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A Brief History of the 14th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

By Patrick McSherry


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General:

The 14th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was raised in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The unit did not see service outside of the continental United States during the war.

The History:

The unit was formed from the Fourteenth Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard, with five of its eight companies coming from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Companies A, B, E, F, and G), and the remaining three companies coming from the surrounding Allegheny County (Company C from Oakdale Station, I from Elizabeth, and K from Carnegie).

Along with the remainder of the state's National Guard force, on April 27, 1898 the men of  the 14th Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard were ordered to report to Camp Hastings at Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania. The unit arrived a day later, and was reviewed by the governor on May 3. The unit was mustered into the federal service as the 14th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on May 12, 1898 under the command of Colonel Glenn. The unit began with 35 officers and 604 enlisted men. Eventually it would grow to include 687 enlisted men.

The unit remained at Camp Hastings for a full month unit June 12, when it was ordered to proceed to New Jersey's Fort Mott. Companies E and F were detached and sent to Fort Delaware, near Wilmington, Delaware. Later, on July 15, Companies I and K were switched with the companies at Fort Delaware.

On September 3, the 14th Pennsylvania was ordered to Camp Meade at Middletown, Pennsylvania and assigned to the Second Brigade, First Division of the Second Army Corps. The war's fighting had already ended with an Armistice on August 13. While at Camp Meade, the 14th Pennsylvania had the opportunity to take part in the Peace Jubilee held at Philadelphia on October 27, 1898.

On November 7, the 14th received orders to proceed south to Summerville, South Carolina along with its entire brigade. The signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10 officially ended the Spanish American War though the unit remained at Summerville until being mustered out on February 28, 1899.

During its term of service, the 14th Pennsylvania lost two men to disease, and one man as the result of an accident. Additionally, eight men deserted and one man was courtmartialed.



Bibliography:

(As a service to our readers, clicking on title in red will take you to that book on Amazon.com)

Sauers, Richard A., Pennsylvania in the Spanish-American War. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee, 1998) . 11.

Stewart, Adj. Gen. Thomas J., Record of the Pennsylvania Vounteers. (Harrisburg: William Stanley Ray, 1901) 570-571.

Statistical Exhibit of Strength of Volunteer Forces Called into Service During the War with Spain; with Losses from All Causes. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1899).


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