History In 1861, Alfred West Gilbert in conjunction with John Groesbeck and Edward Noyes helped raise a company of volunteers for the Union Army. They organized at Camp Colerain on the Methodist Camp Meeting Grounds (just east of Colerain Ave. and south of Springdale Rd.). Here they raised and trained nearly 830 troops. By July 1861 seven Companies had been formed, and were mustered into service at Camp Dennison in August 1861. With John Groesbeck as Colonel, it went to St. Louis August 18, 1861 and reported to General Fremont, taking part in the operations at New Madrid and Island No.10 of the Mississippi River. Leaving that vicinity in the spring of 1862, it joined Halleck's movement against Corinth. In the fall, joining Grant's army at Grand Junction, it engaged in the numerous skirmishes in the advance on Oxford, Mississippi. The following spring found it in the Tuscumbia Valley under General Dodge, and in May at Memphis. Returning from veteran furlough in February 1864, to Nashville, in May, it formed part of the 16th Corps on the Atlanta campaign. It lost one-third of its strength on July 22nd, at Atlanta, and terminated its fighting only at Bentonville, North Carolina, after passing through the various battles and skirmishes of the Savannah and Carolina campaign. The Regiment was a member of the famous Fuller's Ohio Brigade and re-enlisted more veterans than any Ohio unit. It mustered out at Louisville in July 1865.
SERVICE ACTIONS
Fremont's advance on Springfield, Mo., October 15-November 2, 1861.
March to Sedalia November 9-17.
Duty at Sedalia and Syracuse, Mo., till February 1862.
Action at Shanghai December 1, 1861.
Moved to St. Louis, Mo., February 2, 1862, then to Commerce, Mo., February 22-24.
Siege operations against New Madrid, Mo., March 3-14.
The regiment received its first baptismal of fire at New Madrid, Missouri, March 3d, 1862.
It is true the shells thrown from rebel gunboats and works were not of six pounder gun but
of much heavier calibre, and made a hideous screeching noise, the like of which the boys
had ne'er heard; their nerves were strung to the utmost tension as they saw that war was
about to become a fixed fact. An incident that occurred at the time is worth relating.
The regiment was deployed in column by division and the regimental flag and banner
were unfurled, giving the rebels a target for aiming their guns and getting the correct range.
They were not slow in taking advantage of same and threw shells and shrapnels, thick and
fast. General Pope noticing the colors were unfurled, dispatched a staff officer to furl
same - this order was given to Major Noyes who was in command of the regiment, who,
straightening himself up in his saddle, and in his sonorious and stentorian voice said: "Furl
those colors - furl those colors! Never - never!" At this moment a fresh shower of shells
came, and they closer than the others - bursting immediately in front and rear of the
regiment - suffuce it to say, the Major at once, without any further ceremony, gave the order to
furl "Old Glory."
Excerpt from "Roster. Surviving Members of the 39th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry." Compiled by Frank Bruner. Co "G." S. Rosenthall & Co. Cincinnati. Ohio. 1893 Siege and capture of Island No. 10, Mississippi River, and pursuit to Tiptonville March 15-April 8.
Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17.
Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 18-22.
Action at Monterey April 29.
Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30.
Reconnaissance toward Corinth May 8. Near Corinth May 24.
Occupation of Corinth and pursuit to Booneville May 30-June 12.
Duty at Clear Creek ,'till August 29.
Battle of Iuka, Miss., September 19.
Battle of Corinth, Miss., October 3-4.
Pursuit to Ripley October 5-12.
Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November 2, 1862, to January 12, 1863.
Expedition to Jackson December 18.
Action at Parker's Cross Roads December 30.
Red Mound or Parker's Cross Roads December 31.
Duty at Corinth till April, 1863.
Dodge's Expedition to Northern Alabama April 15-May 8.
Rock Cut, near Tuscumbia, April 22.
Tuscumbia April 23.
Town Creek April 28.
Duty at Memphis, Tenn., till October, and at Prospect, Tenn., till February, 1864.
Reenlisted at Prospect December 26, 1863.
Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8, 1864.
Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13.
Sugar Valley, near Resaca, May 9.
Near Resaca May 13.
Battle of Resaca May 14-15.
Advance on Dallas May 18-25.
Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills May 25-June 5.
Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2.
Assault on Kenesaw June 27.
Nickajack Creek July 2-5.
Ruff's Mills July 3-4.
Chattahoochie River July 5-17.
Battle of Atlanta July 22.
Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25.
Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30.
Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1.
Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10.
Monteith Swamp December 9.
Siege of Savannah December 10-21.
Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865.
Reconnaissance to the Salkehatchie River, S.C., January 20.
Skirmishes at Rivers and Broxton Bridges, Salkehatchie River, February 2.
Action at Rivers Bridge, Salkehatchie River, February 3.
Binnaker's Bridge, South Edisto River, February 9.
Orangeburg, North Edisto River, February 12-13.
Columbia February 16-17.
Juniper Creek, near Cheraw, March 3.
Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21.
Occupation of Goldsboro and Raleigh, Bennett's House, April 26.
Surrender of Johnston and his army.
March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20.
Grand Review May 24.
Moved to Louisville, Ky., June.
Mustered out July 9, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 62 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 129 Enlisted men by disease. Total 196. Standing Left: Col. Wager Swayne 43rd OVI Standing Right: Col. John W. Fuller 27th OVI Seated Left: Maj. W.R. Thrall, Surgeon, 27th OVI
Seated Right: Col. Edw. F. Noyes,39th OVI
References for this Unit
Ohio In The War-Volume II. Whitelaw Reid. Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin. Cincinnati 1868
A Thanksgiving Sermon Preached Before the Thirty-Ninth O.V.,U.S.A., at Camp Tod, Macon, Missouri, November 28, 1861, and a Sketch of the Regiment. Rev. B.W. Chidlaw, Chaplain. George Crosby Publisher. Cincinnati. 1861
National Tribune. Further Facts as to the Death of General J.B. McPherson. Henry Guekert. Private Co. F, 39th O.V.V.I. February 1, 1883
The Ohio Brigade. Reunion of September 12th and 13th, 1888, at Columbus, Ohio. Names and post-office addresses of members present. NP. Columbus. 1888. Call# General PA Box 544 28. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
Recollections of Nickajack Creek. Col. Edward F. Noyes. 39th O.V.V.I. The Ohio Soldier Vol.IV No.5. October 11th, 1890
The Story of My Life. by B.W. Chidlaw with an Introductory Note by Edwin W. Rice. 382 pgs. Philadelphia. For Sale by W.H. Hirst. 1890. Call# B C434, 1890. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
Chaplains in the Army and Navy of the United States. by Rev. B.W. Chidlaw. 39th OVI. 5 pgs. From G.A.R. War Papers, Papers Read Before Fred C. Jones Post No. 401, Dept. Of Ohio G.A.R.. E.R. Monfort. H.B. Furness. Fred H. Alms. Cincinnati. 1891
Roster Surviving Members of the Thirty-Ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, Compiled by Frank Bruner, Co. "G". Frank Bruner. 51 pgs. S. Rosenthal & Co. 203 Vine Street. Cincinnati. Ohio. 1893. Contains a brief but complete history of the Regiment.
"Sunset and Evening Star." In Memoriam of Benjamin Williams Chidlaw. by Henrietta Chidlaw. 298 pgs. Press of T. J. Griffeths. Utica. NY. 1894. Chidlaw served as Chaplain with the 39th Ohio Infantry, and with the U. S. Sanitary Commission and U. S. Christian Commission. Call# Stacks B C434s. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
Reminiscences of the First Year of the War in Missouri. Oliver N. Nixon. From: Military Essays and Recollections. MOLLUS. Illinois. Vol. 3. pp. 413-36. Dial Pr. Chicago. 1899. 13 photocopied pages. E464M5.1991v12. USAMHI. Carlisle Barracks. PA.
For Department Commander, Ohio G.A.R., Capt. W.H.H. Minturn, 39th Ohio V.V.I.. Biography Grand Army of the Republic. John W. Fowler Post No. 336 New Lexington, Ohio. 3 pgs. Campaign Booklet. 1902? Call# General PA Box 729 8. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
The Battle of Collierville. Ethan O. Hurd. From: Sketches of War History. MOLLUS. Ohio. Vol. 5. pp. 243-54. Robert Clarke. Cincinnati, OH. 1903. 6 photocopied pages. E464M5.1991v5. USAMHI. Carlisle Barracks. PA.
National Tribune. Fuller's Ohio Brigade. C.I. Adkins. December 3-31, 1903
The History of Fuller's Ohio Brigade, 1861-1865. Its Great March, with Roster, Portraits, Battle Maps and Biographies. Charles H. Smith. Major 27th Ohio Regiment, Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Press of A.J. Watt. Cleveland. Ohio. 1909. Fuller's Ohio Brigade was composed of the 27th, 39th, 43rd and 63rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiments.
Roster of Fuller's Brigade, Re-Union And Homecoming, Wednesday, August 29th, 1917., Memorial Hall, East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio. Lists attendees by Co. & current address. NP. 1917
Colonel A.W. Gilbert, Citizen Soldier of Cincinnati. Alfred West Gilbert. Edited by William E. Smith and Ophia D. Smith. Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio. Cincinnati. 1934. A Colonel of the 39th Ohio.
Johnny Bull-Billy Yank. by Carol H. Quenzell. A summary of 105 letters written by George Hovey Cadman. 1823-1864. 39th OVI. 21 pgs. Tennessee Historical Quarterly. Vol XIV. 1955
George Hovey Cadman. A Cockney's Gift to America. Letters to his Wife Esther Cooper Cadman. George Hovey Cadman. 39th OVI. Forward signed George Elbridge Cadman. 342 pgs. Miami FL. 1968. Call# 973.741 C114c Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. OH
Civil War Letters of Fredrick E. Pimper. Pvt. Fredrick E. Pimper. Co H. 39th OVI. Letters written to Sarah Parrott King, Farmers Station, Clinton County, Ohio. 79 items. Collection includes a daguerreotype of Fredrick E. Pimper and one of Sarah Parrott King. Call# PIMPER MSS. Manuscripts Department. Lilly Library. Indiana University. Bloomington. Indiana
William Pittenger Diary. Capt. William Henry Pittenger. 39th OVI. Typed copy. July 13 1861 - July 31 1865. Call# VOL 395. OHS Archives also holds the original eight-volume diary. Call# VOL 954-961. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
David T. Stathem Papers. Sgt David T. Stathem. Co. D. 39th OVI. Correspondence and Diaries 1861-1865. .25 cubic ft. Call# MSS688. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
Joseph Mitchell Strickling Papers. Joseph M. Strickling. Co E. 39th OVI. Typed carbon copy of the reminiscences of Cincinnati Ohio native. Location of original unknown. Call# General VFM1555. Ohio Historical Society. Columbus. Ohio
Diary of Henry Wendelken. Henry Wendelken. Co. B. 39th OVI. A Civil War diary of 1863. Describes Civil War service with Company B, 39th Ohio Infantry Regiment in Mississippi and Tennessee; together with broadside listing men serving in the unit and memorandum of the regiment's history. The account speaks of marches, camp routines, drills, and weather. .3 linear ft. Call# SPEC COLL MS. 88-02 Ablah Library. Wichita State University. Wichita. Kansas
Unit Bibliography. U.S. Army Military History Institute. Carlisle Barracks. PA. 1995
39th OVI Page. by Brad Miklosovic. 1998
The 39th OVI and Major Noyes at New Madrid. Excerpt from: Roster Surviving Members of the Thirty-Ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Compiled by Frank Bruner. Co. "G". Published on the web by Larry Stevens. 1999
