63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry

The 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment lost 17 officers and 169 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 133 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
August	Organized at Pittsburgh under the command of Colonel Alexander Hays (West Point Class of 1844), Lieutenant Colonel Algernon S.M. Morgan and Major Maurice Wallace. Hays was a twice wounded Mexican War veterans and former Major of the three month 12th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Organization of the Regiment Company A – “Kelly Guards” – Allegheny County – Captain J. M. C. Berringer Company B – “Collier Guards” – Allegheny County – Captain William S. Kirkwood Company C – “Hanna Guards” – Allegheny County – Captain Jason R. Hanna Company D – “Pittsburgh Fire Zouaves” – Allegheny County – Captain Harry O. Ormsbee Company E – “Etna Infantry” – Allegheny County – Captain John A. Danks Company F – Clarion County – Captain Bernard J. Reid Company G – “Morgan Guards” – Allegheny, Venango, and Armstrong Counties – Captain Charles W. McHenry Company H – “McCullough Guards” – Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Captain C. B. McCullough Company I – “McKeesport Rifle Grays” – McKeesport, Allegheny County – Captain James F. Ryan Company K – “Hays Guards” – Allegheny County – Captain Charles W. Chapman
August 26	An order was issued by the War Department that all men who had been enlisted “whether in companies or singly, should be sent to Washington without a moment’s delay.” Companies A & B under Captains J. M. C. Berringer and William S. Kirkwood along with several unattached squads, a total of about 400 men without weapons or equipment, left Pennsylvania for Washington, D. C.
End of September	The regiment completed recruiting and the balance of the men were sent to Washington.
October	Crossed the Potmac and encamped near Fort Lyon. Attached to Jameson’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, Army of the Potomac.
November 12	Reconnaissance to Pohick Church and the Occoquan
December 15	Captain C. B. McCullough of Company H resigned. Sergeant William Keenan was promoted to Captain of Company H.
1862
March 5	Pohick Church and the Occoquan Lieutenant Colonel A.S.M. Morgan led a detachment of 100 men on the picket line that was attacked by Confederates. Captain Captain Charles W. Chapman of Company K was killed. First Lieuetenant William Hays Brown was promoted to Captain of Company K. Quartermaster James M. Lysle was killed.
March 13	Captain Harry O. Ormsbee of Company D resigned.
March 16-18	Peninsula Campaign Moved by water to the Virginia Peninsula. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army Potomac
April 5-May 4	Siege of Yorktown The regiment was posted to low, swampy ground about two miles from town. There was a great deal of sickness and a number of deaths which greatly outnumber those from encounters with the enemy on the picket line.
April 14	Captain William Keenan of Company H was discharged. First Lieutenant Hugh B. Fulton was promoted to Captain of Company H.
May 4	Captain William Hays Brown died. First Lieutenant Theodore Bagaley was promoted to Captain of Company K.
May 5	Battle of Williamsburg
May 13	First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Dunham was promoted to Captain of Compay D.
May 21	Captain William H. Jeffries of Company H resigned.
May 31-June 1	Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) Lieutenant Colonel Morgan was wounded in both hips Captain Danks of Company E was wounded in the leg. First Lieutenant William Smith of Company A and Quartermaster William N. Haymaker were wounded.
June 15	Captain Jason R. Hanna of Company C resigned.
June 19-20	Major Maurice Wallace resigned. Captain William S. Kirkwood of Company B was promoted to Major.
June 21	First Lieutenant John G. McGonagle of Company F was killed.
June 25-July 1	Seven days before Richmond
June 25	Oak Grove First Lieutenant S. Hays Cochran of Company G was killed.
June 26	First Lieutenant George W. Gray was promoted to Captain of Company C.
June 30	Glendale
July 1	Malvern Hill
July 19	First Lieutenant Timothy L. Maynard was promoted to Captain of Company B.
July 26	Captain J. M. C. Berringer of Company A was dismissed and Second Lieutenant William Smith was promoted to Captain of Company A. Captain Benjamin F. Dunham of Company D was dismissed and Sergeant William J. Thompson was promoted to Captain of Company D. First Lieutenant George W. Gray was promoted to Captain of Company C.
August 1	Captain Bernard J. Reid of Company F resigned.
August 4	First Lieutenant George W. McCulloch was promoted to Captain of Company F.
August 16-26	Movement to Centreville. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps
August 27	Bristoe Station or Kettle Run and Buckland’s Bridge, Broad Run
August 29	Battle of Brawner’s Farm Captain William S. Kirkwood was wounded
August 30	Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) The 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was commanded at Second Bull Run by Colonel Alexander Hays. It took part in the bayonet charge against Jackson’s position along the Unfinished Railroad. From the trailside marker on the Battlefield: As the word “Charge!” rang out, we dashed forward with gleaming bayonets and loud yells on the enemy. It was desperate work. The enemy waited until we got close up and then poured such a withering volley into our line that it seemed to shrivel up and reel back. Rapidly rallying, we made another effort to face the iron storm, but the fire was too murderous and we were again compelled to fall back, leaving behind many of our dead and wounded. – Gilbert A. Hays, A.D.C. Colonel Alexander Hays was wounded Captain James F. Ryan took command of the regiment until he was also wounded Second Lieutenant William J. Marks of Company E was mortally wounded. First Lieutenant George W. Fox of Company F was wounded
September 1	Battle of Chantilly
September-October	Duty in the Defenses of Washington and guarding fords in Maryland
September 22-29	Colonel Alexander Hays was promoted to Brigadier General. Lieutenant Colonel Algernon S.M. Morgan was promoted to Colonel, although he never returned from his Fair Oaks wounds Major William Kirkwood was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel Captain John A. Danks of Company E was promoted to Major First Lieutenant John McClellan was promoted to Captain of Company E
October 11-November 19	March up the Potomac to Leesburg, then to Falmouth, Va.
November 10-13	Captain George W. Gray of Company C resigned. Captain Charles W. McHenry of Company G was discharged.
December 12-15	Battle of Fredericksburg Captain Hugh B. Fulton of Company H was mortally wounded.
December 15	Captain Theodore Bagaley of Company K was discharged. First Lieutenant George B. Chalmers was promoted to Captain of Company K.
December 19	Captain James F. Ryan of Company I was promoted to Major.
December 21	First Lieutenant William H. Jeffries was promoted to Captain of Company H.
1863
January 20-24	Burnside’s second Campaign, “Mud March”
February-April	At Falmouth
February 27	Second Lieutenant George Weaver was promoted to Captain of Company C.
April 18	Colonel Algernon S.M. Morgan was discharged for disability from his Fair Oaks wounds. He had never returned to the regiment. Lieutenant Colonel William S. Kirkwood was promoted to Colonel.
April 27-May 6	Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5	Battle of Chancellorsville The 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment lost 10 killed or mortally wounded, 43 wounded, and 18 men missing. Lieutenant Colonel William S. Kirkwood was mortally wounded in the leg and chest Captains William Smith of Company A and William J. Thompson of Company D were killed Second Lieutenant William Weeks of Company H was mortally wounded Major Danks was wounded and captured Captain George W. McCulloch of Company F and First Lieutenant I.N. Fenstermacher of Company F were wounded Captain James F. Ryan took command of the regiment First Lieutenant William P. Hunker was promoted to Captain of Company A
May 19	First Lieutenant Isaac Moorhead was promoted to Captain of Company G.
June 11-July 24	Gettysburg Campaign
June 25	Colonel Kirkwood died of his Chancellorsville wound in Alexandria, Virginia.
May 23	Major Danks was paroled and returned to the regiment with a promotion to lieutenant colonel.
July 1	Lieutenant Colonel Danks was promoted to colonel First Lieutenant G. Emanuel Gross was promoted to Captain of Company D First Lieutenant Daniel Dougherty was promoted to Captain of Company H
July 1-3	Battle of Gettysburg The 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was commanded by Colonel Danks. It fought north of the Peach Orchard on July 2 From the monument to the 63rd Pesnnsylvania Infantry at Getysburg: Present at Gettysburg 296 officers and men Killed 1 man; Wounded 3 officers and 26 men Captured or missing 4 men
July 5-24	Pursuit of Lee
July 23	Whapping Heights, Va.
September 18	Major John A. Danks was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
August-September	Duty on line of the Rappahannock
October 9-22	Bristoe Campaign
October 13-14	Auburn and Bristoe
November 7-8	Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 8	Kelly’s Ford Captain Timothy L. Maynard of Company B was killed. First Lieutenant David S. Shields of Company F was wounded.
November 26-December 2	Mine Run Campaign
November 27	Payne’s Farm
December 19	Captain James F. Ryan of Company I was promoted to Major.
1864
January 3	First Lieutenant Robert A. Nesbit was promoted to Captain of Company B First Lieutenant Winfield C. McIntosh was promoted to Captain of Company I
February 6-7	Demonstration on the Rapidan
March	Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps
April 1	Major James F. Ryan was discharged.
April 5	Captain George W. McCullough of Company F was promoted to Major and First Lieutenant David S. Shields was promoted to Captain of Company F.
April 22	Captain G. Emanuel Gross of Company D was discharged. First Sergeant David Glass took command of the company until it mustered out.
May 4-June 12	Rapidan Campaign
May 5-7	Battle of the Wilderness Major General Alexander Hays, the regiment’s original Colonel, was killed. He is honored by a monument on the battlefield. Major George W. McCullough was killed. Colonel Danks was wounded a third time, in the arm and hand.
May 8-21	Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 8	Laurel Hill
May 10	Po River
May 12	Assault on the Salient Corporal John M. Kindig of Company A was awarded the Medal of Honor for the “Capture of flag of 28th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.)“
May 19	Battle of Harris’ Farm
May 23-26	North Anna River Captain Daniel Dougherty of Company H was mortally wounded.
May 26-28	Line of the Pamunkey
May 29-31	Totopotomoy Adjutant William M. M’Granahan died of his wounds.
June 1-12	Battle of Cold Harbor First Lieutenant David A. Strachan of Company B was mortally wounded. Captain David S. Shields of Company F was discharged
June 16-18	First Assault on Petersburg Captain Isaac Moorhead of Company G was killed. First Lieutenant James S. Williams of Company G was wounded.
June 22-23	Weldon Railroad First Lieutenant R. Howard Miller of Company E was wounded.
July 27-29	Demonstration on north side of the James River at Deep Bottom
July 27-28	Deep Bottom
July 30	Mine Explosion (Reserve)
August 1-5	Most of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment mustered out. Lieutenant Colonel John A. Danks mustered out Company A was mustered out under the command of Captain William P. Hunker. Company B was mustered out under the command of Captain Robert A. Nesbit Company C was mustered out under the command of Captain George Weaver Company D was mustered out under the command of First Sergeant David Glass Company E was mustered out. Captain John McClellan was absent on recruiting service. Company G was mustered out under the command of First Lieutenant James S. Williams Company H mustered out under the command of Second Lieutenant Charles McMahon Company K mustered out under the command of Captain George B. Chalmers
August 13-20	Demonstration on north side of the James
August 14-18	Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom
September 5	Veterans and Recruits transferred to 105th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment
September 19	Company I mustered out. Captain Winfield C. McIntosh was wounded and absent at the time.

Organization of the Regiment

Pohick Church and the Occoquan

Peninsula Campaign

Siege of Yorktown

Battle of Williamsburg

Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines)

Seven days before Richmond

Oak Grove

Glendale

Malvern Hill

From the trailside marker on the Battlefield:

Chancellorsville Campaign

Gettysburg Campaign

From the monument to the 63rd Pesnnsylvania Infantry at Getysburg:

Whapping Heights, Va.

Bristoe Campaign

Auburn and Bristoe

Kelly’s Ford

Mine Run Campaign

Payne’s Farm

Rapidan Campaign

Po River

North Anna River

Totopotomoy

Demonstration on north side of the James River at Deep Bottom

Deep Bottom

Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom