The 91st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was a Union infantry regiment which fought in multiple key engagements of the American Civil War, including the Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Chancellorsville and Battle of Gettysburg. It was established through the combined efforts of Edgar M. Gregory, who had received approval from the U.S. War Department to begin recruiting soldiers for an entirely new regiment during the fall of 1861, and Edward E. Wallace, who had initiated his own recruitment efforts that October. Their recruits were volunteers, the majority of whom initially enlisted for three-year terms of service from their hometown of Philadelphia; they were divided into 10 lettered companies upon muster in during early December 1861: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K. (In later years, as the war dragged on and the need for reinforcements arose, additional men were drafted from communities across the state.)Bates, Samuel P. History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Vol. III. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: B. Singerly, State Printer, 1870, pp. 186–233.
The men who enrolled with the 91st Pennsylvania wore modified Zouave uniforms (dark blue Zouave-style jacket and vest with yellow trim, sky blue sash, sky blue pantaloons, and red fez with blue tassel).Lord, Francis A. Uniforms of the Civil War. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., pp. 72–73. The regiment's leaders were presented with the unit's First State Color on December 6, a flag which had been manufactured by Horstmann Brothers and Company."91st Infantry", in "Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flags." Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee, retrieved online June 30, 2018.
After serving for almost four years, they officially mustered out on July 10, 1865, and disbanded upon their return to Philadelphia.Bates, History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Vol. III, p. 193.
History The regiment, which was made up of 10 lettered companies (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K), was raised near Philadelphia during the fall of 1861. The majority of its men were volunteers who had initially enlisted for three-year tours of duty. After enrolling with the 91st Pennsylvania, they officially mustered in with their regiment for Federal service on December 4 of that year, and received basic training at Camp Chase, Gray's Ferry in Schuylkill County Bates, p. 186.
Field and staff officers included: Edgar I. Gregory (colonel), Edward E. Wallace (lieutenant colonel), Isaac D. Knight, M.D. (surgeon), and George W. Todd (major). The first commanding officers of each company were: Frank B. Gilbert (A); Alpheus H. Bowman (B); Peter Keyser (C); Joseph Hill Sinex (D), who was promoted to second in command of the regiment in 1863; John D. Lentz (E), who was promoted to third in command of the regiment in 1862; Albert C. Fetters (F); Eli G. Sellers (G), who was promoted to second in command of the regiment in 1864; Charles S. Brown (H); John P. Carie (I); and John F. Casner (K), who was promoted to third in command of the regiment in 1865.Bates, pp.186, 194–233."Civil War Veterans' Card File, 1861–1866." Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State Archives.
January through November 1862
Ordered to Washington, D.C., on January 21, 1862, the regiment made camp three miles outside of the city along Bladensburg Road.Bates, p. 186. Beginning on February 28, 1862, Company A was assigned to guard duty at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C., with Company E assigned to patrol duties in the city. On March 19, Company D was assigned to duties at the central guard house, and Company G was moved to Long Bridge for duties there while the remainder of the regiment continued to reside at the regiment's barracks at Franklin Square."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," in "Pennsylvania in the American Civil War." PA-Roots: Retrieved online July 4, 2018.Bates, p. 186.
Less than two months into these new duty assignments, an incident occurred which made newspaper headlines. According to The Evening Star, while Ambrose Baker of C Company was on guard duty at the Old Capitol Prison during the morning of April 21, he shot Jesse B. Wharton, a political prisoner, because Wharton was looking out of a window on the prison's south side at him while he [Baker] was embroiled in an argument with another guard. Struck in the head by a ball from Baker's gun at roughly 11 a.m, Wharton died around 3 p.m. Despite claims that he had been ordered by his superior officer, Lt. Milligan, to shoot any prisoners looking out of windows, Baker was arrested."Fifty Years Ago in the Star: Prisoner Killed." Washington, D.C.: The Evening Star, April 28, 1912, p. 4.
Six days later, the regiment was ordered to Alexandria, Virginia, where it relieved the 88th Pennsylvania and was assigned to provost (military police) duty with Col. Gregory and Capt. Joseph H. Sinex appointed, respectively, as military governor and provost marshal of the city."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 186. Gregory was headquartered "at Mr. C. A. Baldwin's, on St. Asaph street," according to the Alexandria Gazette."Col. Gregory" (provost notice). Alexandria, District of Columbia: Alexandria Gazette, May 13, 1862, p. 2, col. 1.
Relieved by the 94th New York on August 21, the 91st Pennsylvania was attached next to the U.S. Army's 5th Corps, 1st Brigade, 2nd Division which had been ordered to join Gen. John Pope's forces. Stationed near Cloud's Mills, Virginia until August 28, the 91st Pennsylvania then served as an escort for eighty-seven wagons being moved to the Fairfax Court House, but was ordered back to camp upon reaching Annandale. Stationed at Fort Ellsworth from August 29–30, the 91st made camp at Fort Stevenson from September 1–12, when it moved on."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 186.
Next engaged in duties on the Monocacy Creek as part the Union's Maryland Campaign beginning September 15, the 91st Pennsylvania moved to Antietam three days later."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 186. Connecting with the Third Division on October 16, the 91st crossed the Potomac River on a valley reconnaissance mission, during which it skirmished with Confederate States Army (CSA) troops at Shepherdstown. On October 30, the regiment was moved to Warrenton as part of the Union Army's reorganization during the leadership transition from generals George B. McClellan to Ambrose Burnside. Encamped at Stoneman's Switch from mid-November to December 11, the 91st Pennsylvania then marched to the Phillips House as part of the lead-up to the Battle of Fredericksburg."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, pp. 186–187.
Battle of Fredericksburg Crossing the Rappahannock River at 9 o'clock on the morning of December 13, the 91st Pennsylvanians were quickly involved in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Ordered to support the 2nd Corps, regimental leaders marched their men through Fredericksburg, and stationed them behind the stone walls of a cemetery outside of the city, a post they held until ordered onto the Union's Fredericksburg Road line, where they were subject to heavy artillery fire and sustained several casualties, including the combat deaths of Lt. George Murphy and Maj. Todd.Bates, p. 187. Todd sustained his mortal wound "when a shot tore off his right leg," according to historian Francis Augustin O'Reilly.O'Reilly, Francis Augustin. The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, p. 406. The Alexandria Gazette reported that Col. Gregory of the 91st had also been shot in the hand during the battle."General News." Alexandria, District of Columbia: Alexandria Gazette, December 20, 1862.
During a charge on CSA lines begun at 5 o'clock that evening, the 91st lost an additional two officers and 87 men."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 187.
Ordered to retreat at 8 p.m., the 91st Pennsylvania marched back into Fredericksburg. Four hours later, it was ordered back out to the front, where it assisted in transferring wounded men from where they had fallen to the care of Union medical personnel, working until sunrise. On December 15, the regiment engaged in the construction of earthenworks, and was also ordered to protect the Richmond Railroad on picket duty."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, pp. 187–188.
The Mud March and its aftermath Beginning January 20, 1863, the 91st Pennsylvania joined Gen. Ambrose Burnside's Mud March during which it helped build corduroy roads to facilitate troop and equipment movements. When Union lines became bogged down and were unable to progress further, the regiment then returned to camp. By this time, the regiment was under the command of Joseph H. Sinex, who had been placed in charge following the departure of Lt. Col. Wallace, who had been honorably discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability on January 10."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 188.
At the end of February, the Alexandria Gazette noted that the regiment had presented its commanding officer, Col. E. M. Gregory, "with an elegant sword, and a splendid horse, in token "of their approbation of his gallant conduct at the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13th.'" The newspaper also noted that the regiment was part of Humphrey's Division at this time, and was encamped at Falmouth."War News." Alexandria, District of Columbia: Alexandria Gazette, February 26, 1863, p. 1.
The regiment was divided beginning April 13 when its left wing was ordered to Banks' Ford and its right to United States Ford, and assigned to picket duty until relieved on April 25 by the 155th Pennsylvania."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 188.
Battle of Chancellorsville Three days later, on April 28, the 91st Pennsylvanians joined other Union troops from the 5th, 11th and 12th Corps in a march toward Chancellor House. Crossing Kelly's and Ely's Fords, they reached their destination during the morning of May 1, 1863. At noon, they were ordered to march again for Banks' Ford but, while en route, were redirected to Richardson's Ford, where they joined the Union Army's lines at the right during the Battle of Chancellorsville. While in this position, they dug entrenchments and built earthenworks until relieved of these duties by soldiers from the 11th Corps at 6 p.m. on May 3."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, p. 188.
Ordered back to Chancellor House, the 91st Pennsylvanians advanced into a tangled, wooded area, where they skirmished briefly with CSA troops before moving on. As they approached the CSA's main force, they fell under withering fire, but held their ground until noon when they were forced to withdraw due to their severely depleted ammunition supplies. Leaving dead and wounded men behind, they were assaulted by intense artillery fire during their retreat, but were able to regroup and be reposted at the fork of the Chancellorsville and United States Ford roads, where they remained until noon the next day (May 4) when they were ordered to move to the rear of the Union's lines and resume work on fortifications. Ordered back to the front that evening, they protected other retreating soldiers before being ordered to return to camp."91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers," PA-Roots.Bates, pp. 188–189.