CW119 ‘Colonel John W. McLane’

This mounted figure of one of the regiment’s best known commanding officers, Col.John W. McLane encourages his men forward as they attack an enemy position.

One of the Union Army’s most senior Generals, George B. McClellan himself described the 83^rd Pennsylvania as “a first-class regiment with a fine proficiency on the drill field... and an even finer fighting reputation on the battlefield!”

Another senior officer remarked that the 83^rd “encountered more fighting and suffered more casualties in action than any of its other Pennsylvania formations.”

He went on to state that the Regiment’s losses were not caused by military blunders or disastrous routs but its fallen lay with their faces towards the enemy!

Praise indeed.

The 83^rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was made up solely of volunteers who participated in almost every major battle in the Eastern United States, including the ‘Seven Days Battle’... Antietam... Fredericksburg... Gettysburg... Petersburg and, eventually, all the way to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865.

Another notable feature of the Regiment were its unique uniforms worn in the first two years of the war. These were in the style, cut and colours of typical French ‘Foot Chasseurs’ and had, in fact, been purchased in bulk from a military uniform contractor in Europe and then transported across the Atlantic.

These in turn were adapted and in some cases, copied to suit operational requirements on active service.

One of the 83^rd’s most famous engagements was as one of the four regiments alongside the 20^th Maine... 44^th New York and 16^th Michigan defending the hillock known as Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.

During this fierce struggle the Regiment’s own Commanding Officer, Colonel Strong Vincent was mortally wounded.

As a side note, several years before in 2008, King & Country released its first batch of 83^rdPennsylvania soldiers in a broad range of defensive poses.

This time, we are going on the counter offensive as, over a few months, we are releasing almost TWO DOZEN brand-new fighting Union ‘Pennsylvanians’ taking the battle to the enemy.