56th Pennsylvania Infantry
Regimental History and Service Record
Organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, March 7, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., March 8. Attached to Defenses of Washington to May, 1862. Doubleday's Brigade, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Array Corps, Army Potomac, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.--
- March 17-September 2, 1862 -
The Peninsula Campaign
[1]
Duty at Fort Albany, Defenses of Washington, until April 4, 1862, and at Budd's Ferry until April 24. At Aquia Creek Landing until May 10. Guard railroad bridge at Potomac Creek May 21-27. (Five Companies moved to Belle Plains May 10.) Guard duty near Fredericksburg until August 9.
- August 16-September 2, 1862 -
The Northern Virginia Campaign
Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30.
- September 3-20, 1862 -
The Maryland Campaign
Duty on the battlefield of Antietam until October 20. (Co. "A" at Fairfax October 20-30.) At Bakersville October 20-30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Union, Va., November 2-3. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth and Belle Plains until April 27, 1863.
- April 27-May 6, 1863 -
The Chancellorsville Campaign
- Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2.
- Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30.
- May 1-5, 1863 -
Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia
Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9.
- June 11-August 1, 1863 -
The Gettysburg Campaign
- July 1-3, 1863 -
Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
- July 1-3, 1863 -
Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
- Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864.
- On Veteran furlough March 10-April 17.
- Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12.
- May 5-7, 1864 -
Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia
- Laurel Hill May 8;
- May 8-21, 1864 -
Battles of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
- May 22-26, 1864 -
Operations on Line of the North Anna River, Virginia
- May 26-28, 1864 -
Operations on Line of the Pamunkey River, Virginia
[2] - May 28-31, 1864 -
Operations on Line of the Totopotomoy River, Virginia
- June 1-12, 1864 -
Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia
- June 1-3, 1864 -
Battle of Bethesda Church, Virginia
- June 1-3, 1864 -
- May 5-7, 1864 -
Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Reserve). Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Lewis Farm near Gravelly Run March 29. Boydton and White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out at Philadelphia, Pa., July 1, 1865.
Regimental Roster
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Regiment Statistical Information
- Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 111 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 96 Enlisted men by disease. Total 215.
Legacy
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Notes
Sources
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 760, 761, 827, 898, 905, 906, 907, 916, 906, 907, 932, 933, 934, 936, 938, 939, 940, 941, 1593)
- Pennsylvania Units
- Pennsylvania Infantry Units
- Source: ACWR 760
- Source: ACWR 761
- Source: ACWR 827
- Source: ACWR 898
- Source: ACWR 905
- Source: ACWR 906
- Source: ACWR 907
- Source: ACWR 916
- Source: ACWR 932
- Source: ACWR 933
- Source: ACWR 934
- Source: ACWR 936
- Source: ACWR 938
- Source: ACWR 939
- Source: ACWR 940
- Source: ACWR 941
- Source: ACWR 1593