Infantry Units: 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
The biographical sketches here show only those members of the unit who wrote letters to their local newspapers. Information may be drawn from the unit roster, newspaper obituaries, or other biographical sources.
Field and Staff, 7th OVI
Chaplain Frederick Thomas Brown
Ohio-born Frederick Thomas Brown enlisted as Chaplain of the 7th Ohio Volunteer
Infantry on April 25, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He mustered out
of the three months' service June 7, 1861 and reenlisted for three years June 21,
1861. He resigned his post November 15, 1861 but later enlisted as a hospital
Chaplain July 1, 1862, again resigning his post January 24, 1863.
Letter: Elyria Independent Democrat: September 11, 1861
Musician William Henry Park, Regimental Band
William Henry Park enlisted as a 28 year old Musician in the regimental band of the 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on May 25, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He was mustered out October 12, 1861. Letter: Elyria Independent Democrat: July 10, 1861
Company B, 7th OVI
Private Jacob E. Hime
Jacob E. Hime enlisted as a 26 year old Private in Company B, 7th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry on June 20, 1861, mustering into service the same day.
Wounded at both Cedar Mountain (August 9, 1862) and Ringgold (November 27, 1863),
he was mustered out July 6, 1864
Letter: Tiffin Weekly Tribune: May 9, 1862
Private Alonzo C. Jones
Alonzo C. Jones enlisted as a 27 year old Private in Company B, 7th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry on April 22, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He
reenlisted for three years' service on June 13, 1861, but his further record is unclear.
Letters: Tiffin Weekly Tribune: August 2, 1861, September 20, 1861, October 4, 1861, December 20, 1861, January 10, 1862
Company C, 7th OVI
Martin M. Andrews
Martin M. Andrews enlisted as a 22 year old Private in Company C, 7th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry on April 25, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He
mustered into three years' service on June 20, 1861. He was wounded in action
August 9, 1862 at the Battle of Cedar Mountain and was promoted to First Sergeant
for his actions that day. He mustered out with the regiment July 6, 1864.
The following spring, he was commissioned First Lieutenant an designated regimental
Adjutant of the 185th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, enlisting on February 24, 1865. He
was promoted to Captain on September 18, 1865 but was not mustered at that rank;
he was mustered out September 26, 1865.
Letter: Elyria Independent Democrat: January 6, 1864
John James "Jim" Evers
Enlisted 4/24/1861 in Co. C, 13th Ohio Infantry, mustered out 6/20/1861,
enlisted 6/20/1861 in Co. C, 7th Ohio Infantry, promoted to Corporal 11/20/1861,
killed in action 8/9/1862 at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia.
Wood County Independent- 4/9/1862, 7/9/1862
Perrysburg Journal-- 5/23/1861, 7/18/1861, 7/25/1861.
Selden Allen Day
Enlisted 6/20/1861, promoted to corporal, sergeant, hospital steward 2/4/1863,
discharged 5/22/1864, commissioned 4/7/1864 in 5th U.S. Artillery as 2nd Lt.,
promoted to Brevet 1st Lieutenant for actions at Cold Harbor, Virginia 6/3/1864,
promoted to Brevet Captain 3/13/1865, subsequent service in U.S. Army until
7/22/1902, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel.
Perrysburg Journal--4/3/1862, 11/17/1865
John Gardner
John Gardner enlisted as a 21 year old Private in Company C, 7th Ohio Volunteer
Infantry on June 20, 1861, mustering into service the same day. Promoted to
Sergeant May 1, 1863, he was wounded in action November 27, 1863 at Ringgold,
Georgia, and died of his wounds December 19, 1863 at Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Letter: Elyria Independent Democrat: April 9, 1862, May 27, 1863, January 6, 1864
Owen Hicks
Owen Hicks was born in Blair Co., Pennsylvania and enlisted as a 20 year old
Private in Co. C, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on August 20, 1862. He served with
the regiment through the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chattanooga,
and Atlanta campaigns before being transferred to Co. B, 5th Ohio Volunteer
Infantry on October 31, 1864. He was promoted to First Sergeant June 6, 1865
and mustered out July 26, 1865.
Letter: Fremont Journal- March 11, 1864
David J. Thompson
David J. Thompson enlisted as a 24 year old Private in Company C, 7th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry on April 25, 1861, mustering into service the same day. The
regiment spent most of its time drilling at Camp Dennison before Lincoln's second
call for 300,000 troops for three years convinced most of the regiment to
reorganize as a three years' service regiment. Thompson accordingly reenlisted
June 20, 1861 and served his entire three year enlistment, taking part in the
battle of Cross Lanes, Kernstown, Port Republic, Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run,
Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg before transferring to the western
theater. Here, he participated in the raising of the siege of Chattanooga, and
the bloody assault on Rocky Face Ridge and Resaca. Thompson was mustered out
with the regiment June 25, 1864 at Columbus, Ohio. The next spring, he was
commissioned Quartermaster of the newly formed 191st Ohio Volunteer Infantry,
mustering into service March 9, 1865. The 191st Ohio spent its brief service
on garrison duty at Winchester, Virginia, where Thompson had fought in the Battle
of Kernstown in 1862. He was mustered out of service with his regiment August 27,
1865 at Winchester, Virginia.
Letter: Hancock Jeffersonian: July 12, 1861
Company E, 7th OVI
Edward W. Billings
Enlisted as a private 6/20/1861, mustered in 6/20/1861, mustered out with regiment 7/6/1864.
Toledo Herald and Times- 10/26/1861
John Wilson Sprague
Enlisted 4/25/1861 as Captain of Company E, 7th OVI, recommissioned Captain
6/17/1861, captured 8/8/1861 at Birch River, VA, exchanged 1/5/1862, promoted
1/23/1862 to Colonel of 63rd Ohio Infantry, won Medal of Honor 7/22/1864 at Decatur,
GA for defeating a large force of the enemy and saving the wagons of his corps,
promoted to Brigadier General 7/30/1864, resigned commission 11/15/1864, promoted
3/13/1865 to Brevet Major General. Born 4/4/1817 in White Creek, Washington Co.,
NY, died 12/24/1893 in Tacoma, WA.
Elyria Independent Democrat: October 23, 1861
Norwalk Reflector: December 17, 1861
Toledo Blade- 9/5/1861, 10/16/1861, 12/12/1861, 1/15/1862, 1/21/1862
1st Lieutenant Ralph Lockwood
Enlisted 4/25/1861 as 1st Lieutenant, discharged for re-enlistment 6/17/1861,
enlisted as 2nd Lieutenant 6/17/1861, promoted to 1st Lieutenant of Company A
11/25/1861, discharged 11/10/1862.
Toledo Blade- 9/16/1861
Arthur T. Wilcox
Enlisted 4/23/1861 in Company E, 7th Ohio Infantry (3 months) as 2nd Lieutenant,
discharged for promotion 6/17/1861. Enlisted 6/17/1861 as 1st Lieutenant, mustered
in 6/17/1861, captured 8/26/1861 at Cross Lanes, VA, promoted 7/9/1862 to Captain
and transferred to Company D, transferred to Company E 3/10/1863, mustered out
7/6/1864. Enlisted 9/23/1864 as Colonel of 177th Ohio Infantry, mustered out
6/24/1865 at Greensboro, NC.
Toledo Blade- 7/8/1862
