United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > 9th Pennsylvania Reserves
(38th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment)
The 9th Pennsylvania Reserves lost 6 officers and 131 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded during the Civil War. One officer and 49 enlisted men died of disease. Two officers and 58 were captured or missing. The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
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.
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1861
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| July | Organized at Camp Wright near Pittsburg under the command of Colonel Conrad F. Jackson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Anderson and Major James M. Snodgrass. Both Jackson and Anderson had served in the Mexican War.
Organization of the regiment
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| July 22 | Ordered to Washington, D.C. |
| July 23 | Left Pittsburg for Harrisburg, where the regiment was issued Harpers Ferry Model 1842 smoothbore muskets and equipment, then proceeded to Washington. |
| July 26 | Arrived at dayight and went into camp a half mile east of the Capitol |
| July 27 | The 9th Pennsylvania Reserves mustered for three years United States service attached to 3rd Brigade, McCall’s Pennsylvania Reserves Division, Army of the Potomac |
| July 28 | Camped at Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. |
| August 5 | Moved to the camp of the Pennsylvania Reserves at Tennallytown, Maryland. |
| September 9-16 | Picket duty at Great Falls. The regiment traded shots with Confederate pickets for the first time. |
| September 21 | The regiment’s smoothbore muskets were exchanged for Springfied rifled muskets except for Company A, which was issued Sharps rifles as the men’s private property. Secretary of War Cameron, Governor Curtin and Geneal McClellan reviewed the regiment. |
| October 10 | Moved via the Chain Bridge to winter quarters at Camp Pierpont, near Langley, Va. |
| November 19 | Companies A, B, D, F and G went on reconnaissance to Hunter’s Mills under the command of Major James Snodgrass. |
| December 6 | Expedition to Gunnell’s Farm |
| December 20 |
Action at DranesvilleThe regiment encountered the enemy on a patrol to Dranesville. after an exchange of fire the Confederates withdrew. The regiment lost two enlisted men killed and Captain Robert Galway, Captain Samuel Dick and 18 enlisted men wounded. |
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1862
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| March 10 | Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| March 10-15 | Advance on Manassas, Va. |
| April 9-19 | McDowell’s advance on Falmouth. Attached to 3rd Brigade, McCall’s Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock |
| June | Duty at Fredericksburg, attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| June 9-12 |
Peninsula CampaignMoved to White House, Va. on the steamship Georgia |
| June 25-July 1 |
Seven days before Richmond |
| June 26 |
Battle of MechanicsvilleThe regiment “maintained itself with unwavering ranks under a heavy and continuous fire” while turning back Confederate attacks in the afternoon. The next morning the division withdrew to Gaines Mill, with the 9th Reserves acting as rear guard. |
| June 27 |
Gaines MillThe regiment took position in the rear as reserves. In the early afternoon it joined two other residents to counterattack the advancing enemy. They were successful but advanced too far and were forced back. They reformed and tried again, unsuccessfully, several times. Captain Robert Galway and Lieutenant J. F. Kirkpatrick were wounded. The division pulled back across the Chickahominy River that night. |
| June 30 |
Charles City Cross Roads (Glendale)The 9th Reserves supported batteries defending the crossroads. At one point Cooper’s Battery (Battery B, 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery) was overrun, and the regiment charged and recaptured the guns of the battery. Lieutenant James P. Beattie was killed and Captain John Cuthbertson was wounded. Private William John Gallagher captured the flag of the 10th Alabama Infantry. The flag was in private hands for many years but was returned to the State of Alabama in 2000 and is now in the Alabama Department of Archives and History. |
| July 1 |
Malvern HillThe regiment was in reserve and not actively engaged, although under artillery fire. |
| July-August | At Harrison’s Landing |
| July 17 | Colonel Conrad F. Jackson was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Anderson was promoted to colonel but was not mustered. |
| August 16-26 | Movement to join Pope. Moved by transports from Harrison’s Landing to Aquia Creek, then marched to Falmouth Heights and via Kelly’s Ford and Rappahannock Station to near Manassas. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia. |
| August 29 |
Battle of Groveton (Brawner Farm) |
| August 30 |
Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)The 9th Reserves was on the left flank of the Union line. It was outflanked by Longstreet’s attack and forced to fall back. When the army’s line gave wat the regiment was ordered to withdraw across Bull Run. The regiment lost heavily due to its exposed position on the flank of the line. Captain James Shannon was mortally wounded and Lieutenants James Reade and Gustavus Wenke were killed. Colonel Robert Anderson took command of the brigade as senior orricer, and Major James Snodgrass commanded the 9th Reserves. |
| September 1 |
Battle of ChantillyThe regiment “fought furiously” from 5 p.m. until darkness fell. The next morning it withdrew to Arlington Heights, where it found supplies, clothing, and rest. |
| September 6-24 |
Maryland CampaignAttached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| September 14 |
Battle of South MountainThe regiment fought at Turner’s Gap. It advanced up a steep and rugged slope to take the summit from and enemy who “disputed every inch with great obstinacy.” Lt. Colonel Robert Anderson took command of the brigade when Colonel Gallagher was wounded. Major James Snodgrass was sick in Washington, so Captain Samuel B. Dick of Company F took command of the regiment as senior officer in the field. Ten enlisted men were killed, and 1 officer and 36 enlisted men were wounded. |
| September 16-17 |
Battle of AntietamThe 9th Pennsylvania Reserves was commanded by Captain Samuel Dick of Company F. The battle opened with an evening attack by the division on the Confederate left flank. The fighting renewed at first light, driving back Texans of Hood’s division in a charge. Lieutenant John Longbein and 16 enlisted men were killed and sixty-eight were wounded. Sergeant Henry W. Blanchard had carried the colors in every fight of the regiment even when wounded, but was so badly wounded at Antietam that he could no longer hold the flag. Private Walter Beatty took the colors and was almost immediately killed. Private Robert Lemmon then took it in spite of comrades warning him “don’t touch it, Bob, or they’ll kill you.” He survived for only a minute. Private Edward Doran then took the colors and held them for the the rest of the battle while lying on his back, for which he was made a non-commissioned officer. (History of the Reserve Corps, Sypher, p. 391.)
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| September-October | Duty in Maryland |
| October 30-November 19 | Movement to Falmouth, Va |
| December 12-15 |
Battle of FredericksburgThe regiment was on the left flank of Meade’s attack which briefly broke Jackson’s defensive line south of Fredericksburg. The regiment remained in its covering position until the main body of the division withdrew. Its exposed position cost it heavily. Nine men were killed, twenty seven were wounded, and sixteen were taken prisoners. Brigadier General Conrad F. Jackson was killed commanding the brigade. Lieutenant Reuben Long was also killed, and Lieutenant Oliver McIllwain was wounded. |
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1863
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| January 20-24 |
“Mud March” |
| February 6 | Ordered to Washington, D.C. for duty there and at Alexandria; attached to 3rd Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserves Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington |
| February 10 | Lieutenant Colonel Robert Anderson was discharged. |
| February 17 | Captain Dick resigned due to ill health from exposure and wounds. |
| April 1 | Major James M. Snodgrass was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Charles Barnes of Company E was promoted to major. |
| June 25 | Ordered to rejoin Army of the Potomac in the field. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe 9th Pennsylvania Reserves was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James M. Snodgrass. From the regiment’s monument in the saddle between Little Round Top and Big Round Top: The Regiment arrived on the field July 2nd about 5 p.m. with 377 officers and men and soon after moved to this position and held it until the close of the battle with a loss of five wounded. |
| July 5-24 | Pursuit of Lee |
| October 9-22. |
Bristoe Campaign |
| November 7-8 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock |
| November 7 |
Rappahannock Station |
| November 26-December 2 |
Mine Run CampaignThe regiment was commanded by Major Charles Barnes. |
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1864
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| March 29 | Lt. Colonel James M. Snodgrass resigned |
| May 4 |
Battle of the WildernessUnexpectedly ordered while in the first line of battle to return home. |
| May 5-8 | Moved to Harrisburg and then Pittsburg. |
| May 13 | Mustered out under the command of Major Charles Barnes |
Private Samuel Johnson earned the Medal of Honor for “Individual bravery and daring in capturing from the enemy two colors of the 1st Texas Rangers (C.S.A.), receiving in the act a severe wound.”