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2nd Pennsylvania (Provisional) Heavy Artillery

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Muster In: Organized April 20, 1864, from surplus men of the 2nd Regiment Heavy Artillery.1

Muster Out:  Regiment disbanded August 20, 1864, and rejoined original Regiment September 5, 1864.2

Commander(s):
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin G. Barney
Commander Image

Captain James W. Haig
Commander Image

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Third Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army3

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army 5

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army8,9

  • Commander: Captain James W. Haig (July 31, 1864)10
  • Unit Strength: 780 officers and men at the Crater (July 30, 1864)11
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Smiley’s Mortar Battery appears to have been created from the men of the 2nd Pennsylvania Provisional Heavy Artillery and existed for a short time in July 1864, including during the Battle of the Crater. 12

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | IX Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army (August 1-20, 1864)13

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The 2nd Pennsylvania Provisional Heavy Artillery was disbanded on August 20, 1864, with its men finally being reassigned to the parent unit, the 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, on September 5, 1864.14,15

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.16

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.17

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.18

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.19

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • No longer an independent command.20

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles21:

  • Before Petersburg June 15-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg until August 20.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30.
  • Regiment disbanded August 20, 1864, and rejoined original Regiment September 5, 1864.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    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), p. 228
    4. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 2nd (Provisional) Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 61; 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.
    5. 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. 549
    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. 549
    7. Volume 14 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 2nd (Provisional) Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Entry, Page 61; 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.
    8. 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 259
    9. 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 734
    10. 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 734
    11. Reunion at the Crater.” The Baltimore Sun. July 31, 1907, p. 11 col. 5: “The Second Pennsylvania (Provisional Heavy Artillery) regiment went into the fight at the Crater with 780 men and had killed and wounded in that engagement 494 men, including 8 officers.”
    12. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3): More research is needed as to how long this temporary unit lasted in the field.  The 2nd PA Prov. Heavy Artillery was disbanded on August 20, 1864, and Smiley’s Mortar Battery no longer appears in the August 1864 organization of the Army of the Potomac in the Official Records, which indicated units present on August 31, 1864.
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 126: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 126: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”
    15. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    16. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    17. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    18. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    19. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    20. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    21. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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