History Philadelphia Brigade

oliver o. howard commanded philadelphia brigade during battle of antietam

now commanded brig. gen. william w. burns, assigned army of potomac s ii corps 2nd brigade, 2nd division. fought in peninsula campaign, during 69th credited maj. gen. joseph hooker making first successful bayonet charge of war @ battle of glendale. fought during 7 days battles, including allen s farm , savage station; @ malvern hill posted on union right rest of ii corps , consequently wasn t engaged during battle.

at battle of antietam, brigade, commanded brig. gen. oliver o. howard, part of maj. gen. john sedgwick s attack near west woods. division ran stiff resistance , attacked in flank. of division routed, including philadelphia brigade; companies had no time return fire before being caught in rout. brigade lost 545 men in little ten minutes. when sedwick wounded during battle, howard took command of division , colonel joshua t. owen of 69th regiment took command of brigade. in battle of fredericksburg following december, brigade participated in assault on marye s heights. 71st regiment assigned provost duty in city, howard transferred 127th pennsylvania brigade replace it. philadelphia brigade made part way slope of ridge rest of division failed advance @ same time; both , confederate fire halted advance. during battle, brigade lost 258 men, 127th pennsylvania suffering 146 casualties. during battle of chancellorsville in may 1863, brig. gen. john gibbon s division (of brigade part) remained in winter camps act decoy while rest of army marched. on may 3, division supported major general john sedwick s attack on confederate rearguard @ fredericksburg , remained in city afterwards guard city , bridges across river.

joshua t. owen, commanded brigade greater part of war

just before battle of gettysburg, brig. gen. joshua t. owen relieved of command , replaced brig. gen. alexander s. webb, in hopes of improving discipline of brigade. during battle, defended cemetery ridge near famous angle on july 2 , july 3, 1863. on evening of july 2, helped drive brig. gen. ambrose r. wright s brigade after captured portion of ridge , recaptured cannon. 106th advanced far codori barn near emmitsburg road , 72nd advanced on stone wall, before both regiments withdrew previous positions.

on july 3, 8 companies of 106th sent cemetery hill (the other 2 deployed along emmitsburg road pickets); 71st briefly sent culp s hill later moved angle. half of regiment posted @ portion of wall closest confederates while other half 50 yards right-rear. 69th manned wall left of 71st. 72nd posted in reserve behind copse of trees. 2 companies of 106th returned angle , placed in reserve 72nd (the remainder of regiment stayed on cemetery hill). during pickett s charge, left wing of 71st retreated stone wall, allowing confederates pour over. 69th refused right protect flank; however, 59th new york, on left retreated , due largely overwhelming confederate numbers, 69th held position despite being flanked on both ends , being engaged in hand hand combat. company f accidentally left isolated due not hearing order refuse flank , engulfed attacking confederates.

the 72nd pennsylvania infantry monument on cemetery ridge, gettysburg, pennsylvania

the 72nd , 2 remaining companies of 106th behind copse refused counterattack. webb able rally 71st , move in line these 2 units; when attempted these units advance retake wall regiments refused move. after other union regiments joined in counterattack on pickett s division, webb able brigade charge well; although wounded in groin, webb refused leave field. brigade able capture 4 battle flags (of 3rd, 9th, 53rd, , 56th virginia infantry).

after gettysburg, brigade continued serve in army of potomac, overland campaign surrender @ appomattox court house, losing heavily. owen restored command of philadelphia brigade (webb transferred command of different brigade) , 152nd new york infantry added brigade. owen s superiors continued complain performance commander; @ spotsylvania court house, brigade ordered make reconnaissance in force against confederate lines owen absent unexplained reasons, forcing brigade commander take over. brigade last fought unit @ battle of cold harbor, owen both failed have brigade ready june 3rd assault on time , failed participate in attack division commander intended. result, incident , attack @ spotsylvania, owen relieved of command , mustered out of service. on july 22, 1864, brigade broken up. majority of 71st , 106th , entire 72nd discharged. remaining men of 71st merged 69th , 106th reformed four-company battalion.

during war, brigade lost 3,533 men out of total 5,320 men served in unit, casualty rate of 64%.