{{Infobox military unit , unit_name= 58th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry , image=Flag of Pennsylvania.svg , image_size = 100 , caption=Pennsylvania flag , dates= February 13, 1862 – January 26, 1866 , country= {{flag, United States, 1863 , allegiance=

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

, branch=

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 ...

, equipment= , battles= Battle of Drewry's Bluff

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...

Battle of Chaffin's Farm The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights, also known as Laurel Hill and combats at Forts Harrison, Johnson, and Gilmer, was fought in Virginia on September 29–30, 1864, as part of the siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War. ...

The 58th 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 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 ...

which 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 ...

History

The 58th Pennsylvania was recruited during August and September 1861. The Army had originally planned to raise an additional regiment, the 114th, but failed to raise the required number of men. The companies were from the following counties:
Company A Philadelphia
Company B Philadelphia – Captained by Theodore Blakeley
Company C Philadelphia – Captained by Daniel Linn
Company D Philadelphia – Captained by Newton R. Bunker
Company E McKean, Erie, and Tioga Counties – Captained by John C. Backus and Philetus M. Fuller
Company F McKean, Erie, and Tioga Counties – Captained by Lucius Rogers and John M. Collins
Company G Clinton County – Captained by Olney V. Cotter
Company H McKean County – Captained by Asa Howe Cory
Company I Luzerne and Northumberland Counties – Captained by John Buyers
Company K Philadelphia – Captained by Cecil Clay John Richter Jones was selected as

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 ...

of the regiment, Carlton B. Curtis as lieutenant colonel and Montgomery Martin as major. The 58th was mustered in on February 13, 1862. In early March, the regiment was sent to Fort Monroe. On May 10, it was attached to a force sent to capture Norfolk, Virginia. Until September, the regiment was assigned to garrison duty around Hampton Roads, and was then transferred to

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. During this time, it fought only in small skirmishes and raids, losing few men. During a raid on

Kinston, North Carolina Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States, with a population of 21,677 as of the 2010 census. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791. Kinston is located in the coastal plains region of ...

, on May 21, 1863, Jones was killed. Curtis was promoted to colonel, Martin to lieutenant colonel, and Captain Henry Metcalf to major. In June, the 58th was sent to

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, where it was broken up into various detachments and spread along the Pamlico River. In late April 1864, the regiment was reassigned 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 during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia. History The Union Department ...

as part of the 3rd Brigade, First Division, XVIII Corps. Other than some skirmishing during the initial advance on Richmond, Virginia, the regiment did not see much action. Along with the rest of the corps, it fought at the

. After the battle, the entire corps was moved to the lines in front of

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458. The Bureau of Econ ...

. 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 ...

, the regiment was assigned mostly to picket, guard, and fatigue duty. It did fight in the

on September 28, 1864, where it lost six officers and 128 enlisted men. After serving in the Appomattox Campaign, the regiment was broken up into various detachments and assigned to the lower counties of Virginia. It was mustered out at

City Point, Virginia City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia, that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War. History 1613-18 ...

, on January 26, 1866.

Reenactors

A group portraying the 58th Pennsylvania is based in North Branch, New York. website is https://web.archive.org/web/20071206200535/http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/58thpa/58thpa.html

Casualties

* Killed and mortally wounded: 6 officers, 68 enlisted men * Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men * Died of disease: 4 officers, 139 enlisted men * Captured or missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men * Total: ? officers, ? enlisted men

References

Pennsylvania in the Civil War

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors

History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.
Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania 1862 establishments in Pennsylvania Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1866 1866 disestablishments in Virginia

History

Reenactors

Casualties

See also

References