Overview
The 200th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year’s Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Pennsylvania for Union service during the American Civil War. The regiment was recruited from York, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties and mustered into United States service at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, on September 3, 1864, for a one-year term. The unit served in the Army of the James and later the Army of the Potomac, participating in operations in Virginia during the final months of the war.
The regiment’s field officers—Colonel Charles W. Diven, Lieutenant Colonel W. H. H. McCall, and Major Jacob Rehrer—were all veterans of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, bringing prior military experience to the command. The 200th Pennsylvania Infantry is noted for its conduct at Fort Stedman and during the final assault on Petersburg.
Organization & Service
The 200th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, and mustered into service on September 3, 1864. The regiment departed for the front on September 9, 1864, joining the Army of the James and being posted at Dutch Gap upon arrival. On November 19, 1864, the regiment assisted in repelling a Confederate attack at Chester Station.
On November 28, 1864, the regiment was transferred to the Army of the Potomac and assigned to the 1st Brigade (commanded by Colonel Diven), 3rd Division (General Hartranft), 9th Army Corps (General Parke). The regiment was stationed near the Dunn House Battery, performing fatigue duty and drilling during the winter of 1864–1865.
The 200th Pennsylvania Infantry was heavily engaged at the Battle of Fort Stedman on March 25, 1865, where it sustained significant casualties and demonstrated notable steadiness under fire. The regiment participated in the final assault on Petersburg in April 1865, again suffering losses. Following the Confederate evacuation of Petersburg, the regiment joined in the pursuit of Lee’s army until the surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. After Johnston’s surrender, the regiment moved to City Point and then to Alexandria, Virginia. On May 30, 1865, recruits were transferred to the 51st Pennsylvania Infantry, and the regiment was mustered out of service on the same date.
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 Dutch Gap, Virginia (September–November 1864)
- Action at Chester Station (November 19, 1864)
- Siege of Petersburg (Winter 1864–1865)
- Battle of Fort Stedman (March 25, 1865)
- Final Assault on Petersburg (April 2, 1865)
- Pursuit of Lee and Appomattox Campaign (April 1865)
Casualties
- Fort Stedman: 14 killed, 109 wounded (including Colonel Diven among the wounded)
- Final Assault on Petersburg: 2 killed, 34 wounded, 3 missing
Total losses for the regiment are not fully detailed in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Charles W. Diven
- Lieutenant Colonel W. H. H. McCall
- Major Jacob Rehrer
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 200th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year’s Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. The roster provides names, ranks, and service details for members of the regiment.
To view the complete roster, visit the 200th Pennsylvania Infantry (One Year’s Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XLVI, Part 1
- Pennsylvania Adjutant General’s Report, 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)