The 83rd Pennsylvania was a volunteer

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 ...

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 (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 ...

, which participated in almost every major battle in the East, including

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, command ...

Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union ...

, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. As one of four regiments in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V 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 Confedera ...

, it fought alongside the 20th Maine, 44th New York, and the 16th Michigan in the defense of

Little Round Top Little Round Top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—the companion to the adjacent, taller hill named Big Round Top. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by Confederate troops against the Union left fla ...

. Colonel

Strong Vincent Strong Vincent (June 17, 1837 – July 7, 1863) was a lawyer who became famous as a U.S. Army officer during the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded while leading his brigade during the fighting at Little Round Top on the second day of ...

, the regiment's commanding officer, was mortally wounded during this engagement. Uniform of the 83rd Pennsylvania

The 83rd Pennsylvania suffered the second-highest number of battle deaths among Union Army infantry regiments during the war, second only to the 5th New Hampshire. Future

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

Leander Herron Leander T. "Lee" Herron (1846 - 1937) was a Corporal in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for heroism near Fort Dodge, Kansas on September 2, 1868. Biography Early life Leander Herron was born on December 29, 1846, in Falls ...

served in the 83rd Pennsylvania from December 1863 to June 1865.

Casualties

During its time of service, the 83rd Pennsylvania lost 11 officers and 271 men killed in combat and 2 officers and 151 men died from disease or accidents. 435 men in total died during the regiment's time of service, amounting to 24% of its enlistments. 83rd PA Infantry MN091-B

References

{{reflist 1865 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Military units and formations established in 1861 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania 1861 establishments in Pennsylvania

Casualties

See also

References