53rd Pennsylvania Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 53rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was a volunteer infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, in the summer of 1861, with John R. Brooke
, of Pottstown
, Montgomery County
, was commissioned colonel
on August 21. Brooke had previously served as a captain in the three-month 4th Pennsylvania Infantry, and he immediately commenced recruiting his own regiment. By late September, the first companies had been organized and the first company was mustered into the service of the United States on September 28 at Camp Curtin
.
Ten companies were eventually formed, raised in the following counties:
Richard McMichael of Berks County was commissioned lieutenant colonel
, Thomas Yeager of Lehigh County major
, and Charles P. Hatch of Philadelphia was appointed adjutant
. While at Harrisburg, the regiment performed provost guard duty in the city.
On November 7, the 53rd moved to Washington and encamped north of the Capitol
before crossing the Potomac River
on the 27th, and went into camp near Alexandria
. Here, the regiment was assigned to the brigade
of Brigadier General
William H. French
in General William Sumner's division
of the newly organized Army of the Potomac
.
The regiment participated in the general advance of the army under Irwin McDowell toward Manassas Junction
in March 1862, which had been evacuated by Confederate forces on the 12th. On March 21, Brooke's command supported General Oliver O. Howard
's Philadelphia Brigade
in its reconnaissance to Warrenton Junction and beyond to the Rappahannock River
. The regiment remained near the junction until ordered to return to Manassas on March 23 and then back to Alexandria. Upon the re-organization of the army that spring, French's brigade was designated as the Third Brigade in the First Division, II Corps
. General Sumner having moved up to corps
command; the division was now commanded by General Israel B. Richardson
.
to take part in Major General
George McClellan
's drive on Richmond
. The first action the regiment took part in was during the Siege of Yorktown
, with the 53rd being held in reserve. The regiment briefly took part in the pursuit of the Confederate army
before being ordered back to Yorktown
on May 6. During the advance on Richmond which following the siege, the Fifty-third assisted engineers in constructing the famous "grapevine bridge" across the Chickahominy River
, from May 28 to the 30th. The Fifty-third's first major battle was at the Battle of Fair Oaks on June 1, 1862. Sent into the middle of the battle, the regiment was temporarily disorganized, but was still able to drive back the Confederates. Ninety-six men killed, wounded, and missing during the battle, including Major Yeager, who was killed.
The 53rd fought during the Seven Days Battles
, which began on June 27, when Confederate forces attacked the V Corps
near Gaines' Mill
. Richardson's division was rushed forward to the corps' assistance, crossing the Chickahominy and came under fire of Confederate artillery and infantry. Forming in line of battle, the division covered the Union withdrawal and at midnight re-crossed the Chickahominy. The regiment fought again at the Battle of Savage's Station
on June 29 in order to protect Union supplies and wounded near the railroad station. After a short fight, the Confederates withdrew and the retreat was resumed at midnight, French's brigade acting as rearguard for the corps. At daylight the regiment reached White Oak Creek and rejoined the corps. The regiment was assisting in the destruction to a bridge when Confederate skirmishers appeared and opened fire on the Union troops. A number of Confederate batteries opened fire on the Union lines, though did little damage. Although not seriously engaged, the regiment lost several men wounded. The regiment withdrew with its brigade soon after midnight and marched to Malvern Hill, arriving on the morning of July 1. Though constantly under artillery fire throughout the Battle of Malvern Hill
, no further loses were inflicted on the regiment.
The 53rd camped with the corps near Harrison's Landing on the James River
until August 16. While here, the 64th New York Infantry was temporarily attached to the regiment for drill, discipline, and camp duty, all under command of Major Octavius S. Bull, promoted to fill the vacancy left by the death of Yeager. Brooke was placed in temporary command the brigade at this time, since General French who was ill. McMichael took a temporary leave due to sickness, one of over a hundred men of the regiment who suffered from illnesses during the campaign.
On August 16, the regiment marched to Newport News
where it embarked for Alexandria, arriving on the 28th and camping next day near the Aqueduct Bridge. On the 30th, the brigade marched to Centreville
, where it was deployed to protect the exposed flanks of the Union army in its retreat from Bull Run. It was near Vienna, Virginia
, that the 53rd and one section of a battery were placed on the Leesburg Turnpike to guard the flank of the column. Suddenly, Confederate cavalry appeared and charged upon the Union column between the pike and Chain Bridge, separating the 53rd from the main column. Recognizing the danger, Colonel Brooke immediately rushed his regiment down the pike to rejoin the last of the column before their retreat was cut off. Soon after the battle, General French left the brigade to take command of the Third Division, II Corps, leaving Brooke in command of the brigade, a post he would hold off and on for the remainder of the war. Immediately thereafter, the Army of the Potomac moved towards western Maryland in response to the Confederate invasion. The Second Corps moved to Frederick, Maryland
, and thence to South Mountain
, where the regiment was held in reserve during the Battle of South Mountain
on September 14. The next day it skirmished during the morning with Confederate cavalry near Boonsboro
and Keedysville
.
On September 17, the II Corps was moved to the Union right to support the Union I Corps
during the Battle of Antietam
. General Richardson formed his division in lines of battle on the Roulette Farm, with the Fifty-third placed on the extreme right of the division, to the west of the Miller cornfield. Not quite a half mile ahead of the division was a "sunken road" occupied by a North Carolina brigade and an Alabama brigade, with a second line placed behind a stone wall on a slight ridge that covered the road and open approaches. Initial charges on the road met with disaster, including the mortal wounding of General Richardson. Finally the order came for French's brigade to move up and charge the enemy position. The Fifty-third charged towards the sunken road, driving back a dense skirmish line and falling upon the collapsing Confederate center. Further penetration beyond the road could not be accomplished. The Fifty-third was ordered to the support of a battery in a nearby orchard, where they remained for the rest of the day under constant artillery fire. Twenty-eight men of the regiment were killed and wounded at this battle.
and encamped on the following day on Bolivar Heights, where new shoes and clothing were given to the men to replace the clothing worn since the previous winter. On October 16, 1862, the regiment was sent on a reconnaissance to Charlestown
, reaching the town before evening and capturing some prisoners before returning to Bolivar Heights. On October 30, the division crossed the Shenandoah River
and proceeded down the Loudoun Valley
, skirmishing with Confederate troops at Snicker's Gap on November 4. Here, Major General Ambrose Burnside
assumed command of the Army of the Potomac and the movement upon Fredericksburg
was begun. The Fifty-third marched to Falmouth
where it arrived on November 19 and performed provost guard duty until December 11. It then took up a position opposite Fredericksburg in support of Union batteries engaged in the bombardment of the town.
Early the next morning, the regiment crossed the Rappahannock River and formed a skirmish line to drive rebel sharpshooters out of the city. One soldier was mortally wounded during the street fighting, before the 53rd was relieved and rested for the night on the river bank. Early on the morning of Saturday, December 13, the regiment marched through the fog into the streets of Fredericksburg and halted for an hour under Confederate artillery fire from Marye's Heights, west of the city where the Battle of Fredericksburg
had begun. The brigade, commanded by Colonel Samuel K. Zook
, rushed up St. Charles Street and formed in line of battle on the edge of town. The regiment reportedly got within 60 yards of the stone wall. Despite suffering heavy casualties and running low on ammunition, Brooke held his position, withdrawing back into the city after nightfall. The 53rd lost 39 killed and 119 wounded in the battle out of 283 officers and men.
The regiment wintered at Falmouth and did not to take part in the Mud March
that January. Three companies under command of Major Bull were detailed as provost guard at division headquarters and the major assigned to the staff of General Couch. Bull remained at Second Corps headquarters successively with subsequent corps commanders until May 1864. After the appointment of Major General Joseph Hooker
to army command, the 1st Division was divided into four brigades, with the Fourth commanded by Colonel Brooke and including the 53rd Pennsylvania, 27th Connecticut, 2nd Delaware, 145th Pennsylvania, and 64th New York.
On April 28, the Union Army began the Chancellorsville Campaign, crossing the Rappahannock River at United States Ford and moving into the Wilderness. The regiment was actively engaged on the skirmish line during the Battle of Chancellorsville
, at one point in support of a battery near the Chancellor House with the 2nd Delaware and 145th Pennsylvania. One officer and several enlisted men were wounded by Confederate artillery fire, but the regiment stayed until ordered to withdraw. During the retreat, several men from the regiment manage to drag two guns from the battery three miles to the ford over the river. The Fifty-third remained on the battlefield until May 5 when, with the Irish Brigade
, Brooke's brigade acted as a rear guard while the army withdrew. Losses for the regiment during the campaign were one officer and seven men wounded, with three missing and presumed captured.
The Second Corps returned to their old winter camps near Falmouth, where they remained until June 14 when the Fifty-third left camp and marched to Banks' Ford to observe Confederate movement westward. Having found that the Confederate columns had passed, the Fifty-third moved with the army northward, including a forced march to Thoroughfare Gap
on June 20. Here the regiment remained on picket until the 25th when the enemy attacked, driving in the outposts and forcing the command to withdraw. Luckily the corps had passed through the gap hours earlier and the regiment soon rejoined its division as they crossed the Potomac River and marched to the vicinity of Frederick, Maryland
. General Hooker was removed from command on June 28, and was replaced by Major General George G. Meade, who sent the army northward the next day to find Lee and draw him into battle. The Battle of Gettysburg
started on July 1.
The Fifty-third marched from an overnight bivouac near Taneytown, Maryland
, on July, arriving on the battlefield well after midnight. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 2nd, the division, commanded by General John C. Caldwell
, moved to a position on Cemetery Ridge
, forming the left wing of the Second Corps and connecting with the III Corps, which also formed along the ridge line. Around 5 P.M., Caldwell's Division was ordered to move south to support the First Division of the III Corps and shore up the battered line that ran through the Wheatfield. The division marched down a narrow farm lane to the north side of the field, where it was formed into battle lines and the brigades sent in one by one to stop the Confederates.
Brooke's Brigade was ordered to fill the gap in the division center and charged into the center of the wheat field where the men were met with a destructive fire of musketry, but still managed to drive back the Confederates. The brigade was able to hold back two waves of Confederates counterattack
s, but with no support in sight and discovering enemy troops moving upon the rear of the brigade position, Brooke reluctantly ordered his men to retire to their first position. Re-entering the wheat field, the Union ranks were suddenly swept by Confederate fire from a fresh brigade newly arrived on the field. On July 3, the regiment was under a heavy artillery fire but not actively engaged. The regiment was reduced in numbers going into this battle with three companies being still on detached duty at division headquarters, and the remainder having only 124 officers and men. Six men were killed during the battle, sixty-seven wounded, one missing, and six captured. Colonel Brooke was also wounded in the retreat from the wheat field. Command of the regiment passed to Lt. Colonel McMichael.
On the afternoon of July 5, the regiment marched in pursuit of the retreating Confederates, arriving at Jones' Cross Roads near Confederate positions near Hagerstown
, on July 11. The regiment advanced in line that evening after driving back enemy skirmishers to their main line, the regiment threw up breastworks. On the 14th it was deployed in line at right angles to the Williamsport Road and advanced cautiously only to discover the rebel works vacant, the southerners having crossed the Potomac River the evening before, back into Virginia. After remaining for a few days in Pleasant Valley, the Second Corps crossed the Potomac and marched down the Loudoun Valley
to Ashby's and Manassas Gaps, passed White Plains, New Baltimore, and Warrenton and arrived on August 1 at Morrisville where it went into camp. During the Bristoe Campaign
, the Fifty-third was engaged at the Battle of Bristoe Station
. It also participated in the Mine Run Campaign. Ordered into winter quarters at Stevensburg, most of the regiment re-enlisted and on December 27, proceeded to Harrisburg for a veteran furlough, after which the regiment returned to Virginia and again camped near Stevensburg for the remainder of the winter.
. The First Division, now commanded General Francis Barlow
, reorganized its four brigades, the Fourth (Brooke's) joined by the 66th New York and 148th Pennsylvania. The corps' Second Division absorbed regiments as well, so that the Third Corps regiments became the Third and Fourth Divisions, respectively commanded by generals David Birney
and Gershom Mott
. Colonel Brooke also returned to the regiment and again assumed command of the brigade.
On May 4, 1864, the army crossed the Rapidan River
at Ely's Ford to begin the Overland Campaign
. The next day, the II corps moved toward Orange Court House where it was attacked in the Battle of the Wilderness
. The Fifty-third was detached from the brigade to guard the corps' wagon train until that afternoon when it marched to rejoin the division, in line behind earthworks constructed along the length of the Brock Road. On May 6, the division moved out from its works and into the woods only to encounter an impassible swamp and concentrated enemy fire. The Fifty-third moved to the left approximately two miles and threw up breastworks before being recalled to the former position, where they were shifted again to the right to relieve the 19th Maine Infantry on the firing line. A massive Confederate charge by General James Longstreet
's Corps was halted at the Union works, a portion of which went up in flames, but the line held. The Fifty-third rejoined the brigade just before nightfall but was quickly detached to report to the First Brigade for duty, where the men remained through another night. The 7th was spent in skirmishing and reinforcing the earthworks. The army moved southward, the Fifty-third marching at 6 A.M. on May 8 toward Spotsylvania Court House.
At 5 P.M. on May 9, Barlow's Division moved westward to the Po River
and crossed where the advance was then blocked by a large Confederate force. Barlow attempted to shift his troops around the Confederates. McMichael was relieved of command due to illness, and Lt. Col. D. L. Stricker of the 2nd Delaware took command of both regiments that evening. The next day, the regiment was shifted around to various points along the line. After 1 P.M., the regiment was ordered forward in line of battle, through a ravine and up to the crest of a hill. After fighting for an hour, the 53rd was forced to fall back. Unable to turn the Confederate position, Barlow withdrew across the Po River that afternoon, the regiment going into camp a half mile from the river. On the 11th, Grant ordered an attack on the "Mule Shoe" salient. The Fifty-third took part behind the captured works until all of its ammunition was used up and it was ordered to the rear after noon. For the remainder of the battle, the regiment constructed earthworks and skirmished with the Confederates. During this time, Colonel Brooke was promoted to brigadier general and Major Bull promoted to lieutenant colonel to replace McMichael, who was discharged due to illness on May 19. Captain Henry S. Dimm was commissioned major on the 17th, but never formally mustered into the rank. (Dimm mustered out of service due to wounds received in September 1864 and was replaced by Captain William M. Mintzer, promoted to major.)
On May 20, the Second Corps marched southward from Spotsylvania, eventually reaching the North Anna River. Crossing on the 24th, the corps seized a ridge overlooking the river and southern lines, which was held until five o'clock when the Fifty-third moved forward three-quarters of a mile and built breastworks. Confederate artillery shelled the position, but the regiment suffered no casualties. The position was abandoned on the 27th, when the regiment recrossed the North Anna and moved across the Pamunkey River to Totopotomy Creek. By June 2, the corps had reached Cold Harbor, where it moved close up to the enemy's entrenched line and constructed breastworks that night. The regiment participated in the massive assault during the Battle of Cold Harbor
the next day, suffering severe losses due to artillery and musket fire. Barlow's Division remained in their position, exchanging skirmish fire with the Confederates until the night of June 12.
Apart from a foray to Reams Station in mid-July, the regiment was busy with the building of entrenchments until July 26, when the Fifty-third moved with the brigade to the right and north of the James River, to take part in the First Battle of Deep Bottom
. It returned to the Petersburg siege lines until August 12, when the command again returned to the left bank of the James where it was engaged with Confederate outposts at the Second Battle of Deep Bottom. On the 21st, the regiment re-crossed the James and the Appomattox Rivers and passing in rear of the army to the extreme left of the line, commenced demolishing the Weldon Railroad near Ream's Station. Five miles had already been destroyed when the Confederates attacked in force and a line of battle was hastily formed to repel his advance and protect the working parties. The first charge was repulsed, but the next charge struck with overpowering force and the line wavered. Exhaustion, illness and low morale all contributed to the near disaster for the Second Corps at the Second Battle of Ream's Station
, forced to abandon the field and retire to the lines in front of Petersburg.
During the autumn and winter months the regiment was engaged in severe duty in the front lines before the besieged city. On September 18, Bull was promoted to colonel to replace McMichael, having been discharged. Mintzer was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became full colonel in November when Bull, exhausted and in poor health, mustered out of service. Captain Philip H. Shreyer was promoted to major, which he held when he, too, mustered out and was replaced by Captain George D. Pifer. Captain George C. Anderson was made lieutenant colonel.
had been ordered to move westward around the strained southern lines toward Five Forks, a major crossroads that protected the vital South Side Railroad into Petersburg. The II Corps was ordered to support and connect with the V in its operations. The First Division, now commanded by Nelson A. Miles
, mrched across Hatcher's Run to the Vaughn Road, where the brigade formed into a line of battle and advanced two miles, connecting with the V Corps. The advance continued the next morning, driving in Confederate skirmishers across Dabney's Mill Roadto the Boydton Plank Road before dark, where the men threw up breastworks and camped for the night. In the morning of March 31, the troops relieved the V Corps in their line of earthworks and watched them advance into the dense woods ahead. As the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
progressed, Miles ordered the Fourth Brigade to form a line in the rear to halt the retreat of the V Corps, which the men did as directed. At 12:30, Miles received orders to go to the relief of the V Corps, and ordered the Third and Fourth Brigades to do the job. They advanced across Licking Run and attacked the Confederates in their flank and rear, routing the Confederate battlelines and driving them to their earthworks above White Oak Road. Passing over the White Oak Road, Miles' troops encountered Confederate works and halted, not being strong enough to capture them. The line was shifted to make connection with the rest of the corps that evening. The Fifty-third lost fifteen men killed, one man mortally wounded, two officers and 47 men wounded in the fight on the Boydton Plank Road. Pifer led the Fifty-third in this action, Mintzer having been placed temporarily in command of a detachment deployed to pin down a portion of the Confederate force.
Returning to the Boydton Plank Road on the morning of April 1, the Fifty-third Pennsylvania stood picket duty until that afternoon when the division marched to the Battle of Five Forks
, arriving after the battle had ended. A general withdrawal from Richmond and Petersburg was ordered that evening by General Lee. On April 2, the Fifty-third occupied abandoned Confederate works on the White Oak Road, and then marched in pursuit of the retreating force, confronting a dense line near Sutherland's Station. Miles sent forward two of his brigades, which could not break the southern line. Ramsey's Brigade was then sent on a flanking maneuver through a ravine and dense woods where it was massed and ordered forward at 2:45, attacking the Confederates in the flank, capturing the breastworks and routing the remainder of the Confederate force. Six hundred prisoners, one battleflag, and two artillery pieces were captured by the division in the Battle of Sutherland's Station
, at a cost of eight men wounded in the Fifty-third.
The regiment participated in the pursuit of Lee's army toward Danville. On April 6, the division marched from Jetersville following a Confederate column guarding a wagon train, which became trapped at the Battle of Sayler's Creek
. The bulk of the wagon train was taken along with several hundred prisoners, the Fifty-third arriving on the field at the close of the battle. The regiment moved out the following morning, crossed the South Side Railroad near High Bridge and over the Appomattox River where they immediately formed line of battle to confront a Confederate rear guard. One man was killed and another wounded in the ensuing Battle of Cumberland Church
, which netted over one hundred prisoners, along with supplies and equipment scattered on the Buckingham Road toward Farmville where the Fifty-third bivouacked for the night. For the next two days the regiment marched unopposed until the 9th, when about four miles from Appomattox Court House, it was announced that the Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered. The column halted and camped on the Buckingham Road.
The Fifty-third Pennsylvania encamped for a short time near Burkeville, when the II Corps was ordered to Washington. On a forced march, the troops proceeded through Richmond, Fredericksburg, and to camps at Alexandria. On May 23, the regiment participated in the Grand Review. In June, the regiment marched to take a train home to Harrisburg, where they bivouacked at Camp Curtin. For the success attained in this service, Colonel Mintzer was promoted brevet brigadier general and several other officers received brevet-promotions. With final inventories made and pay drawn, the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry was formally mustered out of service on June 30, 1865.
represents Company A, while another group in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
represents Company C.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Formation
The regiment was organized at Camp CurtinCamp Curtin
Camp Curtin was a military training camp in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.When news of the bombardment and subsequent surrender of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina reached Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers...
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, in the summer of 1861, with John R. Brooke
John R. Brooke
John Rutter Brooke was a major general in the United States Army during both the American Civil War and the Spanish American War...
, of Pottstown
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States northwest of Philadelphia and southeast of Reading, on the Schuylkill River. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the...
, Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, was commissioned colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
on August 21. Brooke had previously served as a captain in the three-month 4th Pennsylvania Infantry, and he immediately commenced recruiting his own regiment. By late September, the first companies had been organized and the first company was mustered into the service of the United States on September 28 at Camp Curtin
Camp Curtin
Camp Curtin was a military training camp in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.When news of the bombardment and subsequent surrender of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina reached Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers...
.
Ten companies were eventually formed, raised in the following counties:
- Company A, Montgomery County
- Company B, ChesterChester County, Pennsylvania-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
and Montgomery Counties - Company C, BlairBlair County, Pennsylvania-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
and HuntingdonHuntingdon County, PennsylvaniaHuntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
Counties - Company D, CentreCentre County, PennsylvaniaCentre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
and ClearfieldClearfield County, PennsylvaniaClearfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 81,642.Clearfield County was created on March 26, 1804, from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming Counties but was administered as part of Centre County until 1812...
Counties - Company E, CarbonCarbon County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 58,802 people, 23,701 households, and 16,424 families residing in the county. The population density was 154 people per square mile . There were 30,492 housing units at an average density of 80 per square mile...
and UnionUnion County, Pennsylvania-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,624 people, 13,178 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile . There were 14,684 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
Counties - Company F, Luzerne CountyLuzerne County, Pennsylvania- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
- Company G, Potter CountyPotter County, PennsylvaniaPotter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is in the Allegheny Plateau region. As of 2010, the population was 17,457. Its county seat is Coudersport. Potter County was named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the...
- Company H, Northumberland CountyNorthumberland County, PennsylvaniaThere were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
- Company I, Juniata CountyJuniata County, PennsylvaniaJuniata County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 24,636. Juniata County was created on March 2, 1831, from part of Mifflin County and named for the Juniata River. Its county seat is Mifflintown....
- Company K, Westmoreland CountyWestmoreland County, Pennsylvania-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
Richard McMichael of Berks County was commissioned lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, Thomas Yeager of Lehigh County major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
, and Charles P. Hatch of Philadelphia was appointed adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
. While at Harrisburg, the regiment performed provost guard duty in the city.
On November 7, the 53rd moved to Washington and encamped north of the Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
before crossing the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
on the 27th, and went into camp near Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. Here, the regiment was assigned to the brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
William H. French
William H. French
William Henry French was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army General in the American Civil War. He rose to temporarily command a corps within the Army of the Potomac, but was relieved of active field duty following poor performance during the Mine Run Campaign in late 1863.-Early...
in General William Sumner's division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the newly organized Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
.
The regiment participated in the general advance of the army under Irwin McDowell toward Manassas Junction
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
in March 1862, which had been evacuated by Confederate forces on the 12th. On March 21, Brooke's command supported General Oliver O. Howard
Oliver O. Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War...
's Philadelphia Brigade
Philadelphia Brigade
The Philadelphia Brigade was a Union Army brigade that served in the American Civil War. It was raised primarily in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the exception of the 106th regiment which contained men from Lycoming and Bradford counties.The brigade fought with the Army of the...
in its reconnaissance to Warrenton Junction and beyond to the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
. The regiment remained near the junction until ordered to return to Manassas on March 23 and then back to Alexandria. Upon the re-organization of the army that spring, French's brigade was designated as the Third Brigade in the First Division, II Corps
II Corps (ACW)
There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War.* Army of the Cumberland, II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden , later renumbered XX Corps...
. General Sumner having moved up to corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
command; the division was now commanded by General Israel B. Richardson
Israel B. Richardson
Israel Bush Richardson was a United States Army officer during the Mexican-American War and American Civil War, where he was a major general in the Union Army...
.
First battles in Virginia
The II Corps was transferred with the army to the PeninsulaVirginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
to take part in Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
George McClellan
George McClellan
George B. McClellan was an American Civil War military leader, Presidential candidate and Governor of New Jersey.George McClellan may also refer to:*George McClellan , American physician who founded medical schools...
's drive on Richmond
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
. The first action the regiment took part in was during the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
, with the 53rd being held in reserve. The regiment briefly took part in the pursuit of the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
before being ordered back to Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
on May 6. During the advance on Richmond which following the siege, the Fifty-third assisted engineers in constructing the famous "grapevine bridge" across the Chickahominy River
Chickahominy River
The Chickahominy is an river in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Virginia. The river rises about northwest of Richmond and flows southeast and south to the James River...
, from May 28 to the 30th. The Fifty-third's first major battle was at the Battle of Fair Oaks on June 1, 1862. Sent into the middle of the battle, the regiment was temporarily disorganized, but was still able to drive back the Confederates. Ninety-six men killed, wounded, and missing during the battle, including Major Yeager, who was killed.
The 53rd fought during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
, which began on June 27, when Confederate forces attacked the V Corps
V Corps (ACW)
The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...
near Gaines' Mill
Battle of Gaines' Mill
The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War...
. Richardson's division was rushed forward to the corps' assistance, crossing the Chickahominy and came under fire of Confederate artillery and infantry. Forming in line of battle, the division covered the Union withdrawal and at midnight re-crossed the Chickahominy. The regiment fought again at the Battle of Savage's Station
Battle of Savage's Station
The Battle of Savage's Station took place on June 29, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as fourth of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. The main body of the Union Army of the Potomac began a general withdrawal toward the James River. Confederate Brig. Gen. John B. Magruder pursued...
on June 29 in order to protect Union supplies and wounded near the railroad station. After a short fight, the Confederates withdrew and the retreat was resumed at midnight, French's brigade acting as rearguard for the corps. At daylight the regiment reached White Oak Creek and rejoined the corps. The regiment was assisting in the destruction to a bridge when Confederate skirmishers appeared and opened fire on the Union troops. A number of Confederate batteries opened fire on the Union lines, though did little damage. Although not seriously engaged, the regiment lost several men wounded. The regiment withdrew with its brigade soon after midnight and marched to Malvern Hill, arriving on the morning of July 1. Though constantly under artillery fire throughout the Battle of Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
, no further loses were inflicted on the regiment.
The 53rd camped with the corps near Harrison's Landing on the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
until August 16. While here, the 64th New York Infantry was temporarily attached to the regiment for drill, discipline, and camp duty, all under command of Major Octavius S. Bull, promoted to fill the vacancy left by the death of Yeager. Brooke was placed in temporary command the brigade at this time, since General French who was ill. McMichael took a temporary leave due to sickness, one of over a hundred men of the regiment who suffered from illnesses during the campaign.
On August 16, the regiment marched to Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
where it embarked for Alexandria, arriving on the 28th and camping next day near the Aqueduct Bridge. On the 30th, the brigade marched to Centreville
Centreville, Virginia
Centreville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a Census Designated Place , the community population was 71,135 as of the 2010 census and is approximately west of Washington, DC.-Colonial Period:Beginning in the 1760s,...
, where it was deployed to protect the exposed flanks of the Union army in its retreat from Bull Run. It was near Vienna, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
, that the 53rd and one section of a battery were placed on the Leesburg Turnpike to guard the flank of the column. Suddenly, Confederate cavalry appeared and charged upon the Union column between the pike and Chain Bridge, separating the 53rd from the main column. Recognizing the danger, Colonel Brooke immediately rushed his regiment down the pike to rejoin the last of the column before their retreat was cut off. Soon after the battle, General French left the brigade to take command of the Third Division, II Corps, leaving Brooke in command of the brigade, a post he would hold off and on for the remainder of the war. Immediately thereafter, the Army of the Potomac moved towards western Maryland in response to the Confederate invasion. The Second Corps moved to Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, and thence to South Mountain
South Mountain (Maryland and Pennsylvania)
South Mountain is the northern extension of the Blue Ridge Mountain range in Maryland and Pennsylvania. From the Potomac River near Knoxville, Maryland in the south, to Dillsburg, Pennsylvania in the north, the long range separates the Hagerstown and Cumberland valleys from the Piedmont regions of...
, where the regiment was held in reserve during the Battle of South Mountain
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
on September 14. The next day it skirmished during the morning with Confederate cavalry near Boonsboro
Boonsboro, Maryland
Boonsboro is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, located at the foot of South Mountain. It nearly borders Frederick County and is proximate to the Antietam National Battlefield...
and Keedysville
Keedysville, Maryland
Keedysville is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 482 as of the 2000 Census. As of 1 July 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the town's population at 862, a 78.8% increase from 2000.-Geography:...
.
On September 17, the II Corps was moved to the Union right to support the Union I Corps
I Corps (ACW)
I Corps was the designation of three different corps-sized units in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The units served in the following armies:...
during the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
. General Richardson formed his division in lines of battle on the Roulette Farm, with the Fifty-third placed on the extreme right of the division, to the west of the Miller cornfield. Not quite a half mile ahead of the division was a "sunken road" occupied by a North Carolina brigade and an Alabama brigade, with a second line placed behind a stone wall on a slight ridge that covered the road and open approaches. Initial charges on the road met with disaster, including the mortal wounding of General Richardson. Finally the order came for French's brigade to move up and charge the enemy position. The Fifty-third charged towards the sunken road, driving back a dense skirmish line and falling upon the collapsing Confederate center. Further penetration beyond the road could not be accomplished. The Fifty-third was ordered to the support of a battery in a nearby orchard, where they remained for the rest of the day under constant artillery fire. Twenty-eight men of the regiment were killed and wounded at this battle.
Fredericksburg to Gettysburg
On September 22, the regiment forded the Potomac River at Harper's FerryHarpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
and encamped on the following day on Bolivar Heights, where new shoes and clothing were given to the men to replace the clothing worn since the previous winter. On October 16, 1862, the regiment was sent on a reconnaissance to Charlestown
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
, reaching the town before evening and capturing some prisoners before returning to Bolivar Heights. On October 30, the division crossed the Shenandoah River
Shenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, long with two forks approximately long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia...
and proceeded down the Loudoun Valley
Loudoun Valley
The Loudoun Valley is a small, but historically significant valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains located in Loudoun County in northwestern Virginia in the United States.-Geography:...
, skirmishing with Confederate troops at Snicker's Gap on November 4. Here, Major General Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
assumed command of the Army of the Potomac and the movement upon Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
was begun. The Fifty-third marched to Falmouth
Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
where it arrived on November 19 and performed provost guard duty until December 11. It then took up a position opposite Fredericksburg in support of Union batteries engaged in the bombardment of the town.
Early the next morning, the regiment crossed the Rappahannock River and formed a skirmish line to drive rebel sharpshooters out of the city. One soldier was mortally wounded during the street fighting, before the 53rd was relieved and rested for the night on the river bank. Early on the morning of Saturday, December 13, the regiment marched through the fog into the streets of Fredericksburg and halted for an hour under Confederate artillery fire from Marye's Heights, west of the city where the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
had begun. The brigade, commanded by Colonel Samuel K. Zook
Samuel K. Zook
Samuel Kosciuszko Zook was a Union general during the American Civil War, killed in action during the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early years:...
, rushed up St. Charles Street and formed in line of battle on the edge of town. The regiment reportedly got within 60 yards of the stone wall. Despite suffering heavy casualties and running low on ammunition, Brooke held his position, withdrawing back into the city after nightfall. The 53rd lost 39 killed and 119 wounded in the battle out of 283 officers and men.
The regiment wintered at Falmouth and did not to take part in the Mud March
Mud March
Mud March can refer to:*Mud March — In the American Civil War, an abortive Union attempt at a winter offensive in January 1863....
that January. Three companies under command of Major Bull were detailed as provost guard at division headquarters and the major assigned to the staff of General Couch. Bull remained at Second Corps headquarters successively with subsequent corps commanders until May 1864. After the appointment of Major General Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker was a career United States Army officer, achieving the rank of major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although he served throughout the war, usually with distinction, Hooker is best remembered for his stunning defeat by Confederate General Robert E...
to army command, the 1st Division was divided into four brigades, with the Fourth commanded by Colonel Brooke and including the 53rd Pennsylvania, 27th Connecticut, 2nd Delaware, 145th Pennsylvania, and 64th New York.
On April 28, the Union Army began the Chancellorsville Campaign, crossing the Rappahannock River at United States Ford and moving into the Wilderness. The regiment was actively engaged on the skirmish line during the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
, at one point in support of a battery near the Chancellor House with the 2nd Delaware and 145th Pennsylvania. One officer and several enlisted men were wounded by Confederate artillery fire, but the regiment stayed until ordered to withdraw. During the retreat, several men from the regiment manage to drag two guns from the battery three miles to the ford over the river. The Fifty-third remained on the battlefield until May 5 when, with the Irish Brigade
Irish Brigade (US)
The Irish Brigade was an infantry brigade, consisting predominantly of Irish Americans, that served in the Union Army in the American Civil War. The designation of the first regiment in the brigade, the 69th New York Infantry, or the "Fighting 69th", continued in later wars...
, Brooke's brigade acted as a rear guard while the army withdrew. Losses for the regiment during the campaign were one officer and seven men wounded, with three missing and presumed captured.
The Second Corps returned to their old winter camps near Falmouth, where they remained until June 14 when the Fifty-third left camp and marched to Banks' Ford to observe Confederate movement westward. Having found that the Confederate columns had passed, the Fifty-third moved with the army northward, including a forced march to Thoroughfare Gap
Thoroughfare Gap
Thoroughfare Gap is an album by American singer-songwriter Stephen Stills, released in 1978. This CD is now available as a three album set on 2 CDs with Stills & Illegal Stills.- Side 1 :#"You Can't Dance Alone" – 4:14#"Thoroughfare Gap" – 3:31...
on June 20. Here the regiment remained on picket until the 25th when the enemy attacked, driving in the outposts and forcing the command to withdraw. Luckily the corps had passed through the gap hours earlier and the regiment soon rejoined its division as they crossed the Potomac River and marched to the vicinity of Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
. General Hooker was removed from command on June 28, and was replaced by Major General George G. Meade, who sent the army northward the next day to find Lee and draw him into battle. The Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
started on July 1.
The Fifty-third marched from an overnight bivouac near Taneytown, Maryland
Taneytown, Maryland
Taneytown is a city in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,128 at the 2000 census. was founded in 1754. Of the town George Washington once wrote "Tan-nee town is but a small place with only the Street through wch. the road passes, built on...
, on July, arriving on the battlefield well after midnight. At eight o'clock on the morning of the 2nd, the division, commanded by General John C. Caldwell
John C. Caldwell
John Curtis Caldwell was a teacher, a Union general in the American Civil War, and an American diplomat.-Early life:Caldwell was born in Lowell, Vermont...
, moved to a position on Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the Union Army during the battle, roughly the center of...
, forming the left wing of the Second Corps and connecting with the III Corps, which also formed along the ridge line. Around 5 P.M., Caldwell's Division was ordered to move south to support the First Division of the III Corps and shore up the battered line that ran through the Wheatfield. The division marched down a narrow farm lane to the north side of the field, where it was formed into battle lines and the brigades sent in one by one to stop the Confederates.
Brooke's Brigade was ordered to fill the gap in the division center and charged into the center of the wheat field where the men were met with a destructive fire of musketry, but still managed to drive back the Confederates. The brigade was able to hold back two waves of Confederates counterattack
Counterattack
A counterattack is a tactic used in response against an attack. The term originates in military strategy. The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy in attack and the specific objectives are usually to regain lost ground or to destroy attacking enemy units.It is...
s, but with no support in sight and discovering enemy troops moving upon the rear of the brigade position, Brooke reluctantly ordered his men to retire to their first position. Re-entering the wheat field, the Union ranks were suddenly swept by Confederate fire from a fresh brigade newly arrived on the field. On July 3, the regiment was under a heavy artillery fire but not actively engaged. The regiment was reduced in numbers going into this battle with three companies being still on detached duty at division headquarters, and the remainder having only 124 officers and men. Six men were killed during the battle, sixty-seven wounded, one missing, and six captured. Colonel Brooke was also wounded in the retreat from the wheat field. Command of the regiment passed to Lt. Colonel McMichael.
On the afternoon of July 5, the regiment marched in pursuit of the retreating Confederates, arriving at Jones' Cross Roads near Confederate positions near Hagerstown
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
, on July 11. The regiment advanced in line that evening after driving back enemy skirmishers to their main line, the regiment threw up breastworks. On the 14th it was deployed in line at right angles to the Williamsport Road and advanced cautiously only to discover the rebel works vacant, the southerners having crossed the Potomac River the evening before, back into Virginia. After remaining for a few days in Pleasant Valley, the Second Corps crossed the Potomac and marched down the Loudoun Valley
Loudoun Valley
The Loudoun Valley is a small, but historically significant valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains located in Loudoun County in northwestern Virginia in the United States.-Geography:...
to Ashby's and Manassas Gaps, passed White Plains, New Baltimore, and Warrenton and arrived on August 1 at Morrisville where it went into camp. During the Bristoe Campaign
Bristoe Campaign
The Bristoe Campaign was a series of minor battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac, began to maneuver in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern...
, the Fifty-third was engaged at the Battle of Bristoe Station
Battle of Bristoe Station
The Battle of Bristoe Station was fought on October 14, 1863, at Bristoe Station, Virginia, between Union forces under Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill during the Bristoe Campaign of the American Civil War...
. It also participated in the Mine Run Campaign. Ordered into winter quarters at Stevensburg, most of the regiment re-enlisted and on December 27, proceeded to Harrisburg for a veteran furlough, after which the regiment returned to Virginia and again camped near Stevensburg for the remainder of the winter.
Overland Campaign
In April 1864, the Second Corps was re-organized with the assimilation of the III CorpsIII Corps (ACW)
There were four formations in the Union Army designated as III Corps during the American Civil War.Three were short-lived:*In the Army of Virginia:**Irvin McDowell ;**James B...
. The First Division, now commanded General Francis Barlow
Francis Barlow
Francis Barlow may refer to:*Francis Barlow , British painter, etcher, and illustrator*Francis C. Barlow , US lawyer, politician, and general-See also:*Frank Barlow...
, reorganized its four brigades, the Fourth (Brooke's) joined by the 66th New York and 148th Pennsylvania. The corps' Second Division absorbed regiments as well, so that the Third Corps regiments became the Third and Fourth Divisions, respectively commanded by generals David Birney
David Birney
David Edwin Birney is an American actor/director whose career has performances in both contemporary and classical roles in theatre, film and television. He has three children, a daughter Kate, and twins, Peter and Mollie....
and Gershom Mott
Gershom Mott
Gershom Mott was a United States Army officer and a General in the Union Army, a commander in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-Early life:...
. Colonel Brooke also returned to the regiment and again assumed command of the brigade.
On May 4, 1864, the army crossed the Rapidan River
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg...
at Ely's Ford to begin the Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
. The next day, the II corps moved toward Orange Court House where it was attacked in the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
. The Fifty-third was detached from the brigade to guard the corps' wagon train until that afternoon when it marched to rejoin the division, in line behind earthworks constructed along the length of the Brock Road. On May 6, the division moved out from its works and into the woods only to encounter an impassible swamp and concentrated enemy fire. The Fifty-third moved to the left approximately two miles and threw up breastworks before being recalled to the former position, where they were shifted again to the right to relieve the 19th Maine Infantry on the firing line. A massive Confederate charge by General James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
's Corps was halted at the Union works, a portion of which went up in flames, but the line held. The Fifty-third rejoined the brigade just before nightfall but was quickly detached to report to the First Brigade for duty, where the men remained through another night. The 7th was spent in skirmishing and reinforcing the earthworks. The army moved southward, the Fifty-third marching at 6 A.M. on May 8 toward Spotsylvania Court House.
At 5 P.M. on May 9, Barlow's Division moved westward to the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
and crossed where the advance was then blocked by a large Confederate force. Barlow attempted to shift his troops around the Confederates. McMichael was relieved of command due to illness, and Lt. Col. D. L. Stricker of the 2nd Delaware took command of both regiments that evening. The next day, the regiment was shifted around to various points along the line. After 1 P.M., the regiment was ordered forward in line of battle, through a ravine and up to the crest of a hill. After fighting for an hour, the 53rd was forced to fall back. Unable to turn the Confederate position, Barlow withdrew across the Po River that afternoon, the regiment going into camp a half mile from the river. On the 11th, Grant ordered an attack on the "Mule Shoe" salient. The Fifty-third took part behind the captured works until all of its ammunition was used up and it was ordered to the rear after noon. For the remainder of the battle, the regiment constructed earthworks and skirmished with the Confederates. During this time, Colonel Brooke was promoted to brigadier general and Major Bull promoted to lieutenant colonel to replace McMichael, who was discharged due to illness on May 19. Captain Henry S. Dimm was commissioned major on the 17th, but never formally mustered into the rank. (Dimm mustered out of service due to wounds received in September 1864 and was replaced by Captain William M. Mintzer, promoted to major.)
On May 20, the Second Corps marched southward from Spotsylvania, eventually reaching the North Anna River. Crossing on the 24th, the corps seized a ridge overlooking the river and southern lines, which was held until five o'clock when the Fifty-third moved forward three-quarters of a mile and built breastworks. Confederate artillery shelled the position, but the regiment suffered no casualties. The position was abandoned on the 27th, when the regiment recrossed the North Anna and moved across the Pamunkey River to Totopotomy Creek. By June 2, the corps had reached Cold Harbor, where it moved close up to the enemy's entrenched line and constructed breastworks that night. The regiment participated in the massive assault during the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
the next day, suffering severe losses due to artillery and musket fire. Barlow's Division remained in their position, exchanging skirmish fire with the Confederates until the night of June 12.
Siege of Petersburg
The regiment crossed the Chickahominy River at Long Bridge, the James River on transports, and arrived on the morning of June 16 in front of Petersburg. The regiment formed line of battle on the left of the brigade, now commanded by Colonel Beaver of the 148th Pennsylvania, and moved forward with bayonets fixed. Rushing through a cornfield, the line was hit by Confederate artillery that staggered the formations. The line was ordered to halt and the men immediately began to dig earthworks using cups, plates, bayonets and their bare hands. At 6 P.M., the order came for another attack on the Confederate line. The regiment lost approximately seventy men in the charge on the southern fort. Moving to the southeast in an attempt to flank the Confederate line, on the 22nd, an attempt was made to establish a new line which proved alike unsuccessful. The Fifty-third had advanced through a dense wood and formed a battleline when the Confederates moved on their flank and rear. Fortunately, the regiment was able to return to the former line of works but several men became separated from the command and were captured. The regiment's losses from June 15 to the 30th totaled ten killed, 33 wounded, and 56 captured or missing.Apart from a foray to Reams Station in mid-July, the regiment was busy with the building of entrenchments until July 26, when the Fifty-third moved with the brigade to the right and north of the James River, to take part in the First Battle of Deep Bottom
First Battle of Deep Bottom
The First Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Darbytown, Strawberry Plains, New Market Road, or Gravel Hill, was fought July 27–29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under Maj. Gens. Winfield S....
. It returned to the Petersburg siege lines until August 12, when the command again returned to the left bank of the James where it was engaged with Confederate outposts at the Second Battle of Deep Bottom. On the 21st, the regiment re-crossed the James and the Appomattox Rivers and passing in rear of the army to the extreme left of the line, commenced demolishing the Weldon Railroad near Ream's Station. Five miles had already been destroyed when the Confederates attacked in force and a line of battle was hastily formed to repel his advance and protect the working parties. The first charge was repulsed, but the next charge struck with overpowering force and the line wavered. Exhaustion, illness and low morale all contributed to the near disaster for the Second Corps at the Second Battle of Ream's Station
Second Battle of Ream's Station
The Second Battle of Ream's Station was fought during the Siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War on August 25, 1864, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. A Union force under Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock began destroying part of the Weldon Railroad, which was a vital supply line for Gen. Robert...
, forced to abandon the field and retire to the lines in front of Petersburg.
During the autumn and winter months the regiment was engaged in severe duty in the front lines before the besieged city. On September 18, Bull was promoted to colonel to replace McMichael, having been discharged. Mintzer was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became full colonel in November when Bull, exhausted and in poor health, mustered out of service. Captain Philip H. Shreyer was promoted to major, which he held when he, too, mustered out and was replaced by Captain George D. Pifer. Captain George C. Anderson was made lieutenant colonel.
Appomattox Campaign
On March 29, 1865, the V CorpsV Corps (ACW)
The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...
had been ordered to move westward around the strained southern lines toward Five Forks, a major crossroads that protected the vital South Side Railroad into Petersburg. The II Corps was ordered to support and connect with the V in its operations. The First Division, now commanded by Nelson A. Miles
Nelson A. Miles
Nelson Appleton Miles was a United States soldier who served in the American Civil War, Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American War.-Early life:Miles was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, on his family's farm...
, mrched across Hatcher's Run to the Vaughn Road, where the brigade formed into a line of battle and advanced two miles, connecting with the V Corps. The advance continued the next morning, driving in Confederate skirmishers across Dabney's Mill Roadto the Boydton Plank Road before dark, where the men threw up breastworks and camped for the night. In the morning of March 31, the troops relieved the V Corps in their line of earthworks and watched them advance into the dense woods ahead. As the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House was a minor engagement in the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War that was the immediate prelude to the decisive Battle of Five Forks. On March 29, 1865, with the Cavalry Corps and the II and V Corps of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan...
progressed, Miles ordered the Fourth Brigade to form a line in the rear to halt the retreat of the V Corps, which the men did as directed. At 12:30, Miles received orders to go to the relief of the V Corps, and ordered the Third and Fourth Brigades to do the job. They advanced across Licking Run and attacked the Confederates in their flank and rear, routing the Confederate battlelines and driving them to their earthworks above White Oak Road. Passing over the White Oak Road, Miles' troops encountered Confederate works and halted, not being strong enough to capture them. The line was shifted to make connection with the rest of the corps that evening. The Fifty-third lost fifteen men killed, one man mortally wounded, two officers and 47 men wounded in the fight on the Boydton Plank Road. Pifer led the Fifty-third in this action, Mintzer having been placed temporarily in command of a detachment deployed to pin down a portion of the Confederate force.
Returning to the Boydton Plank Road on the morning of April 1, the Fifty-third Pennsylvania stood picket duty until that afternoon when the division marched to the Battle of Five Forks
Battle of Five Forks
The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County, during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle, sometimes referred to as the "Waterloo of the Confederacy," pitted Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan against...
, arriving after the battle had ended. A general withdrawal from Richmond and Petersburg was ordered that evening by General Lee. On April 2, the Fifty-third occupied abandoned Confederate works on the White Oak Road, and then marched in pursuit of the retreating force, confronting a dense line near Sutherland's Station. Miles sent forward two of his brigades, which could not break the southern line. Ramsey's Brigade was then sent on a flanking maneuver through a ravine and dense woods where it was massed and ordered forward at 2:45, attacking the Confederates in the flank, capturing the breastworks and routing the remainder of the Confederate force. Six hundred prisoners, one battleflag, and two artillery pieces were captured by the division in the Battle of Sutherland's Station
Battle of Sutherland's Station
The Battle of Sutherland's Station was an American Civil War conflict fought on April 2, 1865, in Dinwiddie, Virginia during the Appomattox Campaign....
, at a cost of eight men wounded in the Fifty-third.
The regiment participated in the pursuit of Lee's army toward Danville. On April 6, the division marched from Jetersville following a Confederate column guarding a wagon train, which became trapped at the Battle of Sayler's Creek
Battle of Sayler's Creek
-External links:* * : Maps, histories, photos, and preservation news...
. The bulk of the wagon train was taken along with several hundred prisoners, the Fifty-third arriving on the field at the close of the battle. The regiment moved out the following morning, crossed the South Side Railroad near High Bridge and over the Appomattox River where they immediately formed line of battle to confront a Confederate rear guard. One man was killed and another wounded in the ensuing Battle of Cumberland Church
Battle of Cumberland Church
The Battle of Cumberland Church was fought on April 7, 1865, as part of the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War.Near 2 p.m. on April 7, the advance of the Union II Corps encountered Confederate forces entrenched on high ground near Cumberland Church. The Union forces attacked twice but...
, which netted over one hundred prisoners, along with supplies and equipment scattered on the Buckingham Road toward Farmville where the Fifty-third bivouacked for the night. For the next two days the regiment marched unopposed until the 9th, when about four miles from Appomattox Court House, it was announced that the Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered. The column halted and camped on the Buckingham Road.
The Fifty-third Pennsylvania encamped for a short time near Burkeville, when the II Corps was ordered to Washington. On a forced march, the troops proceeded through Richmond, Fredericksburg, and to camps at Alexandria. On May 23, the regiment participated in the Grand Review. In June, the regiment marched to take a train home to Harrisburg, where they bivouacked at Camp Curtin. For the success attained in this service, Colonel Mintzer was promoted brevet brigadier general and several other officers received brevet-promotions. With final inventories made and pay drawn, the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry was formally mustered out of service on June 30, 1865.
Reenactors
Currently, a group in Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
represents Company A, while another group in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
represents Company C.
Casualties
- Killed and mortally wounded: 5 officers, 195 enlisted men
- Died of disease: 1 officer, 193 enlisted men
- Total: 6 officers, 388 enlisted men