Origins
The 91st was formed from volunteers in Philadelphia, and most of its men were born in Pennsylvania.
Endings Almost 10% of the regiment died in service. 654 men mustered out with the regiment at the end; 128 of them were original members.
Washington The 91st guarded several famous Confederate female spies, and also shot a prisoner who was a boyhood friend of John Wilkes Booth.
Life Most of the regiment's time was taken up, not with battles, but with training and other duties.
Researchers
Edgar Gregory Colonel (Brevet Major General) Gregory was the only Assistant Commissioner of the post-war Freedman's Bureau who could be called an abolitionist.
Endings Almost 10% of the regiment died in service. 654 men mustered out with the regiment at the end; 128 of them were original members.
Washington The 91st guarded several famous Confederate female spies, and also shot a prisoner who was a boyhood friend of John Wilkes Booth.
Life Most of the regiment's time was taken up, not with battles, but with training and other duties.
Researchers
Edgar Gregory Colonel (Brevet Major General) Gregory was the only Assistant Commissioner of the post-war Freedman's Bureau who could be called an abolitionist.
What's new
Fact of the week [updated Sundays]
(Because my wife died (on 10 April 2012), I will not be updated these pages for a while. I hope to resume adding information in the near future.)
#407 When Alexander Earnest's widow applied for a pension, she initially used the Sanitary Commission. However, when she applied for the increase in pension for minor children under the act of 25 July 1866, the Pension Office noted a discrepancy in the reported dates of birth of her children. In the end, she ascribed the error to the "loose way of doing things at Sanitary Commission". (I do not know whether their error rate was higher than others'.)
Battles and casualties Because of poor generalship, the 91st had no spectacular successes on the battlefield. But they paid a heavy price: 114 of them were killed or mortally wounded in battle.
After the war Many men received pensions, and joined veterans' associations. The last death I known of occurred in 1939.
Fact of the week [updated Sundays]
(Because my wife died (on 10 April 2012), I will not be updated these pages for a while. I hope to resume adding information in the near future.)
#407 When Alexander Earnest's widow applied for a pension, she initially used the Sanitary Commission. However, when she applied for the increase in pension for minor children under the act of 25 July 1866, the Pension Office noted a discrepancy in the reported dates of birth of her children. In the end, she ascribed the error to the "loose way of doing things at Sanitary Commission". (I do not know whether their error rate was higher than others'.)
Battles and casualties Because of poor generalship, the 91st had no spectacular successes on the battlefield. But they paid a heavy price: 114 of them were killed or mortally wounded in battle.
After the war Many men received pensions, and joined veterans' associations. The last death I known of occurred in 1939.
Harry Ide is developing this web page. E-mail me at hide1@unl.edu with corrections, suggestions, or information!
Also contact Cyrus at SgtPen91st@aol.com, who is writing a book about the 91st PA.