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Federal Regiment

50th Pennsylvania Infantry

"Goodrich Guards"
Organized: Camp Curtin (Harrisburg), PA; mustered in 9/25/1861
Disbanded/Mustered out: Georgetown, PA 7/31/1865

 

Commanding Officers on the Antietam Campaign:
  Maj. Edward Overton
  Capt. William W. Diehl

 

This Regiment's Chain of Command:
  Army - Army of the Potomac
  Corps - Ninth Army Corps
  Division - 1st Division, 9th Corps
  Brigade - 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps


Unit history

The Fiftieth Regiment was recruited in the counties of Berks, Schuylkill, Bradford, Susquehanna, Lancaster, and Luzerne. Initial field officers:
Benjamin C. Christ, of Schuylkill county, Colonel; Thomas S. Brenholtz, of Berks county, Lieutenant Colonel; Edward Overton, Jr., of Bradford county, Major.

By mid-July 1862, Colonel Christ was promoted to Brigade command, and Lieutenant Colonel Brenholtz was wounded at Bull Run, leaving Major Overton in command of the Regiment.

On the Antietam Campaign

On 17 September they "crossed-the stone bridge and drove the enemy back. Christ's Brigade charged with great spirit and gallantry, and attained a position in advance of the Union lines, where it was exposed to a terrible cross-fire of artillery; but it maintained its position until the rebels were forced to retreat. In the midst of the fight Major Overton fell severely wounded, and the command devolved on Captain Diehl. The loss was seven killed and seven severely wounded".
(from Bates)

Maps Showing this Unit

Battlefield Tablets for this Unit

Tablet #56: Ninth Army Corps - 15 Sep, 7 AM to 16 Sep, 3 PM
Tablet #62: Willcox's Division, Ninth Army Corps - 16 Sep, 9 PM to 18 Sep, 6 PM
Tablet #122: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 10 AM to 17 Sep, 6 PM
Tablet #99: Willcox's Division, Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 2 PM to 18 Sep, 9 AM
Tablet #70, cont: Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 3 PM to 17 Sep, 5 PM
Tablet #70: Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 17 Sep, 3 PM
Tablet #57: Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 17 Sep, 5 PM
Tablet #63: Christ's Brigade, Willcox's Division - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 18 Sep, 5 PM

More on the Web

See a February 1862 photograph of the Regiment at Beaufort, S.C., from the Library of Congress.

References & Notes

Source: Bates, Samuel P., History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg: 1868-1871, extracted online at Pennsylvania in the Civil War.

We have 25 individuals in the AotW database who were on the Maryland Campaign with this unit:

 

Co. Rank Name Casualty? Details*
APvtBleiler, William H.WIA   09/14     We have some details for this person
APvtHerner, Edward KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ASgtSchwalm, Samuel WIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person
B PvtSellers, Samuel KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
C PvtBerger, Augustus KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
C PvtBrenner, Jonathan MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
CCorpBrown, Charles E.        We have some details for this person
C PvtFenstermacher, Franklin WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
C PvtFohl, Richard MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
C MusHelms, Jeremiah MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
C PvtMcGlenn, Daniel KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
ECaptDiehl, William W.        We have some details for this person
E PvtFlammer, William WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
E PvtGarrett, Levi WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
E PvtKline, Henry HarrisonWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
F CorpKeatz, Frederick WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
F PvtKillchrist, Thomas WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
F SgtSchernitzer, Florang MWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
G PvtBennett, James KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
G CorpHurst, William KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
GPvtWarner, Fletcher GustavusWIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
I PvtTallada, William WIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
K CaptIngham, James B.KIA   09/17     We have some details for this person
K PvtKeeney, Parshall MWIA   09/14     We have some details for this person
F&SMajOverton, Jr., Edward WIA   09/17     We have a picture for this person We have some details for this person

 

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