Overview
The 176th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment raised in Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. Organized in November 1862 at Philadelphia, the regiment consisted of seven companies from Lehigh County and three from Monroe County. It served in the Eastern Theater and was primarily engaged in guard and picket duties rather than major combat operations.
The regiment was mustered in for a nine-month term and was part of the Union Army’s efforts in Virginia and North Carolina. Its service was notable for its role in supporting operations in the Department of North Carolina and the Department of the South.
Organization & Service
The 176th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was organized at Philadelphia in November 1862. The regiment was composed of volunteers from Lehigh and Monroe counties. Upon organization, it was mustered into United States service and soon after departed for Suffolk, Virginia.
In November 1862, the regiment joined the Union forces at Suffolk. It was subsequently attached to the command of General Foster, moving from New Berne, North Carolina, toward Charleston, South Carolina. Throughout its nine months of service, the 176th Pennsylvania Infantry was primarily employed in guard, picket, and related duties in the vicinity of New Berne and other posts in North Carolina and South Carolina. The regiment did not participate in any major battles but contributed to the security and logistical operations of the Union Army in the region. The regiment was mustered out at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on August 18, 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
- Guard and picket duty at Suffolk, Virginia (November 1862)
- Movement with General Foster’s command from New Berne, North Carolina, toward Charleston, South Carolina
- Garrison and outpost duties in North Carolina and South Carolina (1862–1863)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 176th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. The regiment did not participate in major combat and suffered minimal losses, primarily from disease and routine service.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Ambrose A. Lechler
- Lieutenant Colonel George Pilkington
- Major William Schoonover
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 176th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details for those who served in the regiment.
To view the complete roster, visit the 176th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, relevant volumes
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 1 (1908)