97th Pennsylvania Infantry

The 97th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 97th Pennsylvania Infantry was organized at West Chester, Pennsylvania beginning August 22, 1861 and mustered in October 28, 1861 for a three-year enlistment.

The regiment was attached to the Department of Virginia to December 1861. 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
Moved to Washington, D.C., November 16-17, then to Fortress Monroe, Va., November 20-22. Duty at Camp Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, Va., until December 8, 1861. Moved to Port Royal, S.C., December 8-11. Duty at Hilton Head, S.C., until January 21, 1862. Operations in Warsaw Sound, Ga., against Fort Pulaski, January 21-February 25. Expedition to Florida February 25-March 5. Occupation of Fernandina March 5, and duty there until March 24. Moved to Jacksonville, Fla., March 24, and duty there until April 9. Moved to Hilton Head, S.C., April 9-14. Expedition to Edisto Island, S.C., April 19-20. Expedition to James Island. S.C., June 1-28. Action on James Island June 10. Battle of Secessionville June 16. Evacuation of James Island June 28, and duty at North Edisto Island until July 18. Moved to Hilton Head, S.C., July 18, and duty there until November 20. At St. Helena Island, S.C., until January 15, 1863. At Hilton Head and Seabrook Point until April. At Seabrook Island until July 8. Expedition to James Island July 9-16. Battle of Secessionville July 16. Moved to Folly and Morris Islands July 17-18. Assault on Fort Wagner, Morris Island, July 18. Siege of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, and operations against Fort Sumter and Charleston July 18-September 7. Capture of Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island, September 7. Duty on Morris Island until October 2. Moved to Fernandina, Fla., October 2-5, and duty there until April 23, 1864. Expedition from Fernandina to Woodstock and King's Ferry Mills February 15-23, 1864. Moved to Hilton Head, S.C., then to Gloucester Point, Va., April 23-28. Butler's operations on south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Capture of Bermuda Hundred and City Point May 5. Swift Creek or Arrow field Church May 9-10. Proctor's Creek and operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drewry's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred front May 17-28. Chester Station May 18. Green Plains May 20. Movement to White House, then to Cold Harbor May 28-June 1. Battles about Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16 to December 7, 1864. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (reserve). Demonstration on the north side of James River at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Bermuda Hundred August 24-25. Battle of Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30. Charles City Road October 7. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28. In the trenches before Richmond until December 6. Expedition to Fort Fisher, N.C., December 6-27. Second Expedition to Fort Fisher January 3-15, 1865. Assault and capture of Fort Fisher January 15. Sugar Loaf Battery February 11. Fort Anderson February 18-19. Capture of Wilmington February 22. Advance on Goldsboro March 6-21. Advance on Raleigh April 9-13. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Duty at Raleigh until July 10, and at Gaston and Weldon, N.C., until August 28. Mustered out August 28, 1865, at Weldon, N.C.

Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 322 men during service; 6 officers and 130 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 184 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanding officers

 * Colonel Henry Ruhl Guss
 * Colonel Galusha Pennypacker

Notable members

 * Sgt James E. Engle, Company I - Medal of Honor recipient for action during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign
 * Cpt Dewitt Clinton Lewis, Company F - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Secessionville
 * Cpt Charles McIlvaine, Company H - author and amateur mycologist
 * 1Lt John Wainwright, Company F - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher