20th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

20th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
Pennsylvania flag
Active	April 30, 1861, to August 6, 1861
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Infantry
Part of	3rd Brigade, First Division, Army of the Shenandoah
Nickname(s)	Scott Legion
Engagements	American Civil War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. William H. Gray

The 20th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

History

Formed during a meeting on Thursday, April 25, 1861 by members of the "Scott Legion," a group of soldiers who had served under General Winfield Scott during the Mexican-American War, the 20th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was led by William H. Gray, a 46-year-old resident of Philadelphia, who had been appointed as commanding officer of the regiment and awarded the rank of colonel at this same meeting, Gray then began his recruitment efforts the next day at multiple recruiting locations in Philadelphia. By Saturday of that same week, his ranks were full and, by the next week, were overflowing as an additional 600 men volunteered.

Mustering in at Philadelphia the next week, the following Field and Staff Officers were then elected on May 7: George Moore, lieutenant colonel; Andrew H. Tippin, major; Edwin R. Biles, adjutant; Charles A. Jones, quartermaster; A. B. Campbell, surgeon; Samuel H. Horner, assistant surgeon; and William Fulton, chaplain. According to Bates, "Of the thirty-seven [company and field] officers chosen, nearly all were elected unanimously, and thirty-one of this number were members of [the Scott Legion."

Initially stationed at the Post Office in Philadelphia, the 20th Pennsylvania Volunteers were "clothed in the old United States blue jacket and pants," according to Bates, equipped with rifled muskets, and given basic training in both Scott's and Hardee's infantry tactics. Honing their marching skills during a series of dress parades, they also engaged in periodic battalion drills at the State House yard before the regiment was moved to Suffolk Park, six miles outside of Philadelphia. Stationed there for two weeks, during which the men received additional arms training, the regiment was then ordered to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where it was attached to Major General Robert Patterson's Army of the Shenandoah as part of the 3rd Brigade, First Division.

Ordered to move out with their brigade on June 8, the 20th Pennsylvania Volunteers made camp at Greencastle, Pennsylvania before moving again to sites near St. James College and Williamsport. On July 2, they moved out with the entire Army of the Shenandoah, making their way to Martinsburg and Bunker Hill, Virginia, where they were assigned to protect the army's main column as it moved on to Charlestown in an attempt to pin down General Joseph E. Johnston's Army of the Shenandoah. Continuing their forward movement, the 20th Pennsylvania then joined with other Union troops from the Army of the Shenandoah to seize and occupy Keyes' Ford.

On July 24, the regiment was ordered back to Philadelphia, where it was mustered out August 6, having honorably completed its three months' service.

Casualties

• Killed and mortally wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men
• Wounded: ? officers, ? enlisted men
• Captured or missing: ? officers, ? enlisted men
• Died of disease: ? officers, ? enlisted men
• Total: ? officers, ? enlisted men

See also

• List of Pennsylvania Civil War Units