Overview
The 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 20, 1861, for service in the Union Army during the early months of the Civil War. The regiment was primarily recruited from Blair, Cambria, and Allegheny counties. Its service was limited to the initial emergency period following the outbreak of hostilities, and it served in the Eastern Theater.
This unit is distinct from any later regiments designated as the 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry with different service terms.
Organization & Service
The 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was mustered into service at Harrisburg on April 20, 1861, under the command of Colonel Francis P. Minier, Lieutenant Colonel John M. Power, and Major Oliver M. Irvine. The regiment departed Harrisburg the same day for Cockeysville, Maryland. Shortly thereafter, it returned to York, Pennsylvania, before being ordered to Chambersburg.
At Chambersburg, the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of General Robert Patterson’s army. After a brief period in camp at Funkstown, Maryland, the regiment marched with Patterson’s forces to Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia). The 3rd Pennsylvania was then detailed to guard duty at the supply depot in Williamsport, Maryland, where it remained until July 26, 1861. The regiment was mustered out of service at the expiration of its term on July 29, 1861.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Duty at Cockeysville, Maryland (April 1861)
- Camp at York, Pennsylvania
- Movement to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
- Camp at Funkstown, Maryland
- March to Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia)
- Guard duty at Williamsport, Maryland
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) are not detailed in the primary sources. The regiment did not participate in major combat actions during its term of service.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Francis P. Minier
- Lieutenant Colonel John M. Power
- Major Oliver M. Irvine
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served in the unit.
To view the full roster, visit the 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 2
- Pennsylvania State Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 1