111th Pennsylvania Regiment

111th Pennsylvania Regiment

The 111th Pennsylvania Regiment was principally recruited in the counties of Erie, Warren and Crawford on September 2, 1861 by Matthew Schlaudecker, a resident of Erie, PA.  The training on these men took place at Camp Reed.   The location described by history books as being north east of Erie on the highway torwards Dunkirk, NY.  This location is  known today as Route 5, north of the General Electric buildings.   This is where most of the training was done and also  where the regiment was actually mustered into service.  On January 28, 1862 the regiment was transferred to Baltimore, MD by route of Harrisburg to receive the State Colors from the Governor Curtin whom served as Pennsylvania's Governor in 1862.

Throughout the war the 111th was involved in many battles, including Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringold, Resaca Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, the Battle &  Surrender of Atlanta, and the Surrender of Savannah.

The 111th was once again transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the west with General Sherman's March to the Sea.  While with Sherman's Army, the 111th was the first regiment to enter Atlanta, GA. The 111th's State Colors were hoisted atop City Hall, confirming that the Union Forces had taken the city.  From Atlanta, the 111th PVI moved onward toward Savannah, GA.   At Resaca, GA the enlistment term was up for the regiment, after three years of fighting, all but 15 men re-enlisted for the duration of the conflict.  On July 19, 1865, the regiment was officially "mustered out" in Washington, DC after participating in the Grand March.