The 11th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment also known as the 40th 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 marine i ...

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 conscripted ...

that served in the

Pennsylvania Reserves The Pennsylvania Reserves were an infantry division in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Noted for its famous commanders and high casualties, it served in the Eastern Theater, and fought in many important battles, including Antietam a ...

infantry division of 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 (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

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 th ...

Organization

Service

The 11th Pennsylvania Reserves was organized at Camp Wright near

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

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 May 9, 1861 and mustered in June 29 through July 5, 1861 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 of ...

Thomas F. Gallagher. The regiment was armed with Model 1842 smoothbore muskets and used them for its entire service.During the fighting on the second day of the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, the 11th Reserves used buck and ball shot on the advancing Confederates to devastating effect. The regiment was attached to 2nd Brigade, McCall's Pennsylvania Reserves 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 Confedera ...

, to March 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division,

I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Arm ...

, Army of the Potomac, to April 1862. 2nd Brigade, McCall's Division, Department of the Rappahannock, to June 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division,

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army ...

, to August 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division,

III Corps 3rd Corps, Third Corps, III Corps, or 3rd Army Corps may refer to: France * 3rd Army Corps (France) * III Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * III Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of th ...

, Army of Virginia, to September 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, I Corps, Army of the Potomac, to February 1863. 3rd Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserves Division, XXII Corps,

Department of Washington Department of Washington, was a department of the Union Army constituted on April 9, 1861. It consisted of the District of Columbia to its original boundaries, and the State of Maryland as far as Bladensburg. It was merged into the Military D ...

, to June 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps, Army of the Potomac, to November 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps, to June 1864. The 11th Pennsylvania Reserves mustered out June 13, 1864.

Detailed service

Moved to Harrisburg, Pa., June 24, then to Baltimore, Md., June 25, and to Washington, D.C., June 26. Duty at Tennallytown, Md., and picket at Great Falls August 2 to October 10, 1861. At Camp Pierpont, near Langley, Va., until March 1862. Expedition to Grinnell's Farm December 6, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10–15, 1862. McDowell's advance on Falmouth April 9–19. Duty at Manassas Junction, Catlett's Station, and Falmouth, until June. Moved to White House June 9–12. Seven Days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Mechanicsville June 26, Gaines's Mill June 27 (most of the regiment captured and exchanged August 5, 1862), Charles City Cross Roads, Glendale, June 30, Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to join Pope August 16–26. Battle of Groveton August 29. Second Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6–24. Battle of South Mountain, Md., September 14. Battle of Antietam September 16–17. Duty in Maryland until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12–15. "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863. Moved to Washington, D. C., February 6. Duty there and at Alexandria until June 25. Ordered to rejoin the Army of the Potomac in the field. Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3. Pursuit of Lee July 5–24. Duty on the Rapidan until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7–8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty at Alexandria until April 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4–30. Battle of the Wilderness May 5–7, Laurel Hill May 8, Spotsylvania May 8–12, and Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. Assault on the Salient May 12. Harris Farm May 19. North Anna River May 23–26. Jericho Ford May 25. On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 28–30. Left the front May 30.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 309 men during service; 11 officers and 185 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 112 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Thomas F. Gallagher - discharged December 12, 1862 due to wounds received in action at the Battle of South Mountain * Colonel Samuel McCartney Jackson

Notable members

* 1st Sergeant Henderson C. Howard, Company B -

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient for action at the Battle of Glendale * 1st Lieutenant George Washington Fleeger, Company C -

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from Pennsylvania, 1885-1887 *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Edward Scofield, Company K -

19th 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics 19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13, a twin prime with 17, and a cousin prime with 23. It is the third full re ...

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wiscons ...

, 1897-1901 * Corporal

Charles Shambaugh Charles Shambaugh (August 25, 1839 – October 13, 1913) was born in Prussia and was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War who received America's highest military decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Cha ...

, Company D - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Glendale

Notes

References

* * * ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links

11th Pennsylvania Reserves monument at Gettysburg
Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1864 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania