90th Pennsylvania Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 90th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was a volunteer infantry
regiment
which served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. They wore a chassuer uniform. The uniform consisted of a dark blue habit veste with white trimming, baggy sky blue trousers, and a dark blue kepi. The buttons on the habit veste was unique to the 90th Pennsylvania. They were the only Union regiment in the entire war to have a specific button design.
, William A. Leech lieutenant colonel
and Alfred J. Sellers major
. Recruitment started in early September 1861 and by December 900 men were raised. It was first sent to Baltimore and then to Washington, D.C.
. Once there, it became part of the I Corps
, Army of the Potomac
, assigned to the 2nd Brigade, Second Division.
After several months of garrison duty and railroad repair, the 90th was sent along with the rest of its division to the Shenandoah Valley
to stop Major General
T.J. Jackson
's force, but did not get into any battles. In June, it was assigned to Major General John Pope
's Army of Virginia
. The regiment relieved part of the Union force after the Battle of Cedar Mountain
. It lost 200 men during the Second Battle of Bull Run
.
At the Battle of Antietam
, the 90th fought in the Cornfield in support of the Pennsylvania Reserves
. Total losses during this battle were ninety-eight, including several officers. Lyle was promoted to command of the brigade, with Leech taking command of the regiment. Missing the Battle of Fredericksburg
in December, it did fight on the Union left during the Battle of Chancellorsville
.
On July 1, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg
, it was placed in support of the Union line on McPherson's Ridge. Forced to retreat with the rest of the I Corps, it was assigned with the rest of the division to the southern end of Cemetery Ridge
. The chaplain of the regiment, Horatio Stockton Howell
, was cruelly murdered on the steps of the Lutheran Church during the retreat. Lyle was temporarily appointed to command of the 1st Brigade, with Sellers taking over the regiment. It did not fight during the rest of the battle, suffering only some shelling.
In early 1864, the I Corps was consolidated into the V Corps
, with the 90th forming part of the 1st Brigade, Second Division. The regiment lost heavily during the Overland Campaign
, losing 124 out of 251 men at the Battle of the Wilderness
and another hundred at Spotsylvania Court House
. On May 6, Lyle was placed in command of the 1st Brigade, Second Division. Since both Leech and Major Jacob M. Davis were on detached duty, Captain William P. Davis took command of the regiment.
The 90th fought in the Siege of Petersburg
. On June 24, both Leech and Jacob Davis returned to the regiment, with Leech assuming command. At the Battle of Globe Tavern
, Leech, Jacob Davis, and about 90 men were captured when the Confederates
overran its position. Another twenty men were killed or wounded. William Davis took command of the regiment again.
The original term of service for the 90th ran out on November 26. Those eligible for discharge were sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and the regiment was disbanded. The veterans and recruits whose enlistments had not expired yet were assigned to the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry
.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
which served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. They wore a chassuer uniform. The uniform consisted of a dark blue habit veste with white trimming, baggy sky blue trousers, and a dark blue kepi. The buttons on the habit veste was unique to the 90th Pennsylvania. They were the only Union regiment in the entire war to have a specific button design.
History
The regiment was formed from the 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade, First Division of the Pennsylvania Militia. Peter Lyle was selected colonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, William A. Leech lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and Alfred J. Sellers major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. Recruitment started in early September 1861 and by December 900 men were raised. It was first sent to Baltimore and then to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Once there, it became part of the I Corps
I Corps (ACW)
I Corps was the designation of three different corps-sized units in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The units served in the following armies:...
, Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
, assigned to the 2nd Brigade, Second Division.
After several months of garrison duty and railroad repair, the 90th was sent along with the rest of its division to the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to stop Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
T.J. Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
's force, but did not get into any battles. In June, it was assigned to Major General John Pope
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
's Army of Virginia
Army of Virginia
The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...
. The regiment relieved part of the Union force after the Battle of Cedar Mountain
Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
. It lost 200 men during the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
.
At the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, the 90th fought in the Cornfield in support of the Pennsylvania Reserves
Pennsylvania Reserves
The Pennsylvania Reserves were an infantry division in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Noted for its famous commanders and high casualties, it served in the Eastern Theater, and fought in many important battles, including Antietam and Gettysburg....
. Total losses during this battle were ninety-eight, including several officers. Lyle was promoted to command of the brigade, with Leech taking command of the regiment. Missing the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
in December, it did fight on the Union left during the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
.
On July 1, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, it was placed in support of the Union line on McPherson's Ridge. Forced to retreat with the rest of the I Corps, it was assigned with the rest of the division to the southern end of Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the Union Army during the battle, roughly the center of...
. The chaplain of the regiment, Horatio Stockton Howell
Horatio Stockton Howell
Horatio Stockton Howell was a Union Army chaplain killed in downtown Gettysburg on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg.-Biography:...
, was cruelly murdered on the steps of the Lutheran Church during the retreat. Lyle was temporarily appointed to command of the 1st Brigade, with Sellers taking over the regiment. It did not fight during the rest of the battle, suffering only some shelling.
In early 1864, the I Corps was consolidated into the V Corps
V Corps (ACW)
The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...
, with the 90th forming part of the 1st Brigade, Second Division. The regiment lost heavily during the Overland Campaign
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, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
, losing 124 out of 251 men at the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
and another hundred at Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
. On May 6, Lyle was placed in command of the 1st Brigade, Second Division. Since both Leech and Major Jacob M. Davis were on detached duty, Captain William P. Davis took command of the regiment.
The 90th fought in the Siege of Petersburg
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...
. On June 24, both Leech and Jacob Davis returned to the regiment, with Leech assuming command. At the Battle of Globe Tavern
Battle of Globe Tavern
The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under...
, Leech, Jacob Davis, and about 90 men were captured when the Confederates
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
overran its position. Another twenty men were killed or wounded. William Davis took command of the regiment again.
The original term of service for the 90th ran out on November 26. Those eligible for discharge were sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and the regiment was disbanded. The veterans and recruits whose enlistments had not expired yet were assigned to the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry
11th Pennsylvania Infantry
The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was a Union army regiment that participated in the American Civil War. It had the distinction of being the oldest unit in continuous service from Pennsylvania.-History:...
.
Casualties
- Killed and mortally wounded: 5 officers, 98 enlisted men
- Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Died of disease: 1 officer, 126 enlisted men
- Captured and missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men
- Total: ? officers, ? enlisted men