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143rd
Pennsylvania Infantry
Online Books
143rd
Pennsylvania Infantry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 4 by Samuel P Bates, 1869
View Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| One Hundred and Forty-third Infantry. — Col, Edmund L.
Dana; Lieut-Cols., George E. Hoyt, John D. Musser, George N. Richard;
Majs., John D. Musser, C. M. Conyngham, Chester H. Hughes. This regiment
rendezvoused at Wilkes Barre during the summer of 1862, coming from
Luzerne county, except Cos. H and K, from the counties of Susquehanna,
Wyoming and Lycoming. It was slowly mustered into the U. S. service at
Wilkes Barre from Aug. 26 to Sept. 10, 1862, for a term of three years.
Col. Dana was a veteran of the Mexican war and a major-general of
militia. On Nov. 7 it broke camp and proceeded to Washington, being
armed with the Enfield rifle at Harrisburg en route. It was stationed
near Fort Slocum for three months, and then proceeded to Belle Plain,
where it was assigned to the 2nd brigade (Col. Stone), 3d division (Gen.
Doubleday), 1st corps (Gen. Reynolds). The corps went into position on
the extreme right of the army on the third day of the battle of
Chancellorsville, but the fighting on the last two days did not reach
the position of the 143d. After encamping for a month at Falmouth, it
moved on the Gettysburg campaign, arriving on the field of Gettysburg on
the morning of July 1 and becoming heavily engaged by noon. Most of its
losses were incurred in the first day's fighting, in which it bore
itself with great gallantry, slowly yielding to superior numbers and
contesting the ground stubbornly. It was not heavily engaged on the next
two days, though exposed to a heavy artillery fire in its position on
low, open ground on the left center, midway between the cemetery and
Round Top. Its loss during the 3 days was 253 killed, wounded and
missing, out of 465 engaged, or more than one-half its effective
strength. After engaging in the pursuit it was stationed for some time
at Bealeton Station on guard duty. A large number of recruits — upward
of 360 — were received in September and October, and in November it
shared in the various maneuvers of the army in the Valley of Virginia,
having a sharp skirmish with the enemy at Haymarket. From Nov. 22 to
Dec. 5 it performed railroad guard duty at Manassas, marched thence to
Paoli mills, and finally, after 8 months' constant campaigning, went
into winter quarters at Culpeper on Dec. 27. Before moving on the spring
campaign of 1864, the 143d was assigned to the 1st brigade, 1st
division, 5th corps. It suffered severely at the Wilderness, Col. Dana
being wounded and captured, and Lieut.-Col. Musser being among the
killed. More heavy fighting followed at Laurel hill — where Maj.
Conyngham, commanding the regiment, was severely wounded in one of the
assaults — the North Anna river, Totopotomy and Cold Harbor. It shared
in the first general assaults on Petersburg and from June 20 to Aug. 14
it aided in the construction of Fort Hell. In August it was engaged at
the Six-mile house, on the Weldon railroad. In September it was
transferred to Gen. Crawford's (3d) division, and welcomed its old
commander, Col. Dana, back from captivity at Charleston. It shared in
the movement on the Vaughan road, then garrisoned Fort Howard for a few
weeks, when it was engaged at Hatcher's run. In December it assisted in
destroying some 20 miles of the Weldon railroad, when it repulsed
repeated charges of the enemy. In Feb., 1865, it was heavily engaged at
Dabney's mill, and a few days later, now greatly reduced in numbers, it
was detailed for special duty at the camp of rendezvous on Hart's
island, New York harbor. It was employed here until June 12, 1865, when
it was mustered out of service, and proceeded to Harrisburg, where the
men were finally paid and discharged. Col. Dana was brevetted
brigadier-general and mustered out the following August. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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