BEN MUSSELMAN IN THE CIVIL WAR

Last night I thought it would be interesting to find out a little about the 135th Penn Volunteer Infantry that Ben Musselman was in during 1862-63.

I already had this picture of him and this roster sheet from a special census in 1890:

Source: AG McMillin, Reba Garner, Ron Schneider

Personal Collection

According to the website Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War (http://www.pacivilwar.com/regiment/135th.html )  the 135th Regiment enlisted for 9 months and were recruited from Lancaster, Indiana, Westmoreland, and Jefferson counties in PA. I know from both the roster cited below and the 1890 special census that Ben Musselman served 9 months and did not re-enlist.

135th PA Regiment Organization, Service & Battles (http://www.pacivilwar.com/regiment/135th.html )

Organization

• Organized at Harrisburg August, 1862.
• Moved to Washington, D.C., August 19.
• Attached to Military District of Washington, D.C., till February, 1863.
• 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863.

  Service & Battles - 1863

• Provost duty at Washington and Georgetown till February, 1863.
• Joined the Army of the Potomac and duty at Falmouth and Belle Plains, Va., till April 27.
• Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
• Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2.
• Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30.
• Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5.
• Mustered out May 24, 1863. 

 History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5 by Samuel Bates on pg. 310, Ben is listed in Company E.  (also available at: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moa&cc=moa&sid=778308149b189f58bf191421757c33c6&q1=One%20Hundred%20And%20Thirty-Fifth%20Regiment&idno=ABY3439.0004.001&view=image&seq=00000316 ).