Overview
The 196th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. Known as the 5th Union League Regiment, it was mustered in at Camp Cadwalader, Philadelphia, between July 13 and July 20, 1864, for a term of 100 days. The regiment served primarily in the Western Theater, performing guard and provost duties.
This regiment served the Union cause during a period of emergency enlistments in 1864, with its members drawn from Pennsylvania volunteers. Its service was characterized by garrison and security assignments rather than active campaigning.
Organization & Service
The 196th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) was organized at Camp Cadwalader, Philadelphia, and mustered into United States service from July 13 to July 20, 1864. Colonel Harmanus Neff commanded the regiment, with Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Maginnis and Major John A. Gorgas as principal field officers.
On July 27, 1864, the regiment moved to Camp Bradford near Baltimore, Maryland. After a brief period there, the unit was ordered to Chicago, Illinois, around mid-August. Its primary duty was guarding Confederate prisoners of war at Camp Douglas, a major Union prison camp. Company H was detached on August 26 and sent to Springfield, Illinois, where it performed provost (military police) duties for the remainder of the regiment’s service. The 196th Pennsylvania Infantry was mustered out at Philadelphia on November 17, 1864, upon completion of its 100-day term.
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 duty at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois (August–November 1864)
- Provost duty at Springfield, Illinois (Company H, August–November 1864)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 196th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) are not detailed in primary sources. The regiment primarily performed guard and provost duties and did not participate in major combat operations.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Harmanus Neff
- Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Maginnis
- Major John A. Gorgas
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 196th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for genealogical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the 196th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Hundred Days’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, relevant volumes
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, 1864
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- The Union Army, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Vol. 1