88th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania

The 88th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 8 officers and 101 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 72 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument and three markers at Gettysburg.

1861
September Organized at Philadelphia. Recruited in Philadelphia and Reading under Colonel George P. McLean.
October 1 Left State for Washington, D.C. At Kendall Green, Washington, D.C.
October 12 Provost duty at Alexandria
1862
February 18 Companies A, C, D, E and I garrison forts on Maryland side of the Potomac River
April 17-23 At Cloud’s Mills, Va.
April 24-May 7 Guard Orange & Alexandria Railroad between Bull Run and Fairfax C. H.
May 7 Duty near Fredericksburg, Va. attached to 1st Brigade, Ord’s 2nd Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock
May 25-June 18 Expedition to Front Royal to intercept Jackson
June Duty at Manassas, Warrenton and Culpeper atatched to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia
August 9
Battle of Cedar Mountain
August 16-September 2 Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 21-23 Fords of the Rappahannock
August 28 Thoroughfare Gap
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run
September 1
Battle of Chantilly
September 6-24 Maryland Campaign attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac
September 14
Battle of South Mountain
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

From the brigade marker on the Antietam battlefield:

Christian’s Brigade advanced from the Poffenberger Woods in support of Hartsuff’s left. The 90th Pennsylvania was detached to support Matthew’s Pennsylvania Battery in the field between D. R. Miller’s and the East Woods, but soon thereafter rejoined the Brigade, which moved through the East Woods and came into line on either side of the Smoketown Road, the 26th and 94th New York forming on the west edge of the East Woods, south of the Smoketown Road. The 88th Pennsylvania fought on the line of, and finally relieved, the 83rd New York, which was the left of Hartsuff’s Brigade, the 90th Pennsylvania relieving the right of Hartsuff and charging about 40 yards beyond it. The Brigade fought until its ammunition was nearly exhausted when it was relieved by the advance of the Twelfth Corps. This tablet marks the point reached by the 90th Pennsylvania.
September-October Duty near Sharpsburg, Md.
October 30-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15 Battle of Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24, Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March”
February-April At Falmouth and Belle Plains
March Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-May 2 Operations at Pollock’s Mill Creek
April 29-30 Fitzhugh’s Crossing
May 2-5
Battle of Chancellorsville

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps
June 11-July 24 Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Major Benezet F. Foust, who was wounded on the 1st in the fighting on Oak Hill. Captain Edmund A. Mass then took command until he was captured. Captain Henry Whiteside then took over the regiment.

From the monument: About noon, July 1st 1863, the regiment was in line along the Mummasburg Road, 200 yards S.E. of this monument. Later it changed direction and formed here, charged forward and captured two battle flags and a number of prisoners. at 4 p.m. the Division was overpowered and forced through the town.

July 2nd the regiment was in position facing the Emmitsburg Road and on July 3rd at Ziegler’s Grove, as indicated by markers.

From the Ziegler’s Grove marker:

Arrived here in time to assist in reppelling the enemy’s charge on July 3rd 1863 and remained until the morning of July 6th

Men engaged 294; killed 18; wounded 50; missing 53. Erected by survivors August 27, 1883.

The principal monument is erected on Oak Ridge the scene of the first day’s battle
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock
October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
February 6 Regiment reenlisted and on furlough
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps
April 7 Regiment returns from furlough
May 4-June 12 Rapidan Campaign
May 5-7 Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21 Battle of Spottsylvania Court House
May 8 Battle of Laurel Hill
May 12 Assault on the Salient
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 25 Jericho Ford
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Battle of Cold Harbor

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps
June 1-3 Bethesda Church
June 13 White Oak Swamp
June 16-18 Before Petersburg, beginning of Siege of Petersburg
July 30 Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
August 18-21 Weldon Railroad
October 27-28 Hatcher’s Run
December 7-12 Warren’s Expedition to Weldon Railroad
1865
February 5-7 Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 28-April 9 Appomattox Campaign. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps
March 29 Lewis Farm near Gravelly Run
March 30-31 White Oak Road
April 1 Five Forks
April 2-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 9 Appomattox C. H. Surrender of Lee and his army.
May 1-12 Moved to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
June 30 Mustered out