9th Ohio Infantry Regiment facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 9th Ohio Infantry Regiment |
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Ohio state flag
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| Active | 1861–1865 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Branch | Union Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | ~950 soldiers (initial) |
| Nickname(s) | Die Neuner (The Niners) |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Col. Robert L. McCook |
The 9th Ohio Infantry Regiment was a special group of soldiers. They were part of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Most of the soldiers in this group were of German descent. It was one of the first groups in the Union Army made almost entirely of German-American soldiers.
Forming the 9th Ohio Regiment
Before the war, from 1836 to 1860, four German soldier groups were already in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln asked for volunteers to join the army. The Governor of Ohio, William Dennison, also asked for help. These calls made many people want to join.
Hundreds of volunteers joined the German groups. A teacher named Gustav Bergmann was the very first person to sign up. The city of Cincinnati even gave $250,000 to help set up this new soldier group. In just three days, nearly 1,500 men volunteered. Most of them were of German background.
A local lawyer named Robert L. McCook became the Colonel (leader) of the regiment. He trained the new soldiers. They practiced at places called Camp Harrison and Camp Dennison. These camps were close to Cincinnati.
First Leaders of the Regiment
When the regiment officially started on April 23, 1861, these were some of their main leaders:
- Colonel Robert L. McCook
- Lieutenant Colonel Karl Sonderson
- Major Frank Mattice
- Surgeon Karl Krause (a doctor for the soldiers)
- Assistant Surgeon Rudolph Wirth
- Adjutant August Willich (helped with records and orders)
During its three years of service, the regiment lost some soldiers. Six officers (leaders) and 85 enlisted men (regular soldiers) were killed or died from their wounds. Also, two officers and 60 enlisted men died from diseases. In total, 153 soldiers from the 9th Ohio Regiment were lost.
Fighting at Carnifex Ferry
The 9th Ohio Infantry Regiment took part in an important battle. This was the Battle of Carnifex Ferry, which happened on September 10, 1861. During this fight, the regiment attacked the left side of the Confederate soldiers. The Confederates were defended by the 36th Virginia Infantry.
In this battle, eight men from the 9th Ohio Regiment were killed. Two more soldiers were wounded.
