at Paducah. The regiment suffered much from sickness and at the battle of Shiloh it had but 450 men fit for duty. These formed and advanced until they reached the little eminence upon which stood the Shiloh church and they held this position for 4 hours, successfully withstanding three Confederate regiments, who left 78 dead in front of the 57th. In three days the regiment lost 27 killed, 150 wounded (16 mortally) and 10 captured. At Rising Sun, Tenn., a detachment of 220 men from the regiment, accompanying a supply train, was attacked by about 600 Confederate cavalry. The enemy charged the train three times, but were repulsed each time, and at last were driven off with a loss of 11 killed, 26 wounded and some prisoners, horses and arms captured. The detachment lost 4 men wounded. The regiment was ordered into camp north of Memphis, near Wolf Creek bridge, and while there was attacked by a detachment of cavalry, but the Confederates were repulsed with a loss of 1 killed and 6 wounded, the 57th sustaining no loss. The regiment was engaged for five days at Chickasaw bayou, where it lost 37 killed and wounded. It led its brigade in the charge on the works at Arkansas Post and after a desperate battle of 3 hours, during most of which time the regiment was within go yards of the Confederate parapet, the enemy surrendered. The regiment lost in this action 37 killed and wounded. It reached the works around Vicksburg on May 18, and participated in a general assault on the 19th, when it advanced under a terrific fire to within 70 yards of the Confederate line, and from this time until the surrender it was continually engaged, either on the picket-line or in the trenches. Then it marched upon Jackson and participated in all the skirmishing until the Confederates evacuated the place. Being sent to East Tennessee it participated in the battle of Missionary ridge, with heavy loss. In Jan., 1864, it re-enlisted, being the first regiment to re-enlist as veterans in the 15th corps, and after a furlough home, was present at the beginning of the campaign against Atlanta. It participated in the battle of Resaca, where it received three successive charges from an overwhelming force of the enemy, but held its ground firmly. This was one of the most severe contests in which the regiment ever engaged, its loss being 57 killed and wounded. At Dallas the enemy made another stand and fighting continued for three days, the regiment losing 15 men. It participated in an assault on the enemy's lines at Kennesaw mountain, gaining a position very near the Confederate works, but was compelled to abandon it. In this engagement it lost 57 killed and wounded. At Atlanta, on July 22, the works in the immediate front of the 57th were captured by the enemy and recaptured by the regiment three times. The regiment was in the heat of the engagement and lost 92 men. On the 28th it lost 12 men killed and 55 wounded. At Jonesboro the number of killed and wounded in front of the 57th nearly equaled the number of men in the regiment. It left Atlanta on the march to the sea, engaged the Confederates at Statesboro, where it lost heavily; took part in the assault on Fort McAllister, in which the regiment lost 10 killed and 80 wounded, then started on the campaign of the Carolinas, and fought its last fight at Bentonville, N. C. The regiment was mustered out on Aug. 15, 1865. The names of 1,594 men had been on its muster rolls, and of that number only 481 were present at its muster out.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 2

Ohio 57th Volunteer Infantry (Union)

Related Records