The 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment
"The Brave & The True"
|Battle of Dranesville - Battle of Mechanicsville - Battle of Gaines's Mill - Battle of Savage's Station - Battle of Glendale - Battle of Malvern Hill - Second Battle of Bull Run - Battle of South Mountain - Battle of Antietam - Battle of Fredericksburg - Battle of Gettysburg - The Bristoe Campaign - The Mine Run Campaign - Battle of The Wilderness - Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse - Battle of North Anna - Battle of Totopotomoy Creek|
History Of The 1st Pennsylvania Reserves
The 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment, also known as the 30th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was a regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was a part of the famed Pennsylvania Reserve division in the Army of the Potomac for much of the war, and served in the Eastern Theater in a number of important battles, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg.
The 1st Pennsylvania Reserves was organized in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with recruits flocking to enlist from Lancaster, Delaware, York, Cumberland, Adams, and Lebanon Counties. Company K was recruited within the town of Gettysburg. On July 26th, 1861, right after the disastrous Union defeat at The First Battle of Bull Run on the 21st, the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves was mustered into United States service near Baltimore under Colonel R. Biddle Roberts. After briefly serving with Dix's Command in late July, the regiment was moved to Washington DC, where it was subsequently attached to the 1st Brigade of McCall's Pennsylvania Reserve Division of the newly formed Army of The Potomac.
In June of 1862, the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves was sent to join the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the Peninsular Campaign. There, they fought ferociously against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia at the Battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, and Glendale, before being driven back with the rest of the army after the successful Union holdout at Malvern Hill.
From August 16th to the 26th, the 1st Pennsylvania was attached to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps of John Pope's Army of Virginia, fighting the Confederates again at the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 30th.
On September 17th, 1862, after successfully pushing a small Confederate rear-guard detachment back at South Mountain on the 14th, the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves fought at Antietam, being held in Reserve along the North Woods. Colonel Roberts commanded the regiment at the start of the battle, but took over brigade command when Major General Joseph Hooker was wounded.
From December 12th-15th, 1862, the 1st Pennsylvania fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg, taking part in the Federal assaults on Stonewall Jackson's Confederate lines along Prospect Hill; They were forced back. In January of 1863, the regiment was placed within the Defense Force at Washington DC, missing the action at the Battle of Chancellorsville from April 30th to May 6th, 1863.
From July 1st-3rd, 1863, while attached to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps of the Army of The Potomac, the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves fought at the Battle of Gettysburg, commanded by Colonel William Talley. On the evening of July 2nd, as the Confederate attack on the Union left continued past the Wheatfield towards Houck's Ridge, the 1st Pennsylvania spearheaded a charge from the base of Little Round Top, leading the Pennsylvania Reserve Division forward into bloody hand-to-hand combat. The Pennsylvania Reserves held their positions until the afternoon of July 3rd, when they advanced through the Rose Woods and drove remnants of Confederates back, taking many prisoners. After the Battle of Gettysburg, the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves took part in the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns in October and November of 1863.
The 1st Pennsylvania Reserves fought bravely during the Overland Campaign from May to June, 1864. From May 5th-7th, they fought at the Battle of the Wilderness, and fought at the Battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse on May 8th; It was in this engagement that Colonel William Talley was captured by the Confederates and imprisoned, but later escaped in Richmond during Philip Sheridan's Raid. The regiment continued its service in the Campaign by fighting at Harris Farm and the North Anna River. However, right before the infamous Battle of Cold Harbor on May 31st, which would last until June 12th, the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves left the front. The regiment would be mustered out of service on June 10th, 1864.
Regimental Ranks
(In Ascending Order)
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Major
Captain
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Sergeant Major
First Sergeant
Sergeant
Corporal
Private First Class
Private
