John H. Bridenbaugh was born on September 30th, 1820, in Petersburg, Pennsylvania. He joined in the Union cause in the Civil War in 1864. He was enlisted in February 20th, 1864 and he was discharged on August 29th, 1865. He served in the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F. After the war he moved his family to Omadi, Nebraska. His father was Philip Bridenbaugh. His Mother was Mary Bridenbaugh. He married Rosannah Barbary Bridenbaugh. His children were: Almira Bridenbaugh, Samuel Aughey Bridenbaugh, Ulysses Grant Bridenbaugh, Mary Ann Fair, Solomon K Bridenbaugh, Jacob William Bridenbaugh, Phillip Wertz Bridenbaugh, Zachary T Bridenbaugh, Sarah B Bridenbaugh, John Suman Bridenbaugh, and Benjamin Nittirar Bridenbaugh. John was a farmer by trade. He became postmaster of the Lodi Dakota Post Office on April 27th, 1874. He applied for his Civil War Pension in 1880.
John H. Bridenbaugh died on December 25th, 1896. He is buried in the Dakota City Cemetery.
While in service he was in the UNION PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. 55th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry. The following is the history of the regiment during the Civil War.
OVERVIEW: Organized at Harrisburg November, 1861. Left Camp Curtin for Fortress Monroe, Va., November 22. Attached to Sherman’s South Carolina Expedition to February 1862. Edisto Island, S. C., Dept. of the South, to July, 1862. District of Beaufort, S. C., Dept. South, to September. 1862. District Beaufort, S. C., 10th Army Corps, Dept. South, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to May, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to December, 1864. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 24th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 24th Army Corps, Dept. Virginia, to August, 1865.
At Fortress Monroe, Va., till December 8, 1861. Moved to Port Royal, S. C., December 8, and duty near Hilton Head, S. C., till February 25, 1862. Duty at Edisto Island, S. C., till October. Companies “E,” “F” and “G” attacked on Little Edisto March 29. Edisto Island April 18 (Detachment). Expedition up Broad River to Pocotaligo October 21-23. Caston’s and Frampton’s Plantations, Pocotaligo, October 22. Duty at Port Royal Ferry near Beaufort, S. C., till January, 1864. Regiment re-enlisted Januaty 1, and on furlough January 22-March 23. Embarked for Virginia April 12. Butler’s operations on south side of the James and against Petersburg and Richmond May 5-28. Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drewry’s Bluff May 14-16. Operations on the Bermuda Hundred front May 17-28. Moved to White House, thence to Cold Harbor May 28-June 1. Battle of Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Support). Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, north of James River September 28-30. Duty in trenches before Richmond till March, 1865. Signal Hill December 10, 1864. Appomattox Campaign March 26-April 9. Hatcher’s and Gravelly Runs March 29-30. Capture of Forts Gregg and Baldwin and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Rice’s Station April 6. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Appomattox C. H. till April 17, and at Richmond till July. Duty in Virginia till August. Mustered out at Petersburg, Va., August 30, 1865.
Regiment lost while in service 7 Officers and 201 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 268 Enlisted men by disease. Total 479.
Drawn from The Civil War Battle Unit Details. https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UPA0055RI