Organization of the regiment:

• Company A – Schuylkill County – Captain Jeremiah B. Brandt
• Company B – Reading, Berks County – Captain Hervey Herman
• Company C – Schuylkill County – Captain Daniel P. Burket
• Company D – Montrose, Susquehanna County – Captain Gordon Z. Dimock
• Company E – Reading, Berks County – Captain William H. Diehl
• Company F – Lancaster, Lancaster County – Captain A. W. Bolenius
• Company G – Towanda, Bradford County – Captain William A. Telford
• Company H – Reading, Berks County – Captain Charles Parker
• Company I – Luzerne County – Captain Samuel F. Bossar
• Company K – Monroe, Bradford County – Captain James B. Ingham

Sherman’s Expedition to Port Royal, S. C.

Colonel Christ with Companies A – E sailed on the steamer Winfield Scott. The rest of the regiment embarked on the Ocean Queen. The Scott was shipwrecked off coast of Cape Hatteras, losing all the regiment’s equipment and supplies.

Battle of the Coosaw

Crossed the Coosaw River and captured a fort under construction at Port Royal Ferry. Duty at Port Royal Island, S.C.

Pocotaligo

The regiment was ordered to burn a railroad bridge in support of General Hunter’s Demonstration against Charleston. To reach the objective they had to approach a the Confederate position by a narrow quarter mile long causeway across a marsh and a stream. The Confederates had removed the planks from the bridge. The only way to cross was by running across the narrow causeway under heavy fireand walking across the bare bridge stringers.

Captain Charles Parker of Company H volunteered to lead his company across the bridge. They were successful and six companies managed to cross. The bridge planks was replaced and cavalry pursued the enemy for a distance, but reinforcements arrived, ammunition was running low, and it was decided to withdraw. while the objective had not been achieved, many Confederates had been drawn away from Hunter. The cost was 4 men killed and 9 wounded. Captain Parker was killed leading his men across.

He was replaced by Captain John A. Rodgers.

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

Battle of Groveton (Brawner Farm)

Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

On the first day the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was temporarily attached to Schurz’s Division of Sigel’s Corps, fighting on the right wing. That night it returned to the Ninth Corps

Captain Dimock reported,

“In the second day’s fight we lost less, but fought harder. Stevens’ Brigade drove the whole line in front of it, and we supposed we had gained a victory. I heard Captain Lusk, aid to General Stevens, order Colonel Christ to bring his men out of the woods. He did so, faced his men towards the enemy, and ordered rest after giving three cheers for victory. We had scarcely laid down before Captain Lusk returned in great excitement exclaiming,’For G —s sake,Colonel Christ, get your men away from here.’

We now observed as it grew dark that the fighting to the right and left of us was terrific, that the two wings were driven far back of us, and that we were nearly inclosed as in a horse-shoe. We made a hasty retreat and were soon after joined by General Stevens, who said that the Eighth Michigan was still missing. In less than five minutes after his arrival a volley from the enemy forced us again to fall back.”

Five men were killed and six wounded, with a number taken prisoner. Lieutenant Colonel Brenholtz was wounded. With Colonel Christ commanding the brigade, Major Overton took over the regiment. Captain A. W. Bolenius of Company F was also wounded, and would be discharged in April of 1863.

Battle of Chantilly

The 50th Pennsylvania lost a quarter of its men, including 7 men killed.

Maryland Campaign

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, Army of the Potomac

Battle of South Mountain

The regiment fought at Turner’s Gap.

Battle of Antietam

Colonel Christ continued to command the brigade. The 50th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was commanded by Major Edward Overton until he was severely wounded in the advance from Burnside’s Bridge. The regiment “charged with great spirit and gallantry, and attained a position in advance of the Union lines, where it was exposed to a terrible cross-fire of artillery; but it maintained its position until the rebels were forced to retreat.”* After Major Overton was wounded Captain William Diehl of Company E took command of the regiment.

*Bates, Samuel P., History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg: 1868-1871

From the War Department marker for Christ’s Brigade along Rodman Avenue at Antietam:

On the morning of the 17th Christ’s Brigade was in reserve on the eastern slope of the ridge on the left bank of the Antietam, nearly opposite the Burnside Bridge.

About 2 P.M., after Sturgis’ Division had carried the bridge, the Brigade crossed and, following the stream and road to Sharpsburg, filed to the right where the course of the former diverged to the east and formed line on the narrow plateau at the foot of the bluff southeast of this point. After the formation of the Corps line, the Brigade advanced, under a heavy fire from Cemetery Hill and the high ground west of the road, to within a few yards of this point where it was checked. After a short delay the 79th New York advanced as skirmishers and compelled the Confederate Artillery to retire. The Brigade was about to move forward, when the attack of A.P. Hill on the left of the Corps obliged it to fall back to the Antietam, where it remained until the evening of the 18th, when it was relieved by Morell’s Division of the Fifth Corps.

The regiment lost 8 men killed, 46 wounded and 3 missing. Captain James B. Ingham of Company K was killed.

First Lieutenant Sam’l K. Schwenk was promoted to Captain of Company A, and First Lieutenant A. J. Huntzinger was promoted to Captain of Company K.

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment was on picket duty but not engaged.

Burnside’s 2nd Campaign (Mud March)

Siege of Vicksburg, Miss.

The 50th Pennsylvania was posted at Haine’s Bluff.

Siege of Jackson

The regiment was deployed as skirmishers in front of the enemy’s works. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas S. Brenholtz was mortally wounded and would die on August 19.

Burnside’s Campaign in East Tennessee

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps, Army of the Ohio

Action at Blue Springs, Tenn.

Knoxville Campaign

Campbell’s Station

The regiment narrowly escaped being trapped by Longstreet’s advance. All unnecessary items were thrown away to continue slogging through the deep mud., including officers’ baggage and regimental books and papers. At Campbell’s Station the men made a stand, holding off the enemy until the trains and artillery had reached safety.

Siege of Knoxville

The 50th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment built fortification, living on quarter rations of fresh pork and corncob bread. tThe 50th was in fire pits on the left wing of the defenses.

When Longstreet launched his attack on November 29 two companies were sent to Fort Sanders to aid the defenders, which repelled the assault with great slaughter.

“The march to Nicholasville, a distance of two hundred miles, was performed in ten days. Many of the men were barefoot and the earth was covered with snow. Before leaving their camps they had drawn thirty raw hides from which they made moccasins; but during the middle of the day, whenthe roads were soft, the green hide became pliable and so stretched that they could not be kept upon the feet. As they passed over the rough roads of the mountain regions, the chilling blasts of winter swept their shivering ranks, andto add to their distresses, they were nearly perishing with hunger.”

The Veterans drew rations and clothing at Nicholasville, and proceeded to Pennsylvania. They arrived in Harrisburg on February 2, where they began their furlough.

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment was thrown directly into the fighting, losing 17 men killed, and 53 men wounded and missing. The regiment served as rear guard for the Ninth Corps in its movement to Spotsylvania.

Corporal Henry Hill of Company C was awarded the Medal of Honor. “This soldier, with one companion, would not retire when his regiment fell back in confusion after an unsuccessful charge, but instead advanced and continued firing upon the enemy until the regiment re-formed and regained its position.

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

Christ’s Brigade seized the heights along the Ny river. Lieutenant Colonel Overton led the regiment in a bayonet charge up the steep hill, losing 120 casualties. Captain H. E. Cleaveland of Company H was killed.

Assault on the Salient

The regiment supported Hancock’s great attack on the Salient with hand to hand fighting on the left flank. Adjutant Henry T. Kendall, three sergeants, and twenty-five privates were taken prisoner.

North Anna River

The regiment was engaged every day until the Army reached Cold Harbor, losing a few casualties each day.

Ox Ford

Line of the Pamunkey

Totopotomoy

Battle of Cold Harbor

The regiment lost eight men killed. Colonel Benjamin Christ was wounded,and Captain Henry A. Lantz of company E and several men were killed.

Siege of Petersburg

Mine Explosion (The Crater)

The 50th Pennsylvania was in support of the assault. It reached the Crater but could not advance into it due to the huge crush of men. and was forced back, losing three men killed and several wounded.

Weldon Railroad

The regiment marched to the Weldon Railroad to tear up tracks, breaking the supply line to Petersburg. It threw back two attacks in two days.

Sergeant Charles Brown of Company C earned the Medal of Honor for capturing the colors of the 47th Virginia Infantry Regiment

Poplar Springs Church or Peeble’s Farm

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run

Fort Stedman

Major Samuel K. Schwenk was in temporary command of the regiment.

Appomattox Campaign

Fall of Petersburg