72nd Pennsylvania Infantry "Baxter's Fire Zouaves"

The 72nd Pennsylvania (originally raised as the 2nd California) was recruited from among the firemen of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in early August 1861, with DeWitt Clinton Baxter as its colonel. It became part of Edward D. Baker's famous California Brigade, a group of regiments recruited from Philadelphia with California designations. After Colonel Baker was killed at the Battle of Ball's Bluff, Pennsylvania reclaimed the regiment as its own, re-designating it as the 72nd. After some months of patrolling along the Potomac River, the 72nd was transported to the Peninsula. It saw its first action at the Battle of Seven Pines on May 1, 1862. During the Seven Days Battles, it supported the army's rear guard. The 72nd was transferred to northern Virginia too late to fight in the Second Battle of Bull Run but did see light skirmishing at the Battle of Chantilly. On the battle of Antietam The regiment participated in the attack on the west woods, the regiment bravely assaulted the confederate positions losing half of it's men in the process, eventually being forced to retreat when the rest of the division routed. Though perhaps it's greatest performance was at Gettysburg, the regiment defended the Angle on July 2 and 3. On the evening of the 2nd, it helped defeat Confederate Brigade General Ambrose R. Wright's attack, advancing just over the stone wall. The next day, it was placed in reserve for the brigade near the copse of trees. Holding the line during Pickett's Charge, its position served as a rallying point for the left wing of the 71st and two companies of the 106th Pennsylvania, which had been driven back. Eventually fire from the 72nd and the rest of the Philadelphia Brigade forced the confederates to retreat giving the union one of the most important victories of the war. A total of 1,600 men fought in the 72nd, of whom 1,053 became casualties, a 65% casualty rate. At Antietam 6 men from A company were killed, one man was also MIA and around a dozen were discharged due to severe injury. Statistics: Initial Strength: 681; Killed in Action (KIA): 38; Wounded (WIA): 163; Missing in Action (MIA): 36;


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