Pennsylvania in the American Civil War

Overview

Pennsylvania played a central role in the American Civil War as a major Union state, contributing significant manpower, industrial resources, and strategic support. The state’s extensive railroads, ironworks, and manufacturing centers were vital to the Union war effort. Pennsylvania’s location on the border with Maryland placed it at the forefront of military operations, most notably during the Gettysburg Campaign. The state’s population largely supported the Union cause, and its government mobilized quickly to meet federal calls for troops and supplies.

Throughout the war, Pennsylvania provided a large number of regiments and was the site of key military events, including the Battle of Gettysburg, which marked a turning point in the conflict. The state also served as a logistical hub, with cities such as Philadelphia and Harrisburg playing important roles in recruitment, supply, and transportation.

Background

Prior to the Civil War, Pennsylvania was a free state with a diverse economy and a strong tradition of anti-slavery sentiment, particularly in its eastern and central regions. The state’s political climate was generally pro-Union, though there were pockets of dissent and Democratic opposition, especially in the southern counties. Pennsylvania’s large population and industrial base positioned it as a key supporter of the federal government. Mobilization efforts began immediately after the outbreak of hostilities, with state authorities organizing volunteer regiments and providing equipment and training facilities.

Military Contributions

Pennsylvania furnished more than 200 regiments of infantry, cavalry, and artillery to the Union Army, though exact numbers vary by source and service term. The state’s troops served in nearly every major theater of the war, from the Eastern campaigns to the Western front. Pennsylvania units were present at major battles such as Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. The Pennsylvania Reserves division was particularly notable for its service in the Army of the Potomac. In addition to combat units, Pennsylvania contributed engineers, medical staff, and logistical support personnel.

Regiments Raised in Pennsylvania

Select a regiment below to view a summary and links to related battles and rosters.

• 1st Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 4th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 5th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 6th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 7th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 8th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 9th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 10th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 11th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 12th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 13th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 14th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 15th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 16th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 17th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 18th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 19th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 20th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 21st Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 22nd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 23rd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 24th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 25th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• Erie Regiment in the American Civil War
• Philadelphia City Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 26th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 27th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 28th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 29th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry in the American Civil War
• 30th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 1st PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 31st Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 2nd PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 32nd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 3rd PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 33rd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 4th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 34th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 5th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 35th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 6th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 36th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 7th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 37th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 8th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 38th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 9th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 39th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 10th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 40th Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 11th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 41st Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 12th PA Reserve in the American Civil War
• 42nd Pennsylvania Regiment Infantry, 13th PA Reserve, 1st PA Rifles in the American Civil War
• 43rd Pennsylvania Regiment, 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery in the American Civil War
• 44th Pennsylvania Regiment, 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 45th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 46th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 47th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 48th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 49th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 50th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 51st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 52nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 54th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 55th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 56th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 57th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 58th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 59th Pennsylvania Regiment, 2nd PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 60th Pennsylvania Regiment, 3rd PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 61st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 62nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 64th Pennsylvania Regiment, 4th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 65th Pennsylvania Regiment, 5th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 66th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 67th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 68th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 69th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 70th Pennsylvania Regiment, 6th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 71st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 73rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 74th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 75th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 76th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 77th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 78th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 79th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 80th Pennsylvania Regiment, 7th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 81st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 84th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 85th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 87th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 88th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 89th Pennsylvania Regiment, 8th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 90th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 91st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 92nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 9th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 95th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 96th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 97th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 98th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 99th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 100th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 101st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 104th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 105th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 106th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 107th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 108th Pennsylvania Regiment, 11th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 109th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 110th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 111th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 112th Pennsylvania Regiment, 2nd Pennsylvania Artillery in the American Civil War
• 113th Pennsylvania Regiment, 12th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 114th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 115th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 116th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 117th Pennsylvania Regiment, 13th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 118th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 119th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 121st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 122nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 123rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 124th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 125th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 126th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 127th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 128th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 129th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 130th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 131st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 133rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 134th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 135th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 136th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 137th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 138th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 139th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 140th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 141st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 144th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 145th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 146th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 147th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 148th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 149th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 150th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 151st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 152nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery in the American Civil War
• 153rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 154th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 155th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 157th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 158th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 159th Pennsylvania Regiment, 14th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 160th Pennsylvania Regiment, 15th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 161st Pennsylvania Regiment, 16th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 162nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 17th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 163rd Pennsylvania Regiment, 18th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 165th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 166th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 167th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 168th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 169th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 171st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 172nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 173rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 174th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 175th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 176th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 177th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 178th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 179th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 180th Pennsylvania Regiment, 19th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 181st Pennsylvania Regiment, 20th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 181st Pennsylvania Regiment, 20th PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 182nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 21st PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 183rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 184th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 185th Pennsylvania Regiment, 22nd PA Cavalry in the American Civil War
• 186th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 187th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 188th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 189th Pennsylvania Regiment, 4th Pennsylvania Artillery in the American Civil War
• 190th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 191st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 192nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 193rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 194th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 195th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 196th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 197th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 198th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 199th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 200th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 201st Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 202nd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 203rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 204th Pennsylvania Regiment, 5th Pennsylvania Artillery in the American Civil War
• 205th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 206th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 207th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 208th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 209th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 210th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 211th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 212th Pennsylvania Regiment, 6th Pennsylvania Artillery in the American Civil War
• 213th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 214th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• 215th Pennsylvania Infantry in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery A in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery B in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery C in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery D in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery E in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery F in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery G in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery H in the American Civil War
• Independent Pennsylvania Battery I in the American Civil War

Battles & Campaigns

• Battle of Gettysburg (PA, 1863)
• Gettysburg Campaign
• Battle of Hanover (PA, 1863)
• Battle of Harrisburg (PA, 1863)

Notable Commanders from Pennsylvania

• Major General George G. Meade – Commander of the Army of the Potomac, noted for leadership at Gettysburg.
• Major General Winfield S. Hancock – Corps commander in the Army of the Potomac, distinguished at Gettysburg and other battles.
• Major General John F. Reynolds – Led I Corps, Army of the Potomac; killed at Gettysburg.
• Brigadier General John Geary – Commanded Pennsylvania regiments and later divisions in the Army of the Cumberland.

Official Records References

• Official Records, Series I, Vol. XXVII, reports involving Pennsylvania troops at Gettysburg and other engagements.
• Adjutant General’s Report of Pennsylvania.
• Dyer’s “Compendium of the War of the Rebellion.”