Pennsylvania 62nd Infantry Regiment

Peninsular Campaign

Organization

The 62d Pennsylvania's place in the organization of Army of the Potomac during the operations before Richmond, Va., from 25 June to 2 July 1862 (Seven Days Battles):

• Army of the Potomac (Major General George McClellan, commander)
  • Fifth Army Corps (Brigadier General FitzJohn Porter, commander)
    • First Division (Brigadier General George W. Morell)
      • Second Brigade (Brigadier General Charles Griffin)
        • 9th Massachusetts (Colonel Thomas Cass; Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick R. Guiney)
        • 4th Michigan (Colonel Dwight A. Woodbury)
        • 14th New York (Colonel James McQuade)
        • 62d Pennsylvania (Colonel Samuel W. Black; Lieutenant-Colonel Jacob Bowman Sweitzer; Captain James C. Hull)

Regimental History

Transport to Fort Monroe

The 62d Pennyslvania waited with the rest of Porter's Division at their camp near Alexandria, Virginia, to hear orders that would bring them into the war. The abandanment of Manassas by the Confederate forces meant new war plans had to be developed and agreed upon and approved. What the volunteers didn't know was they were about to take part in the Peninsular Campaign. The Peninsula is the isthmus formed by the York and James Rivers as they flow into the Chesapeake. It ranges from seven to fifteen miles in width, and seven-five miles away from its tip at Fort Monroe is Richmond, the Capitol of the Confederacy. Much of the country is low and marshy. Elsewhere it is thickly wooded. Because it was spring the rivers are swollen, and the roads muddy and almost impassible.

On 22 March Porter's Division was loaded onto steamers and sailing ships from Alexandria to Fort Monroe, on Old Point Comfort, where the James River meets the Chesapeake Bay. Fort Monroe, about sixty miles south-east of Richmond, had remained under Union control and had the protection of the Union navy.

Reconnaissance at Big Bethel, 27 March 1862.

Shortly after Porter's Division assembled on the Peninsula, it marched to Big Bethel where Rebel forces were reported to be fortifying. The Confederates offered no resistance. The Second Brigade pusued the retreating Confederate forces only briefly and with no effect. To have turned the Rebel forces so easily, however, did create a spirit of optimism among the Union forces.

The Siege at Yorktown, Virginia, from 5 April to 4 May, 1862.

THE GIST:On 3 April the army was ordered to advance toward Yorktown in two great columns. Porter's Division was part of the column formed on the right. On 4 April, Porter's Division broke camp. Three days cooked rations were packed into haversacks, and the march to Yorktown was begun. The nearly impassable condition of the roads was immediately discovered. The force bivouaced at Howard's Mills, near Cockletown, about five miles from Yorktown. On 5 April, the column's march was abruptly halted before the Confederate's defensive line that stretched in front of Yorktown across the peninsula behind the Warwick River down to the James River that had been organized by General "Prince John" Magruder.

McClellan did not immediately order an assault upon Yorktown, but suspended the march up the Peninsula toward Richmond until he could receive naval support (none would be forthcoming) or fully gather armaments and forces sufficient for a siege. He waited until fourteen batteries and three redoubts were constructed and fully armed. This gathering of forces and material took close to a month, and when McClellan was finally ready, the Confederate forces slipped away and retreated for Williamsburg.

DETAILS ABOUT THE 62D: The 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers gained their first combat experience before Yorktown. They participated in the skirmishing before the fortifications at Yorktown on the first day of the siege. The 62d moved forward under cannon fire in line of battle with the rest of Morell's Brigade, Berdan's Sharpshooter Regiment, and the Fifth Massachusetts Battery. In the action several Confederate guns were silenced, and "the enemy were soon obliged to evacuate." [Bates] That day Private Adam W. Musser, of Company I, became the first member of the regiment to be killed in action. Three others were wounded.

During the next month the 62d was kept constantly employed either serving picket duty in the trenches or constructing siege fortifications. The troops worked on the siege fortifications at night, working away sunk in a hole in the ground while the sky blazed red with bombs bursting in air above them. On 10 April Porter's Division relocated south of Wormley's Creek. This took them out of range of cannon fire, at least during the day. Morell's Brigade remained here on the extreme right of the Union line. The regiment suffered no more combat deaths at Yorktown; however, several members of the 62d died from diease while in the trenches.

The 62d Pennsylvania also had a signifigant role at the end of the siege. McClellan had planned a massive bombardment of Yorktown to begin at dawn on May 4, but the night before the situation changed. Six hundred of 62d under Colonel Sweitzer had been on picket duty in trenches for almost 24 hours, during which time they observed "heavy, continuous, and frequent" firing from the enemy's works. Then around 3 am on 4 May, after they had last been shelled, they observed a large fire inside the Yorktown fortification and heard frequent explosions. At daylight, three deserters crossed the York River under the flag of truce and were taken as prisoners at the rifle trenches. They reported to the 62d's Colonel Black that the enemy had withdrawn and Yorktown had been evacuated. Brigader General Jameson, the general of trenches, then ordered four companies of 62d, plus two from the 22d Massachusetts to ascend the works, enter and take possesion of Yorktown. Encountering no or little enemy force, they succeeded. Colonel Gove, of the 22d Massachusetts, raised an American flag over Yorktown.

A diary entry from a soldier in the 3d Pennsylvania Cavalry notes this in the April 6 entry: "The hard fighting is being done on our left. At 2 o'clock the enemy charged on one of our batteries, but couldn't stand the impetuous conter by the Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Black. It's no use; they may as well fall back at once. This army can't be beaten."

The Confederate forces retreated toward Williamsburg. The 62d, however, remained with Porter's Division in the vicinity of Yorktown another four days awaiting good weather before it could be loaded onto river transports and moved up the York River.

Transport, Encampment at West Point, and March to Gaines Mill, 4 to 26 May 1862.

The Porter's Division disembarked across the river from West Point, Virginia, where the York splits to become the Pamunkey and Mattapony. It took up a defensive position protecting the landing. Attacked not long after it arrived, it easily repulsed the enemy. The Army of the Potomac, now divided on either side of the Chickahominy River, then proceeded on its march toward Richmond. The march along the Chickahominy was not easy. The roads contrasted between being muddy and almost impassible or hard and dusty. Along its banks of the Chickahominy it is either very swampy or thickly wooded or both. The Chickahominy was swollen in the spring, but it was subject to sudden variations. After torrential rains (of which there were several), it would overflow its swollen banks and could bridges, especially the temporary ones the army constructed. The army marched with wagon trains, heavy guns, even herds of cattle, and often had to halt to improve roads or build bridges, or wait for an improvement in the weather. On 13 May, left West Point and marched 20 miles along dusty roads reaching Cumberland Landing, which was only 5 miles away. This was only one example of the unfamiliarity of the Union army commanders with the terrain of the Peninsula. A few days later, the division marched to White House Landing. On 18 May, while the army remained in camp there, Porter's Division was reformed into the Provisional Fifth Corps (it would remain "provisional" until an act of Congress approved the rearrangement of the Army of the Potomac), with Porter in command. On 20 May the Provisional 5th Corps had advanced five miles to Tunstall's Station. By 22d it arrived at Bottom's Bridge, within a dozen miles of Richmond. The Confederates had retreated before the Union advance, and optimism was high. By 26 May the corps had completed its march to Gaines Mill, eight miles from Richmond. The regiments received orders to to ready to move at dawn. The troops were provided with 80 rounds of ammunition and three days' rations.

Battle at Hanover Court House, Virginia on 27 May 1862.

THE GIST:The first major battle for the Provisional 5th Corps occurred at mid-day immediately upon completion of an eight hour march. It had rained so heavily that morning that fires could not be lit and the march begun before 4 am had to be started without coffee. The march was made through muddy roads and was both miserable and exhausting. When the troops arrived at Hanover Court House, however, there was no time to rest. A battle was not necessarily anticipated, butit began immediately. The 5th Corps had been ordered to reconnoiter at Hanover Court House, on the Pamunkey River, and encountered a Confederate force (a North Carolina brigade commanded by General L. O. Branch and the 45th Georgia) at Peake's Station (on the Virginia Central Railroad), two miles south of Hanover Courthouse. The First Brigade advanced and met with an early success at driving away Confederate forces. The Confederates fought hard and worked their way around the right flank and after a few hours were able to make an attack on the rear of the Union army. The Second Brigade was then ordered in and this re-enforcement proved enough to put the Confederate forces in retreat. These fatigued and untested Union forces charged the enemy, fought extremely well. The commander of the Second Brigade even said the Confederate retreat turned into a rout. Federals gained both the station and a mostly abandoned Confederate camp, capturing many arms and prisoners.

The strategic importance of Hanover Court House came from its communication links between Richmond and northern Virginia, the railroad station and telegraph lines. More importantly the troops stood between the 5th Corps and the Army of the Rappahannock (commanded by General Irwin McDowell) should it join the Army of the Potomac on its assault of Richmond. However, even though the Army of the Rappahannock was only fifteen miles away, because of activity of Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, it was pulled back to help defend Washington, and the strategic importance of Hanover Court House immediately diminished, and the Union victory in battle became mute.

DETAILS ABOUT THE 62D: Held in reserve until mid-afternoon, the Second Brigade was called into the battle to relieve a brigade from the First Division now in imminent danger from a counter-attack by a Confederate superior force. The Second Brigade was ordered to move at double quick in its support down Hanover Road. When it arrived where it had been directed, however, all was quiet. It then became evident that the Confederate attack would be coming from the rear. An about-face was ordered. As the 14th New York engaged the enemy to the front, the 62d and 9th Massachusetts retraced their steps and then crossed a wheatfield [a precursor to the 62d's experience at Gettysburg] to enter a woods to the west where it was able to flank the enemy. Under enemy fire that fortunately did little damage, the troops passed through a deep ravine and a swamp before meeting the Rebels. The 62d reformed its line on the crest of the high ground, and with destructive fire, it drove the enemy into quick retreat, breaking to the right and rear. Colonel Black ordered a movement by the right flank and moved forward to the railroad. Forming a line with the 9th Massachusetts, the 62d pushed forward and tried to cut out its means of retreat. Companies A and L on the right flank were sent to pursue up the railroad, and four other companies under Captain Wright's command were sent forward into another woods to serve as skirmishers. The Confederate then broke and fled in disorder. A pursuit was maintained until dark when the recall was sounded. In his report of the conduct of the 62d regiment, Colonel Black indicated that the 62d was responsible for capturing 81 prisoners, including 7 officers, and a great many arms. Six of the 62d were wounded, none were killed, and not one missing. In their first combat situation, the 62d fought well, were victorious, and were proud and optimistic about their future, and a bit disparaging in their consideration of the Rebel fighting force. Their opinions were soon to change.

Encamped near Gaines Mills, Virginia, from 27 May to 26 June 1862.

For the next two days following its victory, the Federals destroyed railroad tracks and cut down telegraph wires. The Fifth Corps then abandoned Hanover Court House and marched back to Gaines Mill, where even though it would be on the other side of the Chickahominy River, it would be closer to the main Union force. In contrast to its earlier march through the Peninsula on to Richmond when it repaired roads and bridges destroyed by retreating Confederates, the Fifth Corps now destroyed bridges and placed obstacles on the roads behind them as it fell back to Gaines Mill. They camped at Gaines Mill, north of the Chicahominy River. As the only Union division north of the river, they became vulnerable to attack. But for a month, they waited. By being on the north of the river, the did not participate in the Battle at Fair Oaks, in which nearly 12,000 lives were lost. The 62d regiment spent the month in picket duty, primarily contructing bridges across the Chicahominy River to provide better communication and transportation links with the remainder of the Union army. They also spent much time cursing the heavy rain.

Seven Days Battles

Battle at Mechanicsville, also known as Beaver Dam Creek, on 26 June 1862

THE GIST: Beaver Dam Creek, about five miles west of Gaines Mill (and not much farther from Richmond), was the location of a battle on the first day of the Seven Days' Battles. The Fifth Corps in its advanced position toward Richmond was the only Union army on the north side of the Chickahominy River and, therefore, unsupported by the remainder of the Union army, all south of the Chickahominy. The Fifth Corps immediately became the chief target of the Confederate army. Confederate forces greatly outnumbered the Fifth Corps, and assaults were made the Union fortified position all day. Commanders in the war never seemed to learn the hopelessness of direct assaults on well fortified positions. The Union forces, in smaller numbers, and although driven back at times, withheld the repeated assaults, and so to this extent, the battle was a Union victory. Anticipating an even greater force to battle the next day led by Stonewall Jackson, General Porter withdrew the Fifth Corps to a bluff near Gaines Mill, an equally strong position much closer to the rest of the Union army and reenforcements.

DETAILS ABOUT THE 62D: The Second Brigade was held in reserve until late in the afternoon in anticipation of the arrival of the army led by Stonewall Jackson. Jackson's forces arrived but did not join the battle that day. The Second Brigade moved up to extend the right flank about an hour before the end of the battle. The 62d was under fire, but did not move out of its position and suffered no losses.

Battle at Gaines Mill, Virginia, also known as Chickahominy and First Cold Harbor, on 27 June 1862.

THE GIST: The next in the series of the Seven Days Battles in which the 62d saw action was a battle between pretty much the whole of Lee's Confederate forces against the Fifth Corps, with reinforcement from a division from another corps arriving late in the day. If the battle was inconclusive, the Confederate goal to remove the Fifth Corps from its threatening position against Richmond was achieved. On the morning following the battle at Beaver Dam Creek, the Fifth Corps claimed a fortified position on an elevation overlooking the Boatswain Creek (and swamp) near Gaines Mill. About noon the battle commenced as Longstreet's Corps advanced. The Fifth Corps held fast all afternoon, as the Confederate attacks were poorly coordinated and the Federal troops held such a strong position. Only in late afternoon after Stonewall Jackson, who had gotten, by confusing Old Cold Harbor with New Cold Harbor, finally arrived and oriented, were the Confederates finally finally able to take advantage of their superior numbers and break through the Union line. The arrival of reenforcements from Slocum's Division of the Sixth Corps allowed the Union army to hold its line. The battle continued to be waged even after dark. Another assault by the Confederates was poorly coordinated but was enough to break the Union line. A fierce Union cavalry charge brought more even more chaos and loss of life, and did little to change the course of the battle. Between 2 and 4 am, the Union divisions crossed to the south side of the Chickohominy to rejoin the rest of the Federal army, destroying bridges behind them. Following this battle, McClellan, never known as a bold general, forsook his plans to advance on Richmond and ordered a general retreat. For all intents and purposes the Peninsular Campaign against Richmond was now over.

DETAILS ABOUT THE 62D: The initial thrust of the Confederate attack occurred before noon against the Union left, where Morrell's Division was in position. The Confederate attack was first met by the Second Brigade, with the 9th Massachusetts in the most forward postion. The Second Brigade not only held steady, but the still mostly green soldiers repulsed the early onslaught. With the enemy held in check but still providing heavy fire, the 62d Pennsylvania, in position immediately behind the 9th Massachusetts, was then ordered to move up. In the early afternoon, the 9th Massachusetts and the 62d Pennsylvania were then ordered to push forward. Brave, valiant Colonel Black, in his first real chance to lead his regiment in a major battle, ordered a bayonet charge across the swampy ravine. Whether or not brave, valiant Colonel Black was also foolhardy is not certain, but he was killed almost instantly. Lieutenant-Colonel Sweitzer immediately took control and pressed the regiment forward still. They succeeded in driving the Confederates back, but they succeeded too well. They crossed the ravine and gained the woods on the other side, but they then found themselves in a very vulnerable spot. With Confederate forces on either side of them, they were struck by enfilading fire and forced to withdraw. Reforming a line with the rest of the Second Brigade near its original position, the regiment held its ground, fighting back intermittent attacks, but remaining in a defensive position. No lull occured in the fighting on that part of the field until around 5 o'clock. By then Jackson's force had been added, and a better coordinated attack was starting to win the day for the Confederates. General Truman Seymour, a Sixth Corps brigade commander, rode up and asked if the 62d had any ammunition. When Sweitzer said their supply was completed exhausted, the general directed the regiment to refill their cartridge boxes and move at double-quick to the extreme left of the line, where Confederates had broken through. After traversing the swampy ground, the exhausted and depleted regiment advanced again facing a heavy volly of musket fire. The 62d found themselves in the middle of the great confusion caused by the Union cavalry rushing back from its unsuccessful charge. The Confederates were able to take advantage of the situation and captured guns and a large number of prisoners, including 74 of the 62d's volunteers. The regiment also lost its second colonel of the day, as Sweitzer, badly wounded was then captured. He was taken to Richmond, where he was incarcerated in Libby Prison until released in a prisoner exchange a month later. Captain James C. Hull of Company A took command of the regiment. The casualties at Gaines Mills were among highest of any battle for the 62d Pennsylvania.

An excerpt of a letter by B. J. Coll, about the Battle of Gaines Mills, reprinted in The Fifth Army Corps (Army of the Potomac): A Record of Operations During the Civil War by William Henry Powell(1896) and in the Washington Post, 6 October 1902: "It was on Saturday, June 28, the Confederates advanced. Lieut. Patterson and I were lying together, wounded, with probably 300 other wounded men of our corps lying around who had been carried there, and on account of wounds could not get away. When they advanced to where we lay, we were subjects of considerable curiosity to them. At a short distance from us we saw a group of officers. Lieut. Patterson inquired from the Confederates standing around who they were. They told us they were Lee, Longstreet, A. P. and D.H. Hill, and General Jackson. Jackson came up and asked the lieutenant "Whose troops were engaged today?" He replied "General FitzJohn Porter's corps." He then asked if that was all of the troops engaged. The lieutenant answered "Yes." The general then said if he would repeat that lie he would cut his ears off with his sword. The lieutenant answered that "Notwithstanding the fact that I may lose my ears, I repeat that the onl troops engaged yesterday were those of General Porter's corps. Slocum's division came over late in the evening, but did not become engaged." I think he must have felt humiliated to think that General Porter's corps kept nearly the entire Confederate army at bay during the entire day of the 27th, and then retired across the Chickahominy during the night."

March to Malvern Hill, 28 June to 1 July 1862.

With the rest of the Fifth Army Corps, the wounded and depleted regiment crossed the Chickahominy in the early morning of the 28th. It spent part of the next day in bivouac at the Trent farm on the south bank in an area called White Oak Swamp. The morning was spent in rest and recuperation and refilling cartridge boxes and haversacks. Soldiers could hear sounds of a nearby battle. Some regimental histories credit the 62d as participating in the Battle of Savage Station, but I do not believe it was engaged. By 2 pm the corps was on the move again traveling south-east to the James River, with the First Division in advance. Roads were narrow and muddy, cut up and blocked, and causeways and bridges had to be built, so the ten mile march to Glendale, on the south side of White Oak Swamp, took more than eight hours. They remained there until the following day. They were ordered to move that night to a cleared and elevated land on the north bank of Turkey Creek. They started before dark, and Malvern Hill, as the elevated place was known, was only five miles away, but they did not reach their destination until 9 am on the 30th. There were some encounters between Union and Confederate forces during that movement, and in some regimental histories, it is known as the Battle of Turkey Bridge or Malvern Cliff. Finding it a strong natural position, they immediately prepared the field for battle building breastworks and trenches.

Battle at Malvern Hill, on 1 and 2 July 1862.

THE GIST: In the last of the Seven Days' Battles, the Union position on Malvern Hill proved to be impregnable even as received multiple assaults by the Confederate forces upon it over the course of next two days.

DETAILS ABOUT THE 62D: With the loss of its field officers at Gaines Mill, the 62d Pennsylvania was now led by Captain James C. Hull of Company A. Their role in this battle was to support Battery D of the 5th US Artillery, which became a special target first by Confederate batteries and then an infantry charge. At Malvern Hill, the flag of the Sixty-second Pennsylvania was five times cut down, but quickly raised and displayed again each time, but one. The color bearer, Sergeant William H. Smith, of Company D, was cut off from the regiment, but "secreted the flag upon his person and hid himself in a stable near by." (Bates) Following a Union charge, he was able to reunite the flag and himself with his regiment. For his gallantry he was commissioned a lieutenant. In the battle, Company D's Lieutenant John D. Elder was killed.

March to and Encampment at Harrison's Landing, Virginia, from 2 July to 14 August 1862.

Following this victory, McClellan withdrew the Union army to Harrison's Landing on James River, where it would be protected by gunboats. McCellan's army no longer threatened Richmond, and the Confederate forces withdrew. The Peninsula Campaign came to an end.

On 31 July, confronted the enemy only once. While on picket duty, the 62d engaged the enemy at Harrison's Bar. It "was again exposed, but suffered little." (Bates)

While still at Harrison's Landing, Lieutenant-Colonel Sweitzer was exchanged and released from prison and rejoined his command with the promotion to Colonel.

March to Newport News, from 14 to 18 August 1862.

The Fifth Corps marched 60 miles in three days. It broke camp, crossed the Chickahominy River near its mouth, marched by way of Williamsburg and Yorktown to Newport News, where it immediately embarked on transports to leave the Peninsula, not to see it again until 1864.

Peninsular Campaign/Seven Days Battles Casualties, June 25-July 2, 1862

The Peninsular Campaign included, for the 62d, Yorktown, Mechanicsville, and the Seven Days Battles. In some of the battles the regiment was held in reserve or saw little action. Most of the 62d Pennsylvania's casualties occurred at the Battle at Gaines' Mill and Malvern Hill. Numbers from "Return of Casualties in the Army of the Potomac during the operations before Richmond, Va., June 25-July 2, 1862, inclusive" and "Return of Casualties in the Union forces at the battle of Gaines Mill, Va., June 27, 1862." Tables in The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1880-1902.

The New York Times reported the following names of prisoners in Richmond who had been wounded and left in the Gaines Mills hospital after the battle of 27 June 1862:

Corp. T. Conolly--ball through left foot.

J. M. Shannon--through right foot.

Lieut. A. King--foot amputated.

Capt. Thos. Esby--ball in spine, dangerous.

A. Robb--through right thigh, fractured.

L. C. Young--ball through left leg--fractured.

F. Winkle--through right leg, fractured.

John McCool--right thigh, flesh.

---- Powers--right leg fractured.

David Henry--through right breast, serious.

John A. Davis--through left thigh and right leg.

S. W. Crossman--shot in left thigh and bowels, serious.

L. Hearn--ball through butt.

J. Orr--in right hip.

G. W. T. Levake--through left leg.

J. Davis--through hip and leg, severe.

J. Harris--right side and leg.

A. Ward--fracture under jaw.

Irvin Shannon--through right ankle.

Henry Stagle--ball in left hip.

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This page maintained by: John R. Henderson (jhenderson@ithaca.edu), Ithaca College Library.
Last modified: 22 January 2008
Author: John R. Henderson
URL: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/pa62d/pen.html