56th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry

Historical Sketch:
Cols., Sullivan A. Meredith, J. William Hofmann, Henry A. Laycock; Lieut.-Cols., J. William Hofmann, George B. Osborn, John T. Jack, Henry A. Laycock, John A. Black; Majs., John B. Smith, John T. Jack, H. A. Laycock, J. A. Black, George T. Michaels. The 56th regiment was recruited principally from Philadelphia, and the counties of Indiana, Center, Luzerne, Schuylkill, Susquehanna and Wayne in the autumn of 1861, and rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg. All the field officers had served in the three months' campaign. The ranks of the regiment filled very slowly, and it finally left for Washington on March 8, 1862, with only eight and one-half companies. Remaining encamped there until the following April, it did guard duty at Budd's ferry for a short time, moving to Acquia landing on the 24th. On May 10 five companies moved to Belle Plain; on the 21st the regiment moved to Potomac creek ; thence to Fredericksburg on the 27th ; served there on patrol and picket duty until Aug. 9, when it was assigned to Doubleday's brigade, King's division, McDowell's corps. Crossing the Rappahannock, it first came under fire at Rappahannock Station and first engaged the enemy at Gainesville, where Col. Meredith was severely wounded. It was active in the second Bull Run fight, being unfortunate enough to lose its colors to the enemy here. After the battle it retreated with the army to Centerville and thence to Fairfax Court House. On Sept. 6, it was ordered to Leesburg and soon after moved with McClellan on the Maryland campaign, being active at South Mountain, where it suffered severely, but it escaped with slight loss at Antietam, being on the extreme right of Hooker's corps. On Nov. 2, having moved forward to Union in support of Pleasonton's cavalry, the brigade, under Lieut.-Col. Hofmann, drove the enemy from the town, the 56th losing 5 killed and 10 wounded in the action, being complimented by its division commander for gallantry. It participated in the Fredericksburg campaign without loss ; encamped for the winter at Pratt's landing, Potomac creek; shared in the "Mud March" in Jan., 1863 ; and on April 28, with 21 officers and 289 men, embarked on the Chancellorsville campaign, meeting with small loss during the early part of the battle. It encamped near the Fitz Hugh house until June 7, when it moved to Kelly's and Beverly fords as a cavalry support, two companies under Capt. Runkle repelling a furious charge at the latter on the 9th. Assigned to the 1st brigade (Gen. Cutler), 1st division (Gen. Wadsworth), 1st corps (Gen. Reynolds), it commenced its march towards Gettysburg on June 25, 1863. The 1st brigade had the advance on the arrival of the corps at the front, and the 56th was the first to get into position. As the enemy was at that moment advancing and within range, it was promptly ordered to fire, which opened the great battle. Brig.-Gen. Cutler, in a letter to Gov. Curtin, dated Nov. 5, 1863, stated among other things : "I hope that you will cause proper measures to be taken to give that regiment (the 56th) the credit, which is its due, of having opened that memorable battle." In the first day's fighting the 56th lost 4 officers and 146 men killed, wounded and missing, but its loss was small the following two days. It shared in the pursuit of Lee's army which ensued. In November of this year it participated in the Mine Run movement with small loss, and shared in the demonstration at Raccoon ford in Feb., 1864. On March 10 a large part of the regiment reenlisted for an additional three years and returned to Pennsylvania on veteran furlough, rejoining the army at the front on April 20. Shortly afterward the 56th entered on the Wilderness campaign. It met with heavy losses at the Wilderness, where it displayed conspicuous valor; drove the enemy from an orchard and farm house on the hill in the battle of Laurel hill ; was continuously occupied in the vicinity of Spottsylvania Court House until the 21st; crossed the North Anna river at Jericho ford, where it checked the enemy's advance and captured several hundred prisoners ; was active without loss at Bethesda Church ; shared the general fortunes of the army until it arrived in front of Petersburg on June 17; took part in a desperate assault on the works on the 18th; and from that time on was employed in the general work of the siege. In August it was engaged with its corps on the Weldon railroad and again on the following day, when the regiment captured the battle flag of the 55th N. C, thus avenging the loss of its own colors at the second Bull Run. James T. Jennings of Co. H was awarded a medal of honor by the secretary of war for his gallantry in securing this stand of colors. The 56th occupied the works until Sept. 13, when its corps was consolidated into one division, which became the 3d division of the 5th corps, the 56th being assigned to the 3d brigade, Col. Hoffmann commanding the brigade. It shared in the advance to Hatcher's run in October and the raid to Hicksford in December, when it destroyed a part of the Weldon railroad, and then encamped between Lee's mill and the Jerusalem plank road until Feb. 4, 1865. The regiment was again active at Hatcher's run in February and had its full share in all the subsequent operations culminating in Lee's surrender. It was mustered out of service at Philadelphia, July 1, 1865. Roster:
The Roster of this unit contains the names of 2409 men.
Source:
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1
Bibliography:

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