Overview
The 29th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service in July 1861. Serving with the Union Army, the regiment participated in numerous campaigns in both the Eastern and Western Theaters. The unit reenlisted as a veteran regiment and was notable for its extended service and participation in major engagements throughout the war.
This regiment is distinct from any Pennsylvania units of different service terms.
Organization & Service
The 29th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) was recruited and organized in Philadelphia and mustered into Federal service in July 1861. The regiment initially moved to Harper’s Ferry on August 3, 1861, and was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Gen. Banks. The regiment encamped in Pleasant Valley and briefly wintered at Frederick, Maryland, before being ordered to Winchester, Virginia, arriving on February 26, 1862. During a skirmish at Winchester, Col. John K. Murphy was captured.
Throughout 1862, the regiment participated in the Valley Campaign and was present at the battles of Cedar Mountain and Antietam. In January 1863, the regiment was ordered to Fredericksburg but halted at Stafford Court House, remaining there until late April. It was then assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XII Corps, and took part in the Chancellorsville Campaign and the Battle of Gettysburg.
On September 23, 1863, the 29th Pennsylvania was ordered to the Western Theater, reaching Murfreesboro, Tennessee, by October 5. The regiment fought at Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain, and Ringgold, and continued with Sherman’s army through the Atlanta Campaign and subsequent operations. The regiment remained with Sherman’s forces until the close of the war and was mustered out near Alexandria, Virginia, on July 17, 1865.
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
- Skirmish at Winchester (February 1862)
- Battle of Cedar Mountain
- Battle of Antietam
- Chancellorsville Campaign
- Battle of Gettysburg
- Battle of Wauhatchie
- Battle of Lookout Mountain
- Battle of Ringgold
- Atlanta Campaign
- March to the Sea and Carolinas Campaign (with Sherman’s Army)
Casualties
The 29th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) had a total enrollment of 2,517 men. Of these, 147 were killed or died of wounds. Additional losses from disease and other causes are not specified in available primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel John K. Murphy
- Colonel William Rickards, Jr.
- Colonel Samuel M. Zulick
- Colonel George E. Johnson
- Major Michael Scott
- Major Samuel M. Zulick
- Major Jesse R. Millison
- Major George E. Johnson
- Major Robert P. Dechert
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 29th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for those who served in the unit.
To view the complete roster, visit the 29th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes and parts.
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report.
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion.
- Fox, William F. Regimental Losses in the American Civil War.
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 1.