Overview
The 151st Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and mustered into United States service between October 17 and November 3, 1862. The regiment was composed of men from Susquehanna, Pike, Warren, Juniata, Berks, and Schuylkill counties. It served in the Union Army, primarily in the Eastern Theater, and is noted for its significant role at the Battle of Gettysburg.
The regiment included a large number of school teachers, particularly in Company D, which was largely formed from instructors and pupils of the M’Alisterville Academy. The 151st Pennsylvania Infantry served a nine-month term and was mustered out in late July 1863.
Organization & Service
The 151st Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, and mustered into service from October 17 to November 3, 1862, for a nine-month term. Colonel Harrison Allen, formerly of the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves, commanded the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel George F. McFarland and Major John W. Young as principal officers.
After organization, the regiment departed Pennsylvania for Washington, D.C., on November 26, 1862, and soon moved to Union Mills, Virginia, where it performed drill, guard, and picket duty. In February 1863, the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac at Belle Plain and was assigned to the 1st Brigade (initially under Colonel Porter, later General Rowley), 3rd Division (General Doubleday), 1st Corps (General Reynolds). The regiment endured harsh winter conditions, resulting in illness and some deaths.
The 151st Pennsylvania Infantry saw limited action at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, suffering 16 casualties. Its most notable service occurred at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3, 1863, where it sustained heavy losses and received commendation for its conduct. After Gettysburg, the regiment participated in the pursuit of the Confederate Army until its term of service expired. The regiment returned to Harrisburg and was mustered out between July 27 and July 31, 1863.
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
- Duty at Union Mills, Virginia (late 1862–early 1863)
- Chancellorsville Campaign (May 1863)
- Battle of Chancellorsville (May 1–5, 1863)
- Gettysburg Campaign (June–July 1863)
- Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863)
- Pursuit of Lee’s army after Gettysburg (July 1863)
Casualties
- Battle of Chancellorsville: 16 killed, wounded, or missing
- Battle of Gettysburg: Out of 21 officers and 466 men engaged, 2 officers and 49 men killed; 9 officers and 202 men wounded; 4 officers and 71 men captured or missing; total loss of 337
- Total losses at Gettysburg represented about 70% of those engaged
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Harrison Allen
- Lieutenant Colonel George F. McFarland (severely wounded at Gettysburg)
- Major John W. Young
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine 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 list of soldiers who served in this regiment, visit the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 25, 27
- 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, Vol. 1