Philadelphia Brigade

It was raised primarily in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the exception of the 106th regiment which contained men from Lycoming and Bradford counties.

One of its most famous actions was during Pickett's Charge on July 3 at the Battle of Gettysburg, where it defended the Angle on Cemetery Ridge.

Some residents on the West Coast wanted California to have a military presence in the Eastern army and asked Oregon Senator Edward D. Baker to form a regiment to be credited to that state.

[1] After his death at the Battle of Ball's Bluff, Pennsylvania claimed the regiments as its own and renamed them as the following: Now commanded by Brig.

It fought in the Peninsula Campaign, during which the 69th was credited by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker with making "the first successful bayonet charge of the war" at the Battle of Glendale.

The 71st regiment was assigned provost duty in the city, so Howard transferred the 127th Pennsylvania to the brigade to replace it.

Gen. John Gibbon's division (of which the brigade was a part) initially remained in their winter camps to act "as a decoy while the rest of the army marched.

[14] During Pickett's Charge, the left wing of the 71st retreated from the stone wall, allowing the Confederates to pour over.

Company F was accidentally left isolated due to not hearing the order to refuse the flank and was engulfed by the attacking Confederates.

[16] After Gettysburg, the brigade continued to serve in the Army of the Potomac, from the Overland Campaign to the surrender at Appomattox Court House, often losing heavily.

Owen's superiors continued to complain about his performance as a commander; at Spotsylvania Court House, his brigade was ordered to make a reconnaissance in force against the Confederate lines but Owen was absent for unexplained reasons, forcing another brigade commander to take over.