2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania

The 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment lost 5 officers and 221 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 officers and 385 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1862
January 8 Organized at Philadelphia as the 112th Pennsylvania Volunteers under the command of Colonel Charles Angeroth, Lieutenant Colonel John Oberteuffer and Major William Candidus
January 9 Companies D, G and H under Captain James Anderson were ordered to Fort Delaware
February 25 Companies A, B, C, E, F, I and K moved to Washington, D.C.
March Garrison duty in the Defences of Washington north of the Potomac attached to Artillery Brigade, Military District of Washington
March 1 Captain Jason Anderson was promoted to major (artillery regiments were allowed two Colonels)
March 19 Companies A, B, C, E, F, I and K rejoined the Regiment in the Defences of Washington
June 21 Colonel Charles Angeroth resigned
June 25 Captain August A. Gibson of the 2nd United States Artillery Regiment transferred in and was promoted to colonel
August Assigned to the Defences of Washington north of the Potomac
September 10 Captain David Sadler of Battery D was promoted to major
October Assigned to 1st Brigade, Haskins’ Division, Defences north of the Potomac
November 24 Two Independent Companies of Heavy Artillery were assigned as Companies L and M
November 25 Captain Thomas Wilhelm was promoted to major
1863
February Assigned to 1st Brigade, Haskins’ Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. Washington
August 23 Major Candidus resigned
November 9 Captain John S. Jardin died of disease
1864
January 8 Lieutenant Colonel John Oberteuffer mustered out at end of term
March Assigned to 1st Brigade, DeRussy’s Division, 22nd Corps
April 20 The regiment had grown through enlistments to 3,300 men, well over its legal limit. The regiment’s position in the Washington garrison was very attractive to men who wanted to serve in a relatively safe billet.

The 2nd Pennsylvania Provisional Heavy Artillery was formed from part of the regiment and sent to the front assigned to the Ninth Army Corps. Major Thomas Wilhelm was promoted to Colonel of the 2nd Provisional Regiment.
May 27-28 Marched through Washington and boarded transports at Sixth Street for Port Royal, Virginia.
May 28-June 4 Marched sixty miles from Port Royal to Cold Harbor
June 1-2 Assigned to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina. The regiment was formed into three battalions under Major Jason Anderson, Captain Jones and Major Sadler under the overall command of Colonel August A. Gibson.
June 4-12

Battles about Cold Harbor

Colonel Thomas Wilhelm was lightly wounded in the foot.
June 15-19

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

The Second Battalion lost 10 killed and 65 wounded, including Captain Jones, in an unsuccessful charge against Confederate works. Captain McClure took over command of the Second Battalion.
June 16,

Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond

From June to August in the trenches from the Appomattox River to Jerusalem Plank Road the regiment went from a strength of 1,836 to less than 900.
July 30

Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Battle of the Crater)

Captain B. Griffin Barney and Lieutenant Jesper Holman were wounded
August 3 Colonel August A. Gibson returned to the 2nd United States Artillery. Major Jason Anderson took command of the regiment.
August 22 Captain Richard Horner was wounded at Petersburg
August 23 Duty on the Bermuda Hundred front
August 18-21 Weldon Railroad
September 5 The 2nd Pennsylvania Provisional Heavy Artillery rejoined the regiment, having lost about one thousand casualties and reduced to a strength of less than 400 men. Colonel Wilhelm returned to his ranks of Major.
September 28-30

Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights

In an unsuccessful charge on Confederate trenches near Fort Harrison Major James Anderson and Lieutenant Presley Cannon were killed, Captain Nicholas Baggs and Lieutenant William Barba wounded and Major Sadler, Captain George Wilson and Lieutenants John Gayetti, Thomas Munford and William McLaughlin captured
October 27-28 Fair Oaks (Company G)
October 30 Captain William McClure of Company F was promoted to colonel
December 2 Ordered to Bermuda front and assigned to Provisional Brigade, Defences of Bermuda Hundred, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina
1865
January 25 Lieuteant Benjamin Winger of Battery D was promoted to major
March 8 Colonel Qilliam McClure resigned
April 2

Fall of Petersburg
April 16 D. Strawbridge mustered in as colonel and Major Sadler mustered out at expitation of his term
April Duty at Petersburg assigned to 1st Brigade, Ferrero’s Division, Dept. of Virginia
May In counties of lower Virginia, Sub-District of the Blackwater, District of the Nottaway
May 3 Captain William Bailey of Battery F was promoted to major
May 18 Major Winger was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain David Schooley of Battery M was promoted to major
July 14 Major Wilhelm resigned
1866
January 15 Major Bailey was discharged at expiration of his term
January 29 Mustered out at City Point, Va.
February 16 Discharged at Philadelphia, Pa. under the command of Colonel Strawbridge, Lieutenant Colonel Winger, and Major David Schooley