(1862) Civil War Dog Tag, 1/2 Inch diameter, Struck in Bronze, for Private Francis Reed of Company D, 56th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, with a likeness of General George McClellan on the front and a notable partial list of Battles fought by the 56th Pennsylvania on the back, Choice Extremely Fine.
This extremely rare and historic Civil War Dog Tag for Private Francis Reed of Company D, 56th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry “PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN” Tag is Shown Illustrated in the reference book titled, “Identification Discs of Union Soldiers in the Civil War” displayed on page 126. McClellan's likeness is framed by text commemorating the Union Army's Peninsular Campaign, March to July 1862 to capture the Confederate Capitol of Richmond, Virginia located on the Virginia Peninsula. This Tag is ringed internally by Private Reed's name and unit number. This bronze tag is in excellent condition, with even wear to the highlights, the surface metal with all text clearly legible on both sides as shown.

Private Francis Reed mustered in January 18, 1862, for 3 years at age 22. He was 5' 4" tall, had chestnut hair and gray eyes and worked as a mariner before joining up. He was taken Prisoner at Gettysburg on July 1st, 1863, when released he then reenlisted as a Volunteer Veteran on February 20th, 1864. Later that same year, he was wounded severely in the thigh on May 8th at Spotsylvania. He then returned to duty November 24th, 1864, then received a shell wound to his right leg on November 30th at Petersburg. Apart from these unfortunate battle wounds, he then saw action at the Battles of Gainsville (Brawner's Farm), 2nd Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and the Wilderness. He was mustered out on July 25th, 1865. Additional copied information on this soldier will accompany the item.

Provenance See: "Identification Discs of Union Soldiers in the Civil War: A Complete Classification Guide and Illustrated History" by Larry B. Maier and Joseph W. Stahl, page 126. (See additional unit history online at: www.EarlyAmerican.com)
The 56th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, PA, March 7th, 1862. They served as part of the Defenses of Washington until they were attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac in September of 1862.

While their brigade and divisional assignments changed twice more during the next three years, the 56th remained within the Army of the Potomac until the war's end. They served with distinction in Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia of 1862, Burnside's "Mud March" Campaign of 1863, the Chancellorsville Campaign later that year, the Gettysburg Campaign and the Pursuit of Lee, along with the Appomattox Campaign at the war's end.

The regiment lost 7 officers and 111 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, with 1 officer and 96 enlisted lost to disease from 1862-65. They were mustered out in July of 1865 in Philadelphia, PA. (Provenance courtesy of "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer).