The 68th 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 ...

Service

The 68th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

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 on August 4, 1862 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 ...

Andrew H. Tippin. The regiment was attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps,

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 March 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, II Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April 1864. Provost Guard, Army of the Potomac, to April 1865. Collis' Independent Brigade,

IX Corps 9 Corps, 9th Corps, Ninth Corps, or IX Corps may refer to: France * 9th Army Corps (France) * IX Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * IX Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial Germ ...

, April 1865. Hart's Island, N.Y. Harbor,

Department of the East The Department of the East was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army several times in its history. The first was from 1853 to 1861, the second Department of the East, from 1863 to 1873, and the last from 1877 to 1913. H ...

, to June 1865. The 68th Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out June 9, 1865.

Detailed service

Left Pennsylvania for Washington, D.C., September 1, 1862. Camp at Arlington Heights until October. Moved to Poolesville, Md.. March up the Potomac to Leesburg, then to Falmouth, Va., October 11-November 19, 1862. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12–15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20–24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1–5. Gettysburg Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1–3. Pursuit of Lee July 5–24. Whapping Heights, Va., July 23. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. Auburn October 13. 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. Payne's Farm November 27. At Brandy Station until April 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6–7. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Assigned to provost duty at Meade's Headquarters April 18. Battle of the Wilderness May 5–7. Spotsylvania Court House May 8–21. Guinea Station May 21. 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 operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Garrison and provost duty at City Point, Va., June 18, 1864 to April 1, 1865. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Occupation of Petersburg April 3. Moved from before Petersburg to Hart's Island, N.Y. Harbor, April 1865, and duty there guarding prisoners until June.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 122 men during service; 10 officers and 61 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 51 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Andrew H. Tippin - captured and held as a prisoner of war October 14, 1863 to June 25, 1864 * Lieutenant Colonel Anthony H. Reynolds - discharged October 14, 1863 due to wounds received in action at the Battle of Gettysburg * Lieutenant Colonel Robert Emmet Winslow * Captain Milton S. Davis - commanded the regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg after Col Tippen succeeded to brigade command

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links