Overview
The 5th Pennsylvania Artillery (204th Pennsylvania Regiment) was a Union artillery regiment organized in Pennsylvania during the American Civil War. Mustered into United States service for one year during late August and the first ten days of September 1864, the regiment drew its men from Allegheny, Lawrence, Beaver, Cambria, Westmoreland, Armstrong, and Greene counties. The unit served primarily in the defenses of Washington, D.C., and in operations along the Manassas Gap Railroad, supporting Union efforts in the Shenandoah Valley.
The regiment was commanded by Colonel George S. Gallupe, with Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Browne and Majors Michael Baer, Howard Morton, George M. Irwin, and William H. Hope serving in field officer roles. The 5th Pennsylvania Artillery was designated as the 204th Pennsylvania Regiment in the state’s line of volunteer units.
Organization & Service
The 5th Pennsylvania Artillery (204th Pennsylvania Regiment) was organized at Camp Reynolds, Pittsburgh, and mustered into service between late August and early September 1864 for a one-year term. Colonel Gallupe, previously major of the 8th Pennsylvania Reserves, and Lieutenant Colonel Browne, formerly major of the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry, led the regiment.
Shortly after organization, the regiment departed Pennsylvania for Washington, D.C., where it was assigned to the forts north of the capital. On September 28, 1864, the unit was posted along the Manassas Gap Railroad, which was being reopened as a supply line for General Sheridan’s army in the Shenandoah Valley. While engaged in this duty, the regiment frequently encountered Mosby’s Confederate command. On October 8, 1864, 22 men from the regiment were cut off and captured at Salem, and several others were wounded in skirmishes.
Later in October, a detachment from the regiment, in cooperation with a squadron of the 13th New York Cavalry, advanced into the mountains near Piedmont and captured four artillery pieces, caissons, and several prisoners from Mosby’s command. The regiment briefly returned to the Washington defenses before being redeployed to Virginia, where its detachments were stationed for the winter at Prospect Hill, Vienna, and Fairfax Court House. Duties included picket and guard assignments, as well as the construction of stockades and blockhouses.
In the spring of 1865, detachments of the regiment were sent to the Bull Run battlefield to properly bury approximately 2,000 dead soldiers whose remains had not been cared for since the Second Battle of Bull Run. In June 1865, the regiment was ordered back to Pittsburgh, where it was received with public demonstrations and mustered out of service on June 30, 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
- Duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C. (September 1864)
- Operations along the Manassas Gap Railroad (September–October 1864)
- Skirmishes with Mosby’s command, including Salem (October 8, 1864)
- Expedition to Piedmont and capture of Confederate artillery (late October 1864)
- Winter duty at Prospect Hill, Vienna, and Fairfax Court House (1864–1865)
- Burial detail at Bull Run battlefield (spring 1865)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 5th Pennsylvania Artillery (204th Pennsylvania Regiment) are not fully detailed in available primary sources. It is recorded that several men were wounded in skirmishes with Mosby’s command, and 22 were captured at Salem on October 8, 1864. No comprehensive totals for killed, wounded, or disease-related deaths are provided in the cited sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel George S. Gallupe
- Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Browne
- Major Michael Baer
- Major Howard Morton
- Major George M. Irwin
- Major William H. Hope
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 5th Pennsylvania Artillery (204th Pennsylvania Regiment), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and additional service details when available.
To view the full roster, please visit the 5th Pennsylvania Artillery (204th Pennsylvania Regiment) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes (reports on operations in the Shenandoah Valley and defenses of Washington, D.C.)
- Pennsylvania State Adjutant General’s Report, 1865
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 1