36th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 7th PA Reserve in the American Civil War

Overview

The 36th Pennsylvania Infantry (also known as the 7th Pennsylvania Reserve) was an infantry regiment organized at West Chester, Pennsylvania, for three years’ service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was mustered into U.S. service on July 27, 1861, and served primarily in the Eastern Theater. It was part of the Pennsylvania Reserves division, a notable formation within the Army of the Potomac, and participated in several major campaigns and battles.

This regiment is distinct from any Pennsylvania infantry units organized under different service terms or designations.

Organization & Service

The 36th Pennsylvania Infantry (7th Reserves) was organized at West Chester and ordered to Washington, D.C., on July 21, 1861. It was mustered into federal service on July 27, 1861, for a three-year term. In August 1861, the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Brigade of the Pennsylvania Reserves under Brigadier General George G. Meade, stationed at Tennallytown and Great Falls, Maryland. The regiment remained in defensive positions near Washington through the fall of 1861, with its first significant action coming during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862.

At the Battle of Mechanicsville, the regiment’s role was limited, but at Gaines’ Mill (June 27, 1862), it was heavily engaged and suffered substantial losses. The regiment fought at Glendale (Frayser’s Farm) and was held in reserve at Malvern Hill. In the Maryland Campaign, the 36th Pennsylvania saw severe fighting at Antietam (September 17, 1862), incurring heavy casualties. At Fredericksburg (December 1862), the regiment made a notable charge, during which Corporal Jacob Cart captured the flag of the 19th Georgia, earning the Medal of Honor.

Following Fredericksburg, the regiment wintered at Belle Plain, Virginia, and participated in the “Mud March” in January 1863. In February 1863, it was ordered to Washington for rest and recruitment, remaining in the Alexandria area for much of the year and into early 1864. The regiment rejoined the Army of the Potomac for the Overland Campaign, attached to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps. At the Battle of the Wilderness (May 1864), a large detachment was surrounded and captured; many of these men did not survive Confederate prisons. The remaining battalion continued to serve through June 1864. On June 16, 1864, the regiment was mustered out at Philadelphia, with veterans and recruits transferred to the 190th Pennsylvania Infantry.

Engagements & Campaigns

• Peninsula Campaign (1862)
• Mechanicsville
• Gaines’ Mill
• Glendale (Frayser’s Farm)
• Malvern Hill (reserve)
• Maryland Campaign (1862)
• Antietam
• Fredericksburg
• “Mud March”
• Overland Campaign (1864)
• Wilderness

Casualties

According to Fox’s Regimental Losses and official reports, the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry (7th Reserves) suffered significant casualties in several major battles. The regiment lost heavily at Gaines’ Mill, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and the Wilderness. Exact numbers for killed, wounded, and died of disease are not fully detailed in all sources, but the regiment’s total losses were considerable, with many men captured at the Wilderness and a large number not surviving Confederate prisons.

Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.

Field Officers & Commanders

• Colonel Elisha B. Harvey
• Colonel H. C. Bolinger
• Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Totten
• Lieutenant Colonel H. C. Bolinger
• Lieutenant Colonel R. M. Henderson
• Lieutenant Colonel Chauncey A. Lyman
• Major Chauncey A. Lyman
• Major LeGrand B. Speece
• Corporal Jacob Cart (Medal of Honor recipient at Fredericksburg)

Regimental Roster

The full roster of the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry (7th Reserves), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details for those who served in the regiment during its three years’ service.

To view the complete roster, visit the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry (Three Years’ Service) Roster page.

Sources & References

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volumes 5, 11, 19, 21, 25, 36
• Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, 1861–1865
• Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
• Fox, William F., Regimental Losses in the American Civil War
• The Union Army, Vol. 1 (Federal Publishing Company, 1908)