There were many units that were engaged in the Battle of Gettysburg. One unit that sticks out to me is the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. I am interested in this unit because a possible ancestor of mine served in this regiment and was a casualty on the first day of battle. I have connected some of the dots and hope to connect more of his story. Private Henry Lentz lived in Tioga County at the time he was recruited into Company C by Alfred J. Sofield. The Lentz family is on my mother’s side of the family and she told me that the Lentz family lived in Tioga County at the time of the Civil War before moving south to Lycoming County in the late Nineteenth Century, where I live now. So I have a personal interest, possibly even a family connection to the 149th Pennsylvania Regiment and to Gettysburg.
The Bucktails were involved in the Chancellorsville Campaign, but weren’t involved in heavy fighting. The real baptism of fire came on July 1st at Gettysburg. The 149th PA arrived on the battlefield from Emmitsburg Road and took up position near McPherson Farm on Seminary Ridge at 11:45 a.m. Col. Stone placed the 149th under Col. Walton Dwight between the barn and the Chambersburg Pike.
Once in position, the regiment drew heavy artillery fire from Confederate guns under Pegram and McIntosh. The shellfire from Herr Ridge was relentless. According to Francis B. Jones of the 149th, “while waiting, the tallest man of my company, lying next to me, was curious to see what was going on and raised himself on his elbows. At that instant, a solid shot cut his head off, turned his body over to the rear, and spattered blood over my clothes.” (Dougherty, pg. 42) Then, the 149th helped to repulse Heth’s division with light casualties; however they started getting shot up by Rodes’ Division behind that. The regiment held it’s ground on the right flank clear past noon. Around that time, North Carolinians under Brig. Gen. Junius Daniels attacked on the right flank of Stone’s Brigade. At that point, Col. Stone ordered Dwight to shift the 149th into the railroad cut to meet Daniels’s advance. It was from 2:00 to 3:30 pm that the 149th Pennsylvania put up the fight of its life in the Railroad Cut and took its heaviest casualties. Col. Dwight summed up his regiment, “Loss, severe; Conduct, excellent.” (Dougherty, pg. 44) At 3:30pm, the Union line collapsed and the survivors of the 149th Pennsylvania and the rest of Stone’s Brigade fell back to Cemetery Ridge.
For the rest of the battle, the 149th Pennsylvania were kept out of serious fighting. As for my possible ancestor, Pvt. Henry Lentz was killed in the fight for McPherson Farm on Seminary Ridge. I hope to find out more about this soldier and his war.
Sources:
Matthews, Richard E. The 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Unit in the Civil War. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1994
Dougherty, James J. Stone’s Brigade and the Fight for the McPherson Farm: Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Conshohocken, PA: Combined Pub., 2001
Thank you for this post. My family also lost a man on July 1, 1863, at Gettysburg: Col. Benjamin Bloom McPherson of Clearfield County, PA (my first cousin 4x removed). Like you, I am interested in learning as much as I can about where exactly his unit was posted. This narrative helps a lot. Thanks again.
My great, great grandfather was shot in leg on 1st day and captured. He was in company G. I would love to find more information.
I used to own a photograph of Benjamin Bloom McPherson and his brother, James Lynn McPherson (of the 5th Pennsylvania Reserves). They are now housed in Ronn Palm’s Museum of Civil War Images at 229 Baltimore Street in Gettysburg, PA.
Thanks for the information, Scott. I did a search on the museum’s online catalog, but that photo didn’t come up. Apparently many photos still await being uploaded, but it is nice to know that there are images which have been discovered.
You’re welcome. The last time I spoke to Ronn he said the website was up to date, but he literally has several thousand photos, so some might have been missed. This is the photo I owned of Benj. McPherson:
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/33532552/person/19948845905/photo/0df24c26-c84e-4635-90a7-d0521f0d3343?usePUBJs=true
I am doing family research and just found out my Greatgrandfather was a member of Company I. wounded July 1 1863. Pvt Jacob Shoop
I just visited my 4th great grandfather’s grave yesterday at Antietam National Cemetery. He was a private in Company I, as well. His name was Jacob Seibert. He died from typhoid a month after Gettysburg.
Are you related to Professor Henry Lentz of Gettysburg College? He married Gertrude Jones?
Are you related to Ethel G. Lentz, Baltimore, Md?
Very educational….my great great grandfather and great great uncle served in this unit. They were actually from Cumberland County. Also, if you visit the battlefield you will see a ground marker with the regiments number where they served on the third day, It is near the Pennsylvania Monument between there and the angle.