Overview
The 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment raised in the north-central region of Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. Organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, the regiment was mustered into United States service between August 11 and 18, 1862, for a term of nine months. The unit served in the Army of the Potomac and participated in several major campaigns in the Eastern Theater.
This regiment is distinct from any other Pennsylvania infantry units with different service terms.
Organization & Service
The 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, and mustered in between August 11 and 18, 1862. Colonel Richard A. Oakford, previously of the 15th Pennsylvania (Three Months’ Service), commanded the regiment. The men were noted for their good physique and readiness for service.
The regiment departed Pennsylvania for Washington, D.C., on August 19, 1862, and encamped near Fort Corcoran, where it underwent drill and preparation. On September 2, the unit moved to Rockville, Maryland, and was assigned to Kimball’s Brigade, French’s Division, Sumner’s Corps. The regiment reached South Mountain too late to participate in the battle there. Its first major engagement was at Antietam, where it suffered significant casualties, including the loss of Colonel Oakford and Lieutenant Cranmer.
Following Antietam, the regiment moved with the corps to Bolivar Heights and participated in reconnaissance missions to Leesburg and Charlestown in October. In early November, the regiment arrived at Falmouth, Virginia, and was detached for duty at Belle Plain for about a month. As part of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps, the regiment fought at Fredericksburg, sustaining heavy losses but earning commendation for its conduct. The unit spent the winter at Falmouth and participated in the Chancellorsville Campaign in May 1863, where it was in reserve for the first two days and engaged at the front on May 3 and 4. The regiment’s term of service expired on May 14, 1863, and it was mustered out at Harrisburg on May 24, 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
- Antietam (September 17, 1862)
- Reconnaissance to Leesburg and Charlestown (October 1862)
- Fredericksburg (December 12–15, 1862)
- Chancellorsville (May 1–4, 1863)
Casualties
- Antietam: 30 killed, 114 wounded, 8 missing
- Fredericksburg: 150 casualties out of 340 engaged
- Chancellorsville: approximately 50 casualties
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources regarding total losses for the regiment’s full term.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Richard A. Oakford (killed at Antietam)
- Colonel Vincent M. Wilcox
- Colonel Charles Albright
- Lieutenant Colonel Vincent M. Wilcox
- Lieutenant Colonel Charles Albright
- Lieutenant Colonel Joseph E. Shreve
- Major Charles Albright
- Major Joseph E. Shreve
- Major Fred L. Hitchcock
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details where available.
To view the complete roster, visit the 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 19, 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