admin 137th Infantry Regiment
Pennsylvania Volunteers
Company A, of this regiment, was recruited principally in Wayne County,
Company B, in Crawford County,
Companies C, E, and H, in Clinton County,
Companies D, F, and G, in Butler County,
Company I, in Bradford County, and Company K, in Schuylkill County.The men rendezvoused by squads and companies, at Camp Curtin, and on the 25th of August, 1862, a regimental organization was effected, by the choice of the following field officers:
- Henry N. Bossert, of Clinton county, Colonel
- Joseph B. Kiddoo, of Allegheny county, Lieutenant Colonel
- Charles W. Wingard, of Clinton county, Major
With the exception of a small number of officers and men who had served in the militia, and in the three months’ service, and Lieutenant Colonel Kiddoo, who had made the Peninsula campaign under M’Clellan, as a private, all were wanting in military experience.
Soon after its organization, the regiment was ordered to Washington, and upon its arrival, reported to General Casey. It went into camp near the city, and during its stay the companies were drilled by officers from the neighboring forts. On the 31st, it was assigned to General Hancock’s Brigade, Smith’s Division, Sixth Corps, then marching through Washington, after the defeat at Bull Run, and about to enter on the Maryland campaign.
South Mountain and Antietam
At Crampton’s Gap, in the South Mountain, the corps came up with the enemy, and the regiment was here for the first time under fire, though not in the front line. The Pass was carried without its active participation, though the men were eager for the fray, and bore themselves, though almost entirely destitute of knowledge in military duty, with commendable coolness. After crossing the mountain, Colonel Bossert was ordered with a detachment from the different regiments of the brigade, to proceed in the direction of Harper’s Ferry, and establish a line across the valley to guard against surprise from that direction. The rest of the regiment was assigned to the charge of the wagon train.
As the battle of Antietam opened, Colonel Bossert drew in his detachment and re-joined the brigade on the field. The Colonel, with Company I, was sent to the support of the brigade battery, and by his coolness under fire, won the thanks of the commander of the brigade. The main body of the regiment was held in reserve, and after the battle, assisted in burying the dead. It was then ordered to stay at Dam No. 4, on the Potomac, where it was engaged in guard duty, and battalion drill.
When Stuart with his rebel cavalry made his raid into Pennsylvania, the brigade, then commanded by General Pratt, was sent in pursuit. The men were aroused at midnight and put upon the march, and no halt was called until they were far into Pennsylvania. The pursuit was fruitless, and the command went into camp a few miles from Hagerstown, near the State line.
Near the close of October, when the army returned into Virginia, the regiment was ordered to the defenses of Washington, and was encamped to the south of the east branch of the Potomac, with other new regiments. An excellent opportunity was here given for drill and discipline, which, was studiously improved.
When the army reached Fredericksburg, under command of General Burnside, the regiment was again ordered to the field, and marching down to a point opposite, Acquia Creek, crossed the river. Here Colonel Bossert was placed in command of the post, with a brigade, composed of his own regiment. four regiments of New Jersey troops, and one from New York, and was charged with guarding the landing, and the railroad leading to Fredericksburg.
The regiment remained on duty here, until Burnside opened his second campaign on the 20th of January, 1863, when it was ordered to the front, and assigned to the Third Brigade, First Division, First Army Corps, General Paul commanding the brigade, and Wadsworth the division.
Upon the abandonment of this campaign, it went into camp at Belle Plain, where it became well versed in drill and picket duty. On the 14th of March, Colonel Bossertwas honorably discharged, and Lieutenant Colonel Kiddoo was promoted tosucceed him, Major Wingard, to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Die LosWalker, to Major.
Chancellorsville
In the campaign under Hooker, which opened on the 27th of April, the regiment moved out with the corps, and crossing the RappahaInnock at Franklin’s Crossing, under a heavy artillery fire, took position on the south bank, and built temporary earth-works. It remained in this position, under a violent fire of the enemy’s artillery, until the night of the 1st of May, when the corps was ordered away to Chancellorsville, where the main body of the army was in position, and where the premonitions of hard fighting were strongly marked.
Accordingly, it re-crossed the river, marched to United States Ford, passed the stream, and after having just encamped for the night near its banks, was suddenly aroused and moved to the front, on the extreme right of the line, the Eleventh Corps having in the meantime been routed by the powerful army of Stonewall Jackson. The position of the brigade was on the right of the corps, and the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh on the right of the brigade.T here was no serious fighting in its front, and three days after it returned with the army and occupied its former camp.
About the middle of May, the term of enlistment being about to expire, it was ordered to Harrisburg, where, on the 1st of June, it was finally mustered out of service.
Source:Â Â Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871.
Organized
Organized at Harrisburg August 25, 1862, and ordered to Washington, D.C.
Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to December, 1862.
Provisional Brigade, Aquia Creek, Va., Patrick’s Command, Army of the Potomac, to January, 1863.
3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863.
Service
Maryland Campaign September, 1862.
Sugar Loaf Mountain September 10-11.
Crampton’s Gap September 14.
Antietam September 17.
Duty in Maryland to November.
In Defences of Washington, D. C, till December, and at
Aquia Creek, Va., till January, 1863.
Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24, 1863.
Duty at Belle Plains till April.
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
Operations at Pollock’s Mill Creek April 29-May 2.
Chancellorsville May 2-5.
Ordered to Harrisburg, Pa. Mustered out June 1, 1863.
Casualties and Losses
Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 58 Enlisted men by disease.
Total 59.Source: Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Vol. III, Dayton, OH: Morningside, 1959.)