Organization of the Regiment

• Company A – Philadelphia County – Captain Edward L. Brown
• Company B – Philadelphia County – Captain Henry Metcalf
• Company C – Philadelphia County – Captain Alfred Ripka
• Company D – Philadelphia County – Captain Robert Redmond
• Company E – McKean, Erie and Tioga Counties – Captain John C. Backus
• Company F – McKean, Elk, and Warren Counties – Captain Lucius Rogers
• Company G – Clinton County – Captain Charles A. Winn
• Company H – McKean County – Captain Asa H. Cory
• Company I – Luzerne and Northumberland Counties – Captain John Buers
• Company K – Philadelphia County – Captain Cecil Clay

Occupation of Norfolk and Portsmouth

The regiment was one of six regiments of infantry and a battery of artillery that embarked abord transports and was landed at Ocean View, from where they marched to Norfolk. The regiment camped around the Customs House, where it was awakened in the morning by the sound of the CSS Virginia being blown up.

Assigned to guard and picket duty attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of Virginia

Expedition to the Blackwater River.

Two men were wounded in a skirmish.

Expedition to Core Creek

A Confederate camp was surprised and overrun and burned. Six Confederates were killed, four were wounded, and 143 were taken prisoner.

Demonstration on Kinston

Expedition toward Kinston

Attached to Jourdan’s Independent Brigade, Defenses of New Berne, Dept. North Carolina. One man was killed and three wounded in a skirmish with Confederates under General Ransom, and 7 more men were wounded the next day in a skirmish with Confederate cavalry.

Sandy Ridge

Sergeant Allen Wightman of Company H died of wounds received in action.

Demonstration on Kinston

One man was killed.

Wise’s Cross Roads and Dover Road

Demonstration on Kinston

The regiment captured 175 prisoners, a gun, and medical stores.

Batchelor’s Creek

Colonel J. Richter Jones was killed, shot through the heart by a sharpshooter while driving off an enemy attack. Lieutenant Colonel Carlton B. Curtis was promoted to Colonel

Expedition from Washington to Chicora Creek

Captain Theodore Blakeley led Company B in surprising a Confederate camp and capturing a Captain and sixty men with their horses and equipment, all without loss.

Expedition to Greenville

Lieutenant Adams was killed in a night engagement the captured eight prisoners and a gun.

Butler’s operations on south side of James River against Petersburg and Richmond

Transported to Bermuda Hundred.

Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church

The regiment tore up the Petersburg and Richmond Railroad for a considerable distance. It lost 20 men killed or wounded.

Operations against Fort Darling

Battle of Drewry’s Bluff

Rmployed in fatigue duty but not engaged.

Operations at Bermuda Hundred

First Lieutenant Morgan Carr of Company C was promoted to Adjutant.

Movement to White House, then to Cold Harbor

The regiment boarded two transports to join Grant’s army. One, with four companies under Lieutenant Colonel Martin, was disabled and was unable to continue for several days. The other brought six companies under the command of Major Winn, who temporarily joined with the 40th Massachusetts Regiment.

Battles about Cold Harbor

On June 1 the regiment attacked the Confederate line, carrying a line of rifle pits in a woods but stopped at a line of entrenchments on its far side. It dug in, having lost 35 men killed and wounded.

During the grand assault on the 3rd the regiment, commanded by Captain Cecil Clay of Company K, captured the Confederate works but was then pinned down, unable to proceed or even to show themselves for two hours. Losses were heavy.

Sergeant Lewis D. Potter of Company B was killed.

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg

Fort Harrison (Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights)

At dawn the brigade advanced against Confederate Fort Harrison, with the 58th Pennsylvania under the command of Major Winn leading the charge alongside the 188th Pennsylvania Infantry. The regiments had to cross 1200 yards of open, ascending ground.

“Forming for the desperate work, the two regiments moved forward at a regular pace, until within five hundred yards, when, in the face of a storm of shot and shell that swept their ranks, they rushed forward as one man until they reached the little ridge in front of the fort. Here, all, with one accord, dropped upon the ground, under partial shelter; but only for an instant; for at this moment General Ord came dashing up, and, inspired by the presence and daring of their chief, the men sprang forward with wild shouts, passed the abatis and the ditch, and scaling the parapet, drove the enemy in rout and confusion from the fort.

“The colors of the Fifty-eighth, which had three times fallen in the desperate onset, were planted upon the parapet by Captain Cecil Clay, who, with Adjutant Johnson, was among the first to enter the fort. As Captain Clay, who had just taken the flag from the hands of the fallen corporal, attempted to raise it upon the fort, he received two gun-shot wounds in the right arm. The flag itself was completely riddled, and the staff twice shot off. The victory was complete, and fort, heavy guns, small arms, battle-flags, and prisoners, graced the triumph of the victors…

“On the afternoon of the same day, these two regiments were ordered to attack the Star Fort, situated a mile to the left of Fort Harrison, and near the river. Filled with fiery zeal by their success in the morning, they moved gallantly forward, scaled the ramparts, and spiked the guns; but weakened by their severe losses, the rebel gun-boats playing upon them, and supports failing to come at the critical moment, they were obliged to fall back, and the advantage, dearly purchased, was lost.

“They returned to Fort Harrison, and all night long were engaged in throwing up a skillfully planned line of earthworks. The next day the enemy attacked in heavy force, and with determined valor; but was repulsed with great slaughter. As the pickets passed the ground at evening, they counted over three hundred rebel dead.”

– Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871

The regiment lost six officers and 128 enlisted men of the nine officers and 228 men who began the charge. Captain Theodore Blakely of Company B and First Sergeant Frank Kirkpatrick of Company C were killed. Captain Daniel F. Linn of Company C and Sergeant Frank B. Wise of Company C were mortally wounded.

Major Charles A. Winn, Captain Cecil Clay of Company K, First Lieutenants Joseph E. Johnson of Company A and Thomas Birmingham of Company I, and Sergeants Samuel L. Shur and Horatio Eddleman of Company C, Melvin Hall of Company E, Ambrose C. Fuller of Company F and John M. Dickover of Company I were wounded.

Lieutenant Colonel Montgomery Martin was dismissed.

Captain Cecil Clay of Company K was promoted to Major on the 30th.

Fair Oaks

The regiment was not actively engaged and suffered no losses.

Expedition to Fredericksburg

March to Signal Hill before Richmond

Occupation of Richmond