Historical Sketch:
The 42nd, also known as the 1st rifles and the 13th reserves, was composed of woodsmen and hunters from different parts of the state, the nucleus being a company from the "Wildcat" district known as the "Bucktails." In honor of Col. Kane, who resigned his office in favor of Lieut.-Col. Biddle, an experienced officer, the regiment was named by special order of the war department, "The Kane rifle regiment of the Pa. reserve corps." The command was known, however, throughout its term of service as the "Bucktails," on account of the bucktails worn by the men in their hats. In June, 1861, the regiment was mustered into the U. S. service at Harrisburg, for a three years' term.
Officers:
Cols., Charles J. Biddle, Thomas L. Kane, Hugh W. McNeil, Charles F. Taylor ; Lieut.-Cols., Thomas L. Kane, Edward A. Irvin, Alanson E. Niles; Majs., Roy Stone, Alanson E. Niles, William R. Hartshorn.
Assignments:
Organized at Harrisburg June 21, 1861.
Moved to a point opposite Cumberland, Md., June 22;
Thence into West Virginia in support of Lew Wallace.
Duty on State line till July 27.
Ordered to Harper's Ferry August 1.
Assigned to George H. Thomas' Brigade, Banks' Division, and duty at Harper's Ferry till October.
Moved to Tennallytown, Md., October 1.
Attached to 2nd Brigade, McCall's Pennsylvania Reserves Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862.
1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1862.
3rd Brigade, McCall's Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862.
(Cos. "C," "G," "H" and "I" detached May 12, 1862, and
attached to Bayard's Cavalry Brigade, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862.
1st Corps, Army of Virginia, to August, 1862.)
3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1862.
3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862.
1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863.
1st Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserve Division, 22nd Corps, Dept. of Washington, to June, 1863.
1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864.
Service:
•
• Moved from Tennallytown, Md., to Camp Pierpont, near Langley, Va., October 10, 1861, and duty there till March, 1862.
• Expedition to Hunter's Mills October 20, 1861 (Cos. "A," "G," "H," "I" and "K").
• Expedition to Grinnell's Farm December 6.
• Action at Dranesville December 20.
• Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15.
• McDowell's advance on Falmouth April 9-19.
• Duty at Fredericksburg till June.
• (Cos. "C," "G," "H" and "I" reported to Colonel Bayard May 15, 1862.
• Pursuit of Jackson up the Shenandoah Valley May 25-June 6.
• Harrisonburg June 1. Strasburg June 2.
• Strasburg and Staunton Road June 2.
• Woodstock June 3.
• Mount Jackson June 3.
• Harrisonburg June 6-7.
• Cross Keys June 8.
• Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2.
• Catlett's Station August 22.
• Bull Run Bridge August 30-31.
• Rejoined Regiment September 7, 1862.)
• Regiment moved to White House June 9-12.
• Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
• Battles of Mechanicsville June 26; Meadow Bridge, near Mechanicsville, June 26;
• Gaines Mill June 27; Savage Station June 29; Charles City Cross Roads or Glendale June 30; Malvern Hill July 1.
• At Harrison's Landing till August 16.
• Movement to Join Pope August 16-26.
• Battles of Gainesville August 28; Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30.
• Maryland Campaign September 6-24.
• Battles of South Mountain September 14; Antietam September 16-17.
• Duty in Maryland till October 30.
• Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19.
• Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
• "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863.
• Ordered to Washington, D.C., February 6, and duty there and at Alexandria till June 25.
• Ordered to join Army of the Potomac in the field.
• Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3.
• Pursuit of Lee July 5-24.
• Duty on the Rapidan till October.
• Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
• Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
• Rappahannock Station November 7.
• Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
• Guard Orange & Alexandria Railroad till April, 1864.
• Rapidan Campaign May 4-31.
• Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12;
• Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21.
• Assault on the Salient May 12. Harris Farm May 19.
• North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 25.
• On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.
• Totopotomoy May 28-31.
• Veterans and Recruits transferred to 190th PA Regiment June 1.
• Mustered out June 11, 1864.
Roster:
The Roster of this unit contains the names of 1826 men.
Company A - Known as "Anderson Lifeguards". Men recruited at Lawrenceville, Tioga County
Company B - Known as "Morgan Rifles". Men recruited at Duncannon, Morgan County
Company C - Known as "Cameron County Rifles". Men recruited in Cameron County
Company D - Known as "Raftsman Guard". Men recruited in Warren County
Company E - Known as "Tioga Rifles". Men recruited at Wellsboro, Tioga County
Company F - Known as "Irish Infantry". Men recruited in Carbon County
Company G - Known as "Elk County Rifles". Men recruited in Elk County
Company H - Known as "Wayne Independent Rifles". Men recruited in Chester County
Company I - Known as "M'Kean County Rifles". Men recruited in McKean County
Company K - Known as "Raftsman Rangers". Men recruited at Curwensville, Clearfield County
Source:
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1 Bibliography:
Barcousky, Len. Civil War Pittsburgh: Forge of the Union. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781626190818.
Blair, William and William Pencak, editors. Making and Remaking Pennsylvania's Civil War. University Park, Pennsylvania: Penn State University Press, 2004.
Fox, Arthur B. Our Honored Dead: Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, in the American Civil War. Chicora, Pennsylvania: Mechling Bookbindery, 2008.
Fox, Arthur B. Pittsburgh During the American Civil War 1860–1865. Chicora, Pennsylvania: Mechling Bookbindery, 2002.
Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce. Southern Revenge: Civil War History of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, 1989.
Miller, William J. The Training of an Army: Camp Curtin and the North's Civil War. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: White Mane, 1990.
Sandou, Robert M. Deserter County: Civil War Opposition in the Pennsylvania Appalachians. Fordham University Press, 2009.
Skinner, George W., ed. Pennsylvania at Chickamauga and Chattanooga: Ceremonies at the Dedication of the Monuments Erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Wm. Stanley Ray, State Printer, 1897.
Taylor, Frank H. Philadelphia in the Civil War. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The City, 1913.
Wingert, Cooper H. Harrisburg and the Civil War: Defending the Keystone of the Union. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013. ISBN 9781626190412.
Young, Ronald C. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the Civil War. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: published by the author, 2003.
Historical Sketch: