139th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War

Overview

The 139th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Howe in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Composed of men from Allegheny, Armstrong, Mercer, and Beaver counties, it was mustered into United States service for three years on September 1, 1862. The regiment served in the Union Army, primarily within the Army of the Potomac and later in the Army of the Shenandoah, participating in major campaigns in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War.

The 139th Pennsylvania Infantry is noted for its involvement in numerous significant battles, including Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns. The regiment was recognized for acts of gallantry, particularly during the final assault on Petersburg.

Organization & Service

The 139th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Camp Howe, Pittsburgh, and mustered in for three years’ service on September 1, 1862, under Colonel Frederick H. Collier. The regiment departed for Washington, D.C., on the evening of its muster and arrived on September 3, 1862. Its first assignment was to the Bull Run battlefield to bury Union dead following the recent engagement there. The regiment then joined the Army of the Potomac at Antietam on the day of the battle but was not engaged.

Assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Corps, the 139th Pennsylvania was in reserve and exposed to artillery fire at Fredericksburg in December 1862. During the Chancellorsville Campaign in May 1863, the regiment fought at Fredericksburg, Salem Church, and Marye’s Heights, suffering significant losses. At Gettysburg, the regiment arrived on July 2, 1863, and supported the 3rd and 5th Corps near Little Round Top, participating in a charge and later supporting the Pennsylvania Reserves. The regiment was also engaged in the pursuit of Lee’s army and participated in the Rappahannock Station and Mine Run campaigns in late 1863.

In early 1864, the regiment was ordered to Harper’s Ferry and then rejoined its corps at Brandy Station in March, transferring to the 2nd Division. Reinforced by new recruits, the 139th entered the Overland Campaign, suffering heavy casualties at the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, and participating in actions at North Anna and Cold Harbor. The regiment was involved in the initial assaults on Petersburg and the movement on the Weldon Railroad. In July 1864, it moved to Washington, D.C., to confront Confederate forces under General Early, then joined General Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign, fighting at Opequon, Fisher’s Hill, and Cedar Creek.

Returning to the Petersburg front in December 1864, the regiment participated in the final assaults in March 1865, including the breakthrough that led to the evacuation of Petersburg and the fall of Richmond. The 139th Pennsylvania was active at Sailor’s Creek during the pursuit of Lee’s army. After Lee’s surrender, the regiment moved to support General Sherman but returned to Washington following Johnston’s surrender. The regiment was mustered out of service on June 21, 1865.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Bull Run (burial detail, September 1862)
• Fredericksburg (December 1862)
• Chancellorsville Campaign (Fredericksburg, Salem Church, Marye’s Heights, May 1863)
• Gettysburg (July 2–3, 1863)
• Rappahannock Station (November 1863)
• Mine Run Campaign (November–December 1863)
• Wilderness (May 1864)
• Spottsylvania Court House (May 1864)
• North Anna River (May 1864)
• Cold Harbor (June 1864)
• First Assaults on Petersburg (June 1864)
• Weldon Railroad (June 1864)
• Defense of Washington, D.C. (July 1864)
• Opequon (Third Winchester, September 1864)
• Fisher’s Hill (September 1864)
• Cedar Creek (October 1864)
• Petersburg (December 1864–April 1865)
• Final Assault on Petersburg (April 2, 1865)
• Sailor’s Creek (April 6, 1865)

Casualties

According to available primary sources, the 139th Pennsylvania Infantry suffered the following losses:

• Killed or mortally wounded: figures not specified in all sources; known to have lost 123 at Chancellorsville and 196 at the Wilderness, including many officers.
• Died of disease: not specified in available sources.
• Total losses: precise aggregate not stated in the referenced sources.

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Frederick H. Collier
• Lieutenant Colonel James D. Owens
• Lieutenant Colonel William H. Moody
• Lieutenant Colonel James L. McKean
• Lieutenant Colonel John G. Parr
• Major William H. Moody
• Major A. H. Snyder
• Major John G. Parr
• Major Robert Munroe
• Major James McGregor

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of officers and enlisted men who served in the 139th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details valuable for genealogical and historical research.

To view the full roster, visit the 139th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts (Army of the Potomac, VI Corps, 1862–1865)
• Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, 1865
• 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