7th Pennsylvania Reserves in the American Civil War

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > 7th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves

(36th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry)

The 7th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves lost 3 officers and 80 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 135 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. At least 67 men died in Confederate prisons. The regiment is honored by a monument at Antietam.

The Pennsylvania Reserves were 15 regiments that were recruited in early 1861. Refused by the War Department as they were in excess of Pennsylvania’s quota, Governor Curtin decided they would be armed and trained at state expense. The War Department soon realized they were needed and assigned them standard designations when they were accepted into Federal service. But the men preferred to be known by their original name: the Pennsylvania Reserves. See more about the Pennsylvania Reserves.

1861
July	Organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, under the command of Colonel Elisha B. Harvery, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Totten and Major Chauncey A. Lyman. Regimental Organization Company A – “The Carlilse Fencibles” – Cumberland County – Captain Robert M. Henderson Company B – “The Biddle Rifles” – Perry County – Captain John Jameson Company C – “The Iron Artillery” – Lebanon County – Captain Elijah G. Lantz Company D – “The Rifle Guards” – Clinton County – Captain Henry C. Bolinger Company E – “The Ridgway Guards” – Philadelphia County – Captain Charles S. Peall Company F – “The Wyoming Bank Infantry” – Luzerne County – Captain Le Grand B. Speese Company G – “The Second Philadelphia Guards” – Philadelphia County – Captain John G. Chapman Company H – “The Cumberland Guards” – Cumberland County – Captain Henry I. Zinn Company I – “The Myerstown Rifles” – Berks County and Lebanon County – Captain Jerome Myers Company K – “The Douglas Guards” – Philadelphia County – Captain Casper Martin
July 21	Ordered to Washington, D. C.
July 27	Mustered into three years United States service and attached to 2nd Brigade, McCall’s Pennsylvania Reserves Division, Army of the Potomac
August 2	Duty at Tennallytown, Md.
August 24	Marched to Great Falls on the Potomac
October 10	At Camp Pierpont, near Langley
September 4	Skirmish at Great Falls Sergeant William Harper was the only casualty, a slight wound
October 9	Marched to Langley, Va.
November 1	Major Chauncey Lyman was detached as Division Provost Marshall.
November 3	Captain Jerome Myers of Company I resigned. He was replaced by First Lieutenant Joseph G. Holmes.
November 12	Captain John G. Chapman of Company G resigned. First Lieutenant William W. White of Company D replaced him as captain of Company G.
November 30	Captain Henry I. Zinn of Company H resigned. First Lieutenant Samuel B. King replaced him as captain of Company H.
December 6	Expedition to Grinnell’s Farm
December 20	Battle of Dransville The regiment marched eleven miles to the battlefield but arrived after the fighting was over.
1862
January 27	Captain Casper Martin of Company K was dismissed. He was replaced as captain by James M. Rice.
March 10-15	Advance on Manassas, Va. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 9	Moved to Fairfax Station, attached to 2nd Brigade, McCall’s Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock
April 10-16	Marched to Manassas Junction Joseph G. Holmes
April 12	Captain Joseph G. Holmes of Company I was dismissed.
April 17	At Catlett’s Station
April 27	Captain Elijah G. Lantz of Company C was dismissed.
May 5	Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Totten resigned. Captain Henry C. Bollinger of Company D was promoted to lieutenant colonel, as Major Chauncey Lyman was still serving as Division Provost Marshall. First Lieutenant Jesse Merrill was promoted to Captain of Company D.
May 11	At Falmouth
June 9-11	Peninsula Campaign Moved to the Virginia Peninsula and attched to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 25-July 1	Seven days before Richmond The regiment lost 301 casualties, including Captains Lentz, White and King and Lieutenants McCauley, Betty and Zug.
June 26	Battle of Mechanicsville
June 27	Gaines Mill The regiment suffered the loss of nearly half its strength covering the retreat of the army’s reserve artillery.
June 30	Charles City Cross Roads (Glendale) Captain Robert M. Henderson of Company A was wounded.
July 1	Malvern Hill
July-August	At Harrison’s Landing
July 4	Colonel Elisha B. Harvey resigned. Lieutenant Colonel Henry C. Bolinger was promoted to colonel and Captain R. M. Henderson of Company A was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Lieutenant James S. Colwell was promoted to captain of Company A.
July 15	Captain Charles S. Peall of Company E resigned. First Lieutenant William K. Hopkins was promoted to captain as his replacement.
July 30	The house of Edmund Ruffin, sheltering Confederate sharpshooters firing on transports in the river, was taken and burned.
August 16-26	Movement to join Pope Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia
August 29	Battle of Brawner Farm (Groveton) Lieutenant Colonel Henderson was badly wounded.
August 30	Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) Captain Robert M. Henderson of Company A was wounded.
September 6-24	Maryland Campaign Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
September 14	Battle of South Mountain Colonel Bolinger was badly wounded in the chest and arm leading the assault on the summit at Turner’s Gap. Major Chauncey Lyman took over command.
September 16-17	Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) The 7th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves was commanded by Major Chauncey Lyman. It lost one third of its number ar Antietam. Captain James S. Colwell of Company A and Lieutenant Sanders of Company K were both killed, and Captain John Jameson of Company B was wounded. From the monument to the 7th Reserves on the Antietam battlefield: The regiment arrived on the field on the afternoon of September 16, 1862. Formed at this point on the morning of the 17th, advanced about 600 yards South and became engaged with Hood’s Confederate Division. Casualties at Antietam Killed 12 Wounded 60 Total 72
September	Duty in MarylandFirst Lieutenant Erkurius Beatty was promoted to captain of Company A.
October 3	The Pennsylvania Reserves were reviewed by President Lincoln
October 12	Marched in pursuit of Stuart’s raid
October 26	Crossd the Potomac at Berlin and marched to Warrenton
October 30-November 19	Movement to Falmouth, Va.
November 11	Captain John Jameson of Company B resigned due to his Antietam wound. First Lieutenant John Q. Snyder was promoted to Captain of Company B. Captain William W. White of Company G resigned. He was replaced by First Lieutenant John A. Barrett.
December 12-15	Battle of Fredericksburg Colonel Bollinger returned to command from his wound at Antietam only to be wounded again, this time in the leg. Lieutenant Comfort and six enlisted men were killed; ]. Captain John Q. Snyder of Company B was wounded, losing his leg. Adjutant Stout, Lieutenants Snyder and Zug and 72 enlisted men were wounded, and 22 enlisted men were missing. Corporal Jacob Cart of Company A was awarded the Medal of Honor for the “Capture of flag of 19th Georgia Infantry (C.S.A.), wresting it from the hands of the color bearer.”
1863
January 20-24	“Mud March”
February 6	Ordered to Washington, D.C. and duty there and at Alexandria attached to 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserves Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington
March 1	First Lieutenant Edward P. Zinn was promoted to Captain of Company K.
July 21	Captain John Q. Snyder of Company B was discharged due to having lost his leg at Fredericksburg. First Lieutenant Henry Clay Snyder was promoted to captain in his place.
July 25	Major Lyman was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Le Grand Speese of Company F was promoted to major. First Lieutenant John Robinson was pro,noted to captain of Company F.
September 12	Captain Jesse Merril of COmpany D transferred to the Signal corps. First Lieutenant George B. Danahay was promoted to captain as his replacement.
1864
February 21	Lieutenant Colonel Lyman resigned.William K. Hopkins
March 4	Captain William K. Hopkins of Company E resigned.
April	Rapidan (Overland) Campaign. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 30	Lieutenant Colonel Henderson resigned. Captain Erkurius Beatty of Company A was promoted to Brevet Lieutenant Colonel.
May 5-7	Battle of the Wilderness During an attack into Confederate lines the regiment found itself surrounded. Colonel Henry C. Bollinger was forced to surrender 272 men. Company B had been separated during the advance through the dense woods, and 40 of their men escaped. The surrendered officers were used as human shields during the bombardment of Charleston, and 67 enlisted men were known to have died at Anderson Prison, with many others dying at Florence and after their release from malnourishment and exposure. Captain Samuel B. King of Company H had been on recruiting duty and missed the battle. He assumed command of the 110 survivors of the regiment that were collected from Company B and detached duries.
May 8-21	Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 8	Laurel Hill
May 12	Assault on the Salient
May 19	Battle of Harris Farm
May 23- 26	North Anna River
May 25	Jericho Ford
May 26-28	Line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31	Totopotomoy
May 31	Left front to return home to muster out
June 16	The 7th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves mustered out under the command of Captain Samuel B. King of Company H.

(36th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry)

Regimental Organization

Skirmish at Great Falls

Battle of Dransville

Peninsula Campaign

Seven days before Richmond

Battle of Mechanicsville

Gaines Mill

Charles City Cross Roads (Glendale)

Malvern Hill

Movement to join Pope

Maryland Campaign

From the monument to the 7th Reserves on the Antietam battlefield:

Rapidan (Overland) Campaign.

Assault on the Salient

North Anna River

Jericho Ford

Totopotomoy