The 148th Regiment 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

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during the

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Service

The 148th Pennsylvania Infantry was composed of volunteers raised chiefly in

Centre County, Pennsylvania Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The lands ...

, with seven companies hailing from the county. Company C in particular was recruited in the area surrounding the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania (today known as

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

) and included many of the college's students. The regiment was filled out with a company each from

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Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

, and

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

Counties.Muffly, ''The Story of Our Regiment'', p. 29 Once companies were raised, the regiment was organized at

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...

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, ...

, and mustered in for a three-year enlistment on September 8, 1862, 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 ...

James Addams Beaver. The 148th Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out of service on June 1, 1865, near

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Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. Soldiers from the 148th are featured in the third chapter of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Andersonville" (1955).

Detailed service

Company K, 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia

Moved to Cockeysville, Md., September 9–10, 1862, and guard duty on Northern Central Railroad until December 9, 1862. Moved to Falmouth, Va., December 9–18, 1862. Duty at Falmouth, Va., until April 27, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1–5. Gettysburg Campaign June 14-July 24. Skirmish at Haymarket June 25. Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3. Pursuit of Lee July 5–24. Wapping Heights, Va., July 23. Expedition to Port Conway August 31-September 4. Richardson's Ford September 1. Duty on Orange & Alexandria Railroad and the Rappahannock until October. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13–17. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. South side of the Rappahannock October 12. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7–8. Kelly's Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6–7, 1864. Morton's Ford February 6–7. Duty near Stevensburg until May. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5–7; Spotsylvania May 8–12; Po River May 9–10; Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. Assault on the Salient May 12. Milford Station May 20. Reconnaissance by the regiment across the North Anna River May 22. North Anna River May 23–26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 28–31. Cold Harbor June 1–12. Before Petersburg June 16–18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 21–23, 1864. Demonstration on north side of the James at Deep Bottom July 27–29. Deep Bottom July 27–28. Mine Explosion, Petersburg. July 30 (reserve). Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom August 13–20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14–18. Ream's Station, Weldon Railroad, August 25. Assault on Davidson's Confederate Battery October 27. Front of Forts Morton and Sedgwick October 29. Reconnaissance to Hatcher's Run December 9–10. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5–7, 1865. Watkins' House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Gravelly Run March 29. Boydton Road or Hatcher's Run March 30–31. Crow's House, White Oak Road, March 31. Sutherland Station April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. High Bridge, Farmville, April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D.C., May 2–12.

Grand Review of the Armies The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in the national capital city of Washington, D.C., on May 23–24, 1865, following the Union victory in the American Civil War (1861–1865). Elements of the Union Army in the ...

May 23.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 397 men during service; 12 officers and 198 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers and 183 enlisted men died of disease. Pvt George Osman George Osman enlisted Aug 19, 1862 at Centre Co, PA, Private at the age of 22. He mustered into Co "C" 148th PA Infantry Listed wounded July 2nd 1863 at Battle of Gettysburg. Died July 4th 1863 of his wounds In Gettysburg PA

Commanders

* Colonel James Addams Beaver - wounded in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville * Colonel Henry Boyd McKeen ( 81st Pennsylvania Infantry) - placed in temporary command by Colonel Edward E. Cross (the brigade commander) for the Battle of Gettysburg; Col Beaver was ill and Col Cross believed the regiment's lieutenant colonel was too inexperienced *

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Robert McFarlane - commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg after Col Cross was mortally wounded on July 2 and Col McKeen assumed command of the brigade *

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

George A. Fairlamb - commanded the regiment at the Battle of Chancellorsville after Col Beaver was wounded *

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 ...

Alfred A. Rhinehart - commanded the regiment at the First Battle of Deep Bottom

Notable members

* Colonel James Addams Beaver - 20th

governor of Pennsylvania A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

(1887-1891); acting president of

, 1906-1908 * Captain Jeremiah Z. Brown, Company K -

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 Siege of Petersburg, October 27, 1864 * Corporal Henry Meyer, Company A -

Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...

poet * Private

Robert W. Ammerman Robert Wesley Ammerman (1841 – September 30, 1907) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the American Civil War. Biography Ammerman joined the 148th Pennsylvania Infantry from Milesburg, Pennsylvania in August ...

, Company B - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House * Private

George W. Harris George W. Harris (March 6, 1835 – January 30, 1921) was a United States soldier who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War as a private with Company B of the 148th Pennsylvania Infantry, a regiment which "was present in every ba ...

, Company B - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House * Private Josiah Phillips, Company E - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Sutherland's Station

Notes

References

* Burr, Frank A. ''Life and Achievements of James Addams Beaver: Early Life, Military Services and Public Career'' (Philadelphia, PA: Ferguson Bros. & Co.), 1882. * Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Forster, Robert Henry. ''Pennsylvania Days: Historical Address of Major R. H. Forster, at the Dedication of the Monument of the 148th Penna. Volunteers. Gettysburg, Sept. 11-12, 1889'' (Harrisburg, PA: Meyers Print. and Pub. House), 1889. * Gayley, Alice Jane. ''The 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers: The Story of Company I'' (Butler, PA: Mechling Associates), 1998. * Macneal, Douglas. ''"The Centre County Regiment": Story of the 148th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers'' (State College, PA: Centre County Historical Society), 2000. * Muffly, Joseph Wendel. ''The Story of Our Regiment: A History of the 148th Pennsylvania Vols.'' (Des Moines, IA: The Kenyon Printing & Mfg. Co.), 1904. * {{CWR

External links

148th Pennsylvania Infantry monument at Gettysburg Battlefield
Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania