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

EIGHTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
HIS regiment, originally, and until after the battle of Fair Oaks, where it
suffered severely, was known as the Thirty-first, having been recruited
under orders direct from the War Department. Nine of the companies were
organized in Philadelphia, the remaining one, company B, in Pittsburg. Malny
of the men, and most of the officers, had served in the three months' service.
and a considerable number in the armies of France and Great Britain, some of
them bearing medals, the testimonials of gallant conduct. The camp of rendezvous was at Suffolk Park, bti when four companies were assembled, they
were ordered to Washington to meet a, threatened exigency, where the balance
of the compa.nies joined them; and a regimental organization wa's effected by
the choice of the following field officers: David IH. Williams, of Pittsburg,
Colonel; Frank Vdllee, of Philadelphia, Lieutenant Colonel; Jomh. M Wetherill, of Pottsville, Major.
The regiment was originally armed with an inferior Belgian rifle for the
flank, and smoothbore muskets for the remaining companies. Before active
campalgning opened, these were exchanged for the Enfield rifled mtskets.
Shortly after its organization it was assigned to the First Brigade,* First Division, Fourth Corps, The division occupied a position, the left resting near
the Potomac and enveloping the city of Washington, the brigade holding the
extreme right of t;he line, and extending to the Blaidensburg Road, the camp
of the Eighty-Second being on Queen's.Farm, in rear of the line of earth-works
erected for the city's defence. Here, occupying a pleasant and healthy camp,
the regiment was drilled in Hardee's system of infantry tactics, comprising
company. battalion, brigade, and division movements, and grand guard and
picket duty. Schools for the instruction of field officers were regularly held
at brigade headquarters, under the supervision of General Graham, and instruction was given. by these to the line officers. Occasional detals were made
in large numbers for fatigiue dulty u.pon the earth.-works, and, when completed, guards from the regiment pertormed regular tours of duty upon them,
On this ground it remained tfor nearly six months. The health of the men was
excellent, the sick list rarely exceeding two per cent.
On the 9th of March, 1862, the division broke camp, and with the grand
army moved forward towards Manassas, where the enemy had wintered. Af*Organization of the First Brigade, Brigadier General Lawrence P. Graham, First Division, General Buell, subsequently General Couch, Fourth Corps, General Keyes; Sixty-fifth
Regiment New York Volunteers, (First Chasseurs,) Colonel John Cochrane; Twenty-third
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers Colonel David B. Birney; Sixty-seventh Regiment New
York Volunteers, (First Long Island,) Colonel Julius W. Adams; Eighty-second Regiment
Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel David H. Williams. The Sixty-first Pennsylvania was added to the brigade late in the following winter, and remained with it about a year.