Historical Sketch:
Col., Peter Lyle; Lieut.-Col., William A. Leech; Majs., Alfred J. Sellers, Jacob M. Davis. This regiment was organized at Philadelphia from Oct. 1, 1861, to March 10, 1862. Its colonel and line officers, as well as many of the men, had already served in the three months' campaign in the 19th infantry; William A. Leech had been major of the 17th, and nearly all had had experience in the militia. Recruited to 900 men, it left for Baltimore on March 31, 1862, and then proceeded to Washington and Acquia creek landing, where it reported to Gen. McDowell, commanding the 3d corps, and was assigned to the 2nd brigade (Gen. Ricketts), 2nd division (Gen. Ord). It was brigaded with the 26th and 94th N. Y. and 88th Pa., and with its division moved into the Shenandoah Valley in May against the enemy under Stonewall Jackson. Returning to Waterloo on July 22, it moved with Pope to the relief of Banks' army at Cedar mountain, then to Mitchell's station and after destroying the railroad bridge served as rear-guard to the army retreating across the Rappahannock. With its brigade it checked the enemy for three days at Rappahannock Station, and on Aug. 28 assisted its division in holding back Longstreet for 8 hours at Thoroughfare gap, retiring in good order to Gainesville. The next day it was heavily engaged at Groveton, losing about 200 men in killed, wounded and prisoners. On Sept. 6, it embarked on the Maryland campaign, attached to Gen. Hooker's command, with which it fought at South mountain and Antietam, its loss at the latter place being 98. On the close of this campaign the division was transferred to the 1st corps, under Gen. Reynolds, and the brigade was made to include the 88th, 90th and 136th Penn., and 26th and 94th N. Y., Col. Lyle in comand. On the return of the army into Virginia, Gen. Gibbon became division commander and the 12th Mass. took the place of the two New York regiments. It was actively engaged at Fredericksburg as a part of Franklin's Grand Division on the left of the line, losing about 90 men in the battle. On Dec. 19 it moved to Belle Plain, but was detached for fatigue duty at Pratt's point and remained here without incident, with the exception of the "Mud March" in Jan., 1863, until April 28, following, when it embarked with its division on the Chancellorsville campaign. It was active in all the operations at Chancellorsville, as a part of the 1st corps, and withdrew with the army across the river on the morning of May 6 to its old camps. With the departure at this time of the nine months' regiments, their terms having expired, the brigade was reorganized to include the 11th, 88th and 90th Penn., 12th Mass., and 97th N. Y. Toward the middle of June the 90th moved on the Gettysburg campaign and crossed the southern border of Pennsylvania on the 30th. It entered the battle of Gettysburg with 191 men and lost in killed, wounded and missing, 100. After joining in the pursuit of the enemy, it returned to Bealeton Station, Va., and later moved to Stevensburg, where it performed guard duty and drilled the new recruits received there. It remained upon the Rappahannock with the army until the middle of October, when it retreated to Centerville and was later employed in repairing the railroad near Bristoe Station until it took part in the Mine Run campaign, after which it went into winter quarters at Cedar mountain. In Jan., 1864, the 90th was quartered in the Baptist church at Culpeper, and then went into camp with its brigade on the Sperryville pike. It became a part of the 1st brigade, 2nd division, 5th corps, during the winter and on May 4, 1864, moved with the army for the Wilderness. In a fierce charge on the 5th, in which the regiment was unfortunately unsupported by the rest of its brigade, it lost 124 men out of 251 who went into action. In all the fierce fighting which now ensued the 90th had its full share, being successively engaged at Spottsylvania, the North Anna river, Totopotomy, and Bethesda Church, suffering severely. Early in June the division was reorganized, becoming the 3d of the 5th corps, Gen. Crawford commanding. On the 16th it crossed the James river and shared in the operations before Petersburg. From June 24 to July 6 it was engaged in picket duty on the Jerusalem plank road; assisted in building Fort Davis, which it later garrisoned; and shared in the movement on the Weldon railroad, where Col. Leech, Maj. Davis and about 90 men were captured, and some 20 men were killed and wounded. Capt. William P. Davis now assumed command and the regiment was variously employed in destroying the Weldon railroad, building roads, etc., and in a reconnoissance to Poplar Spring Church in September, after which it served as garrison at Fort Dushane. On Nov. 26, their original term of service having expired, the members who had not reenlisted were mustered out and the veterans and recruits were consolidated with the 11th Pa. On their arrival at Washington the men were paid; at Philadelphia the regiment was welcomed by an escort of military and firemen, and proceeded to the armory, where it was finally disbanded.
Roster:
The Roster of this unit contains the names of 2905 men. Source:
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1 Bibliography:
Barcousky, Len. Civil War Pittsburgh: Forge of the Union. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781626190818.
Blair, William and William Pencak, editors. Making and Remaking Pennsylvania's Civil War. University Park, Pennsylvania: Penn State University Press, 2004.
Fox, Arthur B. Our Honored Dead: Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, in the American Civil War. Chicora, Pennsylvania: Mechling Bookbindery, 2008.
Fox, Arthur B. Pittsburgh During the American Civil War 1860–1865. Chicora, Pennsylvania: Mechling Bookbindery, 2002.
Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce. Southern Revenge: Civil War History of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, 1989.
Miller, William J. The Training of an Army: Camp Curtin and the North's Civil War. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: White Mane, 1990.
Sandou, Robert M. Deserter County: Civil War Opposition in the Pennsylvania Appalachians. Fordham University Press, 2009.
Skinner, George W., ed. Pennsylvania at Chickamauga and Chattanooga: Ceremonies at the Dedication of the Monuments Erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Wm. Stanley Ray, State Printer, 1897.
Taylor, Frank H. Philadelphia in the Civil War. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The City, 1913.
Wingert, Cooper H. Harrisburg and the Civil War: Defending the Keystone of the Union. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781626190412.
Young, Ronald C. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the Civil War. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: published by the author, 2003.
Historical Sketch: