Overview
The 191st Pennsylvania Infantry (Infantry) served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. This regiment was organized in the field in May 1864, primarily from veterans and recruits of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. It was composed of men from the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 10th Pennsylvania Reserve regiments. The regiment served in the Army of the Potomac, primarily in the Eastern Theater.
The 191st Pennsylvania Infantry was also known as the 2nd Veteran Reserves. Its officers included men with prior service in the Reserve Corps, and the regiment was closely associated with the 190th Pennsylvania Infantry throughout its service.
Organization & Service
The 191st Pennsylvania Infantry was organized in the field in May 1864 from the veterans and recruits of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. The regiment drew its men from the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 10th Reserve regiments. Colonel James Carle, formerly a captain in the 6th Pennsylvania Reserves, was appointed to command. Lieutenant Colonel George W. McCracken, previously a captain in the 10th Reserves, was named second-in-command but was never mustered due to wounds received shortly after the regiment’s formation. Major Milton Weidler, formerly a lieutenant in the 1st Reserves, also served as a field officer.
The 191st, together with the 190th Pennsylvania Infantry, formed the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps. The regiment participated in the fighting at Cold Harbor in June 1864, where it sustained casualties. Its subsequent service followed that of the 190th Pennsylvania Infantry, including participation in the Petersburg Campaign and the Appomattox Campaign. On March 21, 1865, the remaining members of the 157th Pennsylvania Infantry were transferred to the 191st. The regiment was mustered out of service near Washington, D.C., on June 28, 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
- Cold Harbor (June 1864)
- Petersburg Campaign (1864–1865)
- Appomattox Campaign (March–April 1865)
Casualties
At Cold Harbor, the regiment lost 2 killed, 4 wounded, and 1 missing. Additional casualty figures for the remainder of the regiment’s service are not specified in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel James Carle
- Lieutenant Colonel George W. McCracken (never mustered due to wounds)
- Major Milton Weidler
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 191st Pennsylvania Infantry (Infantry) includes the names and service details of its officers and enlisted men. For researchers and descendants, the complete roster is available on the regiment’s dedicated roster page.
To view the full list of soldiers who served in this regiment, visit the 191st Pennsylvania Infantry (Infantry) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, relevant 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