The 61st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 61st Pennsylvania was organized at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in August 1861 and mustered in for a three year enlistment under the command of Colonel Oliver H. Rippey.
The regiment was attached to Jameson's Brigade, Heintzelman's Division, Army of the Potomac, to February 1862. Graham's Brigade, Couch's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, VI Corps, to October 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, VI Corps, to February 1863. Light Brigade, VI Corps, to May 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July 1864. Army of the Shenandoah to December 1864, and Army of the Potomac to June 1865.
The 61st Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out June 28, 1865.
Ordered to Washington, D.C. Duty in the defenses of Washington, D. C., until March 1862. Reconnaissance to Pohick Church and Occoquan River November 12, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10âÂÂ15, 1862. Reconnaissance to Gainesville March 20. Moved to the Peninsula, Va., March 26. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Operations about Bottom's Bridge May 20âÂÂ23. Battle of Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. Seven Days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Seven Pines June 27. White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross Roads June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Reconnaissance to Malvern Hill August 5âÂÂ7. Movement to Alexandria, then to Chantilly August 16âÂÂ30. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6âÂÂ24. Battle of Antietam September 16âÂÂ17. Williamsport September 19âÂÂ20. Duty in Maryland and on the Potomac until November. Movement to Falmouth, Va., November 1âÂÂ19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12âÂÂ15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20âÂÂ24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3âÂÂ4. Banks' Ford May 4. Operations about Deep Run Ravine June 6âÂÂ13. Battle Of Gettysburg July 2âÂÂ4. South Mountain, Md., July 6. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9âÂÂ22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7âÂÂ8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. At Brandy Station until April 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battle of the Wilderness May 5âÂÂ7. Parker's Store May 5. Spotsylvania May 8âÂÂ12. Spottsylvania Court House May 12âÂÂ21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23âÂÂ26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26âÂÂ28. Totopotomoy May 28âÂÂ31. Cold Harbor June 1âÂÂ12. Before Petersburg June 17âÂÂ19. Siege of Petersburg until July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22âÂÂ23. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9âÂÂ11. Repulse of Early's attack on Fort Stevens and the northern defenses of Washington July 11âÂÂ12. Pursuit of Early to Snicker's Gap July 14âÂÂ19. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to December. Charlestown August 21. Gilbert's Ford, Opequan Creek, September 13. Third Battle of Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until December. Ordered to Petersburg, Va., December 1. Siege of Petersburg December 1864 to April 1865. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3âÂÂ9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Danville April 23âÂÂ29, and duty there until May 23. Moved to Richmond, Va., then to Washington, D.C. Corps Review June 8.
The regiment lost a total of 338 men during service; 19 officers and 218 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 100 enlisted men died of disease.