Overview
The 15th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for Union service at the outset of the Civil War. The regiment was mustered in between April 23 and May 1, 1861, in response to President Lincoln’s initial call for volunteers. Composed primarily of companies from Luzerne County, with additional companies from Lancaster, Centre, Cambria, and Harrisburg, the regiment served in the Eastern Theater during its brief term of service.
The 15th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) is notable for being among the early regiments mobilized following the attack on Fort Sumter. Its service included movements in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, and it experienced one of the first instances of Union soldiers being captured in the field.
Organization & Service
The 15th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was organized at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with mustering taking place from April 23 to May 1, 1861. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Richard A. Oakford, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Biddle, and Major Stephen N. Bradford. Five companies were recruited from Luzerne County, two from Lancaster, and one each from Centre County, Cambria County, and Harrisburg.
After organization, the regiment was ordered to Lancaster on May 9, 1861. On June 3, it moved to Chambersburg, and subsequently to Hagerstown, Maryland, on June 16. Two days later, the regiment advanced to Williamsport, Maryland. Near Falling Waters, Company I, deployed as skirmishers, was captured by a Confederate force disguised as Union soldiers. This incident resulted in some of the first Union prisoners of war after the outbreak of hostilities; six men from Company I died in captivity, while the remainder were exchanged in 1862 after enduring significant hardship.
On July 4, the regiment was stationed at Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), and subsequently participated in movements to Bunker Hill, Charlestown, and Hagerstown. The regiment completed its service and was mustered out at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on August 7, 1861.
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
- Movements and duty at Lancaster, Chambersburg, Hagerstown, Williamsport, and Martinsburg (May–July 1861)
- Skirmish near Falling Waters (June 1861; capture of Company I)
- Operations at Bunker Hill, Charlestown, and Hagerstown (July 1861)
Casualties
- Six members of Company I died in Confederate captivity following their capture near Falling Waters.
- Other casualty figures for the regiment during its three months’ service are not specified in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Richard A. Oakford
- Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Biddle
- Major Stephen N. Bradford
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 15th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. For a complete listing of soldiers who served in this regiment, please visit the dedicated roster page.
View the 15th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Regimental Roster.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 2
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, 1861
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 1