The 97th Pennsylvania Infantry was a Union infantry regiment which fought in multiple key engagements of the American Civil War, including the Siege of Fort Pulaski, Bermuda Hundred Campaign, Battle of Cold Harbor, Siege of Petersburg, and the Carolinas Campaign.
Following this organization's muster-in during late August 1861, its leaders were presented the regiment's First State Color on November 4 by Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin. Manufactured by Horstmann Brothers and Company, this flag was initially carried by the regiment's first color-bearer, Sergeant John D. Beaver.
Service overview
The 97th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at West Chester, Pennsylvania by West Chester resident Henry Ruhl Guss, who received approval from the U.S. Secretary of War in late July 1861 to begin recruiting men to enroll for three-year terms of service. Recruitment commenced August 22. Companies A, B, C, E, F, G, H, and K were composed largely of men from Chester County with Companies D and I staffed by men from Delaware County. The Regimental Band was conducted by George Ellenger and staffed by 22 musicians. Muster-in took place on October 28 at Camp Wayne near West Chester. The initial roster of commanding officers included the regiment's founder, Henry R. Guss, who had been commissioned as colonel; Augustus P. Duer, lieutenant colonel; and Galusha Pennypacker, major. Company Captains were: Francis M. Guss (Company A), William B. McCoy (Company B), Isaiah Price (Company C), W. S. Mendenhall (Company D), William McConnell (Company E), Dewitt Clinton Lewis (Company F), Jesse L. Cummins (Company G), Charles McIlvaine (Company H), George Hawkins (Company I), and William Wayne (Company K).
Transported by rail to Washington, D.C., the regiment was initially stationed at Fort Monroe and attached to the Department of Virginia to December 1861. The remainder of the regiment's duty assignments were: Wright's 3rd Brigade, Sherman's South Carolina Expedition, to April 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the South, to July 1862. District of Hilton Head, South Carolina, Department of the South, to September 1862. District Hilton Head, South Carolina, X Corps, Department of the South, to April 1863. Stevenson's Brigade, Seabrook Island, South Carolina, X Corps, to July 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Morris Island, South Carolina, X Corps, July 1863. 3rd Brigade, Morris Island, South Carolina, X Corps, to August 1863. 1st Brigade, Morris Island, South Carolina, X Corps, to October 1863. Fernandina, Florida, Department of the South, to April 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, X Corps, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to May 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XVIII Corps, to June 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, X Corps, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XXIV Corps, to January 1865. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Terry's Provisional Corps, Department of North Carolina, to March 1865. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, X Corps, Department of North Carolina, to August 1865.
The 97th Pennsylvania Infantry mustered out August 28, 1865, at Weldon, North Carolina, and were discharged September 4, 1865, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Detailed service
The detailed service of the regiment unfolded as follows: