The 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters was organized in the Fall of 1862 at Camp Cleveland (Cleveland, Ohio) and was mustered into Federal service on 27 January 1863 at Camp Cleveland by Captain C.O. Howard of the 18th Infantry under Captain Watson C. Squirer.

The 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters arrived at Murfreesboro, Tennessee on 9 March 1863 and was assigned as part of the Headquarters' Guard for General William Rosecrans on 10 March 1863. They remained as General Thomas' Headquarters' Guard when General Thomas replaced General Rosecrans in October of 1863.

On 25 November 1863, Colonel Burke of the 10th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in command of Corps Headquarters, formed a temporary organization out of the 5th, 6th and 7th Independent Companies of Ohio Sharpshooters. This small battalion was placed under the command of Captain Gershom M. Barber of the 5th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters.

When General William T. Sherman replaced General Thomas on 20 May 1864, the 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters remained as General Sherman's Headquarters' Guard accompanying the general through the Atlanta Campaign, The March To The Sea and into the Carolinas. The 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters went with General Sherman to St. Louis, Missouri in 1865 and were sent to Camp Chase (Columbus, Ohio) to be mustered out of Federal service on 28 July 1865.

The 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters suffered 18 men dead (17 by disease and one killed in action near Rossville, Georgia) and 8 men captured by Confederate guerillas while foraging.