Overview
The 208th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. The regiment was primarily recruited from the counties of Perry, Snyder, Blair, Lebanon, Dauphin, and Bedford. Companies assembled at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg and were mustered into United States service between August 26 and September 12, 1864, for a term of one year. The 208th served in the Eastern Theater and participated in the final campaigns against Petersburg and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
Organization & Service
The 208th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, with mustering completed by September 12, 1864. Colonel Alfred B. McCalmont and Lieutenant Colonel M. T. Heintzelmen, both veteran officers, led the regiment. On September 13, the unit departed for the front and was assigned to a provisional brigade under Colonel Potter at the Bermuda Hundred front. The regiment performed picket and fatigue duties and underwent drill until late November 1864.
On November 27, 1864, the regiment reported to the Army of the Potomac and was assigned to the 1st Brigade, General Hartranft’s Division, 9th Army Corps. The 208th went into winter quarters near the Avery House, close to General Hartranft’s headquarters. In February 1865, the regiment supported operations during the movement on Hatcher’s Run, where it was positioned in line of battle and fortified its position, though it did not come under direct attack.
The regiment saw significant action at the Battle of Fort Stedman on March 25, 1865, where it sustained casualties and was commended for its conduct. On April 2, 1865, the 208th participated in the assault on Petersburg’s defenses, suffering additional losses. Following the fall of Petersburg, the regiment advanced along the South Side Railroad as far as Nottaway Court House, arriving there on the day of General Lee’s surrender. The regiment returned to City Point on April 20 and then moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where it was mustered out on June 1, 1865. Recruits still in service were transferred to the 51st Pennsylvania Infantry on the same day.
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 front (picket and fatigue duty, fall 1864)
- Hatcher’s Run (February 1865, in support)
- Battle of Fort Stedman (March 25, 1865)
- Assault on Petersburg (April 2, 1865)
- Pursuit along South Side Railroad to Nottaway Court House (April 1865)
Casualties
- Battle of Fort Stedman: 4 killed, 38 wounded (including Capt. Prosper Dalien, mortally wounded)
- Assault on Petersburg, April 2, 1865: 9 killed, 39 wounded
- Total losses for the regiment are not fully detailed in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Alfred B. McCalmont
- Lieutenant Colonel M. T. Heintzelmen
- Major Alexander Bobb
- Captain Prosper Dalien (mortally wounded at Fort Stedman)
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of officers and enlisted men who served in the 208th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year Service) is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster includes details on company assignments, ranks, and service records.
To view the full roster, visit the 208th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year 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