The Civil War Sacrifice of Somerset County, Pennsylvania

Somerset County, in southwestern Pennsylvania, lost more than 400 of its men in the American Civil War. This book tells the county’s wartime story through the experiences of its fallen soldiers and their comrades who served with them, those people who supported them in life and mourned them in death.

Built on information gained from researching the date, place, and cause of death for each Union soldier from the county who died during the war, and whose name is memorialized in stone, the narrative describes the physical, emotional, and societal toll that those deaths inflicted on the citizens of the county whether they served in uniform or not. First-person accounts from Somerset’s men in the ranks provide unique perspectives of famous battles like Gettysburg, lesser-known actions like Piedmont, and incidents in camp and on the march. Ultimately, the story emphasizes the exorbitant price paid by these soldiers, their families, and their community because of the war.

Gerald H. Ankeny is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, a Gulf War veteran, and a direct descendant of two Union soldiers from Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He lives in Huntersville, North Carolina.