75th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania

The 75th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 6 officers and 46 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 107 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by two monuments at Gettysburg.

1862
August and September Organized at Philadelphia as the 40th Pennsylvania Volunteers under Colonel Henry Bohlen, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Mahler and Major Alvin Von Matzdorff
September 26 Left State for Washington, D.C. with 800 men for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., attached to Casey’s Provisional Division, Army Potomac.
November Attached to Bohlen’s 3rd Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Army Potomac
1862
March Attached to 3rd Brigade, Blenker’s Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Va.
March Near Catlett’s Station
April Attachd to 3rd Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Dept. of the Mountain
April 6-May 11 Moved to Petersburg, W. Va. for operations in the Shenandoah Valley
April 15 At Berry’s Ferry. Captains Christian Wyck, Adolph Winter and 50 enlisted men were drowned in the Shenandoah River when an old ferry boat capsized while carrying Companies I and K. Sergeant Joseph Tiedemann, an excellent swimmer, drowned while trying to rescue Captain Wyck.
April 28 Colonel Bohlen promoted to Brigadier General, Lieutenant Colonel Mahler promoted to colonel
June 8
Battle of Cross Keys
June Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of Virginia
July 7-August 8 At Sperryville
July 30 Major Alvin Matzdorff promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain August Ledig of Company E promoted to major
August 16-September 2 Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 22
Freeman’s Ford

Brigadier General Bohlen was killed
August 24 Sulphur Springs
August 28 Battles of Gainesville
August 29 Groveton
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run

Lieutenants William Bowen and William Froelich and 28 enlisted men were killed, Lieutenant Colonel Mahler, Captains Rudolph Schwartz and Roderick Theune and Lieutenants Frederick Fromhagen and Richard Ledig and 98 enlisted men were wounded
September Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army Potomac
September 14 Captain Philip T. Schopp of Company D promoted to colonel
November 1-19 Moved to Centreville and strengthened by recruits and men returning from hospital.
November 7 Colonel Schopp promote to Assistant Adjutant General of Volunteers
December 9-16 To Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February-April At Stafford C. H.
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville

Lieutenant Colonel Matzdorff was captured, Captain William Schindler was wounded and captured, and 40 enlisted men were captured.
June 13-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign
June 23 Lieutenant Colonel Matzdorff resigned
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

After a forced march of 14 miles the regiment tok position north of Gettysburg and east of Carlisle Road. It was commanded by Colonel Francis Mahler. He was wounded and his wounded horse fell on him, but he remained on the field until he was wounded again, this time mortally.He died on the 4th. Major August Ledig took over. Lieutenants Henry Hauschild and Louis Mahler were killed, Lieutenant William Sill was mortally wounded, Adjutant Roswell Feltus and Lieutenant Jacob Maurer were wounded.

From the monument:

July 1. Fought on this position from 2 p.m. until the Corps retired. July 2 & 3. Held position at stone wall near the Cemetery as shown by monument there.

Present at Gettysburg 258; Killed, officers 3, men 16; Wounded, officers 5, men 89; Captured or missing, men 3; total loss 111.
July-September Guard duty along Orange & Alexandria Railroad
September 24-October 3 Movement to Bridgeport, Ala. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army Cumberland
October 19-26 Operations in Lookout Valley
October 26-29 Reopening Tennessee River
October 28-29 Battle of Wauhatchie, Tenn.
November 18 Lieutenant Colonel Matzdorff was re-commissioned
November 23-27 Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign
November 23 Orchard Knob
November 24-25 Tunnel Hill
November 25 Mission Ridge
November 28-December 17 March to relief of Knoxville
December Duty in Pleasant Valley
1864
January Veterans on furlough
March 8 Veterans return from furlough. Moved to Bridgeport, Ala.
April Assigned as Unattached, 4th Division, 20th Army Corps, Dept. Cumberland
July 31 Moved to Nashville, Tenn.
August-December Guard trains on Nashville & Northwestern Railroad
December 20 Moved to Franklin and duty there guarding trains, scouting and provost duty. Company C was stationed on Tennessee & Alabama Railroad and captured.
1865
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Sub-District, Middle Tennessee
July 30 Major Ledig mustered out
September 1 Mustered out under Lt. Colonel Matzdorff