Draw the Sword

The Schoolteacher’s Regiment. The regiment contained 13 schoolteachers, and Company D was composed almost entirely from instructors and students from a Juniata County school called Lost Creek Academy.

Location: South Reynolds Avenue at Reynolds Woods.

Order of Battle: 1st Corps, 3rd Division, 1st Brigade

Number Engaged: 467; 51 killed, 211 wounded, 75 missing

Commander: Lt. Col. George F. McFarland (1834-1891)

Raised: Berks, Juniata, Pike, Susquehanna, and Warren.

Monument Specifications: The monument consists on a rough-hewn base, pedestal with inscriptions and a bronze relief of the Pennsylvania State Seal, a shaft and a cap. There is a recessed panel in the shaft which contains a relief of three upright, crossed muskets. The cap of the shaft is castellated and contains the 1st Corps disk insignia on all four sides. It marks the position held by the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry after 3:00 P.M. on July 1, 1863, when heavily engaged with the 26th North Carolina until the regiment was outflanked and forced to retire to the Seminary area. Made of Fuller New Hampshire Granite.

Dedication Date: July 1, 1888. It was dedicated 25 years to the very hour of the regiment’s fight on July 1.

Main Inscription: RECRUITED IN THE/COUNTIES OF BERKS/JUNITA, SCHUYLKILL/SUSQUEHANA, PIKE/AND WARREN/MUSTERED IN OCT & NOV. 1862/MUSTERED OUT JULY 27, 1863

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Lieut. Col. George F. McFarland (will open a pop up window).

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at Harrisburg October 18 to November 24, 1862. Moved to Washington, D.C., November 26. Attached to 3rd Brigade, Casey’s Division, Defenses of Washington, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1863.

SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington until February, 1863. Moved to Belle Plains, Va., and Joined 1st Army Corps. Duty there until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations about Pollock’s Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Mustered out July 27, 1863. Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 67 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 53 Enlisted men by disease. Total 123.

Comments on this Post

One Response to “* 151st Pennsylvania Infantry”

1. Brandon says:

   November 25, 2007 at 10:18 pm

   Lt. Col. George McFarland is my distant ancestor. I’m so glad he has acheived some fame in even just this little page. Finally, some glory has been given to him and his brave regiment…