Draw the Sword

A Fighting 300 Regiment

Location: Sedgwick Avenue and nearby just north of the Wheatfield Road in the Valley of Death. 39° 47.82′ N, 77° 14.254′ W

Order of Battle: 6th Corps, 3d Division, 3d Brigade

Number Engaged: 270; 10 wounded

Commander: Maj. John I. Nevin (1837-1884).

Raised: Berks, Lebanon, and Mountor counties.

Monument Specifications: Granite monument with relief of military insignia, crossed flags, rifles, and infantry accouterments and metal tablet on front, topped by finial of VI Corps Cross. The monument is mounted on a two-tiered base, set atop a boulder. The boulder is from the original regimental monument, which was relocated in 1888. The monument marks the position held by the 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry after counter attack on Confederates in Wheatfield on evening of July 2, 1863.

Dedication Date: Oct. 3, 1888.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: P. F. Eisenbrown & Sons, fabricator.

Main Inscription: After charging with the Brigade from the right of Little Round Top in the evening of July 2d and assisting in the repulse of the enemy and in the capture of a number of prisoners the regiment retired to and held this position until after the close of the battle

Other Monuments & Markers: Secondary monument on Munshower’s Knoll, Sedgwick Avenue. Dedicated Oct. 30, 1884. Rectangular shaft decorated with blue mosaic VI Corps Greek insignia on front. The monument is set atop a hammered finished base on boulder. It was the original regimental monument and was relocated from first position in John Weikert field to current site in 1888. At that time, the historical inscription was added. The brown sandstone was donated by Mrs. G. Dawson Coleman, quarried from her farm near Lebanon. The monument marks the position of the 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry prior to moving forward to push out the Confederate advance units in Wheatfield.

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

Organized at Lebanon September 21. to October 28, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., November 21. Attached to Peck’s Brigade, Couch’s Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, to January, 1864. Wheaton’s Brigade, Dept. West Virginia, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac, and Army Shenandoah, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Moved to the Peninsula March 25. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Reconnaissance to the Chickahominy and Bottom’s Bridge May 20-23. Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Seven Pines June 27. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Alexandria, thence to Centreville August 16-30. Cover Pope’s retreat to Fairfax C. H. August 30-September 1. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Reconnaissance to Harper’s Ferry and Sandy Hook September 12-14. Battle of Antietam September 16-17 (Reserve). At Downsville, Md., September 23-October 20. Movement to Stafford C. H. October 20-November 18, and to Belle Plains December 5. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside’s second Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin’s Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks’ Ford May 4. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty on the line of the Rappahannock until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Regiment reenlisted February 7, 1864. Duty at Brandy Station until May. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 17-18. Siege of Petersburg until July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Moved to Washington. D.C., July 9-11. Defense of Washington against Early’s attack July 11-12. Pursuit to Snicker’s Gap July 14-18. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to December. Charlestown August 21-22. Demonstration on Gilbert’s Ford, Opequan Creek, September 13. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Strasburg September 21. Fisher’s Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until December. Moved to Petersburg December 9-12. Siege of Petersburg December, 1864, to April, 1865. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Danville April 23-27, and duty there until May 23. Moved to Richmond, Va., thence to Washington. D.C., May 23-June 3. Corps Review June 8. Mustered out June 27, 1865. Regiment lost during service 11 Officers and 161 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 111 Enlisted men by disease. Total 274.

Comments on this Post

One Response to “* 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry”

1. Wayne Faust says:

   February 9, 2010 at 3:07 pm

   My ancestor, Jared B. Faust, was the chief engraver for this monument.

   Reading Eagle – Jul 18, 1888

   A party of 20 gentlemen of Lebanon, officers and members of the 93d regiment, Penna. veteran volunteers, with a number of fellow members of this city, inspected the monument undergoing construction at the Eagle marble yards, and which will be erected on the battlefield at Gettysburg. The visitors were entertained in a splendid manner at the Highland house. An elegant chicken and waffle supper was served and the party remained on the mountain until 10 o’clock.