History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

FIFTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
ON the 21st of August, 1861, John R. Brooke, of Pottstown, Montgomery
county, was commissioned Colonel of the Fifty-third Regiment. He had
served as Captain in the Fourth (three months') Regiment. Recruiting was
immediately commenced, and on the 28th of September, the first company was
mustered into the service of the United States. Company A was recruited in
Chester county, B in Chester and Montgomery, C in Blair and Huntingdon,
D in Centre and Clearfield, E in Carbon and Union, F in Luzerne, G in Potter,
H in Northumberland, I in Juniata, and K in Westmoreland. During the
period of its organization it occupied Camp Curtin, and while here did provost
guard duty in Harrisburg. The following field officers were selected: John R.
Brooke, Colonel; Richard M'Michael, of Reading, Berks county, Lieutenant
Colonel; and Thomas Yeager, of Allentown, Lehigh county, Major. Charles
P. Hatch, of Philadelphia, was appointed Adjutant.
On the 7th of November it moved to Washington and encamped north of
the Capitol. On the 27th it crossed the Potomac, went into camp near Alexandria, and was assigned to a brigade commanded by General Wm. H. French.
It remained here during the winter of 1861-2, and was constantly drilled and
disciplined in the routine of a soldier's duty. It participated in the general
advance of the Army of the Potomac in March, 1862, arriving at Manassas
Junction, which had been evacuated by the rebels, on the 12th. On the 21st it
was marched to Warrenton Junction to support a reconnoissance of Howard's
Brigade, which was being pushed towards the Rappahannock. The object having been accomplished, on the 23d it returned to Manassas, and from thence to
Alexandria. Upon the re-organization of the army the regiment was assigned
to the Third Brigade,* First Division, Second Corps. On the 3d of April it
was transferred with M'Clellan's Army to the Peninsula, and formed part of
the reserve division during the siege of Yorktown.
The enemy having retreated on the 4th of May, the regiment marched to
Yorktown, and late on the afternoon of the same day moved through a pelting
storm of rain towards Williamsburg. It was ordered back on the 6th, and remained until the 12th, when it was transported to West Point, at the head of
York River. Later in the month it assisted to build the grape-vine bridge
across the Chickahominy. The regiment took a prominent part in the engagement at Fair Oaks on the 1st of June, where, though surprised and thrown into
Organization of the Third Brigade, Brigadier General William H. French, First Division,
Major General Israel B. Richardson, Second Corps, Major General E. V. Sumner. Fifty-third
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel John R. Brooke; Fifty-second Regiment New
York Volunteers, Colonel Frank Paul; Fifty-seventh Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel
Samuel K. Zook; Sixty-sixth Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel James C. Pinckney;
Second Regiment Delaware Volunteers, Colonel I-Henry W. Wharton; Battery B, First New
York Artillery, Captain Rufus D. Pettit.