PA Civil War > Regiments > 72nd

72nd Pennsylvania Regiment - Baxter's Fire Zouaves *

Recruited in the city of Philadelphia, PA. Along with the 69th, 72nd, and 106th, the 71st formed the famed Philadelphia Brigade which helped defend against Pickett's Charge in the Battle of Gettysburg.


72nd PA Regiment Newspaper Articles




72nd PA Regiment Companies




72nd PA Regiment Books




72nd PA Regiment Organization, Service & Battles

    Organization
  • Organized at Philadelphia August 10, 1861.
  • Moved to Washington, D.C., August, 1861.
  • At Munson's Hill till September 30.
  • Attached to Baker's Brigade, Stone's (Sedgwick's) Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862.
  • 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1864.
  • 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to August, 1864.
    Service & Battles - 1861
  • Moved to Poolesville, Md., September 30, 1861,
    Service & Battles - 1862
  • Duty on the Upper Potomac till February, 1862.
  • At Harper's Ferry till March 24.
  • Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 24-April 1.
  • Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4.
  • Moved to West Point May 7.
  • At Tyler's Farm till May 31.
  • Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) May 31-June 1.
  • At Fair Oaks till June 28.
  • Near Fair Oaks June 8.
  • Seven Pines June 15.
  • Fair Oaks June 19.
  • Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
  • Battles of Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29;
  • Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30; Malvern Hill July 1.
  • At Harrison's Landing till August 16.
  • Movement to Newport News, thence to Alexandria August 16-28,
  • And to
  • Centreville and Chantilly August 28-30.
  • Cover Pope's retreat August 31-September 1.
  • Maryland Campaign September 6-24.
  • Battle of Antietam September 16-17.
  • Moved to Harper's Ferry September 22, and duty there till October 30.
  • Reconnoissance to Charlestown October 16-17.
  • Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 20.
  • Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
    Service & Battles - 1863
  • Burnside's second Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863.
  • At Falmouth till April.
  • Hartwood Church February 25.
  • Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
  • Banks Ford May 1 and 4. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24.
  • Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4.
  • Pursuit of Lee July 5-24.
  • At Banks Ford and Culpeper till October.
  • Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17.
  • Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
  • Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
  • Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
  • Robertson's Tavern or Locust Grove November 27.
    Service & Battles - 1864
  • Duty on the Rapidan till May, 1864.
  • Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7.
  • Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12.
  • Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7;
  • Laurel Hill May 8;
  • Spottsylvania May 8-12; Po River May 12-21.
  • Assault on the Salient May 12.
  • North Anna River May 23-26.
  • On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.
  • Totopotomoy May 28-31.
  • Cold Harbor June 1-12.
  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16-August 20.
  • Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23.
  • Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29.
  • Deep Bottom July 27-28.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve).
  • Mustered out at Philadelphia August 24, 1864.
    Regimental Losses
  • Regiment lost during service 11 Officers and 182 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 69 Enlisted men by disease. Total 264.




* Zouave (pronounced zoo-ahh-vah), patterned after the French Zouaves, were elite units especially popular in the Union Army. They were known for their precision on the drill field and for their colorful uniforms consisting of gaiters, baggy pants, short red jackets with trim, and turbans or fezzes. The 72nd PA regiment wore a modified Zouave uniform with Chasseur pants and jackets with minimal fancy trim.