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United States Engineer Battalion

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this unit’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Muster In: Unit existed prior to the Civil War.1
Muster Out: Unit existed after the Civil War.2

Commander(s):
Brevet Major Franklin Harwood
Commander Image

Captain George H. Mendell
Commander Image

Brevet Captain Charles W. Howell
Commander Image

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3,4

  • Commander: Captain George H. Mendell (June 13, 1864)5,6
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army7,8

  • Commander: Captain George H. Mendell (June 30, 1864)9
  • Unit Strength: >306 officers and men PFD (June 30, 1864)10
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army11,12

  • Commander: Captain George H. Mendell (July 31, 1864)13,14
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army15

  • Commander: Captain Franklin Harwood (August 31, 1864)16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army17

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army20

  • Commander: Captain Franklin Harwood (October 31, 1864)21
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army22

  • Commander: Brevet Captain Charles W. Howell (December 31, 1864)23
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army24,25

  • Commander: Brevet Major Franklin Harwood (January 31 & February 28, 1865)26,27
  • Unit Strength:
    • 191 officers and men PFDE, 192 officers and men PFD (January 31, 1865)28,29
    • 194 officers and men PFD (February 28, 1865)30
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Engineers | Army of the Potomac | Union Army31,32

  • Commander: Brevet Major Franklin Harwood (March 31, 1865)33
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles34:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Links:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 219
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), page 542
    5. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 219.
    6. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 4.
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 219
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), page 542
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), page 542
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pp. 163-178: The unit had 306 officers and men “present for duty equipped” on June 30, 1864.  Present for Duty Equipped attempts to strip away anyone not actually going into combat.  Those non-combatants are included in PFD, the way I represent unit strengths across this web site for consistency.  So the unit had at least 306 officers and men PFD, though we know that number is higher.
    11. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 251
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 729
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 251
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 729
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 612: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 612: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    17. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1297.
    18. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1297.
    19. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); United States Engineers Entry, Page 6; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 458: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 458: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1115: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1115: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    24. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 325: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 738: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 325: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 738: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 324: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865): The US Engineer battalion had 5 officers and 187 men present for duty.
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), pages 61-63
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 737: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865): The US Engineer battalion had 5 officers and 189 men present for duty.
    31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 565: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    32. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 581: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865”
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 565: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    34. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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