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PA 69th History
Click here for listing of battle engagements.
Taken in part from http://en.wikipedia.org/ with corrections by Don Ernsberger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/69th_Pennsylvania_Infantry
The 69th Pennsylvania was recruited from Philadelphia Irish militia companies of the 2nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia. It was mustered into service on August 19, 1861, with Joshua T. Owen as its first colonel. The unit then became the 24th PA (a three month regiment) and was eventually was designated the 2nd California. It left for Washington, D.C. that September, before being assigned to the Army of the Potomac in October as part of Colonel Edwin Baker's California Brigade. The regiment’s first action was at the Battle of Balls Bluff. After this battle, its name was changed to the 68th for about a week. They made an attempt with the 69th New York to form an Irish Brigade but Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin of Pennsylvania opposed the idea, which led to the proposal being dropped. The 68th had their regimental designation changed to the 69th in honor of the 69th New York.
The 69th served in the Peninsula Campaign, during which it was complimented
by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker for making “the first successful bayonet charge
of the war.” Its next major action was at the Battle of Antietam. It lost
heavily at the Battle of Fredericksburg, but missed any major action at
Chancellorsville, seeing only minor skirmishing.
The unit played a large role at the Battle of Gettysburg, helping repel both
Brig. Gen. Ambrose Wright’s charge on July 2 and Pickett’s Charge on July 3.
Its casualties over the last two days of the battle were enormous, losing
143 men out of 258, including its colonel, lieutenant colonel, two captains,
and a lieutenant. The regiment's ranking officer, Maj. Duffy, was seriously
wounded but refused to give up command until the battle was over. The 69th
finished the campaign under the command of a captain.
The 69th fought in Grant’s Overland Campaign, again losing heavily. At the
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Lieutenant McAnally of Company D
captured a Confederate battle flag. After the Battle of Cold Harbor, the 71st
Pennsylvania was merged into the 69th. During the Siege of Petersburg, the
Philadelphia Brigade was broken up, with the 72nd Pennsylvania mustered out
of service and the 106th reduced to a single battalion. The 69th
participated in the pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia during the
Appomattox Campaign. The regiment was mustered out at Ball’s Cross-Roads,
near Washington, on July 1, 1865.
The only Pennsylvania regiment to carry the green Irish flag into battle.
Active: August 19, 1861 - July 1, 1865
Country: United States
Allegiance: Union
Branch: United States Army
Type: Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Part of: Army of the Potomac
Nickname: The Rock of Erin
Colors: Union Blue and Irish Green
Engaements:
Peninsula Campaign
Battle of Antietam
Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Gettysburg
Siege of Petersburg
Appomattox Campaign
The following take from www.pa-roots.com
http://www.pa-roots.com/pacw/infantry/69th/69thorg.html
Organization:
Organized at Philadelphia August 18, 1861.
Left State for Washington, D.C., September 17.
Attached to Baker's Brigade, Stone's (Sedgwick's) Division, Army Potomac, to
March, 1862.
2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1864.
3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1865.
Service:
Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till October.
Affair at Vaderburg's House, Munson's Hill, September 29, 1861.
Moved to Poolesville, Md., and duty on the Upper Potomac till February,
1862.
At Harper's Ferry, W. Va.. till March 24.
Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 24-April 1.
Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4.
Moved to West Point May 7.
Duty at Tyler's Farm till May 31.
Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1.
Duty at Fair Oaks till June 28.
Skirmish at Fair Oaks June 18.
Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
Battles of Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29.
Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30.
Malvern Hill July 1.
At Harrison's Landing till August 16.
Movement to Newport News, thence to Alexandria August 16-28, and
to Centreville and Chantilly August 29-30.
Cover Pope's retreat August 31-September 1.
Chantilly September 1.
Maryland Campaign September 6-24.
Battle of Antietam September 16-17.
Moved to Harper's Ferry September 22, and duty there till October 30.
Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 20.
Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15.
Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863.
At Falmouth till April. Hartwood Church February 25.
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Banks' Ford May 1 and 4.
Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24.
Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4.
Pursuit of Lee July 5-24.
At Banks' Ford and Culpeper till October.
Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17.
Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
Robertson's Tavern or Locust Grove November 27.
Duty on the Rapidan till May, 1864.
Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7.
Veterans on furlough March and April. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12.
Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May
8-12;
Po River May 10; Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21.
Assault on the Salient May 12.
North Anna River May 23-26.
Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.
Totopotomoy May 28-31.
Cold Harbor June 1-12.
Before Petersburg June 16-18.
Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864.
Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29.
Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve).
Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom August 13-20.
Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18.
Ream's Station August 25.
Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28.
Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865.
Watkins' House March 25.
Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
Vaughan Road near Hatcher's Run March 29.
Crow's House March 31.
Fall of Petersburg April 2.
Sailor's Creek April 6.
High Bridge and Farmville April 7.
Appomattox C. H. April 9.
Surrender of Lee and his army.
At Burkesville till May 2.
March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12.
Grand Review May 23.
At Ball's Cross Roads till July.
Mustered out July 1, 1865.
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This page was last modified on 05/14/2010.