This regiment was organized at Camp Dennison on the 17th of February, 1862, and soon after reported to General W.T. Sherman at Paducah, Kentucky. After a short rest at Paducah it moved up the Tennessee River, on the steamer Express, and on the 19th of March disembarked at Pittsburg Landing.
On the 4th of April, while the regiment was on drill, firing was heard, and the Forty-Eighth at once moved in the direction of the sound but the enemy fell back, and at nightfall the regiment returned to its quarters. About seven o'clock on the morning of the 6th the regiment advanced upon the enemy, and was soon warmly engaged. Charge after charge was reported, and though the Rebel fire was making fearful gaps in the line the men stood firm. A battery was sent to the regiment's aid, but, after firing four shots, it retired. The Rebels then advanced, confidently expecting to capture the regiment, but they too were driven back, and the Forty-Eighth withdrew to its supports, having been ordered three times by General Sherman to fall back. It is claimed that General Johnston, of the Rebel army, was killed in this portion of the battle by some member of the Forty-Eighth. The regiment was actively engaged during the remainder of the day; and, late in the afternoon, in connection with the Twenty-Fourth Ohio and Thirty-Sixth Indiana, it participated in a decisive attack on the Rebel lines. It acted throughout in Buckland's brigade of Sherman's division - a brigade which had no share in the early rout of a part of that division.
On the second day of the battle, about ten o'clock A. M., the regiment went into action across an open field, under a galling fire, and continued constantly exposed until the close of the engagement. The Forty-Eighth lost about one-third of its members in this battle.
From this time until after the close of the rebellion the regiment engaged continually in active duty. In the attack upon Corinth, the Forty-Eighth was among the first organized troops to enter the Rebel works. In General Sherman's first expedition to Vicksburg, it occupied, with credit, a position on the right in the assault; and it was in Sherman's expedition up the Arkansas River, and distinguished itself in the battle of Arkansas Post. It was with Grant during the Vicksburg campaign; fought at Magnolia Hills and Champion Hills; and participated in a general assault on the Rebel works in the rear of Vicksburg, May 23, 1863 [should be May 22, 1863]. On the 25d of June following, another general assault was made upon the same works, and the Forty-Eighth was ordered to cross an open field, exposed to two enfilading batteries, to take position in the advanced line of rifle-pits, and to pick off the enemy's gunners. This order was successfully executed. It took a prominent part in the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, and soon after engaged in the fight at Bayou Teche. At Sabine Cross Roads the Forty-Eighth, then a mere remnant of its former self, severely punished the "Crescent Regiment;" but, in turn, it was overpowered and captured. It was not exchanged until October, 1864. The majority of the men in the regiment re-enlisted, but, on account of the capture, they never received their veteran furlough. After the exchange the regiment shared in the capture of Mobile.
After the surrender of the Rebel armies, the remaining one hundred and sixty-five men of the regiment were ordered to Texas. The regiment was at last mustered out of the service in May, 1866.
A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
Compiled and Arranged from Official Records of the Federal and Confederate Armies...
Frederick H. Dyer
Dyer Publishing Company
Des Moines, Iowa, 1908
from U. S. Army Military History Institute
48th Regiment Infantry. Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, September to December, 1861, and mustered in February 17, 1862. Ordered to Paducah, Ky., and duty there till March 6. Attached to District of Paducah, Ky., to March, 1862. 4th Brigade. 5th Division, Army of the Tennessee, to May, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Tennessee, to July, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, District of Memphis, Tenn., to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 5th Division, Right Wing 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Right Wing 13th Army Corps, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Sherman's Yazoo Expedition, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 10th Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 13th Army Corps, Dept. of the Tennessee and Dept. of the Gulf, to April, 1864. Captured at Sabine Cross Roads, La., April 8, 1864. Attached to Defences of New Orleans, La., Dept. of the Gulf, November, 1864, to January, 1865.
SERVICE.--Moved from Paducah, Ky., to Savannah, Tenn., March 6-10, 1862. Expedition from Savannah to Yellow Creek, Miss., and occupation of Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 14-17. Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. March to Memphis, Tenn., via La-Grange, Grand Junction and Holly Springs June 1-July 21. Near Holly Springs July 1. Duty at Memphis and along Memphis & Charleston Railroad till November. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on the Mississippi Central Railroad. "Tallahatchie March" November 26-December 12. Sherman's Yazoo Expedition December 20, 1862, to January 2, 1863. Chickasaw Bayou December 26-28, 1862. Chickasaw Bluff December 29. Expedition to Arkansas Post, Ark., January 3-10, 1863. Assault and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, Ark., January 10-11. Moved to Young's Point, La., January 15, and duty there till March 8. At Milliken's Bend, La., till April 25. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. Battle of Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Camp at Big Black till August 13. Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 13. Western Louisiana ("Teche") Campaign October 3-November 30. At New Iberia till December 13. Moved to New Orleans, La., December 13; thence to Pass Cavallo, Texas, and duty there and at Du Crow's Point till March 1, 1864. Moved to New Orleans, La., March 1. Red River Campaign March 10 to April 23. Advance from Franklin to Alexandria March 14-26. Bayou De Paul, Carroll's Mill, April 8. Battle of Sabine Cross Roads April 8. Regiment captured and prisoners of war till October, 1864, when exchanged. Duty at New Orleans till January, 1865. Consolidated with 83rd Ohio Infantry January 17, 1865. Moved to Kennersville January 28, thence to Barrancas, Fla. March from Pensacola, Fla., to Fort Blakely, Ala., March 20-April 2. Siege of Fort Blakely April 2-9. Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12. March to Montgomery and Selma April 13-21. Duty at Selma till May 12. Moved to Mobile May 12, thence to Galveston, Texas, June 13, and duty there till July 24.
48th Ohio Battalion Infantry. Organized July 24, 1865, by consolidation of the 48th, 83rd and 114th Ohio Infantry. Duty at Galveston and Houston, Texas, till May, 1866. Mustered out May 9, 1866. Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 54 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 120 Enlisted men by disease. Total 180.
