8th Pennsylvania Reserves

United States Regiments & Batteries > Pennsylvania > Infantry

(37th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment)

The 8th Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves lost 5 officers and 153 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 68 enlisted men to disease in the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Antietam.

1861
July Organized at Camp Wright, near Pittsburg, from companies recruited but not accepted for three months service, under Colonel George S. Hays, M.D., Lieutenant Colonel S. D. Oliphant and Major John W. Duncan
July 20 Ordered to Washington, D.C., travelling by rail to harrisburg and then Baltimore
July 23 Arrived in Washington and camped on Meridian Hill
August 2 Ordered to Reserve Camp at Tennallytown, Md. Attached to 1st Brigade, McCall’s Pennsylvania Reserves Division, Army of the Potomac
September 4 Skirmish at Great Falls
October At Camp Pierpont, near Langley, Va.
November 21 Major Duncan resigned
December 7 Captain Jesee B. Gardner of Company G promoted to major
1862
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Va.
April 9-19 McDowell’s advance on Falmouth
April-May Duty at Fredericksburg attached to 1st Brigade, McCall’s Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, then to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock
May 23 Major Gardner was dismissed
June 4 Captain Silas Baily of Company I was promoted to major
June 9-11 Moved to White House and attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
June 25-July 1 Seven days before Richmond
June 26
Battles of Mechanicsville

Over one hundred men were killed and wounded and Company F was captured, having been detailed to the skirmish line and not being recalled.
June 27
Gaines Mill

The regiment lost 24 men killed and 18 bdly wounded. Major Baily and Captains Carter, Gallupe Johnson and Wishart were wounded,
June 30
Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale

The regiment lost 16 killed and 14 badly wounded. Colonel Hays was injured when his hose was killed.
July 1 Malvern Hill
July-August At Harrison’s Landing
July 11 Colonel Hays resigned
August 16-26 Movement to join Pope, attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia
August 28 Battles of Gainesville
August 29 Groveton
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run

The regiment lost 5 killed, 17 wounded and 30 missing out of less than one hundred engaged.
September 6-24 Maryland Campaign. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
September 14
Battle of South Mountain

The regiment lost 17 killed, including Lieutenant Carter, and 37 wounded.
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

The regiment was commanded at Antietam by Major Silas M. Baily. It lost 12 men killed and 43 wounded.

From the regiment’s monument on Mansfield Avenue:

Advanced about 600 yards south and became engaged with Hood’s Confederate Division
September -October Duty in Maryland
October 30-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 28 killed, 86 wounded, and 22 captured. Adjutant Ingraham and Lieutenant Miller were killed and Colonel Baily, Captains H. C. Dawson, J. Eichelberger, R. E. Johnston, William Lemon and J. M. Kent, and Lieutenants S. B. Bennington, J. A. Diebold, H. H. Maquilken, Samuel McCandless, and James M. Owen were wounded.
December 29 Lieutenant Colonel Oliphant resigned
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February 6 Ordered to Washington, D.C. and duty there and at Alexandria. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserves Corps, 22nd Corps, Dept. of Washington
March 1 Major Baily was promoted to colonel
March 10 Captain Lemon was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Robert E. Johnston of Company B to major
April Attached to District of Alexandria, 22nd Corps
Septembe 16 Major Johnston resigned
November 2 Captain George S. Gallupe of Company C was promoted to major
1864
April Rapidan Campaign. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 6 killed and 27 wounded.
May 8-17
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment lost 3 killed and 16 wounded.
May 8
Battle of Laurel Hill
May 17 Left the front to muster out
May 24 Mustered out under Colonel Baily, Lieutenant Colonel Lemon and Major Gallupe