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Civil War Soldiers - Pennypacker
| Pennypacker, Galusha,
brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in Valley Forge, Pa., June 1,
1844. He entered the volunteer army for service in the Civil war,
April 22, 1861, as quartermaster-sergeant in the 9th Penn. infantry,
and at the close of his three months' service enlisted for the war as
captain in the 97th Penn. infantry on Aug. 22. He was promoted major
in October and served in the Department of the South, being engaged in
the operations in Florida and against Charleston, S. C. He commanded a
successful expedition against Woodstock mills, Fla., in Feb., 1864,
was promoted lieutenant-colonel on April 3, and in that month was
placed in command of the post at Fernandina. He was then transferred
to the Army of the James under Gen. Butler and fought at Swift creek,
Drewry's bluff, Chester Station and Green Plains, and in the later
engagements was three times wounded. He was promoted colonel on Aug.
15, and after recovering from his wounds sufficiently to be able to
return to the field commanded a brigade at Deep bottom, Strawberry
plains and Malvern hill, in the trenches before Petersburg and in the
capture of New Market heights. In the unsuccessful attempt to capture
Fort Gilmer he was wounded and had a horse shot under him ; he
commanded a brigade before Petersburg in December, and took part in
Gen. Butler's unsuccessful attempt to capture Fort Fisher on Dec. 25,
and in the capture of that fort in Jan., 1865. Gen. Terry claimed that
but for his bravery at the assault on Jan. 15 the place would not have
been taken, and called him "the real hero of Fort Fisher." He was
desperately wounded in the assault and lay in the hospital at Fort
Monroe for ten months. For his gallantry there he was brevetted
brigadier-general of volunteers, Jan. 15, 1865. He was promoted to the
full rank of brigadier-general of volunteers, Feb. 15, 1865, and was
brevetted major-general U. S. A. March 13, 1865, for his services
during the war. For his gallantry at Fort Fisher Congress awarded him
a medal of honor. Gen. Pennypacker was commissioned colonel in the
34th U. S. infantry in July, 1866, and soon afterward was transferred
to the 16th infantry. On March 2, 1867, he was brevetted
brigadier-general and major-general in the regular army. He was
retired on account of disability from wounds received in action, July
3, 1883. He was the youngest officer to hold the rank of general in
the volunteer army, and the youngest man in the regular army to hold
the rank of colonel and brevet major-general.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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