The 62nd Pennsylvania Opens Eyes and Earns Their Fresh Threads
ECW welcomes back guest author Michael L. Giorgianni.
On Christmas Eve 1860, the Pittsburgh region was preparing for war and made a bold statement. A shipment of cannons from the Allegheny Arsenal was scheduled to be sent to forts in the South, and the residents would not permit this atrocious act. Fearing these weapons may be used against Union soldiers someday, a group of citizens blocked the streets barring this shipment. Less than four months later, Southern forces assaulted and forced the surrender of Fort Sumter. War was upon the country and thousands of men from the region, including the men of the 62nd Pennsylvania, left careers, dreams, and kissed loved one’s goodbye. They headed to Pittsburgh to take up the Union cause.
The 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Wilkins in Pittsburgh in early August 1861. Colonel Samuel Black, nicknamed the “Bengal Tiger” due to his forthright and aggressive pro-union speeches, recruited an entire regiment. The unit, initially known as the 33rd Independent, consisted of twelve companies, with seven coming from Allegheny County or Pittsburgh proper.[1]
The 33rd Independent began an intensive two weeks of military discipline, basic training and drills in the hot, August weather at Camp Cameron near Harrisburg. One soldier, Lt. Edwin Little, detailed the daily routine: “The regiment woke at 5:00 a.m. and called roll, then it was Squad drill from 6:00 to 7:30, Company drill from 9:30 to 11:00, Battalion drill from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and finally dress parade from 6:00 to 6:30.”[2]
As the strains of this schedule began to take a toll, any contact with home and especially care packages of any sort greatly improved the spirits of the soldiers. Captain Thomas Espy’s Company H received one such gift from their home areas of Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair Township outside of Pittsburgh. The men showed their appreciation by replying with a letter of gratitude to the Pittsburgh Gazette on August 16, 1861.
Colonel Black kept his men focused with patriotic speeches throughout the demanding first few weeks of training. This was a daunting task considering his men were training without uniforms or weapons. I’m not sure any speech could have lessened the blow of the news the men received on August 15, 1861. Private William Conrad, age 25, of Company C became the first man to die from the unit. He had been sick and cared for the previous eight days before dying of dysentery.[3]
After four months being called the 33rd Independent, on November 19, 1861 the regiment was designated as the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment. The constant drilling, strict camp procedures, and widespread sickness undoubtedly molded these men into a fine unit. They were recognized in reviews in both September and November. According to Lt. Edwin Little, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan told Colonel Black the Pennsylvanians were “the finest looking Regiment on the Ground and that he felt very proud of us.”[4]
A momentous review occurred on November 21, 1861 under the observant eyes of President Abraham Lincoln, his cabinet and other politicians. Thousands of curious spectators also came out to see the Army of the Potomac.[5] With the review of 60,000 soldiers now over, the regiment believed their performance had more than propped up their solid reputation. As exemplary as the unit performed, they immediately went back to the rigors of constant drilling. Letters home revealed yearning for a real fight against the “dirty traders [sic].”[6]
Undoubtedly, there was no shortage of regimental pride and playful banter between the men over which unit performed the best. Each unit believed it deserved to be recognized as the gold standard in George McClellan’s army. Rumors swirled that McClellan planned to issue French zouave uniforms to only the most deserving of units; the 62nd Pennsylvania, of course, believed it to be them.
December 13, 1861 was remembered as a day of acknowledgement, respect, and pride by these glowing Pennsylvania soldiers. Colonel Black’s regiment received the French chasseur-style uniforms identifying them as one of the ten best regiments in the Army of the Potomac.[7] The dress-style uniforms certainly filled the men with much happiness; however, the fit and appearance may have seemed unusual. Edwin Little provided a detailed description in a letter penned that day stating that the uniform was “a fancy one, with pants a man could carry 1 bushel of potatoes very handy in the seat of them.”
The men wore these uniforms with honor and viewed the countless hours of drilling as deserving of acknowledgement by the highest authority. The 62nd Pennsylvania also was awarded with 18-foot circular linen tents that could hold sixteen soldiers, likely standard Sibley tents or something akin to them. Mixed reviews accompanied the new tents as many complained they lacked comfort and handiness.
Emotional pain and the displeasure of homesickness pervaded the Pennsylvanians as they prepared to spend Christmas away from home and loved ones. December 21, 1861, brought a special visit and gift: Pennsylvania Senator Edgar Cowen presented the state colors to Colonel Black, who proudly accepted with the following words:
“Sir, you have our thanks for the act of presentation gracefully performed, for your sentiments of kind feeling and generous confidence…you do not misunderstand us. We have dedicated ourselves…to the service of the country, the defense and vindication of its flag, the restoration of the Constitution in all its power, and the preservation and perpetuity of the American Union in every part of its wide and great dominion…”[8]
The 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteers served with distinction in battles from Hanover Court House in late March 1862 until Grant’s first assault on Petersburg in July 1864. The battle of Gaines’s Mill on June 27, 1862 proved not just one of their earliest but one of their costliest, witnessing the death of Col. Samuel Black and the mortal wounding and capture of Capt. Thomas Espy of Company H. These western Pennsylvania sons overcame this day’s horrible losses and served with distinction. The 62nd Pennsylvania gave 123 lives and returned home with 400 wounded.
In January, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture in Carnegie, Pennsylvania as part of the Second Saturday Civil War Series arranged by Emerging Civil War’s own Jon-Erik Gilot, curator of the Captain Thomas Espy post of the Grand Army of the Republic located in the historic Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall. Recently, I began studying western Pennsylvania units and had repeatedly seen the 62nd Pennsylvania mentioned primarily for their admirable deeds at Gettysburg. This first lecture of 2025 was an enlightening and entertaining presentation by members of the 62nd Pennsylvania living history group.
Michael L. Giorgianni has taught social studies in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, for over 25 years with a lifelong passion for American History. He researches the Gettysburg campaign, western Pennsylvania Civil War units and individuals, as well as the Pittsburgh region during the Civil War.
Endnotes:
[1] Spisak, Ernest D. Spisak. Pittsburgh’s Forgotten Civil War Regiment: A History of the 62nd Pennsylvania Infantry and The Men Who Served with Distinction. (Tarentum: Word Association Publishers, 2013), 8-10.
[2] L. Miller, (1991). Dear Maggie, Edwin H. Little Letters, August 1861 – 1863. Philadelphia: Civil War Library and Museum.
[3] Spisak, 18.
[4] Little letter, September 22, 1861.
[5] Altoona Tribune. Altoona, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1861.
[6] Samuel Alexander, (December 1861). Samuel Alexander Letters. Samuel Alexander Papers. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: U.S. Military History Institute.
[7] Spisak, 45.
[8] Richard Saures, Advance the Colors (Lebanon, PA: Capitol Preservation Committee, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1987), vol. 1, 174.
Interesting. For how long did the regiment get to wear its fancy uniforms?
Sadly, the prized uniforms were not worn for long at all due to powers that be stating that they were not fit for campaigning.
Nice article. In many ways Pittsburgh was the “Foundry of the Union”. But that opening line about “would not permit this atrocious act”..of shipping artillery already purchased was a bit precious. I suppose they also burned all their cotton clothing and threw away their cigars, pipes and cigarettes to achieve solidarity?
Thank you John, I would not choose to speak for the viewpoints of all residents of Pittsburgh in December of 1860, however it would appear that extremely strong feelings existed among residents towards other ideas and visions of America. Letters to the editor, and public speeches would indicate there may have been some residents willing to go to the extremes of breaking laws such as blocking military shipments. I have not found any evidence of the suggested activities that you mentioned in your comment.