Infantry is a military specialization that engages in military combat on foot, distinguished from cavalry, artillery, and tank forces. Also known as foot soldiers or infanteers, infantry traditionally relies on moving by foot between combats as well, but may also use mounts, military vehicles, or other transport. Infantry make up a large portion of all armed forces in most nations, and typically bear the largest brunt in warfare, as measured by casualties, deprivation, or physical and psychological stress.
A regiment is a military unit. Their role and size varies markedly, depending on the country and the arm of service.
During the American Civil War, the Union Army referred to the United States Army, the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. Also known as the Federal Army, it proved essential to the preservation of the United States as a working, viable republic.
The 115th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania beginning November 6, 1861 and mustered in January 28, 1862 for a three-year enlistment under the command of Colonel Robert Emmet Patterson.
Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 49,229, it is the 15th largest city in the Commonwealth. It lies on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, 107 miles (172 km) west of Philadelphia. Harrisburg is the anchor of the Susquehanna Valley metropolitan area, which had a 2018 estimated population of 574,659, making it the fourth most populous in Pennsylvania and 96th most populous in the United States.
Philadelphia, known colloquially as Philly, is the largest city in the U.S. state and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous U.S. city, with a 2018 census-estimated population of 1,584,138. Since 1854, the city has been coterminous with Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the eighth-largest U.S. metropolitan statistical area, with over 6 million residents as of 2017. Philadelphia is also the economic and cultural anchor of the greater Delaware Valley, located along the lower Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, within the Northeast megalopolis. The Delaware Valley's population of 7.2 million ranks it as the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States.
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the northeastern, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle. The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.
The regiment was attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, II Corps, to May 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, II Corps, to June 1864.
There were four formations in the Union Army designated as III Corps during the American Civil War.
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 May 1865 following the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in April.
There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War. These formations were the Army of the Cumberland II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden from October 24, 1862, to November 5, 1862, later renumbered XXI Corps; the Army of the Mississippi II corps led by William T. Sherman from January 4, 1863, to January 12, 1863, renumbered XV Corps; Army of the Ohio II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden from September 29, 1862, to October 24, 1862, transferred to Army of the Cumberland; Army of Virginia II Corps led by Nathaniel P. Banks from June 26, 1862, to September 4, 1862, and Alpheus S. Williams from September 4, 1862, to September 12, 1862, renumbered XII Corps; and the Army of the Potomac II Corps from March 13, 1862, to June 28, 1865.
The 115th Pennsylvania Infantry ceased to exist on June 22, 1864 when it was consolidated with the 110th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Detailed service
Moved from Camden to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, May 31, 1862, then to Camp Hamilton, Virginia, June 25–28, and to Harrison's Landing, Virginia, July 4. Duty at Harrison's Landing, Virginia, until August 16, 1862. Moved to Centreville August 16–26. Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run August 27. Battle of Groveton August 29. Second Battle of Bull Run August 30. Duty in the defenses of Washington until November. At Fairfax Station November 2–25. Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad November 10–12. Duty near Falmouth, Virginia, November 28– December 11. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12–15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20–24, 1863. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5–7. 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. Wapping Heights, Virginia, July 23. Duty near Warrenton, Virginia, until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. McLean's Ford, Bull Run, October 15. 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. Duty near Brandy Station until May. Rapidan Campaign, May 4– June 12. Battle of the Wilderness, May 5–7. Spotsylvania, May 8–12. Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. Assault on the Salient, May 12. 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.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 80 men during service; six officers and 32 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, two officers and 40 enlisted men died of disease.
Commanders
Colonel Robert Emmet Patterson– discharged December 2, 1862
Colonel Francis A. Lancaster– killed in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Thompson– commanded at the Second Battle of Bull Run
Lieutenant Colonel William A. Olmsted– commanded at the Battle of Fredericksburg
Lieutenant Colonel John P. Dunne– commanded the regiment after the death of Col Lancaster until consolidated with the 110th Pennsylvania Infantry
Major William A. Reilly– commanded at the Battle of the Wilderness
In the United States Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force, a lieutenant colonel is a field-grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.
In the United States Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force, major is a field grade military officer rank above the rank of captain and below the rank of lieutenant colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of lieutenant commander in the other uniformed services. Although lieutenant commanders are considered junior officers by their respective services, the rank of major is considered field grade in the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps.
The 81st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 145th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 148th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 2nd Delaware Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 99th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 110th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 57th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 16th Massachusetts was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Battery F, 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery was a light artillery battery that served in the Union Army as part of the Pennsylvania Reserves infantry division during the American Civil War.
The 76th New York Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 56th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit has the distinction of being the first Union Army infantry regiment to open fire at the Battle of Gettysburg.
The 104th New York Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 107th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 10th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment also known as the 39th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army as part of the Pennsylvania Reserves infantry division during the American Civil War.
The 12th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment also known as the 41st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army as part of the Pennsylvania Reserves infantry division during the American Civil War.
The 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 143rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 68th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 26th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
References
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908.
Attribution
This article contains text from a text now in the public domain: Dyer, Frederick H. (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Des Moines, IA: Dyer Publishing Co.
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