History of Valley Forge, (York County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Galusha Pennypacker, soldier, was born at Valley Forge, Pa., June 1, 1844; son of Joseph, junior, and Tamson Amelia (Workizer) Pennypacker, and grandson of Joseph and Elizabeth (Funk) Pennypacker, and of John and Sarah (Rooks) Workizer. His father was a volunteer aide on the staff of General Worth during the Mexican war, and his great-grandfather, Matthias Pennypacker, was a bishop of the Mennonite church and grandson of Hendrick Pannebecker, the immigrant, a native of Holland, a surveyor for the Penns, and a large landholder in Pennsylvania. Galusha Pennypacker attended the Phoenixville Classical institute and left school in April, 1861, to enter the army as a non-commissioned staff officer in the 9th Pennsylvania three months' volunteers. At the close of his enlistment he entered the volunteer army for the war, Aug. 22, 1861, as captain in the 97th Pennsylvania volunteers; was promoted major, Oct. 7, 1861, and served in the 10th army corps, department of the south, 1862-65, commanding his regiment in the 1st brigade, in Gen. A. H. Terry's seige operations on Morris Island, S.C., August-September, 1863. He commanded a most successful expedition against Woodstock Mills, Fla., in February, 1864, and in April, 1864, was placed in command of the post at Fernandina, having been promoted lieutenant-colonel, April 3, 1864. He was transferred to the Army of the James under Gen. B. F. Butler, and was promoted colonel, June 23, 1864. He was in action at Swift's Creek, May 9; Drewry's Bluff, May 16, and Chester Station, May 18, 1864. He commanded his regiment in the charge upon Pickett's division at Green Plains, May 20; lost 176 of 295 men; was carried off the field after receiving three wounds, and was in the hospital at Fort Monroe for three months. He was assigned to the command of the 2d brigade, 2d division, 10th corps in September, 1864, and took part in the engagements at Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plain and Malvern Hill; in the trenches before Petersburg, and in the capture of New Market Heights. He was wounded and his horse shot under him in an unsuccessful attempt to capture Fort Gilmer; was in command of the 2d brigade, 2d division, 24th corps before Petersburg in December, 1864, and took part in Gen. B. F. Butler's unsuccessful effort to capture Fort Fisher, N.C., Dec. 25, 1864, and in the capture of the fort by General Terry, Jan. 15, 1865. He was the first brigade commander to gain the third traverse of the fort, where he planted the flag of his old regiment, the 97th Pennsylvania, and desperately wounded, fell inside of the fort, followed and rescued by his men. He was in the hospital at Fort Monroe for ten months. General Terry declared that but for his bravery the assault would probably have failed, and designated him the real "hero of Fort Fisher." He was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers, Jan. 15, 1865; was promoted to that rank Feb. 18, 1865, and brevetted major-general of volunteers, March 13, 1865. The medal of honor was conferred on him by congress for distinguished bravery in the battle, and he was appointed colonel of the 34th U.S. infantry, July 28, 1866; soon transferred to the 10th U.S. infantry; brevetted brigadier-general and major-general U.S.A., March 2, 1867, and placed on the retired list of the regular army on account of disability from wounds received in action, July 3, 1885. Prior to his retirement he saw considerable service in the regular army, in command at various posts in the south and west. He was wounded seven times within eight months; was the youngest officer to hold the full rank of general in the volunteer army, and the youngest officer in the regular army to hold the rank of colonel and brevet major-general.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Valley Forge, (York County) Pennsylvania

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