Near Fort Oglethorpe in Walker County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

21st Ohio Infantry

Sirwell's Brigade

— Negley's Division —

21st Ohio Infantry Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, June 6, 2009

1. 21st Ohio Infantry Marker

Inscription. [Front Inscription]

21st. Ohio
Infantry,
Sirwell's
Bridgade
Negley's
Division,
14th.Army
Corps.

[Back Plaque]

This regimental, Lt. Col. Dwella M. Stoughton commanding, engaged the enemy late Sept. 19th, 1863, east of Dyer's Field, remaining there till 10:30 A.M. Sept. 20th, then moved to this ridge. Being armed chiefly with Colt's revolving rifles, it maintained for a time, an extended line supported only by detachments of other regiments. About 2:30 P.M. it was relieved by Col. Van Derveer's troops to replenish ammunition. Returning to the line it occupied this place, maintaining it by hard fighting til after sundown when troops to the right were withdrawn without notice and being nearly surrounded, with ammunition exhausted, a part of the regiment was captured.

No. Engaged, Officers 22: Enlisted Men 539.
Loss, Killed 28: Wounded 84: Captured or Missing 131: Total 243.

Erected 1894 by the State of Ohio. (Marker Number MT-975.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is September 20, 1863.

Location. 34° 55.66′ N, 85° 16.281′ W. Marker is near Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia

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, in Walker County. Marker can be reached from Vittetoe Road west of Vittetoe-Chickamauga Road when traveling west. This historical marker is located in the northwest section of the Chickamauga National Military Park, near the Snodgrass Hill area of the driving tour, along the part of the battlefield known as Horseshoe Ridge, more specially in the valley between Hill #2 and Hill #3 of Horseshoe Ridge. To view this historical marker drive to the parking area for Horseshoe Ridge (just beyond the Snodgrass Hill tour stop) and proceed westward on foot, along the southern crest of the ridge for a little more than 0.2 of a mile, to the valley just beyond Hill #2. According to the location information provided by the National Park Service the, “Monument is located on Snodgrass Hill in the Chickamauga Battlefield, map site #150”. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Oglethorpe GA 30742, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 5th Kentucky Infantry Regiment (CSA) (within shouting distance of this marker); Trigg's Brigade (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Trigg's Brigade (within shouting distance of this marker); Close of the Battle (within shouting distance of this marker); 89th Ohio Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); 9th Indiana Infantry

21st Ohio Infantry Memorial, Front Inscription image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, June 6, 2009

2. 21st Ohio Infantry Memorial, Front Inscription

(within shouting distance of this marker); 22nd Michigan Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); Granger's Headquarters Shell Monument (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Oglethorpe.

More about this marker. According to the description information provided by the National Park Service, the monument is, “8' x 6' x 12'6" high monument has sloping rock-faced base, rectangular shaft, rock-faced capstone topped by vertical pentagonal block w/ carved acorn. Front has inscription; sides, carved crossed muskets; rear, a bronze lettered tablet.”

The National Park Service also identifies the Vermont Granite Company of Barre, Vermont as being the Architect.

I used the "Chickamauga Battlefield" map, that I purchased at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Visitor Center, to determine both the marker number for this monument and the monument's location in relation to the rest of the park's monuments, markers, and tablets. According to the map it provides the, "numerical listing of all monuments, markers, and tablets on the Chickamauga Battlefield (using the Chick-Chatt NMP Monument Numbering

21st Ohio Infantry Memorial, Back Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, June 6, 2009

3. 21st Ohio Infantry Memorial, Back Plaque

System).”

Also see . . .
1. Battle of Chickamauga: 21st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and Their Colt’s Revolving Rifles. This web link was both published and made available by the, "HistoryNet.com." The HistoryNet.com is in turn brought to you by the Weider History Group, the world’s largest publisher of history magazines. Their stated goal is to strive to make history interesting and educational for all of their readers. (Submitted on June 15, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.)

2. 21st Ohio Infantry. This is a link to information from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Submitted on June 15, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.)

Additional commentary.
1. The 21st Ohio at Chickamauga, and Beyond
I acknowledge that coming from Northwestern Ohio may be an influencing factor in my adoration and pride in the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Perhaps too the fact that several of the members of the 21st volunteered to participate in Andrews Raid and became some of the first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor has also heightened my interest in this local Civil War regiment.

However, I would like to believe that separate and apart from my bias for this regiment, their incredible accomplishments on Snodgrass Hill, during the Battle

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, June 6, 2009

4. 21st Ohio Infantry Marker

View of the 21st OVI historical marker,situated on the southern crest of Snodgrass Hill, facing the wooded slope that the advancing Confederates attacked from.

of Chickamauga entitle them to the well deserved recognition as being one of the Union Army's truly heroic and distinguished regiments. In fact, one could easily argue the case that had Chickamauga been a Union victory, rather than a Union defeat, then the effort and sacrifice made on Snodgrass Hill by the 21 st OVI would have resulted in their regiment being elevated in its post war status, to that of a 20th Maine (who performed a similar feat, only theirs was in a Union victory, rather than in a Union loss like Chickamauga)

— Submitted June 16, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 1, 2012

5. 21st Ohio Infantry Marker

View from the historic monument, looking west along the pathway to the monuments at the top of Hill #3, where Whitaker’s Brigade of the Reserve Corps fought.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 1, 2012

6. 21st Ohio Infantry Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,867 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 15, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. 5, 6. submitted on August 7, 2012, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.