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139th
Pennsylvania Infantry
Online Books
139th
Pennsylvania Infantry Soldier Roster - History of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, 1861-5, Volume 4 by Samuel P Bates, 1869
View Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Infantry. — Col.,
Frederick H. Collier; Lieut.-Cols., James D. Owens, William H. Moody,
James L. McKean, John G. Parr; Majs., William H. Moody, A. H. Snyder,
John G. Parr, Robert Munroe, James McGregor. This regiment, composed of
men from the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Mercer and Beaver,
rendezvoused at Camp Howe, Pittsburg, and was there mustered into the U.
S. service for three years on Sept. 1, 1862. The second Bull Run battle
had just been fought, and there was an urgent demand for more troops at
the front. The 139th, therefore, departed on the evening of the 1st and
arrived at Washington on the 3d. It was immediately sent to the Bull Run
battlefield to bury the Union dead, and after this sad duty was
performed joined the army at Antietam on the day of the battle, but was
not engaged. It was assigned to the 3d brieade, 3d division, 6th corps,
and was exposed to a severe artillery fire while in reserve at the
battle of Fredericksburg. During the battle of Chancellorsville, the 6th
corps, under Gen. Sedgwick, was engaged at Fredericksburg, Salem Church
and Marye's heights, and Wheaton's brigade, to which the 139th belonged,
was hotly engaged on May 3-4. The whole brigade suffered severely, the
loss of the 139th being 123 in killed, wounded and missing. Wheaton's
brigade arrived on the field of Gettysburg on the afternoon of the
second day of the battle, and at 5 o'clock went into position in support
of the 3d and 5th corps, being posted in front of Little Round Top, a
short distance to the right of the road leading to the Peach Orchard,
where it charged the enemy and drove him in disorder. That night and the
3d day of the battle it was in the second line, supporting the
Pennsylvania reserves. On the evening of the 3d, it aided in advancing
the left, drove the enemy, and a brass piece and 3 caissons belonging to
the 9th Mass. battery were recaptured by the 139th. Its losses were 1
killed and 19 wounded. It shared in the pursuit of Lee's army and in the
fall campaigns in Virginia, being active at Rappahannock Station, and in
the Mine Run campaign. On the close of the offensive operations it
encamped at Brandy Station and at the end of the year was ordered to
Harper's Ferry with its brigade. In March, 1864, it rejoined its corps
at Brandy Station and was transferred to the 2nd division. Meanwhile a
number of recruits had been received and the command was restored to
nearly its original strength. It next entered on the bloody series of
battles of the spring campaign, losing 196 at the Wilderness, including
nearly all its commissioned officers. It was almost constantly engaged
at Spottsylvania, again losing heavily; was only lightly engaged at the
North Anna river, but was in the fierce assaults on the fortified lines
of the enemy at Cold Harbor. Maj. Snyder was among the killed at the
Wilderness, and Lieut.- Col. Moody, at Cold Harbor. Crossing the James,
it shared in the first assaults on Petersburg and in the movement on the
Weldon railroad in June. In July it moved to Washington with the 6th
corps to confront Gen. Early, and after Gen. Sheridan assumed command of
the forces, it took an honorable part in the victories achieved at the
Opequan, Fisher's hill, and Cedar creek. On Dec. 1 it again took its
place in the lines before Petersburg, where it shared in the advance of
the 2nd and 6th corps in March, 1865, and was active in the final
successful assault which led to the evacuation of Petersburg and the
fall of Richmond. Color-Sergt. David W. Young of Co. E was designated by
Gens. Wright and Grant as one of the three soldiers most conspicuous for
gallantry, in the final assault, receiving an autograph letter from the
commanding general warmly praising his heroism. It engaged in the final
pursuit of the enemy and was active in the fight at Sailor's creek.
After the surrender it moved to the support of Sherman, but on the
surrender of Johnston, returned to Washington, where it was finally
mustered out on June 21, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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