51st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment


The 51st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service

The 51st Pennsylvania Infantry was organized in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and mustered in November 16, 1861 for a three-year enlistment under the command of Colonel John F. Hartranft.
The regiment was attached to Reno's Brigade, Burnside's North Carolina Expeditionary Corps, to April 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Department of North Carolina, to July 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April 1863. Army of the Ohio to June 1863. Army of the Tennessee to August 1863, and Army of the Ohio to April 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, IX Corps, to July 1865.
The 51st Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out July 27, 1865.

Detailed service

This regiment was
recruited during the summer and fall of I86I by Col. Hartranft
for three years' service, most of the officers and men having
served for the three months' term. Cos. A, C, D, F and I were
recruited in Montgomery county; E, H and K in Union and Snyder;
G in Centre and B in Northampton. The place of rendezvous was
Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, and the regimental organization was
completed on Nov. I6 I86I. Two days later it left for
Annapolis, Md., where it remained, perfecting itself in drill
and discipline, until Jan. 6, 1862, when it was assigned to the
2nd brigade, Burnside's corps, embarked as a part
of Burnside's expedition to North Carolina, and landed at
Roanoke island on Feb. 7. It shared in the capture of the
enemy's works here on the 8th and was active at the battle of
New Berne, N. C., in March, where it executed a gallant charge.
It was again active in the battle of Camden, losing 3 killed
and 21 wounded. It returned to Fortress Monroe in July and was
assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, 9th corps, Gen.
Ferrero commanding the brigade. It was active at the second
Bull Run and Chantilly, and in Sept., 1862, moved with the 9th
corps on the Maryland campaign. It skirmished with the enemy's
cavalry at Frederick, Md.; was hotly engaged at South mountain
and again at Antietam, where its losses were 125, including
Lieut.-Col Bell, and Lieuts. Beaver and Hunsicker killed;
Capts. Bolton and Hart, Adjt. Shorkly, Quartermaster Freedly
and Lieut. Lynch wounded. Maj. Schall was now promoted to
lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. Bolton to major. The command
suffered severely in the fierce fighting at Fredericksburg in
December, its losses being I2 killed and 74 wounded. It was
ordered to Fortress Monroe in March, 1863, brigaded with the
51st N. Y., 2Ist Mass., and IIth N. H., and moved thence, with
two divisions of the 9th corps, to Kentucky, being posted
successively at Winchester, Lancaster, Crab Orchard and
Stanford. In June it moved with its corps under command of
Gen. Parke to the support of Grant at Vicksburg, arriving on
the I4th and going into camp at Mill Dale. It was employed
here and at Oak ridge for several weeks in building
fortifications, and joined Sherman in his campaign to Jackson
in July. The command then returned to Kentucky, encamping at
Camp Nelson, where it rested and refitted after its arduous
service in Mississippi. The regiment moved from Camp Nelson to
Crab Orchard, where a number of recruits were received, and
thence to Knoxville, Tenn. It was active at the battle of
Campbell's station, and suffered all the hardships endured by
Burnside's army, when besieged in Knoxville by the enemy under
Longstreet. After the siege was raised it joined in the
pursuit of the enemy, skirmishing with his rear-guard at
Rutledge, and later went into winter quarters at Blaine's
cross-roads, where the men suffered much from the meager
supplies of food and clothing received. On Jan. 5, 1864, the
regiment reenlisted for a term of three years and returned to
Pennsylvania on 30 days, veteran furlough. While at home the
command was rapidly recruited to the maximum strength, as it
was a very popular organization, and on the expiration of its
furlough it proceeded to Annapolis, where it was assigned to
the Ist brigade, Ist division, 9th corps, Col. Hartranft
commanding the brigade and Lieut.-Col. Schall the regiment.
The 5Ist participated in all the sanguinary engagements leading
up to the siege of Petersburg, losing heavily. Dating from the
battle at the Ny river, May I2, Col. Hartranft was promoted to
brigadier-general, Lieut.-Col. Schall became colonel, Maj.
Bolton lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. Hart major. In the fierce
fighting at Cold Harbor Col. Schall was killed while leading a
charge and was succeeded in command by Lieut.-Col. Bolton. The
command arrived in front of Petersburg on the I7th and at once
engaged the enemy. It was in action again the next day,
capturing and holding a position close to the enemy's works.
This position was so exposed that a constant fire was kept up,
night and day, for more than two weeks, one-third of the men
being constantly employed to hold the position. It formed part
of the assaulting column at the explosion of the mine, but was
ordered back before it entered the crater. In this advance,
Col. Bolton was severely wounded and Maj. Hart succeeded to the
command. The regiment remained on duty in front of the crater
for a few days, when it was relieved, and remained encamped in
the rear until Aug. I9. It shared in the movement for the
capture of the Weldon railroad, and participated in all the
subsequent operations of the brigade, including the engagements
at Poplar Spring Church, Ream's station, Hatcher's run, and the
final assault on Petersburg, April 2, 1865. It was mustered out
at Alexandria, Va., July 27, 1865, after four years of most
trying service.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 314 men during service; 12 officers and 165 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 137 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders