Pennsylvania 62nd Infantry Regiment Out-line Field History of the Sixty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (Col. J. B. Sweitzer) from the time it entered the service up to the 1st day of August 1863 Monument at Gettysburg dedicated to the Pennsylvania 62d Infantry Regiment on September 11, 1889 photo from Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, 1893

About the Out-line Field History The following text is a transcription of a hand-written document presented to me by Mimi Reed, whose ancestor was Colonel Jacob Bowman Sweitzer. There is a good bit of mystery about the document. The author is unknown, but from the text he appears to have been a soldier of the 62d. The author usually refers to the regiment in the third person, but almost as often uses "we" instead. The version I have seen was hand-copied from the original by Annie Bowman Sweitzer Duncan, Ms. Reed's great grandmother. Whether the original manuscript was hand-written, privately printed, or published, we don't know. The document begins with a note "Compliments of A. D. Barr, Charlestown W. Va. Oct. 1. 1903." That raised the question what "compliments of" means, and we don't know whether A. D. Barr was a person or a company. Nor do we know how A. D. Barr may be related to the 62d Pennsylvania. There were two Barrs in the regiment. Both Corporal Robert T. Barr and Private Thomas Barr were in Company E, which hailed from Clarion County. Thomas Barr was discharged before Gettysburg, but Corporal Robert T. Barr died at Spottsylvania Court House. If he were the author, it would make sense that the history would end before any more of the story after Gettysburg could be told. Perhaps A. D. Barr was the son or relative of a relative of Robert T. Barr. The "Out-line Field History" is both wonderful and very frustrating. I have learned details about the 62d that I have not seen elsewhere, but there are great omissions of detail. For example, the author provides a description of the regiment's original uniforms, but later hints with no detail that the regiment was rewarded with Zouave uniforms. He describes battles with no little more information than that the officers led gallantly and the men fought bravely. I have tried to transcribe the document as exactly as I could, but I have made guesses in some places where the handwriting was not clear, so there may be errors due to my misinterpretation. The author is very literate and has few misspellings other than geographical names. Where I have found mistakes and either corrected them or let them stand, I have indicated my editorial effort. Thanks once again to Mimi Reed for alerting me to and sending me the document. The Out-line Field History Pages 1-10 Pages 11-20 Pages 21-30 Pages 31-40 Pages 41-50

Compliments of A. D. Barr, Charlestown, Oct. 1. 1903    W. Va. Out-line Field History of the Sixty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (Col. J. B. Sweitzer) from the time it entered the service up to the 1st day of August 1863 The number of enlisted men on the rolls on the 1st of August 1863 was 655. Number of commissioned officers 35. Agg- regate strength of the regiment present and absent 690. The subjoined table exhibits the gains and losses since enter- ing the field. The regiment has 12 com- panies, authorized by a special order from the War department at the time of the Re- giment was organized.

- 2 -   officers men   officers men Original Strength 40 1150 killed in battle 8 59 added in field by recruits 3 140 Died of wounds or discharged 7 28 115 382 added by transfer from 28 7 Deserted   40       Missing in action   54 total 75 1305 Total 40 650 This regiment was organized by Col. Samuel W. Black of Pittsburgh Pa. by au- thority from the War Department and was the 33rd independent regiment then in the field from Pennsylvania. Having more than the number of companies al- lowed a regiment of Infantry it was known as a Legion and called the “Scott Legion No. 2.” Afterwards, however, Governor Curtin being desirous that the State should receive credit for all her men that had volunteered and was in the field, this Regiment and all the other in depend-

- 3. - ent Penna regiments was by an order from the Secretary of War turned over to the State; this was then the 62nd Regi- ment from Pennsylvania, that had responded to the President’s call for three years’ service. It was duly recognized by the State and received its flag, bear- ing the Penna code of arms, in October 1861, at the same time and place (Halls Hill Va.) that the 83rd Penna Vols. received its flag. Roster of the Original Officers Colonel Samuel W. Black Rgt’l Q. M. Andrew T. Howden Lt. Colonel Francis C. Lehman Surgeon James Kerr Major Jacob B. Sweitzer Asst. Surgeon Joseph P. Webb Adjutant Joseph S. Brown Chaplain Rev. Dr. Reed

- 4. -   Captains   1st Lieutenants A. James C. Hull A. Robert A. Scott B. James W. Patterson B. Samuel A. McKee C. Thomas B. Mounds C. Benjamin Huey D. William C. Beck D. Ezra J. Putney E. Thomas Kerr E. William B. Montgomery F. Edward S. Wright F. John R. F. Noble G. Fred. C. O’Brien G. William Kennedy H. Thomas Espy H. Isaac Hultz I. Robert R. Weaver I. Edward H. Little J. Alexander McDonald J. Alvin King K. Shepley Holmes K. Detrick Grintz L. Richard J. Crozier L. Stephen C. Potts   2nd Lieutenants   2nd Lieutenants A, Alfred McDonald G. Adam E. Smith B. William J. Salisburg H. Samuel Cormer C. William G. Lowry I. John T. Bell D. William M. Duke J. William D. Wrighter E. Daniel Rivere K. Joseph S. Brown F. William J. Patterson L. John H. Murray [Companies are lettered incorrectly. There was no J Company. J, K, and L companies should be K, L, and M..]

- 5. - The Regiment arrived at Harrisburg Pennsylvania from Pittsburgh (the place of rendezvous) on the 3rd day of August, 1861 when it reported for duty. Here it was encamped on a beautiful farm owned by the Hon. Simon Cameron. Two or three miles to the east of the town, where the men received their first instructions in drill, guard duty, discipline etc. It remained in this, the first camp, until the 20th, when it proceeded to Baltimore, where it arrived on the 21st and encamped in Patterson’s Part, a very pretty and desirable locality. Thence it proceeded to Washington, where it arrived on the 28th, and encamped on the outskirts of the City. The Regiment here on the 3rd of September received its uniforms, comprising a pair of sky-blue pantaloons and a neat roundabout

- 6 - or jacket of the same color and material, and a dark blue cap besides a good service- able overcoat, shoes, underclothing etc. Companies L and M. wore a dark blue blouse which distinguished them from the others as the flanking companies or skirmishers for the regiment. On the 4th the regiment marched through Wash- ington to the Arsenal, where it re- ceived its arms and equipments. It was now prepared to meet the Rebels. On the morning of the 8th it crossed the Potomac at Georgetown Aqueduct and encamped at Fort Corcoran, Va. In the Enemy’s country and a knowledge that he was encamped but a short distance off, impressed

- 7. - every-one with the fact that work was to be performed and preparations made to meet the traitors to our Country. On two or three occasions the Regiment formed a line of battle, and promptness with which the men obeyed every order, their eagerness to be well drilled cause Col. Black’s heart to swell with pride and from the very first he entertained the greatest confidence in the men comprising the regiment. Whilst in the camp it was Brigaded by Gen’l Fitz John Porter. Gen. Morell had com- manded after Gen. Porter was assigned to the command of the Division. the 2nd Brigade comprised the 14th N. Y. Vols. Col. Mc- Quade; 4th Misch.(?)[sic] Col. Woodburry; 9th Mass., Col. Cass; and 62nd Penna, Col Black

- 8. - The Division comprised 3 Brigades as follows: -- 1st Brigade, Gen’l Martindale, 16th Misch, 44th N. Y., 2nd. Maine, and 25th N. Y. 2nd Brigade, Gen. Morell, 3rd Brigade, Gen. Butterfield, 1st Mich. 13th N. Y. 18th Mass., and 22nd Mass. Such was the material of our Division, led by the brave and accomplished Porter. While at Fort Corcoran the Regiment was engaged in building roads, felling forests etc. The labor performed was of such value to the Government.      On the 30th of September we received orders to march to Munson’s Hill a distance of six miles and assist in driving the enemy from the place. Upon reaching this point, however, it was discovered that he had advanced

-9- his position and the Regiment encamped about 2 o'clock am on the 1st of October on Hall's Hill. The night the advance was made on Munson's Hill was intensely dark and at one time we were lost and dangers of surprise were imminent. It will be remembered that it was on this occasion that the California Regiment under Col. Baker was fired into in mistake, by a New York Regiment. It is well for us that the Rebels vacated this place at the time they did or we might have met with a severe loss if not a repulse-About the 10th the Regiments moved to Minors Hill and went into camp through the

- 10. - Fall and Winter.      It now began to be drilled and dis- ciplined in good earnest. Col. Black, assisted by Lt. Col. Lehman and Major Sweitzer entered upon the work of prepar- ing the men for actionive field operations, with great zeal and earnestness. Col. Black in particular took a deep interest in the Regiment and it seemed as if the height of his ambition was to have his men the best disciplined and the most efficient in drill of any in the Brigade. The spirit with which he entered upon his work is very commendable. His labors were duly rewarded, for at every review (and these were frequent) notice was taken by Gen. Porter of each regiment

Pages 1-10 Pages 11-20 Pages 21-30 Pages 31-40 Pages 41-50

Back to the Pennsylvania 62d Infantry Regiment Page?

This page authored and maintained by John R. Henderson (jhenderson@ithaca.edu), Lodi, NY.
Last modified: Sunday, 13 January 2002
John R. Henderson's grandfather, John G. Henderson, had an uncle, John Henderson, a resident of Elders Ridge in Indiana County, who was a soldier in Company D.
URL: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/pa62d/outline1.html