Overview
The 129th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service on August 15, 1862. Composed primarily of volunteers from Schuylkill, Northampton, and Montgomery counties, the regiment served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Its service was concentrated in the Eastern Theater, and it participated in several significant campaigns before mustering out in May 1863.
This regiment served a nine-month term and should not be confused with other Pennsylvania infantry units of different service durations.
Organization & Service
The 129th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was organized at Camp Curtin and mustered in on August 15, 1862. The regiment was promptly ordered to Washington, D.C. The day after arrival, two companies were detached to Bull Run to rebuild and guard a bridge, while the remainder escorted an ammunition train to Centerville. Upon return, the regiment was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac.
On September 14, 1862, the brigade moved toward Antietam but arrived after the battle had concluded. The regiment’s first major engagement was at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862, where it participated in a charge against the Confederate-held heights and suffered significant casualties. After Fredericksburg, the regiment established winter quarters near Falmouth, Virginia, remaining there except for participation in the “Mud March” in January 1863. In May 1863, the regiment was heavily engaged at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Shortly after this action, the 129th Pennsylvania returned to Harrisburg and was mustered out of service on May 18, 1863.
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
- Fredericksburg Campaign (December 1862)
- Battle of Fredericksburg
- “Mud March” (January 1863)
- Chancellorsville Campaign (May 1863)
- Battle of Chancellorsville
Casualties
At the Battle of Fredericksburg, the 129th Pennsylvania Infantry suffered 142 killed and wounded. The regiment also incurred heavy losses at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Detailed total casualty figures for the entire term of service are not fully specified in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Jacob G. Frick
- Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Armstrong
- Major Joseph Anthony
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 129th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and other service details as recorded in official sources.
To view the full roster, visit the 129th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 21, 25
- 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