The 111th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. It was noted for its holding the high ground at the center of the line at Antietam as part of Stainrook's 2nd Brigade, Greene's 2nd Division of Mansfield's

XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII ...

Service

The 111th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at

Erie Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

beginning in December 1861 and mustered in for a three-year enlistment under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

Matthew Schlaudecker. The regiment was attached to Cooper's 1st Brigade, Sigel's Division, Department of the Shenandoah, to June 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps,

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...

, to August 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, II Corps, Army of Virginia, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confede ...

, to October 1862. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XII Corps, to January 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XII Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October 1863, and

Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...

to April 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to July 1865. The 111th Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out July 19, 1865.

Detailed service

The 111th was recruited in the counties of

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval A ...

and

Crawford Crawford may refer to: Places Canada * Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia * Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario United Kingdom * Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England * Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...

and its organization was completed at Erie on Jan. 24, 1862, when it was mustered in for three years' service. It moved to

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...

and thence to

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

where it remained until May, when it was sent to

Harper's Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

to join Gen. Banks. It remained in that vicinity until July, and then proceeded to Cedar Mountain, where it fought as part of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps. At Antietam it lost over one-third of the number engaged but was highly praised for its daring by Gen. Greene, who commanded the division, and it was presented with a stand of colors by Col. Stainrook commanding the brigade. Two months were spent in camp on Loudoun Heights, near Harper's Ferry, and with the 12th Corps, to which it had been transferred, the 111th arrived at Fredericksburg too late for the battle. Winter quarters were established at

Fairfax Station Fairfax Station is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 12,030 at the 2010 census. Located in Northern Virginia, its center is located southwest of Washington, D.C. Geography Fairfax St ...

, the regiment leaving camp for the " Mud March" in Jan., 1863, after which it was sent to Acquia Creek and assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 12th Corps. On March 3, it was selected by Gen. Hooker as one of ten regiments to receive special commendation, practically shown by increase of absences and furloughs allowed. It joined in the Chancellorsville Campaign, but returned to Acquia Creek Landing until June 13, when it was ordered to Leesburg. It was active at Gettysburg, where it was more fortunate than many of the Pennsylvania regiments. It remained with the army until Sept. 15, when it was ordered west with the 12th Corps and reached Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Oct. 6. It took part in the Battle of Wauhatchie; went into camp on Raccoon Mountain; and fought in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge in November. In December, practically the whole regiment reenlisted and in the spring of 1864, returned to Bridgeport, Ala., strengthened by the addition of new recruits. It was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 20th Corps, and took part in the Atlanta Campaign, being engaged at Resaca, New Hope Church, Dallas, Peachtree Creek and Atlanta. On Sept. 2, with five other regiments it was sent forward to reconnoiter and entered the city. It camped in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

until about the middle of November, when it rejoined the division at Milledgeville. In March, 1865, the 109th Pa. was consolidated with it and it moved on to

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, where it participated in the grand review and on July 19, 1865, was mustered out of the service of the Union it had served so well. The total strength of the regiment is recorded as 1,847, but 100 drafted men deserted on the journey to Tennessee; 310 recruits belonged to the 109th Pa.; 42 members failed to report, making the actual strength 1,395.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 304 men during service; 7 officers and 138 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers and 155 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Matthew Schlaudecker – resigned November 6, 1862 * Colonel George A. Cobham Jr. – killed in action at the Battle of Peachtree Creek; posthumously promoted to brevet

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

* Colonel Thomas McCormick Walker – promoted to brevet

July 5, 1865

Notes

References

* * Boyle, John Richards
''Soldiers True: The Story of the One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers and of Its Campaigns in the War for the Union, 1861–1865''
(New York: Eaton & Mains), 1903. * * Dyer, Frederick H
''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion''
(Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Miller, James Todd. ''Bound to be a Soldier: The Letters of Private James T. Miller, 111th Pennsylvania Infantry, 1861–1864'' (Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press), 2001. * {{CWR

External links

111th Pennsylvania monument at Gettysburg Battlefield
Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania