Overview
The 178th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. The regiment was mustered in at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, in the autumn of 1862, primarily from recruits in Columbia, Lancaster, Montour, and Luzerne counties. It served as a militia regiment for a term of nine months, operating in the Department of Virginia and the VII Corps.
This regiment served exclusively during its nine months’ term and should not be confused with other Pennsylvania units of different service durations.
Organization & Service
The 178th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, in the fall of 1862 and mustered into United States service for nine months. Colonel James Johnson commanded the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel John Wimer and Major J. W. Chamberlain as principal officers. After organization and initial training, the regiment departed Harrisburg for Washington, D.C., on December 5, 1862. It was then ordered to Newport News, Virginia, and subsequently to Yorktown, where it was stationed through the winter of 1862–1863.
In April 1863, the regiment was sent to assist Union forces at Fort Magruder, which had come under attack by Confederate troops under General Wise. In June, the 178th participated in an expedition to Providence Ferry and took part in the movement toward Richmond, engaging in skirmishing at Bottom’s Bridge on July 2, 1863. Following these operations, the regiment returned to Washington, D.C. The term of service having expired, the 178th Pennsylvania Infantry was mustered out at Harrisburg on July 27, 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
- Defense of Yorktown, Virginia (Winter 1862–1863)
- Relief of Fort Magruder (April 1863)
- Expedition to Providence Ferry (June 1863)
- Movement toward Richmond and skirmish at Bottom’s Bridge (July 2, 1863)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 178th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. Available records indicate the regiment did not suffer heavy losses in battle during its term of service.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel James Johnson
- Lieutenant Colonel John Wimer
- Major J. W. Chamberlain
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 178th Pennsylvania Infantry (Nine Months’ 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 178th 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
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 1