The Civil War in the East

61st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

 

The 61st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment lost 19 officers and 218 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 100 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

 

It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

Monument to the 61st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg

1861

September 7

Organized at Pittsburg. Ordered to Washington, D.C. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C. attached to Jameson's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, Army Potomac

November 12

Reconnaissance to Pohick Church and Occoquan River

1862

February

Attached to Graham's Brigade, Couch's Division, Army Potomac

March

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac

March 10-15

Advance on Manassas, Va.

March 20

Reconnaissance to Gainesville

March 26

Moved to the Peninsula, Va.

April 5-May 4

Siege of Yorktown

May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

May 20-23

Operations about Bottom's Bridge

May 31-June 1

Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines

June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

June 27

Seven Pines

June 30

White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross Roads

July 1

Malvern Hill. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps

July-August

At Harrison's Landing

August 5-7

Reconnaissance to Malvern Hill

August 16-30

Movement to Alexandria, then to Chantilly

September 1

Chantilly

September 6-24

Maryland Campaign. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam, Md.

September 19-20

Williamsport

October-November

Duty in Maryland and on the Potomac. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps

November 1-19

Movement to Falmouth, Va.

December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

1863

January 20-24

Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March"

February - April

At Falmouth. Attached to Light Brigade, 6th Army Corps

April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 2

Operations at Franklin's Crossing

May 3

Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg

May 3-4

Salem Heights

May 4

Banks' Ford. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac

June 6-13

Operations about Deep Run Ravine

July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George F. Smith. It brought 400 men to the field, losing 1 wounded and 1 missing.

 

From the monument: "After a march of 37 miles reached the field about 4 p.m. July 2nd. Moved to support of 12th Corps. Occupied this position from morning of July 3rd until close of battle."

"Extreme right of infantry of the army."

July 6

South Mountain, Md.

July-October

Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan

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

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George F. Smith. It brought 400 men to the field, losing 1 wounded and 1 missing.

1864

December-Apri

At Brandy Station

May 4-June 12

Rapidan Campaign

May 5-7

Battles of the Wilderness

May 5

Parker's Store

May 8-12

Spottsylvania

May 12-21

Spottsylvania C. H.

May 12

Assault on the Salient

May 23-26

North Anna River

May 26-28

Line of the Pamunkey

May 28-31

Totopotomoy

June 1-12

Cold Harbor

June 17-19

Before Petersburg; Siege of Petersburg

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

July 9-11

Moved to Washington, D.C.

July 11-12

Repulse of Early's attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington

July 14-19

Pursuit of Early to Snicker's Gap attached to Army of the Shenandoah

August to December

Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign

August 21

Charlestown

September 13

Gilbert's Ford, Opequan Creek

September 19

Battle of Opequan, Winchester

September 22

Fisher's Hill

October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek

October-November

Duty in the Shenandoah Valley

December 1

Ordered to Petersburg, Va.; Siege of Petersburg

1865

March 25

Fort Fisher, Petersburg

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

April 2

Assault on and fall of Petersburg

April 3-9

Pursuit of Lee

April 9

Appomattox C. H. Surrender of Lee and his army.

April 23-29

March to Danville and duty there

May 23

Moved to Richmond, Va., thence to Washington, D.C.

June 8

Corps Review

June 28

Mustered out