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Gettysburg, Pa. – Recognized as one of the pivotal battles during
the Civil War, Gettysburg is the site of Lincoln's Gettysburg
Address, and a bloody battle that lasted for three days. Nine
Pennsylvania National Guard organizations have units that still
carry the Gettysburg battlefield streamer.
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Units in formation at the wreath-laying ceremony held in
Gettysburg, PA on July 6, 2013. Nine organizations within the Pennsylvania National
Guard trace their lineage to the historic battle. (U.S. Army photo
by Maj. Edward Shank)
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Before exploring the lineage of the Pennsylvania National Guard,
the question to be answered is why is Gettysburg so important?
“It's considered an important battle for a number of reasons,”
said Guillermo L. Bosch, licensed battlefield guide. Bosch explained
a variety of aspects that results in Gettysburg being one of the
most recognized battles of the Civil War. It was a major battle that
took place in Northern Territory, while many of the other
significant battles took place in the South, he explained. It was
also one of the largest battles of the Civil War with about 170,000
troops involved and 52,000-53,000 killed, wounded- or
missing-in-action. Additionally, because of its proximity to New
York, Philadelphia and Washington, it received a great deal of media
coverage, and was easily accessible after the battle to a large
population of veterans making it one of the most monumented battle sites in the world, he
explained.
The Pennsylvania National Guard, founded in 1747,
is one of the oldest military organizations in the U.S. and is able
to trace units from the following nine battalions' lineages to this
historic battle: the 103rd Engineer Battalion; 1st Battalion, 111th
Infantry Regiment; Headquarters, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team;
1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 107th Field
Artillery Regiment; 1st Battalion, 108th Field Artillery Regiment;
1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 112th
Infantry Regiment and 228th Support Battalion. Their predecessor
units were volunteer infantry units, save for Hampton's Pennsylvania
Light Artillery, Battery F, a field artillery unit.
“Tracing
a unit's lineage is similar to genealogy,” said Charlie Oellig,
curator for the Pennsylvania National Guard museum. “You look at the
location of the unit, and then follow it through unit
reorganizations, and renaming, restationing and even remissioning.
What's important is what the “parent” of that unit was.”
So
for instance, yesterday's Field Artillery unit of Philadelphia, Pa.
could be today's Signal Company of Bensalem, Pa. Following that
trail through history can be complex, and even companies within the
same battalion may have different ancestry. This is made
particularly tough because of the Pennsylvania National Guard's long
history.
Pre-Civil War, the Pennsylvania National Guard was
comprised of a number of militias. Militias were organized by a
prominent citizen of the town in which they were located. The
soldiers were likely unpaid, and met for several weeks each year to
drill on the town green. Militia names were unique and unnumbered.
For instance, today's 103rd Engineer Battalion, which traces its
lineage to 1747, was called during its history: the Company of
Artillery, Artillery Battalion of Philadelphia, Volunteer Corps of
Light Infantry-Washington Grays, Artillery Corps-Washington Grays,
and prior to the Civil War the First Regiment of Artillery, the Gray
Reserves. Once they enlisted to fight the in Civil War they were
organized and numbered as the 118th and 119th Pennsylvania Volunteer
Infantry. An interesting piece of military history, according to
Oellig, is that the Washington Grays reported for duty in the Union
Army wearing gray uniforms. But, this makes sense considering they
were known as the Washington Grays for much of their pre-Civil War
history.
The units of the Pennsylvania National Guard got to
Gettysburg by volunteering for service. This process was known as a
unit “mustering.” The term means they swore an oath to the U.S. and
were no longer under state control, according to Bosch. Similar to
today's process of being called up for federal service. After the
militia units mustered they were called volunteer units of the Union
Army as opposed to regular units, which were the equivalent of
today's active-duty Army.
Militia training could have taken
place at any number of camps scattered throughout Pennsylvania, or
as we know them now as mobilization stations. Philadelphia was home
to a dozen or so camps, according to Bosche. Camp Curtin, located on
the West Shore of modern-day Harrisburg, was the largest troop
training grounds of the Union Army.
During the battle all of
the units served bravely in a variety of capacities. As with all
wars and battles, “whether a unit is deeply involved in the actual
combat or not, is a matter of happenstance,” said Bosche. One of the
more significant actions of the battle by Pennsylvania National
Guard Units was the actions of the 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer
Infantry Regiment, the ancestor of units within 1st Battalion, 111th
Infantry Regiment, and Headquarters, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat
Team. On days two and three this unit helped to hold the line during
Pickett's Charge. At the end of the battle the unit had casualties
of 42 percent.
Many modern day Pennsylvania National Guard
Soldiers realize the significance and impact this battle had on U.S.
history, and are proud of their lineage. “It is very humbling to
command an organization that traces its lineage to our founding
fathers, some of the greatest scholars and patriots our nation has
ever known,” said Lt. Col. Christopher McDevitt, commander of the
103rd Engineer Battalion.
“Gettysburg was a turning point in
the history of our nation, where those young men stood shoulder to
shoulder not knowing if they would survive the next volley. Our
heritage instills a tremendous pride in me as a commander because I
know that the same spirit lives on in my Soldiers 150 years later.
They have demonstrated the same resolve throughout the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan where they once again stood shoulder to shoulder,”
he said.
The Pennsylvania National Guard is hosting a
wreath-laying ceremony commemorating these units at the Pennsylvania
Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, July 6, 2013, from 9
a.m. to 10 a.m. The modern-day units will be on site with their
colors and several speakers will discuss the units' roles. The 28th
Infantry Division Band will also be providing a concert with Civil
War-era selections.
By U.S. Army Maj. Edward Shank
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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