12th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > Infantry > 12th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

1861
April 22	The 12th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was organized at Pittsburg under the command of Colonel David Campbell, Lieutenant Colonel Norton McGiffin and Major Alexander Hays Company A – “Jackson Independent Blues” – Pittsburg, Allegheny County – Captain Samuel A. M’Kee Company B – “Duquesne Grays” – Pittsburg, Allegheny County – Captain John S. Kennedy Company C – “Firemen Legion” – Pittsburg, Allegheny County – Captain John H. Stewart Company D – “Union Guards” – Pittsburg, Allegheny County – Captain William L. Tomlinson Company E – “Washington Invincibles” – Washington, Washington County – Captain James Armstrong Company F – “Lawrence Guards” – New Castle, Lawrence County – Captain Edward O’Brien Company G – “Monongahela Artillery” – Monongahela City, Washington County – Captain Robert F. Cooper Company H – “Lawrence Guards” – New Castle, Lawrence County – Captain Daniel Leasure Company I – “Zouave Cadets” – Pittsburg, Allegheny County – Captain George W. Tanner Company K – “City Guards” – Pittsburg, Allegheny County – Captain William C. Denny
April 24	The regiment moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
April 25	Reviewed by Governor Curtin and mustered into U.S. service, then immediately moved by the Northern Central Railway to York, Pennsylvaia to become part of Patterson’s Deparment of Pennsylvania
May 19	The regiment was issued uniforms and equipment.
May 25	Assigned to the Department of Annapolis. Assigned to guard duty on the strategically critical Northern Central Railroad from State line to Baltimore Maryland, relieving the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry. Regimental headquarters was at Cockeysville, Maryland with Companies I and K, with the other companies of the regiment widely scattered until the end of enlistment.
August 5	The regiment mustered out at the end of its enlistment. Major Alexander Hays went on to raise and become Colonel of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and eventually rose to the rank of Major General. He was killed at the Battle of the Wilderness, where he has a monument at the location where he fell. Regimental Quartermaster James Ekin and Private Joseph Kidoo of Company K would go on the become Brevet Brigadier Generals Private Charles Oliver of Company G was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Fort Stedman in 1865 while in the 100th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment.