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148th
Pennsylvania Infantry
Online Books
148th
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-eighth Infantry. — Cols., James
A. Beaver, James F. Weaver; Lieut.-Cols., Robert McFarlane, George A.
Fairlamb, James F. Weaver, George A. Bayard: Majs., George A. Fairlamb,
Robert Henry Forster, James F. Weaver, George A. Bayard, Silas J.
Martin. This regiment was composed of seven companies recruited in
Center county, two in Indiana and Jefferson counties, and one in
Clarion. It rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, where it was
mustered into the U. S. service from Aug. 22 to Sept. 8, 1862, for three
years. Col. Beaver had served in a militia company, as 1st lieutenant in
the 2nd volunteer infantry, and as lieutenant-colonel of the 45th. He
was appointed colonel of the 148th at the request of the line officers.
A number of the other officers had also previously been in service. The
total enrollment of the regiment was 1,339, of whom 12 officers and 198
enlisted men were killed or died of wounds, and 4 officers and 183
enlisted men died of disease, accident or as prisoners. The total of
killed and wounded was 769, and 62 died in Confederate prisons. It was
one of the three hundred fighting regiments enumerated in Fox's
"Regimental Losses," and participated in the following engagements :
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Po river, Spottsylvania,
Totopotomy, Cold Harbor, Prison Guard, Salisbury, N. C, first assaults
on Petersburg, siege of Petersburg, Jerusalem plank road, Deep Bottom,
Reams' station, Hatcher's run, White Oak road and Farmville. For three
months after its organization it was engaged in guarding a section of
the Northern Central railroad in Maryland, with headquarters at
Cockeysville, and joined the Army of the Potomac at Falmouth immediately
after the battle of Fredericksburg. It was assigned to Caldwell's (1st)
brigade, Hancock's (1st) division, 2nd corps, and remained with this
division throughout its term of service. It suffered severely in its
first battle, Chancellorsville, where it lost 31 killed, 119 wounded and
14 missing, Col. Beaver being severely wounded early in the engagement.
It arrived on the field of Gettysburg on the second day of the battle
and took position on the crest to the left of Cemetery hill. It was
hotly engaged for about an hour in the afternoon of July 2 at the
wheatfield in front of Round Top and then retired to its original
position. Its loss was 19 killed, 101 wounded and 5 missing. After the
battle it shared in the pursuit of the enemy, and in the Virginia and
Mine Run campaigns. On Oct. 29 it received 125 drafted men and towards
the middle of November 158 more were added to the ranks. Many of these
were good recruits, though a few were worthless and depraved. The
command went into winter quarters near Stevensburg, Va., where 120 more
recruits were received. It lost only 1 man killed at the Wilderness, as
it acted mainly as support to the other troops. It was heavily engaged
at the Po river and Spottsylvania, where it lost 33 killed, 235 wounded
and 33 missing, a total of 301, the greatest loss inflicted on any
infantry regiment at Spottsylvania. Lieut. -Col. Fairlamb was here
severely wounded and taken prisoner. In the assault on Petersburg on
June 16, Col. Beaver, in command of the 3d brigade, was severely
wounded. He rejoined the regiment as the battle of Reams' station was
beginning and was again wounded, losing a leg. The 148th was one of the
regiments — one from each division being selected — to be armed with
breech-loading rifles, the selection being made by Gen. Hancock. It was
highly commended by Gen. Miles for its gallant conduct at Sutherland's
station on the South Side railroad in April, 1865. After sharing in the
closing movements of the campaign it returned to the neighborhood of
Alexandria, Va., and was there mustered out on June 3, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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