211th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > 211th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

The 211th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment mustered 955 men, many of them veterans on their second enlistments after having mustered out from other regiments whose terms of enlistment had expired.  It lost 6 officers and 38 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 53 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War, with 75 men captured, of whom 25 died in captivity.

The regiment is listed on the monument to Hartranft’s Division in Petersburg, Virginia.

1864
September 16 Organized at Camp Reynolds in Pittsburg under Colonel James H. Trimble, Lieutenant Colonel Levi A. Dodd and Major Augustus A. Mechling

Organization of the Regiment
  • Company A – Crawford County – Captain Elias B. Lee
  • Company B – Jefferson County – Captain Charles McLain
  • Company C – McKeen and Jefferson Counties – Captain Warren Cowles
  • Company D – Mercer County – Captain William A. Coulter
  • Company E – Westmoreland County – Captain William Walter
  • Company F – Erie County – Captain James D. Gourlay
  • Company G – Warren County – Captain Arial D. Frank
  • Company H – Westmoreland County – Captain M. V. B. Harding
  • Company I – Westmoreland County – Captain John W. Graham
  • Company K – Westmoreland County – Captain Josiah Henderson
September 20 Moved to Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, and engaged in siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond. Attached to Provisional Brigade, Defenses of Bermuda Hundred, Army of the James. Two men were killed by an artillery shell.
November 17

Attack on the picket lines

A section of the picket line held by the regiment was very close to the enemy lines. This became a favorite crossing point for deserting Confederates and there was a great deal of friendly interaction between the pickets. The commander of the forces on the Confederate part of the line, General George Pickett, wanted to put a stop to this. He gathered a large attacking force and during then night launched a surprise attack on this part of the line, quickly capturing 54 pickets from the 211th Pennsylvania before supports could be called up. Pickett then built a redoubt at that point, which Grant declined to attack after a careful inspection.

From then on the friendly relations between sides at this point ended, and the flow of deserters was greatly reduced.
November 28 Joined the Army of the Potomac before Petersburg for duty in the Defenses of Bermuda Hundred, Va. Attached to Provisional Brigade, 9th Army Corps
December 7-11 Movement in support of Weldon Railroad Expedition.
December 15 Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Corps
1865
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 18 Colonel James Trimble was resigned.
March 25

Defense of Fort Stedman

The regiment was commanded by Captain William A. Colder of Company D. General Hartfanft led the regiment as it advanced in line from a reserve position to retake the captured fort. Hartranft’s plan was that while the 211th attacked across open ground and diverted Confederate artillery the rest of his division could successfully attack from their more sheltered approaches. He assumed this would lead to heavy casualties in the 211th, and chose to lead it into action. But the Confederates offered little resistance, with many fleeing back to Confederate lines and others choosing to surrender rather then recross the dangerous ground, swept by artillery fire. The regiment successfully recaptured the rear of the fort with light casualties, losing Sergeant Charles E. Hempfield of Company F killed and 10 men wounded.
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign
April 2

Final Assault on Petersburg

The regiment was in the leading brigade for the assault on Confederate Fort Mahone. Lieutenant Albert Alexander of Company D commanded the strong advanced force of pioneers collected from the Regiment’s of the brigade and armed with axes and spades.

The charge was successful and the main line of enemy works was captured. Their own guns were turned against them and helped successfully defend the positions against several counterattacks.

Casualties

Four officers and 17 enlisted men were killed, four officers and 89 enlisted men were wounded, and 21 men were reported missing.

  • Captain Charles McLain of Company B and First Lieutenants Andrew Sparks of Company C, Albert Alexander of Company D and John B. Tarr of Company K were killed. (Captain McLain had been commissioned Lieutenant Colonel on March 17 but not mustered.)
  • Captain Elias B. Lee of Company A and Second Lieutenant John M. Pelton of Company B were mortally wounded.
  • Captain James D. Gourlay of Company F and Second Lieutenant Thomas C. Gibson of Company D were wounded.

Medal of Honor from the Civil War eraPrivate John C. Ewing of Company E was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing the flag of the 61st Alabama Infantry Regiment.

Corporal Amzi D. Harmon of Company K was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing the flag of the 45th North Carolina Infantry Regiment.
April 3-9 Pursuit of Lee
April 4 Lieutenant Colonel Dodd was promoted to Colonel.
April 10 At Nottaway Court House
April 20-28 Moved to City Point, then to Alexandria.
May 10 Captain William A. Coulter of Company D  was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Adjutant H. King Smith to Major
May 16 First Lieutenant Thomas C. Gilson was promoted to Captain of Company D.
May 23 Grand Review
June 2 The 211th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Colonel Levi A. Dodd, Lieutenant Colonel William A. Coulter and Major H. King Smith.