188th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War

Overview

The 188th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in the state of Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. The regiment was formed at Camp Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, Virginia, in April 1864, primarily from surplus recruits of the 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery. It served in the Army of the James and later the Army of the Potomac, participating in major campaigns in Virginia during the final year of the war.

The regiment was composed of approximately 900 men at muster, many of whom had prior service in the reserve corps or other units. The 188th Pennsylvania Infantry was active in several significant engagements, including Drewry’s Bluff, Cold Harbor, and the assaults on Forts Harrison and Gilmer. It remained in service until December 1865, performing provost and guard duties in Virginia after the war’s end.

Organization & Service

The 188th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was organized at Camp Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, Virginia, during the first two weeks of April 1864. The regiment was mustered into United States service for a three-year term, with most officers and many men having prior experience in the 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery or other organizations.

On April 25, 1864, the regiment moved to Yorktown, Virginia, and was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps. It participated in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign, suffering its first casualties at Proctor’s Creek. The regiment saw heavy action at Drewry’s Bluff (Fort Darling) in May 1864, and joined the Army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor on June 1, where it was immediately engaged and incurred significant losses.

Following Cold Harbor, the 188th Pennsylvania took part in the initial assaults before Petersburg and held a position on the right of the Union line near Fort Clifton for nearly two months, enduring frequent skirmishes and losses. In July, Company F rejoined the regiment after detached service. Late in August, the regiment moved to the Bermuda Front, remaining there through September. During the assaults on Forts Harrison and Gilmer, the regiment suffered severe casualties, including the loss of Captain Dickson.

After these actions, the regiment was reassigned to the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Army Corps, and received about 400 new recruits. It spent the winter of 1864–65 in quarters near Fort Harrison, with only one major expedition to Fredericksburg in March 1865, where it destroyed Confederate supplies. On April 3, 1865, the regiment entered Richmond without opposition and assisted in extinguishing fires in the city. It was subsequently stationed at Manchester, Virginia, and received the recruits of the 199th Pennsylvania Infantry on June 28, 1865. The regiment performed guard and provost duties at various locations in Virginia until it was mustered out at City Point on December 14, 1865.

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

  • Bermuda Hundred Campaign (May 1864)
  • Proctor’s Creek
  • Drewry’s Bluff (Fort Darling)
  • Cold Harbor (June 1864)
  • First assaults before Petersburg
  • Operations near Fort Clifton
  • Assaults on Forts Harrison and Gilmer (September 1864)
  • Expedition to Fredericksburg (March 1865)
  • Occupation of Richmond (April 1865)

Casualties

  • Proctor’s Creek: 2 killed
  • Drewry’s Bluff: 11 killed, 60 wounded
  • Cold Harbor: 24 killed, numerous wounded and missing
  • Operations near Fort Clifton: 80 killed and wounded
  • Forts Harrison and Gilmer: approximately 60 killed, 100 wounded
  • Additional losses from disease reported during service

Total losses for the regiment are not fully detailed in surviving sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

  • Colonel George K. Bowen
  • Colonel John G. Gregg
  • Colonel Samuel I. Givin
  • Lieutenant Colonel George K. Bowen
  • Lieutenant Colonel Francis H. Reichard
  • Lieutenant Colonel John G. Gregg
  • Lieutenant Colonel Samuel I. Givin
  • Lieutenant Colonel James Geiser
  • Major Francis H. Reichard
  • Major John G. Gregg
  • Major James Geiser
  • Major Frederick A. Reen
  • Captain Moeller (killed at Cold Harbor)
  • Captain Breel (mortally wounded at Cold Harbor)
  • Captain Dickson (killed at Forts Harrison and Gilmer)

Regimental Roster

The complete roster of officers and enlisted men who served in the 188th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and service details valuable for genealogical and historical research.

To view the full roster, visit the 188th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

  • Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes XXXVI, XL, XLII
  • 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, Volume 1
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