The 63rd 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 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

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, ...

, in August 1861 and mustered in 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 ...

Alexander Hays. The regiment was attached to Jameson's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division,

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 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps, to March 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, II Corps, to September 1864. The 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out beginning July 31, 1864, and concluding September 11, 1864. Veterans and recruits were transferred to the

105th Pennsylvania Infantry The 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (also known as the "Wildcat Regiment") was an infantry regiment which served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Among the regiment's early recruits was future United States Congressman Albe ...

Detailed service

Left Pennsylvania for Washington, D.C., August 26. Duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C., until March 1862. Reconnaissance to Pohick Church and the Occoquan November 12, 1861. Pohick Church and the Occoquan March 5, 1862 (detachment). Moved to the Peninsula March 16–18. Siege of Yorktown April 5–May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) May 31 – June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25 – July 1. Oak Grove June 25. Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Duty at Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to Centreville August 16–26. Bristoe Station or Kettle Run August 27. Buckland's Bridge, Broad Run, August 27. Battle of Groveton August 29. Second Battle of Bull Run August 30. Battle of Chantilly September 1. Duty in the defenses of Washington and guarding fords in Maryland until October. March up the Potomac to Leesburg, then to Falmouth, Va., October 11 – November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12–15. Burnside's second 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 11 – 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 and Bristoe October 13–14. 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. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6–7, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4–June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5–7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spotsylvania May 8–12. Po River May 10. Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. Assault on the Salient May 12. Harris' Farm May 19. North Anna River May 23–26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 29–31. Cold Harbor June 1–12. Before Petersburg June 16–18. Siege of Petersburg and Richmond June 16 – September 5. Weldon Railroad June 22–23. Demonstration on north side of the James River at Deep Bottom July 27–29. Deep Bottom July 27–28. Mine Explosion July 30 (reserve). Demonstration on north side of the James August 13–20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14–18.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 320 men during service; 17 officers and 169 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 133 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Alexander Hays * Colonel Algernon Morgan - promoted from lieutenant colonel after Col Hays was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

; he never returned to the regiment due to wounds received at the Battle of Seven Pines (discharged April 18, 1863) * Colonel William S. Kirkwood - mortally wounded in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville less than two weeks after being promoted from lieutenant colonel * Colonel John A. Danks

Notable members

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...

John M. Kindig, Company A -

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 valo ...

recipient for action at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Fleming, George Thornton and Gilbert Adams Hays. ''Life and Letters of Alexander Hays: Brevet Colonel United States Army, Brigadier General and Brevet Major General United States Volunteers'' (Pittsburgh, PA: s.n.), 1919. * Haymaker, William Newlon. ''Dear Mary: Letters from the Field'' (Apollo, PA: Closson Press), 2011. * Hays, Gilbert Adams and William H. Morrow. ''Under the Red Patch: Story of the Sixty Third Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861–1864'' (Pittsburgh, PA: Sixty-Third Pennsylvania Volunteers Regimental Association), 1908. * Marks, James Junius. ''The Peninsular Campaign in Virginia; or, Incidents and Scenes on the Battle-Fields and in Richmond'' (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.), 1864. * Walters, Sara Gould. ''The Gallant Sixty-Third: In Memoriam to Captain John McClellan, Company E, 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861–1864'' (Mt. Airy, MD: The Author), 1990. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links

63rd Pennsylvania monument at Gettysburg
Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1864 Units and formations of the Union Army from Pennsylvania 1861 establishments in Pennsylvania