PENNSYLVANIA ONE HUNDRED and FIFTIETH INFANTRY (Three Years)

One Hundred and Fiftieth Infantry. Cols., Langhorn Wister, Henry S. Huidekoper, George W. Jones ; Lieut.-Cols., Henry S. Huidekoper, Thomas Chamberlin, Cornelius C. Widdis, George W. Jones, John W. Sigler ; Majs., Thomas Chamberlin, Cornelius C. Widdis, George W. Jones, Benjamin F. Topham. This regiment (Bucktail), like the 149th, was intended to form part of a Bucktail brigade, which Maj. Stone of the original Bucktails was authorized to raise in July 1862. (See 149th.) Four companies, A B, E and F were raised in Phliadelphia, C, H, I and K, in Crawford county, D in Union, and G in McKean. It rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, where it was mustered into the U. S. service for three years, in the latter part of Aug., 1862. Col. Wister had commanded a company of the old Bucktails, and Maj. Chamberlin, one in the 5th reserves, while Lieut.-Col. Huidekoper had prepared himself for service by diligent study during the previous year at Harvard university. The organization was completed on Sept. 4, 1862, and was composed of an excellent body of recruits. Soon afterward it proceeded to Washington and was engaged in guard duty in and around the capital until ordered to the front about the middle of Feb., 1863. Co. K had been detailed for guard duty at the soldiers' home, the summer residence of the president, and remained on duty alternately, winter and summer, at the home and the White House, serving as President Lincoln's body guard, until the close of its term of service. In Feb., 1863, the Bucktail troops -the 150th and 149thjoined the Army of the Potomac at Belle Plain, Va., and were assigned to Stone's (2nd) brigade, Doubleday's (3d) division, Reynolds' (1st) corps. The 150th was in position, but was not active at the battle of Chancellorsville and suffered no loss. It was hotly engaged on the first day of the battle of Gettysburg, in which it fought with the utmost bravery, changing front forward and also front to rear while under fire. While retiring with the rest of the line through the town in the evening, the last of the colorguard was killed, clasping the colors, and the regimental flag was lost. In the spring of 1865, it was found among the effects of Jefferson Davis, when he was captured in Georgia, and was held by the secretary of war, until Oct. 25, 1869, but is now among the other tattered emblems at Harrisburg. The regiment was held in reserve the second day of the battle and was exposed to the severe artillery fire of the third day. Its total losses in killed, wounded and missing were 264, out of 17 officers and about 400 men engaged. Of the officers, 2 were killed, 10 wounded and 4 captured or missing. One of the heroic incidents of the first day's fight occurred when old John Burns asked and received permission from Col. Wister to fight with the regiment, at the time it was rallied in the orchard during the retreat. Another hero who joined the command and remained with it throughout the first day was Dennis Buckley, Co. H, 6th Mich. cavalry, whose horse had been shot under him earlier that morning. The 150th joined in the pursuit after the battle; subsequently shared in the various marches and countermarches of the army , was stationed at Warrenton junction upon railroad guard duty from Nov. 1, until the return of the army from the Mine Run campaign, when winter quarters were established at Paoli mills and afterwards at Culpeper. Meanwhile the command was reduced to less than 200 men and Capt. Jones and Lieut. Kilgore were sent to Philadelphia on recruiting service, returning with a large number of new men. On May 4, 1864, it entered on the Wilderness campaign, assigned to the 3d brigade (Col. Stone, afterwards Col. Bragg), 4th division (Gen. Wadsworth, afterwards Gen. Cutler), 5th corps (Gen. Warren). At the Wilderness it lost 92, killed, wounded and missing; at Spottsylvania Court-House, including the engagement at Laurel hill, its losses were 51; in the engagements at the North Anna and Totopotomy 7 in killed and wounded, the Bucktail brigade being highly praised for its gallantry at the North Anna. It did not suffer heavily in the fighting at Cold Harbor and Bethesda Church, having only 2 men wounded. On June 6, while at Cold Harbor, it was transferred to the 1st brigade, Col. Chamberlain, 1st division, Gen. Griffin. It was engaged in the assault on the works of Petersburg on June 18, being highly praised for its valor by Gen. Griffin, and a few days later skirmished on the Jerusalem plank road. It shared in the raid on the Weldon railroad in August, and then assisted in building Fort Dushane. It was active at Hatcher's Run in October, in the raid on the Weldon railroad in December; and participated in its last fight at Dabney's mill in Feb. 1865, after which it was relieved at the front and sent north to guard the camp of Confederate prisoners at Elmira, N. Y., where it was mustered out on June 23, 1865. CO. K was mustered out on June 15, at Harrisburg, Pa. The total enrollment of the regiment during service was 1,039, of whom 112 were killed or died of wounds, and 95 died of disease or in prison. Source: The Union Army, vol. 1 Gettysburg after battle report: Report of Lieut. Col. Henry S. Huidekoper, One hundred and fiftieth Pennsylvania Infantry. ---, -----, 1863. Sir: Report of the action of the One hundred and fiftieth Regt. Pennsylvania Volunteers at Gettysburg, Pa., on July 1: On the morning of July 1, the One hundred and fiftieth Regt. Pennsylvania Volunteers left camp near Emmitsburg, and about noon arrived on the battle-field at Gettysburg. Rapidly throwing off their knapsacks, the regiment moved up on the ground between the Iron Brigade and the other regiments of Col. Stone's brigade, which reached to the Chambersburg road. After lying under shelling for an hour, the command of the regiment fell to me, Col. Wister taking command of the brigade. Almost immediately, by order of Col. Wister, a change of front forward on first company was made with regularity and promptness, and in that new position, protected by a fence, our men awaited the charge of a rebel regiment which was attempting to flank the One hundred and forty-third and One hundred and forty-ninth Regt.'s, which had gallantly repulsed an attack in their front. At the distance of 50 yards, a volley was poured into the rebels, which staggered them so completely that a second one was fired before an attempt was made to advance or retreat. At this juncture, Col. Wister ordered the regiment to charge, and led it in person. The rebels were utterly routed, and the colors of the One hundred and forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, which had been lost, were recaptured and restored to that regiment. The One hundred and fiftieth then fell back to the position from which it had advanced. The firing of the enemy, who was approaching in front of the corps, now became fearful, and the regiment changed front to rear to meet this new attack. The movement was made in perfect order, and then bravely did the men move to the front, following the color-sergeant, who rushed to place his standard on the small rise of ground in advance. Four companies again changed front to resist the flank attack, while the remainder of the regiment fought one entire brigade, which was prevented from advancing by a high fence. The severe loss attending fighting at such odds soon compelled our men to give way, but a battery coming up on our left, another stand was necessary, and again was the regiment moved forward until the battery had wheeled around and moved to the rear. At this moment a wound compelled me to relinquish the command to Capt. Widdis, Maj. Chamberlain having been severely wounded some time before. I cannot praise too highly the conduct of both officers and men. It was all that could have been desired. Among the many brave, I would especially commend for coolness and courage Maj. Chamberlain, Adjutant Ashurst, Lieut.'s Sears, Chancellor (who lost his leg and has since died), Bell, Kilgore, Color-bearer [John] Pieffer, Sergeant [Duffy B.] Torbett, and Corporal [Roe] Reisinger. The regiment numbered, including 17 officers, before the battle nearly 400 at roll-call; in the evening but 2 officers, 1 of those wounded, and 84 men were present. As far as I can learn, the number killed was about 60; the rest were wounded or captured. I am, your obedient servant, H. S. HUIDEKOPER, Lieut. Col. One hundred and fiftieth Pennsylvania Vols. Lieut. Dalgliesh, A. A. A. G., Second Brig., Third Div., First Corps. ----------Report of Capt. George W. Jones, One hundred and fiftieth Pennsylvania Infantry. Camp near Berlin, Md., July 17, 1863. Sir: I have the honor to report that, on the 1st instant, this regiment was drawn into line of battle on the west side of Gettysburg, Pa., in front of the enemy, and ordered to divest themselves of everything but their guns, accouterments, haversacks, and canteens. This being done, Company B was detailed as skirmishers, who advanced about one-half mile, and engaged the enemy for three-quarters of an hour, when the main body of the regiment became engaged, and did not retire until compelled to do so by the advance of a line of battle of the enemy, when they fell back to the main line of the regiment. After the skirmishers were sent out, the regiment advanced a short distance, and took advantage of a slight rise in the ground as a protection against the enemy's shells. Here the regiment lay for nearly three hours under a heavy fire of artillery, when the enemy's line of battle advanced from the woods into the open field, and we were ordered to advance to a fence on the highest ground in our front. The enemy's line of infantry opened fire upon us as soon as we made our appearance, and we became hotly engaged for some time, when the enemy's line was compelled to give way, and they fled in confusion. A second line advanced and met with the same fate. A third and much stronger line appeared in our front and on both flanks, which forced our flanks to retire, and we were ordered by you to fall back, which was done in good order, to a battery in our rear. Here we rallied, and engaged the enemy for a short time, when we again received the order to fall back, which was done through the second line of defenses on Cemetery Hill, and formed into line. Our ammunition being entirely exhausted, we were here supplied with 60 rounds of cartridges. On the 2d, we supported a battery until about 6 p. m., when we were ordered to the front and on the left of the Fifth Corps as pickets. We were ordered to advance our line until we encountered the enemy's line of pickets, which was done, and we exchanged a few shots and were ordered to fall back, bringing with us two guns and caissons. Our line of pickets was stationed about 600 yards in front of the defenses, and remained here until the morning of the 3d, when we were relieved by a line of skirmishers, and retired to the second line of defenses, under a heavy fire of shell from the enemy's batteries. This command lay all day and night of the 3d under all the heavy cannonading of that memorable day. Inclosed is a statement of the casualties in this command. Officers and men. K W M T Commissioned officers........................ 1 6 4 11 Enlisted men................................. 28 141 80 249 Total*................................. 29 147 84 260 K=Killed. W=Wounded. M=Missing. T=Total. * But see revised statement, p. 174 Most respectfully, yours, G. W. JONES, Capt. Company B, Comdg. 150th Pennsylvania Vols. Col. Dana, Comdg. Second Brig., Third Div., First Army Corps.

Source: Official Records: Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43

Pennsylvania 150th Volunteer Infantry (Union)

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