11th Pennsylvania Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was a Union army
regiment
that participated in the American Civil War
. It had the distinction of being the oldest unit in continuous service from Pennsylvania
.
as a three-month regiment on April 26, 1861, and sent to Camp Curtin
, Harrisburg
for training and organization. Phaon Jarrett served as its first colonel, with Richard Coulter
as lieutenant colonel and William D. Earnest as major. It was assigned to Robert Patterson
's Army of the Shenandoah
. The regiment received the nickname "The Bloody Eleventh" at the Battle of Falling Waters, Virginia, July 2, 1861.
The 11th was reorganized as a three-year regiment in the August of the same year at Camp Curtin
in Harrisburg. After a few weeks of drill, the regiment was given garrison duty at Annapolis, Maryland. In April, it was moved to Mannassas Junction, where it guarded the railroad. It was again transferred, this time to the Shenandoah Valley, in late May as part of Irvin McDowell
's Corps. They fought in the Battles of Cedar Mountain
and Second Bull Run
.
After the Army of Virginia was merged into the Army of the Potomac
, the reconstituted regiment became part of the I Corps
. At Turner's Gap at the Battle of South Mountain
,
the 11th came under light fire only, losing two men wounded. At the Battle of Antietam
three days later, it was heavily engaged on the Union left around the West Woods. In this battle, it lost 27 killed, 89 wounded, and two captured.
When the original three-year enlistment period expired in January 1864, many of the men reenrolled in the regiment at the influence of Brig. Gen. Richard Coulter, a former colonel of the regiment. Because of this, the unit was designated "veteran volunteers." During the reorganization of the Army in the spring of 1864, the 11th became part of the V Corps
.
The 11th fought in multiple battles in the Eastern Theater
, including Second Bull Run
, Antietam
, Chancellorsville
, Gettysburg
, Grant's
Overland Campaign
, the Siege of Petersburg
, and the Appomattox Campaign
. It was mustered out on July 1, 1865.
A total of 1,890 men served in the regiment during the war, and only 340 men were discharged at war's end.
Among the numerous casualties was one that would stand out as an undying remembrance of the unit and its loyalty to the cause. The regiment's beloved mascot, a brindle bull terrier
named "Sallie," traveled everywhere with the unit. She was said to have hated three things—Rebels, Democrats, and Women. Her loyalty was undying, for at Gettysburg, after the battle on the First Day
was over, Sallie, tired and hungry, ambled out to where her brave comrades had fought and died. She lay down with the dead, until she was found, weak and close to death herself, on July 4, 1863. Her friends nursed her back to health, and she fought with the unit in every battle until she was mortally wounded at Hatcher's Run
in February 1865. The men gave her a proper burial, never forgetting the most devoted member of their regiment. Her likeness is forever memorialized on the 11th Pennsylvania monument on Oak Ridge in the Gettysburg National Military Park
.
Casualties:
.
Two of the regiment's men were awarded the Medal of Honor
, both for capturing battle flags. Private George W. Reed
earned his at the Battle of Globe Tavern
on August 21, 1864, and Sergeant Hiram H. De Lavie at the Battle of Five Forks
on April 1, 1865.
William Henry Locke
, the regimental chaplain, later wrote a history of the 11th Pennsylvania.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that participated in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It had the distinction of being the oldest unit in continuous service from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
History
The 11th Pennsylvania was recruited in LatrobeLatrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
as a three-month regiment on April 26, 1861, and sent to Camp Curtin
Camp Curtin
Camp Curtin was a military training camp in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.When news of the bombardment and subsequent surrender of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina reached Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers...
, Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
for training and organization. Phaon Jarrett served as its first colonel, with Richard Coulter
Richard Coulter (general)
Richard Coulter, Sr. was an American Civil War general in the Union Army, a businessman, and banker. During the Civil War he was colonel of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, often rising to brigade command upon the wounding of superior officers.-Early life and career:Richard Coulter, Sr...
as lieutenant colonel and William D. Earnest as major. It was assigned to Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...
's Army of the Shenandoah
Army of the Shenandoah (Union)
The Army of the Shenandoah was a Union army during the American Civil War. First organized in 1861 and then disbanded, it is best known for its recreation in 1864 under Philip Sheridan...
. The regiment received the nickname "The Bloody Eleventh" at the Battle of Falling Waters, Virginia, July 2, 1861.
The 11th was reorganized as a three-year regiment in the August of the same year at Camp Curtin
Camp Curtin
Camp Curtin was a military training camp in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.When news of the bombardment and subsequent surrender of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina reached Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers...
in Harrisburg. After a few weeks of drill, the regiment was given garrison duty at Annapolis, Maryland. In April, it was moved to Mannassas Junction, where it guarded the railroad. It was again transferred, this time to the Shenandoah Valley, in late May as part of Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell was a career American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War.-Early life:...
's Corps. They fought in the Battles of Cedar Mountain
Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
and Second Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
.
After the Army of Virginia was merged into the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
, the reconstituted regiment became part of the I Corps
I Corps (ACW)
I Corps was the designation of three different corps-sized units in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The units served in the following armies:...
. At Turner's Gap at the Battle of South Mountain
Battle of South Mountain
The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles were fought for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton's, Turner's, and Fox's Gaps. Maj. Gen. George B...
,
the 11th came under light fire only, losing two men wounded. At the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
three days later, it was heavily engaged on the Union left around the West Woods. In this battle, it lost 27 killed, 89 wounded, and two captured.
When the original three-year enlistment period expired in January 1864, many of the men reenrolled in the regiment at the influence of Brig. Gen. Richard Coulter, a former colonel of the regiment. Because of this, the unit was designated "veteran volunteers." During the reorganization of the Army in the spring of 1864, the 11th became part of the V Corps
V Corps (ACW)
The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...
.
The 11th fought in multiple battles in the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
, including Second Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
, Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
, Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, Grant's
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
, the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
, and the Appomattox Campaign
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
. It was mustered out on July 1, 1865.
Among the numerous casualties was one that would stand out as an undying remembrance of the unit and its loyalty to the cause. The regiment's beloved mascot, a brindle bull terrier
Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier or English Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. They are known for their large, egg-shaped head, small triangular eyes, and "jaunty gait." Their temperament has been described as generally fun-loving, active and clownish...
named "Sallie," traveled everywhere with the unit. She was said to have hated three things—Rebels, Democrats, and Women. Her loyalty was undying, for at Gettysburg, after the battle on the First Day
Battle of Gettysburg, First Day
The First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War took place on July 1, 1863, and began as an engagement between isolated units of the Army of Northern Virginia under Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Potomac under Union Maj. Gen. George G. Meade...
was over, Sallie, tired and hungry, ambled out to where her brave comrades had fought and died. She lay down with the dead, until she was found, weak and close to death herself, on July 4, 1863. Her friends nursed her back to health, and she fought with the unit in every battle until she was mortally wounded at Hatcher's Run
Battle of Hatcher's Run
The Battle of Hatcher's Run, also known as Dabney's Mill, Armstrong's Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughn Road, fought February 5–7, 1865, was one in a series of Union offensives during the Siege of Petersburg, aimed at cutting off Confederate supply traffic on Boydton Plank Road and the Weldon...
in February 1865. The men gave her a proper burial, never forgetting the most devoted member of their regiment. Her likeness is forever memorialized on the 11th Pennsylvania monument on Oak Ridge in the Gettysburg National Military Park
Gettysburg Battlefield
The Gettysburg Battlefield is the area of the July 1–3, 1863, military engagements of the Battle of Gettysburg within and around the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Locations of military engagements extend from the 4 acre site of the first shot & at on the west of the borough, to East...
.
Casualties:
- Killed and mortally wounded: 12 officers, 224 enlisted men
- Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Died of disease: 4 officers, 177 enlisted men
- Captured or missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Total casualties: ? officers, ? enlisted men
Notable members
The 11th Pennsylvania was commanded for most of its service by Colonel Richard CoulterRichard Coulter (general)
Richard Coulter, Sr. was an American Civil War general in the Union Army, a businessman, and banker. During the Civil War he was colonel of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, often rising to brigade command upon the wounding of superior officers.-Early life and career:Richard Coulter, Sr...
.
Two of the regiment's men were awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, both for capturing battle flags. Private George W. Reed
George W. Reed
George W. Reed was a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Globe Tavern....
earned his at the Battle of Globe Tavern
Battle of Globe Tavern
The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under...
on August 21, 1864, and Sergeant Hiram H. De Lavie at the Battle of Five Forks
Battle of Five Forks
The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County, during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle, sometimes referred to as the "Waterloo of the Confederacy," pitted Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan against...
on April 1, 1865.
William Henry Locke
William Henry Locke
William Henry Locke was a chaplain for the Union during the American Civil War. In his book, The Story of the Regiment, he told the story of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment.-External links:*...
, the regimental chaplain, later wrote a history of the 11th Pennsylvania.