140^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

Governor Curtin's call and authorization for the formation of 21 new regiments for a period of 3 years on July 21^st fueled the patriotic feelings of many Pennsylvanians. Richard P. Roberts and John Fraser were two who responded to the call and went about raising companies. Scotch-Irish ancestry was predominate but there was also a good representation of the German and Irish also. The companies were recruited in five counties. Washington county provided five companies ( C, D, E, G, and K) . Three companies were recruited by Roberts in Beaver county ( F, H and I ). The last two companies were provided by Mercer(B) and Greene(A) counties. The regiment was officially mustered in and given its designation as the 140^th Pa. on Sept. 8, 1862 in Harrisburg. The regiment was mustered in for 3 years. The regiment mustered out May 31, 1865.

First Commander: Richard Petit Roberts (Colonel, killed at Gettysburg July 2)

Field Officers (during the Gettysburg campaign):

Richard P. Roberts (Colonel, age 43, killed)

John Fraser (Lieutenant-Colonel)

Thomas B. Rogers (Major, age 27, captured)

J. Wilson Wishart (Surgeon, age 34)

William W. Sharp (Assistant Surgeon, age 37)

Benjamin F. Hill (Assistant Surgeon, age 35)

William S. Shallenberger (Adjutant, wounded)

Samuel B. Bentley (Regimental Quartermaster)

Non-commissioned Staff (during the Gettysburg campaign):

Henry J. Boatman (Sergeant Major, captured)

R. G. S. Smith (Quartermaster, killed)

Thomas L. Noble (Commissary Sergeant)

Joseph W. Lawrence (Hospital Steward)

Companies:

Company A: John F. McCullough (Captain, age 22, wounded), James F. Purman (1^st Lieut., age 22, wounded)

Company B: Jason T. Giebner (Captain), George Tanner (1^st Lieut.)

Company C: David Acheson (Captain, age 22, killed), Isaac Vance (1^st Lieut., wounded)

Company D: Charles L. Linton (Captain)

Company E: Irvin F. Sansom (1^st Lieut.)

Company F: Thomas Henry (Captain, age 25), John D. Stokes (1^st Lieut., wounded)

Company G: Henry H. Bingham (Captain, age 21,detached on staff, wounded), Wilson N. Paxton (1^st Lieut., age 28)

Company H: Samuel Campbell (Captain, wounded), Austin Miller (1^st Lieut.)

Company I: William McCallister (Captain, wounded), Thomas C. Nicholson (1^st Lieut.)

Company K: William A. Stockton (Captain), Alexander Sweeney (1^st Lieut., age 26)

Assignments:

Eighth Army Corps, defending Northern Cental Railroad ( Sept. 1862 to Dec. 9, 1862)

Zook's Brigade, Hancock's Division, Maj-Gen Sumner's Right Grand Division (Dec 10, 1862 to March 12, 1863)

3^rd Brigade, 1^st Division, 2^nd Corps, Army of the Potomac (March 13, 1863 to May 31, 1865)

Casualties at Gettysburg (present July 2, 588 officers and men):

Officers killed (3):

Richard P. Roberts, Colonel

David Acheson, Capt. Co. C

Alexander M. Wilson, 2^nd Lieut. Co. G

Officers wounded (8):

William S. Shallenberger, Adjutant

Henry H. Bingham, Capt. Co. G

Samuel Campbell, Capt. Co. H

William McCallister, Capt. Co. I

John F. McCullough, Captain Co.A

James J. Purman, 1^st Lieut. Co. A

John D. Stokes, 1^st Lieut. Co. F

Isaac Vance, 1^st Lieut. Co. C

Enlisted men killed (52):

R.G.S. Smith , Quartermaster

James D. Campbell, 1^st Sgt Co C

John Harsha, 1^st Sgt Co. F

Benjamin Black, Sgt. Co. G

William A. Brown, Sgt. Co. A

Thomas C. Hays, Sgt Co. K

Cephas D. Sharp, Sgt. Co. D

Thomas Thornburg, Sgt. Co. H

James Bebout, Cpl. Co. D

Thomas Eagles, Cpl. Co. B

Leroy Greenlee, Cpl. Co. A

Samuel Barnes, Pvt. Co. H

John Barr, Pvt. Co. G

John S. Bell, Pvt. Co. F

Johnston Berlin, Pvt. Co. H

John Black, Pvt. Co. I

John Blackmore, Pvt. Co. H

David Boyd, Pvt. Co. G

John Buckey, Pvt. Co. B

Thomas Carter, Pvt. Co. K

Ellis Cole, Pvt. Co. C

William Conlin, Pvt. Co. H

Lewis Dilley, Pvt. Co. D

William H, Dinsmore, Pvt. Co. F

Henry Ewing, Pvt. Co. H

John Gibb, Pvt. Co. H

Alvin Greenlee, Pvt. Co. F

Francis Hansel, Pvt. Co. E

Robert Hull, Pvt. Co. K

Daniel Keeney, Pvt. Co. C

James S. Kelley, Pvt. Co. C

Allen Kirby, Pvt. Co. B

Joseph Lawson, Pvt. Co. G

Benjamin Loar, Pvt. Co. A (died of wounds 8/1/63)

Thomas Lucas, Pvt. Co. C

James Lynn, Pvt. Co. G

Edward McMahan, Pvt. Co. I

John McNutt, Pvt. Co. G

Richard Miller, Pvt. Co. C

William Miller, Pvt. Co. K

Anthony Mull, Pvt. Co. C

Alvin Newman, Pvt. Co. C

Albertus Patterson, Pvt. Co. C

James Phillips, Pvt. Co. H

Simon Sanders, Pvt. Co. D

John P. Small, Pvt. Co. F

Jesse Sprouls, Pvt. Co. K

Lewis Swearingen, Pvt. Co. F

James Taggert, Pvt. Co. H

Hugh Weir, Pvt. Co. G

Simeon VanKirk, Pvt. Co. C

Robert Virtue, Pvt. Co. K (died of wounds 9/9/63)

Enlisted men wounded (120)

Captured or missing

8 officers

59 men

Journal Notes (Excerpt) of Benjamin Powelson, First Sergeant Co. K

"Gen. Hancock now sends in his 1^st Division to the relief of Sickles. It moves in with rapidity in fine order. The battle rages terribly, We pass the Trostle house where the Massachusetts battery has nearly been swept away--up on the Emitsburg road west. But soon we are marched back by and south of Trostle's, form line of battle and pass on south, through the corner of wheat field, on edge of which Gen. Zook is mortally wounded--on through strip of timber, over or around huge boulders. It is almost six o'clock when we are in full line of battle, facing south and west--Col. Roberts killed in front of Regiment--right wing in open field under severe enfilading fire, suffer terrible losses--Lt. Col. Frazier, as soon as he realizes situation changes front of right wing to face Peach Orchard--our company on left. We fire continuously. Serg't Boyd and I pass to left of Company as all are doing well their duty. We fire from big rock into bit of timber dark with smoke. I fore some 17 rounds. Boyd calls out, 'Orderly they are falling back.' I fire a load I had just put in. Boyd has disappeared. I start back seemingly alone, going out about the way I came in--soon come up with others, but I do not know them--all running for dear life and Johnnie bullets rattling all about us. Crossing an open space, I could see the rebels close upon us to my left--they order me to surrender--but I can't risk it--I'll run the risk, as I could see our lines to the right and some timber in front into which I soon pass, and get out of range. Could hear the rattling of the muskets of our line. "

Sources available on the 140^th Pa.

Campbell, Eric Caldwell Clears the Wheatfield in the Gettysburg Magazine #3, July, 1990

Dyer, Frederick H., Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Dayton, 1978

Hartwig, Scott "No Troops on the Field Had Done Better": John C. Caldwell's Division in the Wheatfield, July 2, 1863, in The Second Day at Gettysburg edited by Gary Gallagher, 1993

Jorgensen, Jay Anderson Attacks the Wheatfield in the Gettysburg Magazine #14, Jan. 1996

Paxton, John R., Sword and Gown, New York, 1926

Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, 2 volumes, Harrisburg, 1904

Powelson, Benjamin, History of Company K of the 140^th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Steubenville, 1906

Stewart, Robert, History of the One hundred and fortieth regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Philadelphia, 1912

Walters, Sara G., Inscription at Gettysburg, In Memoriam to Captain David Acheson, Company C, 140^th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Gettysburg, 1991

White, Andrew, History of Company F, 140^th Pa. V., Greenville, 1908

Wyckoff, Mac Kershaw's Brigade at Gettysburg in the Gettysburg Magazine #5, July, 1991

Information gathered and written by Bradley Eide

I am constantly searching for additional information; specifically diaries, letters, CDV's or any additional information on the 140^th, General Zook and the other regiments in his brigade. Please email me for questions, comments etc. Sam_Zook@msn,com

This page is dedicated to Colonel Richard Petit Roberts of the 140^th Pa., who died on the field, July 2, 1863