153rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment’s first experience of battle was Stonewall Jackson’s flank attack, with the 153rd at the extreme flank f the army. The regiment fired a single volley before it was flanked on both flanks and was ordered by General Von Gilsa to retire. It did so until reaching the open ground to the west of Chancellorsville, where it rallied.

Colonel Glanz and 33 enlisted men were captured. Nineteen men were killed. Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Dachrodt, Major Frueaff, Captain Owen Rice of Company A, Second Lieutenant Conrad Reyer of Company H, and 53 enlisted men were wounded.

Gettysburg Campaign

Colonel Glanz returned from imprisonment but his health was too poor to resume command.

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Major John Freuauff. It suffered heavily in the fight north of town at the Almshouse on July 1, and again at the gates of the Cemetery on the evening of July 2.

From the monument on Barlow’s Knoll at Gettysburg:

July 1. The Regiment held this position in the afternoon until the Corps was outflanked and retired, when it took position along the lane at the foot of East Cemetery Hill, where it remained until the close of the battle, assisting to repulse the enemy’s assault on the night of the 2nd.

Carried into action 24 officers 545 men. Killed and died of wounds 10 officers 40 men. Wounded 7 officers 117 men. Captured and missing 46 men. Total loss 211.

Second Lieutenant William H. Beaver was killed and Captains Theodore H. Howell, John P. Ricker, Joseph S. Myers, Henry Oerter and George Young, and First Lieutenants Benjamin Schaum, George W. Walton and Horatio Yeager were wounded.