76th Pennsylvania Infantry

Pennsylvania

Private
Joined
Dec 4, 2023
Location
Snyder County Pennsylvania
Hello , I am looking for information on the late war uniform of the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry regiment. I have done a fair amount of research but. I have not been able to find much.
My 4th great uncle joined this regiment on September 15th 1861 but he deserted on November 18th 1861. He returned to the the regiment on September 4th 1864. Is it possible he would have been issued a zouave uniform that late in the war? Thanks
 
I will go out on a limb and say it Is possible. If not a complete zouave uniform then a partial one.


"Robert Ford was mustered into the 76th Pennsylvania on October 1, 1861, and trained in Harrisburg. The unit was sent to South Carolina and participated in battles around Charleston, including an attack on Fort Wagner, when Ford was wounded. Included in the artifacts donated to the Museum is the bullet removed from Ford's shoulder.

76th%20PA%20Uniform%20(101)_small.jpg
The 76th Pennsylvania was later transferred to Virginia and fought in the Siege of Petersburg. Ford mustered-out with the regiment on November 28, 1864, and returned home. He died in 1915 at age 74 and was buried in Woodland Cemetery in Pine Township, Mercer County, PA.
76th%20PA%20Uniform%20(96)_small.jpg

The uniform was donated by John Weaver in 2004 to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. The uniform is in great shape.

The uniform is made by the Schuylkill Arsenal. The jacket is made from sack coat flannel, trimmed in 5/8" wool trim and lined with several different wool dress materials. While marked as being produced at the S.A., the jacket does exhibit some machine sewing to attach the trim and tombeaux."


IMG_0793.jpeg
 
I would also say it is quite likely. They were definitely issuing this uniform in 1863 and I have found no information indicating that they gave up the zouave uniform later.
 
Hello , I am looking for information on the late war uniform of the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry regiment. I have done a fair amount of research but. I have not been able to find much.
My 4th great uncle joined this regiment on September 15th 1861 but he deserted on November 18th 1861. He returned to the the regiment on September 4th 1864. Is it possible he would have been issued a zouave uniform that late in the war? Thanks
As late as 1864 the "Keystone Zouaves" were still wearing their full kit. There was an 1864 dated photograph once in the collection of Mike McAfee attesting to this. I do not know where the photograph currently resides, but I do believe it was published in an article either for Co of Military Historians or other.
 
I will go out on a limb and say it Is possible. If not a complete zouave uniform then a partial one.


"Robert Ford was mustered into the 76th Pennsylvania on October 1, 1861, and trained in Harrisburg. The unit was sent to South Carolina and participated in battles around Charleston, including an attack on Fort Wagner, when Ford was wounded. Included in the artifacts donated to the Museum is the bullet removed from Ford's shoulder.

The 76th Pennsylvania was later transferred to Virginia and fought in the Siege of Petersburg. Ford mustered-out with the regiment on November 28, 1864, and returned home. He died in 1915 at age 74 and was buried in Woodland Cemetery in Pine Township, Mercer County, PA.

The uniform was donated by John Weaver in 2004 to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. The uniform is in great shape.

The uniform is made by the Schuylkill Arsenal. The jacket is made from sack coat flannel, trimmed in 5/8" wool trim and lined with several different wool dress materials. While marked as being produced at the S.A., the jacket does exhibit some machine sewing to attach the trim and tombeaux."


View attachment 492339
Robert Ford memorial
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63835333/robert-ford

The 76th Pennsylvania Uniform
 
Hello , I am looking for information on the late war uniform of the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry regiment. I have done a fair amount of research but. I have not been able to find much.
My 4th great uncle joined this regiment on September 15th 1861 but he deserted on November 18th 1861. He returned to the the regiment on September 4th 1864. Is it possible he would have been issued a zouave uniform that late in the war? Thanks
Here is a late war arsenal jacket, currently for sale by Vin Caponi:

IMG_6528.jpeg
 
The unidentified soldier image is a mystery to me. In searching the 76th it is the only image I have found with that style jacket. I'm not 100 percent convinced this is the 76th. I'll dig a little deeper and see what I can find.
 
The unidentified soldier image is a mystery to me. In searching the 76th it is the only image I have found with that style jacket. I'm not 100 percent convinced this is the 76th. I'll dig a little deeper and see what I can find.
That jacket looks nothing like any of the authenticated jackets pictured. I would not be surprised if the photo were misidentified, or the soldier was in another unit at the time of the image, and was at another time in the 76th, confusing his history.
 
On the other hand there were varations in Civil War Uniforms even in the same unit...
Very rare, since supply was generally not an issue, to have a completely different jacket in the 76th PA, when the arsenal supplying their uniforms was in Philadelphia, is very doubtful.

I agree that this is either mis-identified, or in another unit either prior or post 76th service.
 
The unidentified soldier image is a mystery to me. In searching the 76th it is the only image I have found with that style jacket. I'm not 100 percent convinced this is the 76th. I'll dig a little deeper and see what I can find.

IN this photo of Union soldiers on Morris Island in 1863, where the 76th served, I noticed this chap in a zouave jacket similar to that of the unidentified fellow.
1702845565532.png


Similar to the unidentified chap posted...
1702845629805.png


Perhaps an early or mid-war uniform of the regiment?
 
IN this photo of Union soldiers on Morris Island in 1863, where the 76th served, I noticed this chap in a zouave jacket similar to that of the unidentified fellow.
View attachment 492520

Similar to the unidentified chap posted...
View attachment 492521

Perhaps an early or mid-war uniform of the regiment?
Very interesting. The two soldiers around him seem to have standard uniforms. Perhaps this is an interim replacement jacket. Great job finding this !
 
IN this photo of Union soldiers on Morris Island in 1863, where the 76th served, I noticed this chap in a zouave jacket similar to that of the unidentified fellow.
View attachment 492520

Similar to the unidentified chap posted...
View attachment 492521

Perhaps an early or mid-war uniform of the regiment?
If you blow that picture up, (LOC) you will see one of the guards has his regiment number on the crown of his forage cap. Interestingly enough it shows a 67, so I thought maybe it was a mirror image, but his belt plate was US, straight up. The guard at least is from the 67th Ohio; the headquarters appears to be a small one and very dirty, so it may be assumed that this was not more than a regimental HQ. The 67th Ohio were also at Morris Island at the time and lost heavily before Wagner.

May be interesting to see if the 67th Ohio had different uniforms......
 
My 4th great uncle joined this regiment on September 15th 1861 but he deserted on November 18th 1861. He returned to the the regiment on September 4th 1864.
Tangential - see if he applied for a pension.

I'm very curious about that missing three (almost) years and would not be surprised if he served in a different unit at that time.
 
Tangential - see if he applied for a pension.

I'm very curious about that missing three (almost) years and would not be surprised if he served in a different unit at that time.
He did apply for a pension and I think he got it. As far as I can find he actually did desert in 1861 but he did join the 30th Pennsylvania emergency militia in 1863 for the confederate campaign in Pennsylvania. and afterwards he joined the 208th Pennsylvania Infantry. I'm not sure but find a grave claims he was arrested 3 days after he joined 208th and was returned to the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry in 1864.

His name is Samuel P Bowersox and was a pvt in Co.D 76th Pennsylvania Infantry. I'm not at all surprised he deserted based on some of the other records I found on my uncle. because he also shot and murdered a man after the war when he and his wife moved to Ohio.
 
He did apply for a pension and I think he got it. As far as I can find he actually did desert in 1861 but he did join the 30th Pennsylvania emergency militia in 1863 for the confederate campaign in Pennsylvania. and afterwards he joined the 208th Pennsylvania Infantry. I'm not sure but find a grave claims he was arrested 3 days after he joined 208th and was returned to the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry in 1864.

His name is Samuel P Bowersox and was a pvt in Co.D 76th Pennsylvania Infantry. I'm not at all surprised he deserted based on some of the other records I found on my uncle. because he also shot and murdered a man after the war when he and his wife moved to Ohio.
summary of his life
 
summary of his life

This is not surprising - Strangely, his military records for the 76th Pa show no break in service, as if he had faithfully served and re-enlisted as a Veteran Volunteer until discharged.

I suspect that he had other service (under a different name) between 1862 and the 30th Emergency Militia that - when brought to light - might have had the 76th's leadership turn a blind eye ("you did something good while being a dirtbag, we don't prosecute you and this conversation never happened")

Barring some miraculous discovery, I doubt that name will ever be uncovered.

Hmmm. Any record of him being wounded and/or extended sick leave?
assigned him to duty with the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry February 14, 1865, serving as cook for Capt. Luther Yost Diller.
 
Last edited:
This is not surprising - Strangely, his military records for the 76th Pa show no break in service, as if he had faithfully served and re-enlisted as a Veteran Volunteer until discharged.

I suspect that he had other service (under a different name) between 1862 and the 30th Emergency Militia that - when brought to light - might have had the 76th's leadership turn a blind eye ("you did something good while being a dirtbag, we don't prosecute you and this conversation never happened")

Barring some miraculous discovery, I doubt that name will ever be uncovered.

Hmmm. Any record of him being wounded and/or extended sick leave?
assigned him to duty with the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry February 14, 1865, serving as cook for Capt. Luther Yost Diller.
I'm not sure where find a grave got that information about him having no break in service because if you look at the roster for Co.D 76th P.V.I. it does show a break in his service. I haven't found anything about him being a cook Capt. Diller. But I will keep looking.
 

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