34th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 5th PA Reserve in the American Civil War

Overview

The 34th Pennsylvania Infantry (5th Pennsylvania Reserve) was an infantry regiment organized at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service on June 20, 1861, for a three years’ term. The regiment served in the Union Army, primarily in the Eastern Theater, and was part of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. It was also known as the 5th Pennsylvania Reserves. The unit saw extensive action in major campaigns and battles throughout its service.

Organization & Service

The 34th Pennsylvania Infantry (5th Pennsylvania Reserve) was organized at Harrisburg and mustered in on June 20, 1861. Upon organization, the regiment, along with the Bucktail Rifles, departed Harrisburg for Cumberland, Maryland. After the First Battle of Bull Run, the regiment joined the Pennsylvania Reserves at Tennallytown, Maryland, and was assigned to the 1st Brigade.

The regiment arrived at Dranesville too late to participate in the engagement there. In early March 1862, it moved through Hunter’s Mills, Alexandria, Manassas, Falmouth, and Fredericksburg. During the Peninsula Campaign in June 1862, the 34th Pennsylvania participated in the battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines’ Mill, and Glendale, where Colonel Seneca G. Simmons was killed in action. The regiment continued to serve with distinction at the Second Battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam. At Fredericksburg, now attached to the 3rd Brigade, the regiment suffered significant losses.

In February 1863, the regiment was ordered to Washington, D.C., where it remained until the Gettysburg Campaign. At Gettysburg, the 34th Pennsylvania Infantry fought with notable bravery and took part in the subsequent pursuit of Confederate forces. The winter of 1863–1864 was spent at Alexandria. In May 1864, the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac for the Overland Campaign, participating in the battles of the Wilderness and other actions that month. Early in June 1864, the regiment returned to Harrisburg and was mustered out on June 11, 1864. Veterans and recruits were transferred to the 191st Pennsylvania Infantry.

Engagements & Campaigns

• First Bull Run (joined Reserves after battle)
• Peninsula Campaign (Mechanicsville, Gaines’ Mill, Glendale)
• Second Bull Run
• South Mountain
• Antietam
• Fredericksburg
• Gettysburg
• Wilderness Campaign (including battles of May 1864)

Casualties

Specific casualty figures for the 34th Pennsylvania Infantry (5th Pennsylvania Reserve) are not fully detailed in all primary sources. The regiment suffered heavy losses at Fredericksburg and sustained casualties in other major engagements. For precise numbers, consult Fox’s “Regimental Losses” and the Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s reports.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Seneca G. Simmons (killed at Glendale)
• Colonel Joseph W. Fisher
• Lieutenant Colonel Joseph W. Fisher
• Lieutenant Colonel George Dare
• Lieutenant Colonel Alfred M. Smith
• Major George Dare
• Major Frank Zentmeyer
• Major James H. Larrimer
• Major Alfred M. Smith
• Major James A. McPherran

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 34th Pennsylvania Infantry (5th Pennsylvania Reserve), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. For a complete listing of soldiers who served in this regiment, please visit the regimental roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes (see Army of the Potomac, Pennsylvania Reserves correspondence and reports)
• Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Reports
• Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
• Fox, William F., “Regimental Losses in the American Civil War”
• “The Union Army,” Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 1