United States Regiments & Batteries > U.S. Regulars
The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment lost 2 officers and 39 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 48 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
1861
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January |
In TexasHeadquarters and Companies B, D, G, H and K, at Fort Clark, Colonel Bonneville commanding Companies A, C and E, at Ringgold Barracks, Lieutenant-Colonel Electus Backus commanding Companies F and I at Fort McIntosh, Major C. C. Sibley commanding. |
March | Companies C and E moved to Fort Hamilton, New York |
March 19- April 25 |
Companies B, D, G, H and K to New YorkCompanies C and E moved to Fort Pickens, Fla. |
March 19 | Headquarters and Companies B, D, G, H and K, under Brevet Major O. L. Shepherd (Colonel Bonneville on leave) ordered to evacuate Texas and left Fort Clark.The regiment had been instructed to detour around San Antonio due to “excitement among the citizens.” But Major Shepherd called a council of the officers and it was decided to march through the town with “colors flying, band playing, and every man and officer as fine as brass and bullion could make him.” |
April 7 | Headquarters and Companies B, D, G, H and K arrived at Indianola and embarked for New York Harbor |
April 16 | Companies C and E arrived Fort Pickens, Fla. and duty there until June, 1862 |
April 25 | Headquarters and Companies B, D, G, H and K arrive in New York |
April 26 | Companies A, F and I surrendered to an overwhelming force of Confederates under Colonel Van Dorn at Mattagorda Bay, Texas. The men and officers were paroled. Every enlisted man rejoined the regiment in 1862, in spite of offers of commissions in the Confederate service. |
May 9 | Companies B, D, G, H and K moved from Fort Hamilton, N.Y. Harbor, to Washington, D. C. |
June | Ordered to General Patterson’s Department of Pennsylvania. Moved by rail to Carlisle, Pa., and marched to and forded the Potomac near Williamsport. The regiment was then recalled to Washington, making a forced march of twenty hours out of twenty four. |
July 4 | Moved to Arlington Heights and attached to Porter’s Brigade, Hunter’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia |
July 16-21 | Advance on Manassas, Va. With two companies of the Second and one of the Eighth Infantry formed Battalion of Reglars under Major George Sykes. |
July 21 |
Battle of Bull RunThe regiment lost five men killed, 26 missing, and four enlisted men wounded, and two officers wounded and taken prisoner. |
August – March | Duty at Washington assigned to Porter’s City Guard. The battalion encamped in Franklin Square. When reviewed by President Lincoln shortly after the battle, General McDowll told Lincoln, ‘Mr. President, there are the men who saved your army at Bull Run.’ |
October 9 | Companies C and E – Action on Santa Rosa Island, Fla. |
November 22-23 | Companies C and E – Bombardment of Fort Pickens |
1862
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January 1 | Companies C and E – Fort Barrancas |
February | Companies F and I were paroled and exchanged and joined Regiment at Washington |
May 9-12 |
Fort Pickens (Companies C and E)The companies lost two men killed and seven wounded. |
March | Regement assigned to Sykes’ Regular Infantry, Reserve Brigade, Army Potomac and moved to the Virginia Peninsula |
April 5-May 4 | Siege of Yorktown |
May | Assigned to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army Potomac |
June, 1862 | Companies C and E joined Regiment in Army of the Potomac |
June 25-July 1 | Seven days before Richmond |
June 26 | Battle of Mechanicsville |
June 27 | Gaines’ MillMajor Rossell was killed. Captain John D. Wilkens (West Point Class of 1846) took command of the regiment. |
June 30 | Turkey Bridge |
July 1 | Malvern Hill |
July-August | At Harrison’s Landing |
August 16-28 | Moved to Fortress Monroe, then to Centerville |
August 28-September 2 | Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia |
August 29 | Battle of Groveton |
August 30 |
Second Battle of Bull Run |
September 6-22 | Maryland Campaign |
September 16-17 |
Battle of AntietamThe regiment was commanded at the Battle of Antietam by Captain John D. Wilkins. From the War Department marker on the Antietam battlefield: On the afternoon of September 15 the 3rd U.S. Infantry was deployed as skirmishers on the crest of the ridge, on either side of the road at this point, overlooking the Antietam and the bridge. It remained in this position until about 10 A.M. of the 16th, when it was relieved by the advance of the 4th U.S. Infantry across the bridge. It then retired to the reserve at the eastern base of the ridge, where it remained until the morning of the 19th when it advanced to Sharpsburg. |
September 19-20 |
Shepherdstown Ford |
September 21 | At Sharpsburg |
October 16-17 | Kearneysville and Shepherdstown |
October 29-November 19 | Moved to Falmouth, Va. |
December 12-15 |
Battle of Fredericksburg |
1863
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January 20-24 | “Mud March” |
April 27-May 6 | Chancellorsville Campaign |
May 1-5 |
Battle of Chancellorsville |
June 11-July 24 | Gettysburg Campaign |
July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgFrom the monument on Houck’s Ridge at Gettysburg: Six Companies July 2 Arrived in the morning and took position near the line of the Twelfth Corps. The Regiment with the Brigade moved from the right to the left of the line and at 5 p.m. advanced across Plum Run near Little Round Top and supported the Second Brigade in its advance to the crest of the rocky wooded hill beyond and facing to the left. Engaged the Confederates but returned under a deadly fire on the left right and rear rear after the Confederates had gained a position in the Wheatfield in the rear of the Brigade and took position on east slope of Little Round Top. July 3 Remained in the same position July 4 The Regiment with the Brigade made a reconnaissance and developed a force of the Confederate Infantry and Artillery in front. Casualties: killed 8 men, wounded 4 officers and 63 men, missing 1 man. |
July 5-24 | Pursuit of Lee |
August 21-September 14 | At New York City during draft disturbances attached to the Dept. of the East |
October 9-22 |
Bristoe Campaign |
November 7-8 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock |
November 26-December 2 |
Mine Run Campaign |
December | Ordered to New York and duty at Forts Richmond, Hamilton and Columbus, N.Y. Harbor |
1864
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October | Ordered to Washington, D.C., and duty there attached to Defenses of Washington, D.C., 22nd Army Corps |
1865
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February | Ordered to City Point, Va., and duty at Headquarters, Army of the Potomac |
April 2 | Fall of Petersburg |
May – October | Moved to Washington, D.C. and attached to Defenses of Washington, 22nd Corps |
May 23 | Grand Review |