8th Pennsylvania Reserve (37th) Volunteer Infantry Monument

Monument Text:

8th Regt.

Pennsylvania

Reserve Volunteer Corps

37th Regiment of the line

8th Pa. Reserve Vol. Inf.

Major Silas M. Baily,

2nd Brigade, 3rd Div., 1st Corps

Advanced about 600 yards south and became engaged with Hood's Confederate Division

Loss at Antietam

Killed 12 Wounded 44

Engagements Mechanicsville, Va., June 26, 1862

Gaines Mill, Va., June 27, 1862

Charles City Cross Road, Va., June 30, 1862 Malvern Hill, Va., July 1, 1862

Second Bull Run, Va., Aug. 28, 29 & 30, 1862

South Mountain, Md., Sept. 14, 1862

Antietam, Md., Sept. 16 and 17, 1862

Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862

Wilderness, Va., May 5 to 17, 1864

Spotsylvania, Va., May 5 to 17, 1864

Present at Dranesville, Bristae Station, Chantilly

 

Recruited Co. "A" Armstrong County; Co "B" Dauphin County; Cos. "C" & "E" Alleghany county; Cos. "D" & "G" Fayette County; Co. "F" Bedford County; co. "H" Clarion County; Co. "K" Washington County; Co. "I" Green County. Mustered into United States Service July 29, 1861, at Meridian Hill, D.C.; mustered out at Pittsburg May 24, 1864.

 

Summary Total enlistment, 1062; killed and died of wounds 158; total killed and wounded 490, captured and missing 147. Died of disease and accidents in prison 68.

 

Battle of Antietam

The enemy retreated to the right bank of the Antietam Creek, where, taking up a strong position and calling in his available forces, he stood ready to give battle. Hooker's Corps crossed Antietam Creek on the afternoon of the 16th, and near the close of the day encountered the left wing of the rebel army, the Reserves opening the battle. On the following morning the artillery opened early, and soon the brigade moved forward, passed through a piece of wood and approached a large cornfield, where, in a slight depression, it was deployed into line and the artillery was posted on an eminence a little to the rear. Soon after Colonel Magilton ordered the Eighth to a small grove two hundred paces to the left, where the enemy was sheltered, picking off our artillerymen. As it neared the grove, a body of the enemy, concealed among the corn, rose and poured into it a withering volley. Another and another followed, but it could not pause to reply. The slaghter was fearful. The grove was soon cleared whence a steady and effective fire, at close range, was delivered upon the rebel line concealed in the cornfield. For four hours the battle raged with unabated fury, and with varying success, when the Reserves were relieved by fresh troops. The loss was twelve men killed and forty-three wounded.

The attack was not renewed on the 18th, as the ammunition of the heavy guns and of the infantry was nearly expended, and could not be immediately supplied. During the after part of the day, as the enemy was passing troops from the Virginia shore, the Reserves were ordered into line, it being presumed that they meditated an offensive movement. But it proved to be only a feint to cover his retreat, which was accomplished with great precipitation during the night. Early on the morning of the 19th the whole army moved forward about three miles, crossing the Hagerstown and Sharpsburg pike, and halting near the Potomac above Sharpsburg. The route of the Reserves took them over the enemy's lines of battle, which were literally covered with his dead. At one point, where he had crossed the fields and pike obliquely, and where he must have received a terrific fire of musketry, the formation of his lines was distinctly marked by the dead who were stretched in long rows, showing that at the time they received the fire they were well dressed.

 

After some delay the army crossed into Virginia, and under the leadership of General Burnside again advanced upon the enemy at Fredericksburg. To the Reserves was assigned the task of covering the laying of the bridges in front of Franklin's Grand Division, and when established upon the opposite bank, they were selected to make the first attack. In the heroic advance of this small division, in the face of the concentrated fire of the enemy's intrenched line, in scaling the heights, and in breaking and scattering his well posted force,6the Eighth bore a conspicuous and most gallant part. Never before had it been subjected to so terrible an ordeal; and when, after being repulsed and driven back by overwhelming numbers, it again stood in rank beyond the reach of the enemy's guns, scarcely half its numbers were there. Twenty-eight lay dead upon that devoted field, eighty-six were wounded and twenty-two were captured.

 

Adjutant Ingraham and Lieutenant Miller were among the killed. Colonel Baily, Captains R. E. Johnston, J. Eichelberger, H. C. Dawson, William Lemon and J. M. Kent, and Lieutenants Samuel M'Candless, J. A. Diebold, S. B. Bennington, H. H. Maquilken, and James M. Owen were among the wounded.

 

On the 8th of February, 1863, the Reserves were ordered to the defences of Washington, to rest and recruit. Here the Eighth remained engaged in various duty pertaining to the department until the spring of 1864, when the Army of the Potomac was again summoned for a last great campaign under Grant.

 

Antietam Battlefield-Sharpsburg Md

Done