47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

The 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment lost 5 officers and 112 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 officers and 170 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1861
August -September The 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was organized at Harrisburg under the command of Colonel Tilghman Good, Lt. Colonel G. W. Alexander and Major William Gausler.

Organization of the Regiment
  • Company A – Easton, Northampton County – Captain Richard A. Graeffe
  • Company B – Allentown, Lehigh County – Captain Emmanuel P. Rhoads
  • Company C –  “Sunbury Guards” – Sunbury, Northumberland County – Captain John Peter Shindel Gobin
  • Company D – Bloomfield, Perry County – Captain Henry D. Woodruff
  • Company E – Easton, Northampton County – Captain Charles Hickman Yard
  • Company F – Catasauqua, Lehigh County – Captain Henry S. Harte
  • Company G – Allentown, Lehigh County – Captain Charles Mickley
  • Company H – Newport, Perry County – Captain James Kacy
  • Company I – Allentown, Lehigh County – Captain Coleman A.G. Keck
  • Company K – Allentown, Lehigh County – Captain George Junker
September 20-21 Moved to Washington, D.C. and stationed on Kalorama Heights
September 27 Moved across the Chain Bridge into Virginia. Assigned to the 3rd Brigade, W. F. Smith’s Division, Army of the Potomac
September – December Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. The regiment was issued new Springfield rifles.
1862
January 22-February 4 Moved to Key West, Fla., via Annapolis, Md., on Steamer Oriental
February – June Duty at Fort Taylor, Key West, Fla. attached to District of Key West
June 18-22 Moved to Hilton Head, S. C. and attached to District of Beaufort, S.C., Dept. of the South
July 2 To Beaufort, S.C.
September 30-October 13 Expedition to Florida
October 3 St. John’s Bluff
October 5 Capture of Jacksonville (Companies E and K, under Captain Yard)
October 6 Expedition from Jacksonville to Lake Beresford on the steamer Darlington, and capture of steamer Gov. Milton near Hawkinsville (Companies E and K)
October 21-23 Expedition to Pocotaligo, S.C.
October 22

Frampton’s Plantation and Pocotaligo Bridge

Colonel Good commanded the brigade and Lt. Colonel Alexander the regiment, which fought for two hours against the enemy, who was well protected in defensive works. Captain Charles Mickley of Company G and 18 enlisted men were killed, Captain George Junker of Company K was mortally wounded, and Lieutenants Reuben Gardner and William Geety and 114 enlisted men were wounded.

Captain John J. Goebel took over Company G. Captain Charles W. Abbott took over Company K.
1863
October, 1863 – February, 1864 Over 500 men of the regiment reenlisted and received a Veteran furlough
November 15 Ordered to Key West, Fla. to Garrison Fort Taylor (Companies A, B, C, E, G and I) and Fort Jefferson (Companies D, F, H and K). Attached to District of Key West, Fla., 10th Corps, Dept. of the South
1864
February 22 Captain Coleman A.G. Keck of Company I resigned due to illness. Captain Levi Stuber then took over Company I
February 25 Moved to New Orleans, La. via the steamer Charles Thomas Captain Coleman A.G. Keck
February 28 Arrived at Algiers, La., movd by rail to Brashear City and by steamer up Bayou Teche to Franklin. Assigned to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, Dept. of the Gulf
March 10-May 22

Banks’ Red River Campaign
March 14-26 Advance from Franklin to Alexandria
April 8

Battle of Sabine Cross Roads

The regiment lost 60 casualties, including Lieutenant Alfred Swoyer, who was killed
April 9

Pleasant Hill

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander, Color Sergeant Benjamin P. Wallis (who was 68 years old) was seriously wounded preventing the regiment’s flag from being captured, and Sergeant Pyers was also wounded.
April 15 Major Gausler and Adjutant W.H.R. Hangen were discharged by special order of the War Department
April 23 Monett’s Ferry, Cane River Crossing
April 30-May 10 Fatigue duty at Alexandria constructing dam across Red River
May 13-20 Retreat to Morganza
May 16 Mansura
May-June At Morganza
June 20 At New Orleans
July 5-12 Companies A, C, D, E, F, H, and I moved to Washington, D.C. on the steamer McClellan and Companies B, G and K on the steamer Blackstone.
July 24 Captain John Peter Shindel Gobin of Company C was promoted to major. Captain Daniel Oyster took over Company C.
August -November

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division
September 5

Berryville

Captain Daniel Oyster was wounded.
September 18 Captain Richard A. Graeffe of Company A, Captain Emmanuel P. Rhoads of Company B, Captain Henry D. Woodruff of Company D, Charles H. Yard of Company E, Captain Henry S. Harte of Company F, and Captain James Kacy of Company H mustered out at Berryville at the end of their terms of service.Captain Adolph Dennig took over Company A, Captain Edwin G. Minnich Company B, Captain George Stroop Company D, Captain William A. Bachman  Company E, Captain Edwin Gilbert Company F, and Captain Reuben S. Gardner of Company H.
September 19

Third Battle of Winchester (Battle of Opequan)
September 22

Fisher’s Hill
September 23-24 Colonel Good and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander were mustered out at the expiration of their terms of service
October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek

The regiment lost 176 casualties. Captain Edwin Minnich of Company B was killed, Captain John Goebel of Company G was mortally wounded, and Captain Daniel Oyster of Company C was wounded. Color Sergeant Benjamin P. Wallis, who had saved the regiment’s flag at Pleasant Hill, was killed.

Captain William H. Kleckner took over Company B and Captain Thomas E. Leisenring took over Company G.
November-December At Camp Russell, near Winchester
November 4 Major John Peter Shindel Gobin was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
December 20 At Camp Fairview, Charlestown, and on outpost duty in West Virginia
1865
January 3 Lieutenant Colonel John Peter Shindel Gobin was promoted to colonel and Captain Charles Abbott of Company K to lieutenant colonel. Captain Matthias Miller took over Company I.
February Assigned to 2nd Brigade, Provisional Division, Army of the Shenandoah
April 19-21 Moved to Washington. D.C. and attached to 2nd Brigade, Dwight’s Division, 22nd Corps, Dept. of Washington
May 22 Captain Levi Stuber of Company I was promoted to major. Captain Theodore Mink took over Company I.
May 23-24 Grand Review
May 31-June 4 Moved to Savannah, Ga. and assigned to 3rd Brigade, Dwight’s Division, District of Savannah, Ga., Dept. of the South
June 17 To Charleston, S.C. and duty at Charleston and other points in South Carolina
July Attached to 1st Sub-District, South Carolina, Dept. South Carolina
December 25 The 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Colonel Gobin, Lt. Colonel Abbott and Major Stuber