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United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > Infantry

The 96th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 6 officers and 126 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 86 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
September 9 – October 30	Organized at Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania under the command of Colonel Henry L. Cake, Lieutenant Colonel Jacob G. Frick and Major Lewis J. Martin.
November 18	Left State for Washington, D.C. Attached to Slocum’s Brigade, Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.
1862
March	Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac
March 10-15	Advance on Manassas, Va.
April 4-17	McDowell’s advance on Falmouth, return to Alexandria and embark for the Peninsula. Attached to 1st Division, Department of the Rappahannock
April 24-May 4	Siege of Yorktown (on transports)
May 7-8	West Point. Attached to 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 25-July 1	Seven days before Richmond
June 27	Gaines’ Mill The regiment lost 13 men killed and 61 men wounded. Lieutenant Ernest T. Ellrich was killed and Captain John T. Boyle was wounded.
June 30	Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale
July 1	Malvern Hill
July-August	At Harrison’s Landing
July 29	Lieutenant Colonel Frick was promoted to colonel of the 129th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Captain Peter A. Filbert of Company B was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
August 16-28	Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville.
August 28-31	In works at Centreville
September 1	Cover Pope’s retreat to Fairfax C. H.
September 6-24	Maryland Campaign
September 14	Crampton’s Gap, South Mountain Major Lewis J. Martin and Lieutenant John Dougherty were killed.
September 15	Captain William H. Lessig of Company C was promoted to major.
September 16-17	Battle of Antietam From the War Department tablet for Slocum’s Division on the Antietam battlefield: Slocum’s Division followed Smith’s in its march from near Crampton’s Pass on the morning of the 17th, and upon reaching the field, occupied the ground from which Smith was advancing; Torbert’s Brigade in the center on either side of this road; Newton’s Brigade on the right connecting with Hancock, and Bartlett’s Brigade on the left, extending beyond the cemetery and into the low ground between Mumma’s and Roulette’s. Beyond supporting the Artillery the Division was not actively engaged.
September-October	Duty in Maryland. Colonel Cake took command of the brigade.
October 30-November 19	Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15	Battle of Fredericksburg
December	Colonel Cake returned to Pottsville, Pennsylvania due to “ill health.” He complained of having “thrust upon me… officers that I cannot recommend and in whom, knowing all about them, I have no confidence.” Colonel Cake had feuded with his line officers since the regiment was founded.
December 23	Lieutenant Colonel Filbert was discharged. Major Lessig was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1863
January 20-24	Burnside’s second Campaign, “Mud March”
February-April	At Falmouth
March 12	Colonel Cake resigned for “reasons to be assigned by His Excellency the Governor of this Commonwealth.” Lieutenant Colonel Lessig was promoted to colonel, but was not mustered.
April 27-May 6	Chancellorsville Campaign. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac
April 29-May 2	Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May 3	Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg The 96th Pennsylvania lost 5 men killed and 18 wounded in the morning’s fight.
May 3-4	Salem Heights The regiment lost 16 men killed, 54 wounded and 29 missing in the afternoon fighting. Lieutenant Alexander Allison was mortally wounded.
May 4	Banks’ Ford
June 13-July 24	Gettysburg Campaign
July 2-4	Battle of Gettysburg The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William H. Lessig. It brought 356 men to the field and lost 1 man wounded. From the monument on Wheatfield Road at Gettysburg: Position of the 96th Regt. Penna. Volunteers, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, from 5 p.m. of the 2nd until the morning of the 5th of July 1863. From the War Department monument for Bartlett’s Brigade on the Gettysburg battlefield: July 2. The Brigade arrived late in the day and was formed in two lines to support Fifth Corps of which the troops in front were giving ground. The Third Brigade Third Division was formed on the left and then advanced to the front. Remained in same position during the night. The 121st New York was detached from the Brigade on its arrival and supported Battery L 1st Ohio until the close of the battle. July 3. The Third Brigade Third Division was assigned to Brig. Gen. Bartlett’s command which was in an advanced position. Late in the day theThird Brigade Third Division in a second line at an interval of 200 yards supported First Brigade Third Division Fifth Corps in an advance through the Wheatfield and the woods on the south but soon after being engaged the Third Brigade Third Division advanced to the front and the combined forces captured about 200 prisoners of Brig. Gen. Benning’s Brigade and the colors of the 15th Georgia. At dark the Brigade was recalled to a line a few hundred yards in advance of the original position.
July 5-24	Pursuit of Lee
July 10-13	At and near Funkstown, Md.
July 14	Hagerstown
July-October	Duty on line of the Rappahannock
October 9-22	Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8	Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7	Rappahannock Station
November 26-December 2	Mine Run Campaign
December-May	Duty at Hazel River
1864
January 18	Captain Levi Huber of Company B was promoted to major.
May 4-June 12	Rapidan Campaign
May 5-7	Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21	Battle of Spotsylvania Court House Captain Edward Thomas was mortally wounded and Captain Edwin L. Severn was wounded
May 12	Assault on the Salient
May 23-26	North Anna River
May 26-28	On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31	Totopotomoy
June 1-12	Battle of Cold Harbor Adjutant John T. Hannum was mortally wounded
June 17-18	Before Petersburg
June 22-23	Jerusalem Plank Road, Siege of Petersburg begins
July 9-11	Moved to Washington, D.C.
July 11-12	Repulse of Early’s attack on Washington
July 14-18	Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap
August – October	Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign
August 21-22	Near Charlestown
August 24	Charlestown
September 19	Third Battle Winchester (Opequan)
September 22	Fisher’s Hill
September 24	New Market
October 19	Battle of Cedar Creek
October 21	Mustered out, expiration of term

Fourteenth Infantry. Cols., Nathan Kimball, William Harrow, John Coons, Lieut.-Cols., John R. Mahan, William Harrow, Philander R. Owen, John Coons, Elijah H. C. Cavins, William Houghton. This regiment was organized at Camp Vigo, near Terre Haute, in May, 1861. It originally was a one year regiment, but volunteered for three years on the call for three years troops, being the first Indiana regiment mustered in for that term. It was mustered in June 7, and left the state on July 5. It proceeded to Clarksburg, W. Va., and marched to Rich Mountain where it was in reserve at the battle. It was stationed at Cheat Mountain from July 16 to Oct. 8, and was engaged at that point on Sept. 12, and at Green Brier River Oct. 3. It encamped at Huttonsville, Philippi and Romney until Jan. 10, 1862, and passed the remainder of the winter at Paw Paw tunnel. On March 4, it joined Shields' division and proceeded to Winchester, where it participated in the battle, losing 4 killed and 50 wounded. On May 15, it commenced its march to Fredericksburg, leaving there on the 24th for Front Royal, which place was reached June 1, in time to assist in driving out the enemy. It was in various movements until July 2, reaching Turkey Bend just as the Army of the Potomac was in retreat, the 14th engaging in severe fighting with the pursuing enemy and checking his advance. It was assigned to the 2nd corps and put on outpost duty, being in constant action with the enemy for nearly three weeks, and then moved to Centerville, where it assisted in covering the retreat of the army. It was in reserve at South Mountain but at Antietam its division was the only one that never gave way during the battle, its brigade being called the "Gibraltar." The 14th fought for 4 hours within 60 yards of the enemy's line and lost 31 killed and 150 wounded. It moved to Harper's Ferry and Warrenton, thence to Falmouth, where it remained until Dec. 11. Its brigade led the attack on the works at Fredericksburg, but could not advance beyond a certain point, the enemy being too strongly intrenched. The regiment then encamped at Falmouth until April 28, 1863. It was in reserve at Chancellorsville during May 1-2, but on the 3rd with its brigade charged and drove the enemy from the ground lost by the 11th corps the previous day, but was forced back by an overwhelming force, losing 7 killed, 50 wounded and 2 missing. It was in the battle of Gettysburg, charging the enemy's advance, saving Ricketts' battery, driving the enemy down the hill and capturing all the field officers, the colors, and most of the men of the 21st N. C. infantry on the evening of the second day's battle. The following day its division bore the brunt of the desperate attack on the left of the cemetery and the regiment lost 123 in killed and wounded. It was sent to New York on Aug. 16, to aid in quelling draft riots, but was with its corps when the enemy was whipped at Bristoe Station in October. It took part in the Mine Run campaign and then went into quarters at Stevensburg, where part of the regiment reenlisted as veterans in Dec. 1863. It was in action at Morton's Ford in Feb., 1864, and moved with the army on the Wilderness campaign as part of Hancock's (2nd) corps, bearing the brunt of most of the fighting in the numerous engagements of that movement. It was in the victorious charge at Spotsylvania, when Col Coons was killed, and was also in the battle of Cold Harbor. The regiment was mustered out at Indianapolis, June 20, 1864, and the reenlisted men and recruits were transferred on Aug. 1, to the 20th regiment. The original strength of the 14th was 1,055. Gain by recruits, 160; reenlistments, 59; total, 1,274. Loss by death, 185; desertion, 63; unaccounted for, 12.