Overview
The 35th Pennsylvania Infantry (also known as the 6th Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry) was an infantry regiment organized for three years’ service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Composed of men from various parts of Pennsylvania, the regiment was mustered into service at Washington, D.C., on July 27, 1861. It served primarily in the Eastern Theater as part of the Pennsylvania Reserves, participating in many major campaigns and battles of the Army of the Potomac.
Organization & Service
The 35th Pennsylvania Infantry (6th Reserves) was organized in Pennsylvania and ordered to Maryland along with the Kane Rifles shortly after formation. The regiment moved to Greencastle, Pennsylvania, then to Washington, D.C., and Tennallytown. It was mustered in for three years’ service on July 27, 1861, at Washington. At Tennallytown, the regiment was assigned to the 3rd Brigade of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps.
In December 1861, the brigade achieved a notable victory at Dranesville. The regiment spent the winter in camp near Langley, Virginia. During the Peninsula Campaign in the spring of 1862, the 35th participated in strategic movements and later saw active engagement at Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, suffering significant losses at Fredericksburg. The regiment encamped near Belle Plain for the winter, took part in the “Mud March” in January 1863, and was ordered to Alexandria in February, then to Fairfax Station in March, where it remained until the Gettysburg Campaign.
The 35th Pennsylvania Infantry was heavily engaged at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, joined in the pursuit of Confederate forces, and participated in subsequent marches and operations through the autumn. The regiment wintered at Kettle Run in December 1863. In the spring of 1864, it took part in the Wilderness Campaign and fought its final battle at Bethesda Church. Following this engagement, the regiment was ordered to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where it was mustered out on June 11, 1864. Veterans and recruits were transferred to the 191st Pennsylvania Infantry.
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
- Dranesville (December 1861)
- Peninsula Campaign (Spring 1862)
- Second Bull Run
- South Mountain
- Antietam
- Fredericksburg
- “Mud March” (January 1863)
- Gettysburg Campaign
- Battle of Gettysburg
- Wilderness Campaign (May 1864)
- Bethesda Church
Casualties
According to available sources, the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry (6th PA Reserves) suffered significant losses, particularly at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. Exact figures for killed, wounded, and died of disease are not fully detailed in all primary sources.
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel W. W. Ricketts
- Colonel William Sinclair
- Colonel Wellington H. Ent
- Lieutenant Colonel William Penrose
- Lieutenant Colonel Henry B. McKean
- Lieutenant Colonel Wellington H. Ent
- Lieutenant Colonel William D. Dickson
- Major Henry J. Madill
- Major Wellington H. Ent
- Major William H. H. Gore
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry (6th PA Reserves), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official state and federal records.
To view the complete roster, visit the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry (6th PA Reserves) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report
- 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