Company Service*
Duty in the Defences of Washington, DC, till March, 1862.
Advance on Manassas, VA (March 10-15)
†Advance on Manassas, VA Regiment crossed the Chain Bridge to Prospect Hill before returning to camp in Washington
Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 25, embarking from Alexandria.
Siege of Yorktown (April 5-May 4)
†Regiment encamped near Warwick Court House, constructing field works and coruroying roads.
Battle of Williamsburg (May 5)
†Regimental loss in its first action: four dead (Sergeant George Bordermaun, Privates Adam Wagner, Albert Lamp and Leopold Wetzel)
and four wounded (Sergeant Edward Friend, Privates Theodore Deringer and John Ualtman)
Slatersville, New Kent C. H., and Sister’s Mills (May 9)
Advance from Williamsburg to Mechanicsville detached to General Stoneman’s command, May 7-26
Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines (May 31-June 1)
†Regiment made a forced march to Hanover Junction, destroying railroad track and rolling stock. Returning, it crossed the Chickahominy and rejoined the brigade near White Oak Swamp.
Seven days before Richmond (June 25-July 1)
Fair Oaks (June 26-29)
†Regimental loss: one man killed and nine wounded
Malvern Hill (July 1)
†Captain William Sehr and Lieutenant Christian A. Gallas were killed during a day-long battle in which the regiment’s ammunition was exhausted. Among the wounded was Captain Jospeh Lautenbacher.
At Harrison’s Landing to (August 16)
†Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps. Many men became sick and a number died in camp during this time.
Movement to Alexandria, thence to Centreville (August 16-30)
†The regiment’s papers and baggage were lost in a separate transport, which was sunk. After the regiment landed it rested for two hours, then marched inland to Centreville, passing many units retreating from the retreat at Bull Run.
Cover Pope’s retreat to Fairfax C. H. (August 30-September 1)
†Slowly withdrawing and reforming until reaching Faifax Court House.
Chantilly (Reserve) (September 1)
Maryland Campaign (September 6-24)
†Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac
†Crossed to the north bank of the Potomac at Edward’s Ferry and then to Rohrersville. (September 12)
Battle of Antietam September 16-17 (Reserve).
†Advanced to reconnoiter Maryland Heights, then to Sharpsburg. (September 18)
†To Williamsport in an unsuccesful attempt to intercept a raiding party. Recrossed the Potomac at Berlin, then proceded to New Baltimore. (September 20)
At Downsville, MD (September 23-October 20)
Movement to Stafford C. H. (October 20-November 18), and to Belle Plains (December 5)
Battle of Fredericksburg, VA (December 12-15)
†Crossed the Rappahannock via the lower bridges and was in reserve. Colonel Ballier was wounded.
Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March,” (January 20-24, 1863)
At Falmouth till April.
Chancellorsville Campaign (April 27-May 6)
Operations at Franklin’s Crossing (April 29-May 2)
Crossed the Rappahannock at Franklin’s Crossing and camped that night in the streets of Fredericksburg. (May 2)
Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg (May 3)
†Under artillery fire at dawn, the regiment formed and occuoied Marye’s Heights, losing one man killed and one wounded, then pursued the withdrawing Confederates to Salem heights.
Salem Heights (May 3-4)
†The regiment lost heavily in fighting on the south side of the road, including Colonel Ballier, who was badly wounded (a gunshot wound of the right ankle) and had to leave the field. Lieutenant Colonel Wynkoop took command.
Banks’ Ford (May 4)
†Sedgwick’s Corps is almost surrounded and overpowered. The regiment is sent to reinforce the left flank, successfully driving back a Confederate attack. Sedgwick, with the regiment, retired across the Rappahannock at Banks Ford and returned to its old camp. Lieutenant George Busch was mortally wounded, four men were killed, and three officers and 17 men wounded.
†The regiment crossed Kelly’s Ford and began building entrenchments, but was withdrawn to follow Lee’s Army on its invasion of the north. (June 20)
Gettysburg (PA) Campaign (June 13-July 24)
†The regiment arrives at Manchester, Maryland. That evening it begins a forced march to Gettysburg in response to urgent calls to reinforce Union forces fighting there. July 1
Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4
†The regiment was commanded by Major John B. Kohler. It brought 406 men to the field. On arriving on the field on the afternoon of July 2 it occupied the low hill north of Little Round Top. The next day the regiment advanced a short distance. It suffered little from the artillery barrage that preceeded Pickett’s Charge, losing most of its 11 men wounded during the battle to sharpshooters.
From the Sykes Avenue monument at Gettysburg: Leading the march from Manchester Md. Arrived here July 2d about 5 p.m. Immediately charged to the Wheatfield and woods to the left. About dark re-joined the brigade north of the road where other monument stands.
From the Wheatfield Road monument at Gettysburg: The regiment was the advance of the Sixth Corps in its march from Manchester, MD to the battlefield and occupied this position from the evening of July 2d until the close of battle.
†Day spent in removing the wounded and burying the dead. (July 4)
Pursuit of Lee (July 5-24)
Duty on line of the Rappahannock 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)
†Out of 329 survivors, 229 men reenlisted, receiving the promise of a furlough as inducement. December 23
†Attached to Wheaton’s Brigade, Dept. West Virginia and ordered to Harpers Ferry. The regiment was transported by rail in unheated box cars and open flat cars, causing great suffering among the men. The regiment then continued on foot to Halltown and Charlestown. Colonel Ballier was given command of Charlestown. (January 1864)
†The 229 reenlisted men depart on their promised furlough. The 100 men who did not reenlist performed guard duty at Harpers Ferry, Halltoen, and Snickers Gap. (February 1, 1864)
†The Veterans return from furlought and rejoin the remaider of the regiment at Brandy Station attached to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. (March 1864)
Duty at Brandy Station till May, 1864.
Rapidan Campaign (May 4-June 12)
Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7)
†The regiment stood for two hours in a desperate battle until it was out of ammunition and was relieved. Lieutenant Charles Wiedman and eight enlisted men were killed and four officers and 52 men wounded. The next day the regiment took part in an unsuccessful attack and was forced to fall back in confusion. Colonel Ballier took over brigade command as General Wheaton took over from the wounded General Getty at Division, with Lieutenant Colonel Kohler taking over command of the regiment.
Battle of Spottsylvania Court House (May 8-21)
†Eight companies of the regiment performed picket duty, losing two killed and four wounded. The other two companies lost one killed and six wounded fighting with the rest of the brigade. Five more men were wounded crawling across an open field under heavy fire on the 18th.
Assault on the Salient (May 12)
North Anna River (May 23-26)
On line of the Pamunkey (May 26-28)
†Crossed the Pamunkey and moved to Hanover Court House
Totopotomoy (May 28-31)
Cold Harbor (June 1-12)
†Major John Beamish was killed on the picket line (June 1)
†Attacking unsuccessfully on the right of the line, Adjutant Edward Schwatlo and 13 men were killed and two officers and 39 men wounded.
†Crossed the James River (June 16)
First Assault on Petersburg (June 17-18)
†An unsuccessful charge cost two killed and 11 wounded.
†Raided and damaged the Weldon Railroad (June 21)
Jerusalem Plank Road (June 22-23)
Siege of Petersburg till July 9.
This is a link to an excellent resource on the 98th at the Siege of Petersburg.
Moved to Washington DC (July 9-11)
Defence of Washington against Early’s attack (July 11-12)
†The regiment formed a picket line in front of Fort Stevens, losing five men wounded on July 11. Eight men were killed and 28 wounded the following day. Colonel Ballier, commanding the brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Kohler were both wounded. Colonel Ballier’s wound was serious (a gunshot wound of the right thigh).
Pursuit to Snicker’s Ferry (July 14-18)
Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to December.
Charlestown (August 21-22)
Demonstration on Gilbert’s Ford, Opequan Creek (September 13).
Third Battle of (Opequan), Winchester (September 19)
†Lieutenant John Heppler and five enlisted men were killed and three officers and 19 men wounded.
Strasburg (September 21)
Fisher’s Hill (September 22)
†The regiment made a successful charge against a steep hill, with its colors being first to be planted on the works and losing only three men wounded.
Battle of Cedar Creek (October 19)
†In severe fighting the regiment lost 14 men killed and 34 wounded and was forced to fall back from several positions. With the mid-day arrival of General Sheridan on the field, the Union took the offensive, and Confederate forces collapsed. At the end of the day Lietenant Colonel Kohler was killed inspecting picketts as officer of the day.
Duty in the Shenandoah Valley till December.
Ordered to Petersburg (December 9-12)
Siege of Petersburg (December 1864-April 1865)
Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run (February 5-7, 1865)
Fort Fisher, Petersburg (March 25)
Appomattox Campaign (March 28-April 9)
Assault on and fall of Petersburg (April 2)
†Lieutenant Colonel Charles Reen is badly wounded, losing his leg, Lieutenant Herman Solbrig is killed, and two officers and eleven me are wounded.
Pursuit of Lee (April 3-9)
Appomattox Court House Surrender of Lee and his army (April 9)
†Seven hundred unarmed drafted men and substitutes are assigned to the regiment. (April 10)
Surrender of Lee and his army.
Forced march to Danville (April 23-27), and duty there till May 23.
Moved to Richmond, thence to Washington (May 23-June 3)
Corps Review (June 8)
Mustered out (June 29, 1865)
Text from Bates, in case I missed adding a link.