The 74th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized at Xenia, Ohio, between October 5, 1861 and March 27, 1862. Their formal service began with their participation in General Ebenezer Dumont's expedition over Tennessee's Cumberland Mountains in June of 1862. They then performed guard duty along the railroad route between Nashville and Columbia before taking part in the siege of Nashville from September 12 to November 7, 1862. On December 26, they left Nashville to participate in the advance on Murfreesboro, Tennessee (December 26-30, 1862). They next served in the Battle of Stone's River (December 30-31, 1862 and January 1-3, 1863) and remained on duty in Murfreesboro until June of 1863, when they were assigned to the Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign (June 23-July 7, 1863). They participated in the occupation of Middle Tennessee until August 16, 1863, when they served in Chickamauga (Georgia) Campaign (August 16-September 22, 1863). They returned to Tennessee for the siege of Chattanooga (September 24-November 23, 1863) and the Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign (November 23-27, 1863). After brief furloughs and reorganizations, the regiment was assigned to the Atlanta Campaign from May 1 to September 8, 1864. They then participated in operations against General John Bell Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama (September 29-November 3, 1864) and General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea (November 15-December 10, 1864). They were next assigned to the Siege of Savannah between December 10 and 21, 1864 and then to the Campaign of the Carolinas from January 1864 to April 1865. After the surrender of General Joseph Eggleston Johnston and his army, the 74th Ohio marched to Washington, D.C. (via Richmond, Virginia) and participated in the Grand Review on May 24. They then served in Louisville, Kentucky until mustering out July 11, 1865.