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151st
Pennsylvania Infantry
Online Books
151st
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 Fifty-first Infantry. — Col, Harrison
Allen; Lieut.-Col., George F. McFarland; Maj., John W. Young. The 151st
was composed of men from the counties of Susquehanna, Pike, Warren,
Juniata, Berks and Schuylkill, and rendezvoused at Camp Curtin,
Harrisburg, where it was mustered into the U. S. service from Oct. 17 to
Nov. 3, 1862, for a nine months' term. Col. Allen had resigned as major
of the 10th reserves on Feb. 14, 1862, on account of ill health ;
Lieut.-Col. McFarland was principal of M'Alisterville academy, most of
the members of Co. D being instructors and pupils of that institution,
and nearly 100 other members had been school teachers. On Nov. 26, 1862,
it left the state for Washington and a week later moved to Union mills,
where it engaged in drill and guard and picket duty. In Feb., 1863, it
joined the Army of the Potomac at Belle Plain and was assigned to the
1st brigade (Col. Porter and later Gen. Rowley), 3d division (Gen.
Doubleday), 1st corps (Gen. Reynolds). At this period the command
suffered considerably from cold and exposure, some dying and many being
in hospital. It was not heavily engaged at the battle of
Chancellorsville, but lost 16 men, killed, wounded and missing. Few
regiments in the Union army displayed more intrepidity, coolness and
heroism than the 151st during the great three days' battle at
Gettysburg, where both the regiment and its gallant commander,
Lieut.-Col. McFarland, won the unstinted praise of Gen. Doubleday. Out
of 21 officers and 466 men engaged it lost 2 officers and 49 men killed,
9 officers and 202 men wounded, and 4 officers and 71 men captured or
missing, a total loss of 337, or about 70 per cent. Lieut.- Col.
McFarland was severely wounded in the legs, one of which was amputated
on the field. Col. Allen, who was away on furlough, learned that a
battle was impending and hastened to rejoin the regiment, arriving on
the third day of the battle. The regiment shared in the pursuit of Lee's
army until its escape into Virginia. Its term was then nearly expired
and it returned to Harrisburg, where it was mustered out, July 27-31,
1863. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 1
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