116th Pennsylvania Volunteers

116th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
Pennsylvania flag
Active	August 1862 to July 14, 1865
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Infantry
Engagements	Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Spotsylvania Court House Battle of Cold Harbor Siege of Petersburg First Battle of Deep Bottom Appomattox Campaign

The 116th Pennsylvania Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It formed a part of the Irish Brigade.

The 116th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was recruited from among the Irish Americans of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1862. Dennis Heenan served as its first colonel, St. Clair A. Mulholland as lieutenant colonel, and George H. Bardwell as major. At the end of August 1862, the regiment was ordered to report to Washington, D.C., and was assigned to the Irish Brigade, which was the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, Army of the Potomac. The following month, it was ordered to the Shenandoah Valley, where it saw minor skirmishing. At the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, the 116th charged up Marye's Heights. Despite losing many of their officers and men, including Colonel Heenan, they remained at the wall until dark. The regiment had lost so many men that it was consolidated into a battalion of four companies under the command of Mulholland.

The 116th performed well at the Battle of Chancellorsville, where it helped rescue the 5th Maine Battery from capture. In this action, Mulholland earned a Medal of Honor. On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the 1st Division was sent into the Wheatfield to support the III Corps, where the 116th engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Caught in a crossfire, the division was forced to retreat. During Pickett's Charge the following day, the regiment supported the 2nd Connecticut Battery but wasn't needed in the fighting.