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55th Pennsylvania Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Harrisburg November, 1861.1
Muster Out: Mustered out at Petersburg. Va., August 30, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Captain George H. Hill
Commander Image

Captain John C. Shearer
Commander Image

Captain William G. Moore
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army3,4

Second Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army7,8

Third Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union11,12

  • Commander: Captain John C. Shearer (July 31, 1864)13
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army14

  • Commander: Captain John C. Shearer (August 31, 1864)15
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army16,17

  • Commander: Captain George H. Hill (September 29, 1864)18
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army19

  • Commander: Captain John C. Shearer (October 31, 1864)20
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 55th Pennsylvania appears not to have participated in the Battle of Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road on October 27-28, 1864 because it is not listed on the Union casualty returns for the battle.21

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

First Brigade | Second Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (November 1-December 3, 1864)22

Fourth Brigade | First Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 3-31, 1864)23

  • Commander: Captain George H. Hill (December 31, 1864)24
  • Unit Strength: 373 officers and men PFD (November 22, 1864)25
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 55th Pennsylvania was stationed in Fort Burnham on at least November 22 to 26, 1864.26,27
  • Note: On December 3, 1864, the X Corps and XVIII Corps of the Army of the James were reorganized into the XXIV Corps and the XXV Corps.

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Fourth Brigade | First Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army28,29

  • Commander:
    • Captain George H. Hill (January 31, 1865)30
    • Captain William G. Moore (February 28, 1865)31
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Fourth Brigade | First Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army32,33

  • Commander: Captain George H. Hill (March 31, 1865)34
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles35:

  • Before Petersburg June 15-18.
  • Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Support).
  • Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, north of James River September 28-30.
  • Duty in trenches before Richmond until March, 1865.
  • Signal Hill December 10, 1864.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 26-April 9.
  • Hatcher’s and Gravelly Runs March 29-30.
  • Capture of Forts Gregg and Baldwin and fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Rice’s Station April 6.
  • Appomattox C. H. April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.
  • At Appomattox C. H. until April 17, and at Richmond until July.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 236 ↩
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 555 ↩
    5. “Army Correspondence.” The Bedford Inquirer (Bedford, PA), December 9, 1864, p.1, c.4 to 6: “Capt. G. H. Hill, as brave an officer as ever trod upon a battlefield, commanded the regiment.” ↩
    6. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 55th Pennsylvania Entry, Page 48; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 236 ↩
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 555 ↩
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 555 ↩
    10. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 55th Pennsylvania Entry, Page 48; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C. ↩
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 266 ↩
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 740 ↩
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 740 ↩
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 621: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 621: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
    16. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1304. ↩
    17. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 135: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
    18. “Army Correspondence.” The Bedford Inquirer (Bedford, PA), December 9, 1864, p.1, c.4 to 6: “At the appointed time the line was formed, and the troops marched towards the James. Capt. Hill commanded the regiment.” ↩
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 466: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 466: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 151: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
    22.  A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1124: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1124: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
    25. “Army Correspondence.” The Bedford Inquirer (Bedford, PA), December 9, 1864, p.1, c.4 to 6: “When our regiment started in the campaign it was 1400 strong, but now it reports only 373 for duty.” ↩
    26. “Army Correspondence.” The Bedford Inquirer (Bedford, PA), December 9, 1864, p.1, c.4 to 6: “Our regiment is now in the Fort, but since it was entered by its present occupants, the name has been changed to Ft. Burnham.” ↩
    27. “From the James.” The Bedford Inquirer (Bedford, PA), November 26, 1864, p.1, c.6. ↩
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 334: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 748: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 334: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
    31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 748: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865) ↩
    32. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 578: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 594: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
    34. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 578: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
    35. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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