Organization of the regiment:

• Company A – “The Armstrong Rifles” – Armstrong County – Captain L.S. Cantwell
• Company B – “The Jefferson Riflemen” – Dauphin County – Captain Robert E. Johnson
• Company C – “The Anderson Cadets” – Allegheny County – Captain George S. Gallupe
• Company D – “The Brownsville Greys” – Fayette County – Captain C.L. Connor
• Company E – “The Duncan Guards”- Philadelphia and Allegheny Counies – Captain E. P. Shoenberger
• Company F – “The Hopewell Rifles” – Bedford County – Captain John Eichelberger
• Company G – “The Fayette Guards” – Fayette County – Captain Jesse B. Gardner
• Company H – “The Clarion Union Guards” – Clarion County – Captain William Lemon
• Company I – “The Greene County Rangers” – Greene County – Captain Silas M. Baily
• Company K – “The Hopkins Infantry” – Washington County – Captain Alex Wishart

Skirmish at Great Falls

The regiment was sent to support the 7th Reseerves, which had been “vigorously” shelled by Confederate artillery.

Peninsula Campaign

Moved to White House Virginia, and attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac, then marched to join the army at Gaines Mill.

Seven days before Richmond

Battle of Mechanicsville

The regiment held the center of the line along Beaver Dam Creek, with four companies under Lieutenant Colonel Oliphant advanced as skirmishers.

Nearly one hundred men were killed and wounded in the regiment’s first combat. Company F was captured, having been detailed to the skirmish line and never being recalled when the army withdrew.

Gaines Mill

The regiment lost 24 men killed and 18 badly wounded. Major Baily was badly wounded in the face. Captains Carter, Gallupe Johnson and Wishart were also wounded.

The regiment crossed the Chickahominy River that night, and after a day’s rest marched toward the James River.

Charles City Cross Roads (Glendale)

The regiment charged the 6th Georgia Infantry Regiment, pushing them back. But a counterattack forced the regiment back until darkness ended the fighting.

The 8th Reserves lost 200 casualties, with 16 men killed and 14 badly wounded. Colonel Hays was injured by a fall when his hose was killed.

Malvern Hill

The regiment was in reserve and not engaged.  Many of the men were so exhausted that they dropped to the ground and slept as the battle went on.

Battle of Gainesville

A single shell killed two men were killed and wounded six, one mortally, in Companies B and G. Adjutant Henry Wetter was wounded.

Battle of Groveton

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

The regiment lost 5 killed, 17 wounded and 30 missing out of less than one hundred engaged.

Maryland Campaign

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac. The regiment was commanded by Captain C.L. Conner.

Battle of South Mountain

Led by Captain C.L. Conner, the regiment attacked up the steep slope of the mountain, covered with trees and rocks, under heavy enemy fire. It reached the summit by nightfall, taking a number of prisoners. The 8th Reserves lost 17 men killed, including Lieutenant Carter, and 37 wounded.

Major Baily returned to the regiment, even though his surgeon told him his was unfit for battle.

Battle of Antietam

The regiment was commanded at Antietam by Major Silas M. Baily. It lost 12 men killed and 43 wounded, fighting on the right of the Union line in the Cornfield.

From the monument to the 8th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves at Antietam:

Advanced about 600 yards south and became engaged with Hood’s Confederate Division

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment was part of Meade’s attack which broke Jackson’s line 3 miles south of Fredericksburg. But the attack was not supported, and Meade’s men had to be withdrawn in the face of heavy enemy counterattacks.

It lost 28 men killed, 86 wounded, and 22 captured. Adjutant Ingraham and Lieutenant Miller were killed. Major Baily, Captains H. C. Dawson, J. Eichelberger, R. E. Johnston, William Lemon and J. M. Kent, and Lieutenants S. B. Bennington, J. A. Diebold, H. H. Maquilken, Samuel McCandless, and James M. Owen were wounded.

“Mud March”

Rapidan Campaign

Left Alexandria to join the Army of the Potomac. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps.

Battle of the Wilderness

The 8th Reserves crossed the Rapidan after midnight on the 4th and camped near the Lacy House.

Battle of the Wilderness – Day 1

the division was thrown forward on the right centre for a reconnoissance, and was soon skirmishing with the enemy. In the meantime Wadsworth’s Division became heavily engaged and was being driven, when the regiment was thrown forward to the right to check the enemy’s advance, where it occupied a line of rifle pits, keeping up a constant skirmish firing during the night.

Battle of the Wilderness – Day 2

The next morning the 8th Reserves moved up the Gordonsville pike. They deployed to the left of the road in a woods, and moved forward in line, driving the enemy. Companies D and I were sent forward as skirmishers, and fought for three hours, with Company I loosing one man killed and ten wounded. At 1 P. M. the line was withdrawn three hundred yards and dug a line of rifle pits. They kept up a steady fire until dark, when they were relieved by the 95th Pennsylvania Infantry.

Battle of the Wilderness Day 3

The regiment was in reserve. It lost 6 men killed and 27 wounded during the two days of fighting.

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment was almost constantly engaged from the 8th until the 15th. It lost 3 men killed and 16 wounded.