PA Emergency Militia of 1863 arms.

tbuckley

Sergeant
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Does anyone know of any records of what arms were issued to the Pennsylvania Emergency Militia in June and July, 1863?
Thanks.
 
pen p.jpg
 
Major Bill,
Thanks for the photo. It looks like he has a Springfield.
Several years ago, I was doing a little research on Pennsylvania 1863 Militia sent into eastern Ohio during John Hunt Morgan's Raid for our local roundtable. I ran across a photo of a Pennsylvania militiaman of one of the regiments involved and he had a French/Belgian rifled musket. I believe that the Pennsylvania militia regiments involved had been organized in Pittsburgh.
 
While it is interesting that a member of the Penn Emergency Militia of 1863 would be outfitted as seen in the photo with the apex military arm of the Union army (the US model rifle musket), it is not surprising that another soldier in the Penn Emergency Militia was documented as having received something second or third class, like a Belgian musket. Questions of this type, by which I mean 'who was issued what arms and when' are going to prove difficult to paint into a corner because of two factors. First, the paucity of any such records (what is most often recorded are returns) but also how military arms were doled out to US troops during the Civil War. I have used this quote several times before in other posts here, but it summarizes the difficulties that are going to be encountered in finding a definitive answer to this question. The simple facts are that arms issuance was a somewhat fluid process. By that I mean military arms were issued to troops (even in the same regiment) at different intervals, not every man all at one time. The following quote illustrates that point:

"Some
of our boys got Austrian rifles, some Enfield, and others Springfield. I got the Enfield, and Bob got the finest arm of the whole lot, a fine United States Springfield rifle. Training in the use of these weapons was startlingly belated and haphazard." - Pvt. Orrin W. Cook, Company B. 22nd Regt. Massachusetts Volunteers.

Orrin W. Cook was a lumberman when drafted to Co B, Mass 22nd Infantry Regiment on July 17, 1863. He mustered out on October 21, 1864, so the quote is from the same basic time period in question. On top of that, the various state militia did not usually warrant first dibs in the procurement process. One might expect the most likely answer is that the Penn Emergency Militia received a mixture of arms based on whatever was available at the time.
 
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An organization that was related to the Pennsylvania Militia of 1863 was the Departmental Corps of the Department of the Monongahela that was organized in June and July, 1863. Of the eight companies of the Departmental Corps, four were from western Pennsylvania and the other four were from Belmont County, Ohio, my county. The Departmental Corps was created because of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania to have an organized and equipped unit in the area if needed. The first of the four Belmont County companies, Deen's Company, was sent to Pittsburgh to receive a little training (probably very little), and their arms and equipment. Deen's Company was the only one of the Ohio companies ready at the time of Morgan's Raid in July 1863 and guarded a bridge in the Barnesville area, even though the people of Barnesville had already determined that they would surrender the town to Morgan if he came near. The only picture known of any of the Departmental Corps companies is one of Deen's Company taken in Barnesville and, even though it is a bit blurry, on the muskets shown there appears to be two low horizontal ridges on the trigger guards (probably the wrong term). I am thinking that the muskets issued to Deen's Company at Pittsburgh were probably Belgian/French.
The other three Belmont County companies were organized in Wheeling, WV and may have received different arms.
The Departmental Corps companies were sent to Erie, PA in the fall of 1864 because of rumors of a Confederate invasion from Canada. They were discharged shortly after their little vacation in Erie, PA.
Some of the men of the Belmont County companies did transfer to the 60th O.V.I.
Sorry for rambling on about the Departmental Corps. :smile:
 
I just found another bit of information on Pennsylvania Emergency Militia arms. A friend has a book about the 26th Penn. Emergency Militia at Gettysburg, Private Cook and the College Company at Gettysburg by M. Patrick McCrary. The book is based on the diary and letters of Pvt. Herman Sidney Cook of Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia. Cook's diary entry for June 23, 1863 states "Received Springfield Rifle Muskets, accoutrements, and forty rounds of cartridges."
The monument of the 26th Emergency Militia on Chambersburg Street in Gettysburg shows a young man in civilian clothes, wearing a kepi, and holding an Enfield. I would guess that the monument was meant to be a bit dramatic since the regiment was issued uniforms and didn't wear civilian clothes. I read somewhere that the only reason the 26th got a monument at Gettysburg was because one of the militiamen, Samuel Pennypacker, was later governor of Pennsylvania.
 
I am not sure if this is of any help at all but in late August of 1862 the Philadelphia City Guard was mobilized and sent out to Northern Maryland as Lee moved North in his first attempt to invade Pennsylvania. They were armed with Suhl muskets, .71 caliber smooth bores, percussion, until recently in the hands of the German federal navy. I do not know if this unit, or any of its men, were mobilized to repel Lee ten months later.
 
I am not sure if this is of any help at all but in late August of 1862 the Philadelphia City Guard was mobilized and sent out to Northern Maryland as Lee moved North in his first attempt to invade Pennsylvania. They were armed with Suhl muskets, .71 caliber smooth bores, percussion, until recently in the hands of the German federal navy. I do not know if this unit, or any of its men, were mobilized to repel Lee ten months later.

Thanks for that information. The Blue Reserves and Gray Reserves of Philadelphia were mobilized in 1863. I can't remember the regimental numbers assigned in 1863, but one of the regiments of militia from Philadelphia was involved in a skirmish near Boonsboro, MD during the Confederate retreat from Pennsylvania. I would assume that they could have used the same muskets that they had in 1862.
 
I just found another bit of information on Pennsylvania Emergency Militia arms. A friend has a book about the 26th Penn. Emergency Militia at Gettysburg, Private Cook and the College Company at Gettysburg by M. Patrick McCrary. The book is based on the diary and letters of Pvt. Herman Sidney Cook of Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia. Cook's diary entry for June 23, 1863 states "Received Springfield Rifle Muskets, accoutrements, and forty rounds of cartridges."
The monument of the 26th Emergency Militia on Chambersburg Street in Gettysburg shows a young man in civilian clothes, wearing a kepi, and holding an Enfield. I would guess that the monument was meant to be a bit dramatic since the regiment was issued uniforms and didn't wear civilian clothes. I read somewhere that the only reason the 26th got a monument at Gettysburg was because one of the militiamen, Samuel Pennypacker, was later governor of Pennsylvania.
I'm not sure the monument really depicts an individual in civilian clothes, it would appear that the artist wanted to capture the extreme youth of the unit, which were largely made up of school boys and thus depicts him without a sack coat. The "soldier", is fully accoutered.

I found this excerpt:

Governor Andrew S. Curtin of Pennsylvania, in cooperation with veteran Union General Darius N. Couch late of the Army of the Potomac, recruited and quickly outfitted emergency response home militia units in an effort to put organized bodies of troops in key locations to slow down the advancing Secessionists. These “military” units often consisted of young boys, old men, shopkeepers, and local businessmen, freed blacks on occasion, and convalescing army veterans. Commanders and line officers were chosen through political ties, friendships, social standing or in some cases by perceived past military glory. One such hastily raised hodge-podge unit was the 750 men of the 26th Pennsylvania Emergency Militia Regiment, under the command of Colonel William W. Jennings, a wealthy factory owner who was a personal friend of Gov. Curtin. Jennings had used his personal relationship with the governor to secure his commission, and eventually to gain command of this new regiment. After organizational meetings and muster ceremonies on June 22nd, the men were outfitted with brand new Union soldier uniforms, and given unused 1863 Springfield .58 caliber rifles from a nearby armory. Briefly drilling in the Harrisburg area, Jennings’ recruits felt more and more sure of their abilities as soldiers, and their morale was quite high initially. The new guns, the smell and feel of the fresh military clothing, the comradeship of fellow militia men – all contributed to the men’s growing sense of excitement about meeting the Confederate army in battle. For many, war was a glorious spectacle, with the prospect of booty, glory, and possible fame. While the starry-eyed new recruits tossed around vibrant tales of their planned prowess as soldiers, the few actual combat veterans within the unit grimly went about the task of teaching this motley collection of teenage farm boys and recruits from Penn College and out-of-shape mid-life shopkeepers how to act like soldiers. The drilling continued for two days with the few veterans in charge, most of whom knew how unrealistic it was to expect these men and boys to stop the cream of Lee’s army when the entire Army of the Potomac had failed so often.
 
Thanks Package4,
I would think that with the M1863 Springfields, the 26th Emergency Militia was better armed than some regiments in the Army of the Potomac.
 
Thanks Package4,
I would think that with the M1863 Springfields, the 26th Emergency Militia was better armed than some regiments in the Army of the Potomac.
Yes, the 12th NJ was still using .69 smoothbores but they seemed to like them and liked to known as a "buck 'n ball" regiment. On their monument at Gettysburg the 12th NJ has a large buck and ball ornament on it. On that Phila. City Guard outfit I mentioned above, the one with the Suhl German federal navy muskets, it did not see action at Antietam and may not have been activated for Gettysburg. I guess somebody could recognize suicide when they saw it looming.
 
Yes, the 12th NJ was still using .69 smoothbores but they seemed to like them and liked to known as a "buck 'n ball" regiment. On their monument at Gettysburg the 12th NJ has a large buck and ball ornament on it. On that Phila. City Guard outfit I mentioned above, the one with the Suhl German federal navy muskets, it did not see action at Antietam and may not have been activated for Gettysburg. I guess somebody could recognize suicide when they saw it looming.[/QUOTE,

I don't believe that any regiments of the Pennsylvania Militia of 1862 saw any action. At the insistence of Pennsylvania Governor Curtain, General John Reynolds was placed in command of the state's militia during the Maryland Campaign and Reynolds had some regiments of the militia in the area of Hagerstown, MD, but that was as close as they got.
Two Philadelphia militia regiments, The Blue Reserves and the Gray Reserves. were activated in 1863 as Pennsylvania Emergency Militia but I would have to look up what regiments they were. At least one of the Philadelphia militia regiments was with the troops commanded by "Baldy" Smith in the pursuit of Lee's army after Gettysburg. In the report of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick for the his Third Division of the Cavalry Corps of the actions following Gettysburg, he stated "On the 13th, the enemy made a slight attack on my position, but were repulsed. Five hundred militia (Philadelphia Blues) assisted in this repulse."
Somehow my reply got in the quote. I must need more coffee.
 
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As was recently mentioned, many units of Grant's army at this time were equipped with inferior weapons and rearmed themselves from captured Confederate stocks at Vicksburg. Other front-line troops were probably in the same situation, especially those at the far end of the logistic pipeline.

In terms of logistics, it might actually be easier to provide modern weapons to units in their home states, close to factories, arsenals, ports, and railroads.
 
As was recently mentioned, many units of Grant's army at this time were equipped with inferior weapons and rearmed themselves from captured Confederate stocks at Vicksburg. Other front-line troops were probably in the same situation, especially those at the far end of the logistic pipeline.

In terms of logistics, it might actually be easier to provide modern weapons to units in their home states, close to factories, arsenals, ports, and railroads.
That's certainly true for Pennsylvania where there were several arsenals cranking out rifled Springfields.
 
By that I mean military arms were issued to troops (even in the same regiment) at different intervals, not every man all at one time. The following quote illustrates that point:

"Some
of our boys got Austrian rifles, some Enfield, and others Springfield. I got the Enfield, and Bob got the finest arm of the whole lot, a fine United States Springfield rifle. Training in the use of these weapons was startlingly belated and haphazard." - Pvt. Orrin W. Cook, Company B. 22nd Regt. Massachusetts Volunteers.

Orrin W. Cook was a lumberman when drafted to Co B, Mass 22nd Infantry Regiment on July 17, 1863. He mustered out on October 21, 1864, so the quote is from the same basic time period in question. On top of that, the various state militia did not usually warrant first dibs in the procurement process. One might expect the most likely answer is that the Penn Emergency Militia received a mixture of arms based on whatever was available at the time.

1) Not surprising, since from a Logistician's perspective what came out of the business end was more important than the minor variations in the arms proper. Assuming by 'Austrian' they meant the Lorenz, all three were .58 caliber and therefore the Regiment easier to be kept resupplied with cartridges.

2) As for the counter-intuitive that the emergency militia units in Pennsylvania would be issued more-modern arms than frontline units, those militia units were far closer to the sources of supply (Bridesburg, Trenton, ad nauseum) and they could just be equipped from depots in the eastern part of the state.

3) By contrast, the 13th PA Militia (September 1862) were told to bring their own arms.
 
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