{{Infobox military unit , unit_name= 116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry , image= Flag of Pennsylvania.svg , image_size = 100 , caption=Pennsylvania flag , dates= August 1862 to July 14, 1865 , country=

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

, allegiance= Union , branch=

Infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

, equipment= , battles=

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

First Battle of Deep Bottom
Appomattox Campaign The 116th Pennsylvania Infantry was a volunteer

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. It formed a part of the Irish Brigade.

History

The 116th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was recruited from among the

Irish American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...

s of

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, during the summer of 1862. Dennis Heenan served as its first

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

, St. Clair A. Mulholland as lieutenant colonel, and George H. Bardwell as

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

. At the end of August 1862, the regiment was ordered to report to

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, and was assigned to the Irish Brigade, which was the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, Army of the Potomac. The following month, it was ordered to the

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

, where it saw minor skirmishing. At the

on December 13, the 116th charged up Marye's Heights. Despite losing many of their officers and men, including Colonel Heenan, they remained at the wall until dark. The regiment had lost so many men that it was consolidated into a battalion of four companies under the command of Mulholland. The 116th performed well at the

, where it helped rescue the 5th Maine Battery from capture. In this action, Mulholland earned a

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

. On the second day of the

, the 1st Division was sent into the Wheatfield to support the III Corps, where the 116th engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Caught in a crossfire, the division was forced to retreat. During

Pickett's Charge Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault on July 3, 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg. It was ordered by Confederate General Robert E. Lee as part of his plan to break through Union lines and achieve a decisive victory in the North. T ...

the following day, the regiment supported the 2nd Connecticut Battery but wasn't needed in the fighting. During the following few months, the 116th remained in northern Virginia. In the spring of 1864, Mulholland was given permission to recruit the regiment back to full strength. Enough men were raised in Philadelphia to form Companies E, F, and G in addition to bringing the four companies at the front to strength, though many of the veterans were consolidated into A Company. Companies H, I, and K were raised in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

. Mulholland was promoted to colonel, while Richard C. Dale became lieutenant colonel and John Teed, who had been captured at Gettysburg, major. The 116th fought all through the

Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, towards the end of the American Civil War. Lieutenant general (United States), Lt. G ...

, where it continued to lose heavily in officers and men. Mulholland was wounded at the

and Dale was missing in action. Mulholland was wounded again at the

. Heavy losses continued during the

. In July, the Irish Brigade was broken up and the 116th was assigned to the 4th Brigade, 1st Division. After the Appomattox Campaign, the regiment was sent to

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, where, on June 3, companies A, B, C, and D where mustered out. The remaining companies were mustered out on July 14 in Washington.

Casualties during the war

* Killed and mortally wounded: 8 officers, 137 enlisted men * Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men * Died of disease: 1 officer, 88 enlisted men * Captured or missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men * Total casualties: 9 officers, 225 enlisted men

References

Pennsylvania in the Civil WarReenactors of Company BReenactors of Company D
*Facebook Page: 116th Pennsylvania Vol. Infantry, Company E (Irish Brigade) 116 Irish Brigade (U.S.) 116 1862 establishments in Pennsylvania Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865

History

Casualties during the war

See also

References