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Federal Regiment

46th Pennsylvania Infantry

Organized: Harrisburg, PA; mustered in 1 September 1861
Disbanded/Mustered out: near Alexandria, VA 16 July 1865

 

Commanding Officers on the Antietam Campaign:
  Col. Joseph F. Knipe
  LCol. James L. Selfridge

 

This Regiment's Chain of Command:
  Army - Army of the Potomac
  Corps - Twelfth Army Corps
  Division - 1st Division, 12th Corps
  Brigade - 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps


Unit history

The core of the Regiment's officers and men were recruited in September 1861 from veterans of the First Defenders and others of the three-month units recruited in April and May 1861 in response to the President's first call for troops. Their initial service was along the upper Potomac and at Harpers Ferry. In early 1862 they were with Banks in the Shenandoah Valley. They saw serious action at Cedar Mountain on 9 August.

On the Antietam Campaign

From Bates1:

In the battle of Antietam, Banks' Corps was commanded by General Mansfield, and early in the day of September 17th was led to the support of Hooker, battling with a heavy force of the enemy on the extreme right of the line, across Antietam Creek. Crawford's Brigade was sent to the support of Ricketts' Division and advanced carrying the woods to the right of, and beyond the cornfield, and maintained its position until relieved by Sedgwick's Division of Sumner's Corps. The Forty-sixth was here led by Lieutenant Colonel Selfridge, Colonel Knipe still suffering from the effects of his wounds. The loss was six killed and three severely wounded. Captain George A. Brooks was among the killed.

Maps Showing this Unit

Battlefield Tablets for this Unit

Tablet #120: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 5 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #27: Twelfth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 12 PM
Tablet #28: Williams' Division, Twelfth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 6 AM to 17 Sep, 5 PM
Tablet #29: Crawford's Brigade, Williams' Division - 17 Sep, 9 AM to 17 Sep, 5 PM

After the Antietam Campaign

The Regiment was at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, on the Atlanta Campaign, and with Sherman on the March to the Sea.

We have 14 individuals in the AotW database who were on the Maryland Campaign with this unit:

 

Co. Rank Name Casualty? Details*
ACorpNourse, Thomas A.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CPvtClader, James L.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
DCaptBrooks, George A.KIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
EPvtAlexander, William WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ELtKetrer, Sefra T.        We have some details for this person
GPvtArmstrong, Noah G.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ICorpCarney, Dennis KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
IPvtEtter, George H.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ISgtHessley, Charles KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtBrandt, Charles MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
KPvtEpler, John F.WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
F&SColKnipe, Joseph Farmer        We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
F&SLColSelfridge, James Levan        We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
--PvtBrine, Charles Died (u)   10/04     We have some details for this person

 

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Notes

1   Complete text for the 46th Infantry is online from Alice Gayley.
Bates, Samuel Penniman, History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg: State of Pennsylvania, 1868-1871  [AotW citation 831]