Excavated Silver ID Shield – James S. Hughes Co. F 83^rd Pa. Infantry – We recently obtained a significant excavated collection that was assembled over a period of almost 50 years; amongst the impressive artifacts contained in this collection was this diminutive, German silver shield exhibits the following engraving on the front of the shield:

“Ja^s  C. Hughes

C F

83^rd P.V.”

Hughes enlisted as a private in September 1861 (no regiment is indicated); he was drafted into Co. F of the 84rd Pa. Infantry in August 1863. Hughes later deserted in May 1864. This silver shield remains in excellent condition; solder areas are evident on the back of the shield, where the attachment pin was affixed.

Measurements: H – 1.25”; W – 1.0 “

James Hughes

Residence was not listed.
Enlisted on 9/3/1861 as a Priv.

On 8/13/1863, he was drafted into “F” Co. Pennsylvania 83rd Infantry.
He was deserted on 5/4/1864

83rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry

Overview:

Organized at Erie and mustered into United States service September 8, 1861. Moved to Washington, D. C., September 18-20. Attached to Butterfield’s Brigade, Fitz John Porter’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to May, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1865.

Service:

Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 22-24. Reconnoissance to Big Bethel March 30. Warwick Road April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Reconnoissance up the Pamunkey May 10. Action at Hanover C. H. May 27. Operations about Hanover C. H. May 27-29. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battle of Mechanicsville June 26. Gaines Mill June 27. Savage Station June 29. Turkey Bridge or Malvern Cliff June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-27. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 27-September 2. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Sharpsburg and Shephordstown Ford September 19. Duty at Sharpsburg, Md., till October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Expedition to Richards and Ellis Fords, Rappahannock River, December 29-30. Burnside’s second Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24. 1863. At Falmouth, Va., till April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 26-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24. Aldie June 17. Middleburg and Upperville June 21. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty at Warrenton, Beverly Ford and Culpeper till October. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. At Beverly Ford till May, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 25. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1365. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Old members mustered out September 7, 1864. Consolidated to 6 Companies. Feeble’s Farm, Poplar Springs Church, September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Warren’s Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Lewis Farm, near Gravelly Run, March 31. Junction of the Quaker and Boydton Roads March 29. White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D. C., May 2-12. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 28, 1865, and disbanded at Harrisburg, Pa., July 4, 1865.

83rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

The 83rd Pennsylvania was a volunteer infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War, first organized at Erie in September, 1861. The 83rd participated in almost every major battle in the East, including Seven Days Battles, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg and Appomattox Court House.

As one of four regiments in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps, Army of the Potomac, it fought alongside the 20th Maine, 44th New York, and the 16th Michigan in the defense of Little Round Top. Colonel Strong Vincent, the regiment’s commanding officer, was mortally wounded during this engagement.

The uniform of the 83rd Pennsylvania

The 83rd Pennsylvania suffered the second-highest number of battle deaths among Union Army infantry regiments during the war, second only to the 5th New Hampshire.

Future Medal of Honor recipient Leander Herron served in the 83rd Pennsylvania from December 1863 to June 1865.

Casualties

During its time of service, the 83rd Pennsylvania lost 11 officers and 271 men killed in combat and 2 officers and 151 men died from disease or accidents. 435 men in total died during the regiment’s time of service, amounting to 24% of its enlistments.