58th Pennsylvania Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 58th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
which served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
Company A Philadelphia
Company B Philadelphia - Captained by Theodore Blakeley
Company C Philadelphia - Captained by Daniel Linn
Company D Philadelphia - Captained by Newton R. Bunker
Company E McKean, Erie, and Tioga Counties - Captained by John C. Backus and Philetus M. Fuller
Company F McKean, Erie, and Tioga Counties - Captained by Lucius Rogers and John M. Collins
Company G Clinton County - Captained by Olney V. Cotter
Company H McKean County - Captained by Asa Howe Cory
Company I Luzerne and Northumberland Counties - Captained by John Buyers
Company K Philadelphia - Captained by Cecil Clay
John Richter Jones was selected as colonel
of the regiment, Carlton B. Curtis as lieutenant colonel
and Montgomery Martin as major
. The 58th was mustered in on February 13, 1862.
In early March, the regiment was sent to Fort Monroe. On May 10, it was attached to a force sent to capture Norfolk, Virginia
. Until September, the regiment was assigned to garrison duty around Hampton Roads, and was then transferred to South Carolina
. During this time, it fought only in small skirmishes and raids, losing few men. During a raid on Kinston, South Carolina on May 21, 1863, Jones was killed. Curtis was promoted to colonel, Martin to lieutenant colonel, and Captain Henry Metcal to major. In June, the 58th was sent to North Carolina
, where it was broken up into various detachments and spread along the Pamlico River.
In late April 1864, the regiment was re-assigned to the Army of the James
as part of the 3rd Brigade, First Division, XVIII Corps
. Other than some skirmishing during the initial advance on Richmond, Virginia
, the regiment did not see much action. Along with the rest of the corps, it fought at the Battle of Cold Harbor
. After the battle, the entire corps was moved to the lines in front of Petersburg, Virginia
. During the Siege of Petersburg
, the regiment was assigned mostly to picket, guard, and fatigue duty. It did fight in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm
on September 28, 1864, where it lost six officers and 128 enlisted men.
After serving in the Appomattox Campaign
, the regiment was broken up into various detachments and assigned to the lower counties of Virginia. It was mustered out at City Point, Virginia
on January 26, 1866.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
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...
which served in the Union Army
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...
during 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...
.
History
The 58th was recruited during August and September 1861. The Army had originally planned to raise an additional regiment, the 114th, but failed to raise the required number of men. The companies were from the following counties:Company A Philadelphia
Company B Philadelphia - Captained by Theodore Blakeley
Company C Philadelphia - Captained by Daniel Linn
Company D Philadelphia - Captained by Newton R. Bunker
Company E McKean, Erie, and Tioga Counties - Captained by John C. Backus and Philetus M. Fuller
Company F McKean, Erie, and Tioga Counties - Captained by Lucius Rogers and John M. Collins
Company G Clinton County - Captained by Olney V. Cotter
Company H McKean County - Captained by Asa Howe Cory
Asa Howe Cory
Asa Howe Cory was a captain of Company H in the 58th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:Asa Howe Cory was born in Sullivan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania...
Company I Luzerne and Northumberland Counties - Captained by John Buyers
Company K Philadelphia - Captained by Cecil Clay
Cecil Clay
Cecil Clay was captain of Company K in the 58th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
John Richter Jones was selected as colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the regiment, Carlton B. Curtis as lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and Montgomery Martin as major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. The 58th was mustered in on February 13, 1862.
In early March, the regiment was sent to Fort Monroe. On May 10, it was attached to a force sent to capture Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. Until September, the regiment was assigned to garrison duty around Hampton Roads, and was then transferred to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. During this time, it fought only in small skirmishes and raids, losing few men. During a raid on Kinston, South Carolina on May 21, 1863, Jones was killed. Curtis was promoted to colonel, Martin to lieutenant colonel, and Captain Henry Metcal to major. In June, the 58th was sent to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, where it was broken up into various detachments and spread along the Pamlico River.
In late April 1864, the regiment was re-assigned to the Army of the James
Army of the James
The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...
as part of the 3rd Brigade, First Division, XVIII Corps
XVIII Corps (ACW)
XVIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.- Origins and makeup :The XVIII Corps was created on December 24, 1862, and initially composed of five divisions stationed in North Carolina, making it one of the largest in the Union Army , placed under the command of General...
. Other than some skirmishing during the initial advance on Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, the regiment did not see much action. Along with the rest of the corps, it fought at the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
. After the battle, the entire corps was moved to the lines in front of Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
. During 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...
, the regiment was assigned mostly to picket, guard, and fatigue duty. It did fight in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm
Battle of Chaffin's Farm
The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights, also known as Laurel Hill and combats at Forts Harrison, Johnson, and Gilmer, was fought September 29–30, 1864, as part of the Siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War.-Background:...
on September 28, 1864, where it lost six officers and 128 enlisted men.
After serving in 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...
, the regiment was broken up into various detachments and assigned to the lower counties of Virginia. It was mustered out at City Point, Virginia
City Point, Virginia
City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.- History :...
on January 26, 1866.
Reenactors
A group portraying the 58th Pennsylvania is based in North Branch, New York. website is http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/58thpa/58thpa.htmlCasualties
- Killed and mortally wounded: 6 officers, 68 enlisted men
- Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Died of disease: 4 officers, 139 enlisted men
- Captured or missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Total: ? officers, ? enlisted men