“Ancestors at Antietam” – Henry Vincent and the 132nd PA Vol Inf
My interest in the American Civil War and the Battle of Antietam in particular occurred many years ago when I was told the story of a young man named Henry. In August of 1862, Henry, who was from Montour County, Pennsylvania answered President Abraham Lincoln’s call for 300,000 nine-month militia. Henry enlisted in the ‘Danville Fencibles’ which was comprised of men mostly from the Danville Iron Works. Before the end of the month they were mustered into service as Company A, 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment and in defensive works outside Washington.
With General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate invasion into Maryland, they were quickly assigned to Brigadier General Nathan Kimball’s First Brigade, 3rd Division, Second Army Corps, alongside three veteran regiments. In just over a week’s time Henry and the 132nd Pennsylvania would receive their ‘baptism of fire’ fighting for a Sunken Road among the fields and farmsteads that reminded them so much of home.
Henry survived the battle at Antietam as well as the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville unscathed. After being mustered out, he returned home to Danville to become a successful businessman, farmer, and family man. This story was passed down to me through the generations, as Henry Vincent was my great-great-grandfather.
Join the Antietam Institute on July 4, as Antietam Institute founder and battlefield guide, Chris Vincent, shares the story of his “Ancestor at Antietam” in his presentation – Henry Vincent and the Danville Fencibles: the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry at Antietam.
Christopher Vincent retired after a 24-year career in the U.S. Army as a senior non-commissioned officer with light infantry units, including combat tours during Operation Desert Storm and Kosovo with the 10th Mountain Division. He earned a master’s degree in military history from the American Military University. Chris was drawn to Sharpsburg because his great-great-grandfather served during the Maryland Campaign with the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He and his wife, Amy, also own two businesses in Sharpsburg, the Jacob Rohrbach Inn and the Antietam Mercantile Company. Chris serves as the chair of the Washington County Antietam Battlefield Advisory Board. His research is primarily focused on the farmsteads of Antietam and the impact the campaign had on the civilians of Sharpsburg. Chris was certified as an Antietam National Battlefield Guide in 2015 and has served as the Chief Guide since 2019. He was recognized as the Guide of the Year, receiving the 2017 O.T. Reilly Award, and is the recipient of the National Park Service’s 2022 Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. Chris was the founder of the Antietam Institute and president from 2021-2025 and is currently the Executive Director of the Institute.
These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.
