*133rd Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers History

133rd Regiment

Pennsylvania Volunteers

 

This regiment was recruited under authority granted by Governor Curtin:

 

• Company A in Cambria County
• Company B in Cambria County
• Company C in Bedford County
• Company D in Somerset County
• Company E in Somerset County
• Company F in Cambria County
• Company G in Perry County
• Company H in Perry County
• Company I in Perry County
• Company K in Bedford County

The companies rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, from the 1st to the 10th of August, 1862, and on the 21st the following field officers, who had been previously elected by the line officers, were commissioned:

• Franklin B. Speakman, Colonel
• Abraham Kopelin, Lieutenant Colonel
• Edward M. Schrock, Major

On the 19th, the regiment proceeded to Washington, and upon its arrival reported to General Casey, by whom it was immediately ordered forward to Arlington Heights. It was here brigaded with the One Hundred and Twenty-third, One Hundred and Thirty-first, and One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania regiments, Colonel Wabach, of the One Hundred and Thirty-first, in command.

On the 27th the regiment was ordered to Alexandria, where it remained in camp until the 30th, and was then moved out towards the front as far as Fort Ward, the second battle of Bull Run being at this time in full progress. For two weeks it was employed in picket duty, and in throwing up intrenchments.

On the12th of September it moved to Washington with the brigade, which had been strengthened by the addition of the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania. While on the march, the brigade was attached to Humphreys’ Division, of the Fifth Corps. At Washington the arms originally received were exchanged for Springfield muskets, heavy camp equipage was turned over to be stored, company tents were exchanged for light shelter tents, and sixty rounds of ammunition per man were received.

 

Antietam

On Sunday morning, the 14th, the regiment took up the line of march, to meet, in Maryland, a defiant enemy threatening the border counties of Pennsylvania, where were the homes of the men of this command. At Monocacy the brigade was halted, and remained a day, when the march was resumed and continued until it arrived, on the morning of the 18th, on the battle-field of Antietam. It was immediately formed inline, and awaited a renewal of the battle.

On the following morning, the enemy having retired without attempting to seriously contest the ground further, the regiment moved forward over the field, covered with the dead and wounded of both armies, and finally settled down in camp, a mile out of Sharpsburg, on the Shepherdstown Road, where it remained engaged in company and battalion drill, until the movement of the army, near the close of October, into Virginia, and the inauguration of the Fredericksburg campaign under Burnside. For nearly a month preceding the battle, the regiment was in camp near Falmouth, constantly engaged in drill and in preparations for a decisive battle.

Battle of Fredericksburg

“Between two and three o’clock P. M., on Saturday, the 13th of December, “says Colonel Speakman, in his official report, “the regiment, in common with the other regiments of the brigade, was ordered to cross the river. This was successfully done, although the shells from the enemy’s batteries were falling thick and fast, and exploding over us. I advanced my regiment as directed, through Fredericksburg, crossed the canal, or race, just outside of the city, and filing to the left, formed line of battle under cover of a small hill. The regiment was placed on the right, and in the advance, the fourth battalion, Colonel Allen, being on our left. Knapsacks were unslung, bayonets fixed, and orders received to charge the works on Marye’s Heights. We charged up and over the hill, about two hundred and fifty yards, when we came upon a line of troops, lying down. My men, not knowing that they were to pass over this line, covered themselves as well as they could in the rear of this line. The troops in front, neither advancing nor retreating, and a second charge being ordered, I passed over the prostrate troops, charged to the right of; and past the Brick House, and to within about fifty yards of the stone-wall, and to the left of the house, to the crest of the hill. These positions were held for an hour, under a most terrific fire from the enemy’s infantry and artillery, and until dusk, when I was ordered by General Humphreys to withdraw, which I did, and re-formed line of battle on the right of the road, and a little in rear of where our original line for the charge had been formed. Here we remained for a time, only sending out squads to scour the fields and bring off our killed and wounded. At three o’clock A. M., on Sunday morning, the 14th, the regiment was marched into the city, and near to the river, where we were furnished with a fresh supply of ammunition, and again ordered on the field. We were posted under cover of a small hill, though still exposed to the enemy’s fire. At seven in the evening we were ordered into Fredericksburg, where we remained until Tuesday morning, when we re-crossed the Rappahannock, and returned to camp.

“The loss in the regiment is three commissioned officers killed, and eight wounded; seventeen enlisted men killed, one hundred and twenty-nine wounded, and twenty-seven missing. Some of the latter are known to be wounded, and will likely be found in some of the hospitals, while others are no doubt killed. Among the many whose loss the regiment now mourns, and who deserve mention here, are Adjutant James C. Noon, a brave and faithful soldier, who fell while urging the men to the fatal charge, and Captain John M1. Jones and First Lieutenant William A. Scott, both of company F, who were nobly leading their command, and among the foremost, fighting when they fell.”

After the battle, the regiment remained at Camp Humphreys, engaged in the usual routine of duty, with the exception of its participation in the fruitless movement of the 20th of January, 1863, until the opening of active operations of the campaign under Hooker.

Battle of Chancellorsville

On the 27th of April the movement commenced, the regiment crossing the Rappahannock at Kelly’s Ford, and the Rapidan at Ely’s Ford. In the formation to receive the enemy, Humphreys’ Division was posted on the extreme left of the line, stretching out towards engaged in entrenching. At daybreak on Sunday, the 3d of May, the regiment was moved hastily towards the centre, and was formed on the first line, near the spot where General Whipple was killed. It subsequently was taken along the United States Ford Road, towards the Chancellor House, where a portion of the army was met falling back. From a position parallel with, and near United States Ford Road, the One Hundred and Thirty-third was quickly moved to a position at right angles with, and the left resting on this road, with a wood in front. Two companies which had been on picket duty, here re-joined the command. With Company B thrown forward as skirmishers, the line advanced through the wood, striking detached parties of the enemy, which fell back on his main force, in position about the Chancellor House.

As the regiment approached the open ground, the enemy opened upon it with his batteries posted but a short distance in front, and poured in a steady fire of grape and canister. Halting his command, Colonel Speakman sent out a detachment from company A to the right, which returned, reporting the enemy moving with infantry and artillery in that direction. At this juncture the command was ordered by General Humphreys to fall back to the position first occupied, on the outer edge of the woods. Soon afterwards the woods were fired by the enemy’s shells, and the regiment was again ordered -back, and finally occupied the position of the early morning. Here it remained until the close of the battle. The loss in the engagement was one killed, Adjutant Edward C. Bendere, and nine wounded. With the army the regiment withdrew across the river, in the midst of the heavy rain, and returned to its former camp.

Its term of service soon afterwards expired, and returning to Harrisburg on the 19th,just nine mouths from its departure, was, during the succeeding week, finally mustered out.

Source: Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871.

Organization:

Organized at Harrisburg August, 1862.
Moved to Washington, D.C., August 19, and duty there till September 2.
Ordered to Rockville, Md., September 2.
Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to November, 1862.
2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to May, 1863.

 

Service:

Maryland Campaign September 6-22, 1862.
Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17.
Moved to Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., September 22, and duty there till October 30.
Reconnoissance to Leesburg October 1-2.
Advance up Loudoun Valley and movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 17.
Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
Duty at Falmouth till April 27.
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5.
Mustered out May 24, 1863.

 

Losses:

Regiment lost during service:
3 Officers and 70 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and
40 Enlisted men by disease.
Total 113.

 

Source:  Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion Compiled and Arranged from Official Records of the Federal and Confederate Armies, Reports of he Adjutant Generals of the Several States, the Army Registers, and Other Reliable Documents and Sources.Des Moines, Iowa: The Dyer Publishing Company, 1908