Overview
The 5th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Pennsylvania at the onset of the Civil War. Mustered into United States service at Harrisburg on April 20 and 21, 1861, the regiment was composed of companies recruited from Allegheny City, Pittsburgh, Lebanon, Reading, Huntingdon, and Schuylkill County. Serving in the Union Army, the regiment was part of the initial call for troops following the outbreak of hostilities and operated primarily in the Eastern Theater.
This unit is distinct from any later regiments designated as the 5th Pennsylvania Infantry under different service terms.
Organization & Service
The 5th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was organized at Harrisburg in April 1861, with R. P. McDowell as Colonel, Benjamin C. Christ as Lieutenant Colonel, and R. Bruce Petriken as Major. After mustering in, the regiment initially moved toward Baltimore but was redirected back to Harrisburg. From there, it proceeded to Philadelphia, then to Annapolis, and finally to Washington, D.C.
Upon arrival in Washington, the regiment established its first camp at Camp Washington, just outside the city, and subsequently moved to Shuter’s Hill. The 5th Pennsylvania was assigned to General McDowell’s brigade and performed guard duty at Alexandria, Virginia. The regiment did not participate in major engagements during its term of service. It returned to Harrisburg and was mustered out on July 25, 1861, upon completion of its three months’ enlistment.
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
- Guard duty at Alexandria, Virginia (Spring–Summer 1861)
The regiment did not participate in any major battles during its three months’ service.
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 5th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. The regiment did not engage in combat and suffered minimal losses, if any, during its term.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel R. P. McDowell
- Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin C. Christ
- Major R. Bruce Petriken
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 5th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides details on company assignments, ranks, and service records.
To view the complete roster, visit the 5th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 2
- Pennsylvania State Adjutant General’s Report, 1861
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Vol. 1 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)