The 81st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Second Corps, First Division, of the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.
The 81st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (81st PVI) was recruited beginning in August 1861, under the direction of James Miller, from Philadelphia, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties in Pennsylvania.
The men reported in squads and companies to Easton, Pennsylvania where the regiment was organized into 10 companies at Camp Washington with James Miller appointed Colonel, Charles F Johnson, Lieutenant Colonel, and Eric Conner, major.
[1] The regiment was transferred to Washington, D.C. on October 10, 1861, going into camp at Kendall Green then two weeks later moving to a camp overlooking the Potomac River and the Washington Navy Yard.
[1] After moving to their second camp in Washington, the regiment was attached to General Casey's Brigade, soon assigned to General Oliver O. Howard, in Richardson's Division.
When President Lincoln created corps in the Army of the Potomac in March 1862, the 81st PVI was assigned to the Second Corps under General E. V. Sumner, the First Division commanded by General Richardson, and the First Brigade, commanded by General Howard.
[2] The regiment remained in the First Brigade, First Division of the Second Corps throughout its service in the Civil War.
The 81st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry regiment mustered out of service on June 29, 1865, at Alexandria, Virginia, although many of the men had already mustered out of service earlier in June.
White Oak Swamp Bridge, and Glendale June 30.
Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Alexandria and Centreville August 16–30.
Advance up Loudon Valley and movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 17.
Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom July 27–29.
Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom August 13–20.
Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14–18.
The number of casualties taken by the men in the regiment during their service varies depending on the source of the information.
Samuel Bates in 1870, estimated a total of 1,016 casualties in the regiment over the time of service as shown in the table below.
William F. Fox estimated 306 total deaths of men in the regiment: 208 killed or died from wounds and 98 by disease, accidents, or in prison.
[3] The monument to the 81st PVI at Gettysburg shows a total loss of 1,050 men throughout the war with 204 deaths, 560 men wounded, and 133 captured or missing.