Overview
The 205th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year’s Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service between August 16 and September 4, 1864. Composed of men from Blair, Berks, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Dauphin, and Franklin counties, the regiment served in the Union Army during the final campaigns of the Civil War, primarily in the Eastern Theater. The field and many line officers were veterans, and the regiment was notable for its participation in the closing operations against Petersburg and in the pursuit following Lee’s surrender.
Organization & Service
The 205th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Camp Curtin and mustered in for one year’s service from August 16 to September 4, 1864. The regiment departed for Washington, D.C., on September 5, 1864, and soon after was transported to City Point, Virginia, where it was initially engaged in fatigue duty and the management of 1,300 recruits and drafted men.
In early November 1864, the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac and was assigned to a provisional brigade of six new Pennsylvania regiments under Colonel Hartranft, attached to the IX Corps. In December, this provisional brigade was organized as a division, and the 205th became part of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, IX Corps, with Colonel Mathews commanding the division. The regiment spent the winter of 1864–65 in camp near Fort Prescott, with occasional supporting movements.
On March 25, 1865, the 205th supported the charging column in the recapture of Fort Stedman, suffering ten wounded. During the final assault on Petersburg, under Major Morrow, the regiment captured Battery No. 30, took prisoners, and seized a battle flag. Major Morrow was severely wounded in this action. The regiment then participated in the pursuit of Confederate forces to Burkesville, repairing the South Side Railroad en route. Following Lee’s surrender, the 205th returned to Alexandria, Virginia, and was mustered out on June 2, 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
- Siege of Petersburg (late 1864–April 1865)
- Recapture of Fort Stedman (March 25, 1865)
- Final Assault on Petersburg (April 2, 1865)
- Pursuit to Burkesville and operations along the South Side Railroad (April 1865)
Casualties
- Killed or mortally wounded: 2 officers, 22 enlisted men
- Wounded: 6 officers, 91 enlisted men
- Missing: 5 enlisted men
- Total casualties reported: 126
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Joseph A. Mathews
- Lieutenant Colonel William F. Walter
- Major B. Mortimer Morrow (commanded during final assault on Petersburg; severely wounded)
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 205th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year’s Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and additional service information where available.
To view the complete roster, visit the 205th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year’s Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XLVI, Part 1
- 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