62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania

The 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 17 officers and 152 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 89 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
Organized at Pittsburg as 33rd Regiment under Colonel Samuel Black, Major Jacob Sweitzer.
August 31 Left State for Washington, D.C. Camp near Fort Corcoran, Defenses of Washington, D.C.
October Near Fall’s Church, Va.
November 18 Designation changed to 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteers. Attached to Morrell’s Brigade, Fitz John Porter’s Division, Army Potomac. Major Sweitzer was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1862
March 22-28 Moved to the Peninsula. Attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army Potomac
March 30 Reconnaissance to Big Bethel
April 4 Howard’s Mills, near Cockletown
April 5 Warwick Road
April 5-May 4 Siege of Yorktown. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps
May 27 Hanover C. H.
May 27-29 Operations about Hanover C. H.
June 25-July 1 Seven days before Richmond
June 26 Battle of Mechanicsville
June 27
Gaines Mill

Colonel Black was killed. Lieutenant Colonel Sweitzer was wounded and captured, but was promoted to colonel.
June 29 Savage Station
June 30 Turkey Bridge or Malvern Cliff
July 1 Malvern Hill
July-August
At Harrison’s Landing

Colonel Sweitzer was exchanged and returned to command the regiment.
August 16-28 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville
August 30 Second Battle of Bull Run
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Jacob B. Sweitzer. It was in reserve and suffered no casualties.
September 19 Shepherdstown Ford and Blackford’s Ford
October 16-17 Reconnaissance to Smithfield
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 30-31 Expedition to Richard’s and Ellis’ Fords, Rappahannock River
1863
January 20-24 Burnside’s second Campaign, “Mud March”
February-April At Falmouth
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville
June 19 Middleburg
June 21 Upperville
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James C. Hull.

From the monument, located on De Trobriand Avenue: 

Position occupied by the Regiment on the evening of July 2, 1863 after the troops on the right had retired, and where the Brigade had a bayonet contest.

Carried into action: Officers 26, men 400. Killed, Officers 4, men 24. Wounded, Officers 10, men 40. Captured or missing, men 40. Total loss 175.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock
October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7 Rappahannock Station
November 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign
December – May Duty at Bealeton Station
1864
May 4-June 12 Rapidan Campaign
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 8 Laurel Hill
May 12 Assault on the Salient
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 25 Jericho Ford
May 26-28 Line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Battle of Cold Harbor
June 1-3 Bethesda Church
June 16-18 First Assault on Petersburg; Siege of Petersburg
July 3 Left front
July 13 Mustered out. Companies L and M transferred to 91st Pennsylvania. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 155th Pennsylvania.