Draw the Sword

A Fighting 300 Regiment

Location: Chambersburg Pike

Order of Battle: 1st Corps, 3rd Division, 2nd Brigade

Number Engaged: 515; 21 killed, 141 wounded, 91 missing

Commander: Col. Edmund L. Dana (1817-1889)

Raised: Luzerne and Susquehanna counties.

Monument Specifications: Monument consists of blue Westerly granite and stands 8′ in height. The monument is a large upright marker with rough-hewn edges. Sgt. Ben Crippen is the uniformed color bearer on the front in high relief. The full-length figure holds a flag on a pole in his proper right hand. His proper left hand is clenched in a fist. The flag drapes behind his proper right shoulder. The Pennsylvania Coat of Arms is affixed to the upper right corner. It is marks the position maintained by the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry in the forenoon and early afternoon of July 1, 1863.

Dedication Date: Sept. 11, 1889.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: Smith Granite Company, fabricator.

Main Inscription: THIS MONUMENT MARKS RIGHT OF/FIRST POSITION JULY 1ST 1863,/FACING NORTH AND SECOND POSITION/FACING WEST WHICH THE REGIMENT/HELD FROM 11:00 A.M./UNTIL FIRST CORPS FELL BACK/LEFT POSITION ON SEMINARY RIDGE/RIGHT RESTING ON RAILROAD CUT/JULY 2D & 3D/REGIMENT WAS IN LINE ON LEFT CENTRE

Other Monuments and Memorials: Secondary monument / marker, Hancock Avenue, south of the Copse of Trees. Faded marker denotes position on July 3, 1863. This memorial was erected in 1895.

Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Lieut. Col. John D. Musser (will open a pop up window).

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

Organized at Wilkes-Barre October 18, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., November 7, and duty in the Defenses of that city until January 17, 1863. Attached to 1st Brigade, Defenses of Washington, north of the Potomac, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to December, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps, to June, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to February, 1865. Hart’s Island, New York Harbor, Dept. of the East, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.–Ordered to Join Army of the Potomac in the field January, 1863. Duty at Belle Plains, Va., until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Pollock’s Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty at Bealeton Station until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Haymarket October 19. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Warrenton November 7. Guard at Manassas Junction November 22-December 5. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Duty near Culpeper until May. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 25. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to February 10, 1865. Mine Explosion July 30, 1864 (Reserve). Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Warren’s Raid to Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Ordered to New York February 10. Assigned to duty at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor, guarding prison camp, and escorting recruits and convalescents to the front until June. Mustered out June 12, 1865. Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 143 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 150 Enlisted men by disease. Total 303.