The 199th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, alternately known as the Commercial Regiment, 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 ...

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 ...

in 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 ...

. Raised in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

in late 1864, the regiment enlisted for one year and was sent to the

Army of the James The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River (Virginia), James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia. Histor ...

during the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

. During the

Third Battle of Petersburg The Third Battle of Petersburg, also known as the Breakthrough at Petersburg or the Fall of Petersburg, was fought on April 2, 1865, south and southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, at the end of the 292-day Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (sometimes ...

it assaulted Forts Gregg and Alexander, then pursued the retreating Confederate

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

, fighting at Rice's Station and

Appomattox Court House Appomattox Court House could refer to: * The village of Appomattox Court House, now the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, in central Virginia (U.S.), where Confederate army commander Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union commander Ulyss ...

. Following the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, the regiment moved to

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

, where it mustered out in late June 1865.

History

The regiment was organized at

Camp Cadwalader Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...

near

during August, September and October 1864, for a term of one year under the command of staff officer Colonel James C. Briscoe. It was also known as the Commercial Regiment, and many of its soldiers had previously served in other regiments, including Lieutenant Colonel Ambrose A. Lechler, former Colonel of the 176th Pennsylvania Infantry. The regiment was sent to the front in October and took positions on the extreme right of the

on the New Market Road at Deep Bottom Landing, joining the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division of

X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * X ...

. Shortly after fortifying its position, the 199th went into winter quarters with the army, during which it conducted training while also being employed in picket duty, fortification building, and road construction. In December it was transferred to the newly formed XXIV Corps, still with the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division. With strict discipline and sanitation, the regiment was capable of active service when the northern hemisphere spring arrived. The division crossed the

James River The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...

on 28 March and moved southwards through the night to arrive in front of the Confederate fortifications on 29 March. The division participated in the

, during which it attacked Forts Gregg and Alexander on 2 April. The regiment attacked Fort Gregg on the right of the brigade, commanded by Brevet Brigadier General

Thomas O. Osborn Thomas Ogden Osborn (August 11, 1832 – March 27, 1904) was an American lawyer, soldier, and diplomat who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was also the U.S. Minister to Argentina from 1874 to 1885. Early ...

. Advancing in line of battle at the head of the division, the 199th was to the left of the 67th Ohio and the 39th Illinois. It counterattacked the Church Road with the brigade at 09:00, forcing back Confederate troops from a salient that they had gained in a counterattack earlier that day. At 13:00 the brigade was committed to the attack on Fort Gregg, advancing through a hail of fire. Briscoe was hit in the leg within the last 300 yards to the fort, but continued onward with others from the regiment into the ditch in front of the fort, partially filled with water. There, First Lieutenant Oliver Sproul of Company H planted the colors of the 39th Illinois in the parapet of the fort after the 39th's color bearer was shot. Along with other Union troops, the men of the regiment advanced into the fort and captured it. The regiment lost eighteen killed or mortally wounded, and 91 wounded; among the latter were six officers, including Briscoe and two company commanders. Briscoe was made a brevet brigadier general for his gallantry, and was promoted to command the brigade; he was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Robert P. Hughes. Following the breakthrough at Petersburg, the 199th pursued the retreating Confederate

along the Southside Railroad to Burkeville and Appomattox. The regiment fought in skirmishes, and lost two killed and one wounded at the

Battle of Rice's Station The Battle of Rice's Station was a minor engagement in Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War that was fought at the same time as the Battle of Sailor's Creek on April 6, 1865. In the early morning of April 6, Confederate States Army, ...

on 6 April, and two killed and eight wounded at the

Battle of Appomattox Court House The Battle of Appomattox Court House, fought in Appomattox County, Virginia, on the morning of April 9, 1865, was one of the last battles of the American Civil War (1861–1865). It was the final engagement of Confederate General in Chief, Rober ...

on 9 April. The division was moved to

and encamped two miles north of the city shortly after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. The regiment remained at the camp until it was mustered out on 28 June, with its recruits and Briscoe being transferred to the 188th Pennsylvania Infantry, which mustered out on 14 December. During its service, the regiment lost two officers and thirty men killed or died of wounds and 52 men to disease, out of a total enrollment of 1,462 officers and men.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * {{Cite book, url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028861842, title=Philadelphia in the Civil War, last=Taylor, first=Frank H., publisher=City of Philadelphia, year=1913, location=Philadelphia

External links

199th Pennsylvania Rosters

199th Pennsylvania Flags
Military units and formations established in 1864 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania

History

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links