Army of the Ohio, Second (USA) Facts

May 1863–January 17, 1865

Key facts about the second of two American Civil War Union Armies of the Ohio.

Portrait of Ambrose Burnside

In May 1863, Major General Ambrose Burnside named the troops serving under him in the Department of the Ohio as the Army of the Ohio. Burnside commanded the Army of the Ohio until December 9, 1863. [Wikimedia Commons]

Formation Date

  • May 1863

Dissolution Date

  • January 17, 1865

Commanders

Significance:

  • During the Civil War, there were two Union armies designated as the Army of the Ohio.
  • The First Army of the Ohio existed from 1861 until October 24, 1862.
  • The Second Army of the Ohio came into existence in May 1863.
  • Major-General Ambrose Burnside commanded the Army of the Ohio from March 25 until December 9, 1863.
  • Major-General John G. Foster commanded the Army of the Ohio from December 9, 1863, until February 9, 1864.
  • Major-General John M. Schofield commanded the Army of the Ohio from February 9 until September 14, 1864.
  • Major-General Jacob D. Cox commanded the Army of the Ohio from September 14 until October 22, 1864.
  • Major-General John M. Schofield commanded the Army of the Ohio from October 22, 1864, until February 2, 1865.
  • Major-General Jacob D. Cox commanded the Army of the Ohio from February 2 until February 9, 1865.
  • Major-General John M. Schofield commanded the Army of the Ohio from February 9 until March 31, 1865.
  • Major-General Ambrose Burnside organized the second Army of the Ohio after he was appointed as commander of the Department of the Ohio in March 1863.
  • From May 1863 until December 1863, the Army of the Ohio was composed of the 9th Army Corps and the 23rd Army Corps.
  • In July 1863, the Army of the Ohio participated in the pursuit and capture of Confederate general John Hunt Morgan during his daring raid into Indiana and Ohio.
  • On September 3, 1863, the Army of the Ohio occupied Knoxville almost unopposed and was warmly received by the citizenry.
  • On September 9, 1863, the Army of the Ohio took control of the Cumberland Gap.
  • The Army of the Ohio’s successful East Tennessee Campaign, coupled with it rebuff of Confederate General James Longstreet’s Knoxville Campaign, secured East Tennessee for the Union in December 1863 for the remainder of the war.
  • Major-General John M. Schofield commanded the Army of the Ohio throughout Major-General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta campaign (May 7–September 2, 1864).
  • The Army of the Ohio engaged General John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee throughout the Franklin-Nashville Campaign at the Battles of Columbia (November 24–29, 1864), Spring Hill (November 29, 1864), and Franklin (November 29, 1864).
  • The Army of the Ohio participated in the Union victory at the Battle of Nashville (December 15-16, 1864), which ended Franklin-Nashville Campaign, took the Confederate Army of Tennessee out of the war, and effectively ended the last major campaign west of the Appalachian Mountains.
  • In March 1865, the Army of the Ohio was transferred to North Carolina.
  • In March 1865, Major-General Alfred H. Terry’s 10th Corps was added to the Army of the Ohio
  • The Army of the Ohio served as the center of Major-General William T. Sherman’s forces during the Carolinas Campaign (February – April 1865).
  • The Army of the Ohio was present at Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston’s surrender at Bennett’s Place, near Durham, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865.
  • The Army of the Ohio was annexed to Department of the Cumberland on January 17, 1865

Citation Information

The following information is provided for citations.

  • Article Title Army of the Ohio, Second (USA) Facts
  • Date May 1863–January 17, 1865
  • Author
  • Keywords second army of the ohio
  • Website Name American History Central
  • Access Date December 3, 2023
  • Publisher R.Squared Communications, LLC
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update April 2, 2021

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