Muster Roll of the Governor’s Rangers

The “Governor’s Rangers” of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, were assigned Company “B” of the 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves.

The following muster roll is of the first company raised by Captain Patrick McDonough in April-May of 1861. The men who composed this company were eventually discharged and sent home in August of 1861; to be replaced by a new company in late 1861; also recruited by McDonough. This company was made up of men who were primarily river workers (watermen) that made their living from jobs connected to the Delaware River.

Contributor Simon Losinger’s Notes:
1. No muster-out rolls for Companies B, F and G of the 2nd Reserves were on file in the office of the Adjutant General of the State.  As a consequence, the rolls for these companies were chiefly sourced by Samuel P. Bates for his History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865 from “Our Campaigns; The Second Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteers” by Major E. M. Woodward.
2. Samuel P. Bates states in his History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865, that Company B, together with Companies F, G, and I, were ordered by General Banks to be disbanded on or about August 16, 1861 “on the ground of their numbers being below the standard of acceptance – all the companies having been greatly reduced by the withdrawal of disaffected men – the officers to be mustered out and the men to be transferred to other companies” (Bates, Vol. 1, page 576).  Bates further states that after being mustered out, Captain Patrick M’Donough raised a fresh company that joined the 2nd Reserves at Camp Pierpont, Va. (possibly mid-October 1861) to become the regiment’s new Company B.
3. Although not explicitly stated by Bates, but based on the dates given for men having mustered into the company, the roll presented in History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865 is for the reconstituted Company B.  Bates, however, does not provide the date on which Company B was formally reconstituted.
4. For Company B, Bates does not provide the muster out date(s) for those men who “mustered out upon expiration of term.”  As the 2nd Reserves mustered out of service on June 16, 1864, it would seem reasonable to assume that those men of Company B, who did muster out for the reason that their term of service had been completed, did so on or before June 16, 1864.  
5. For Company B’s men who transferred to the 191st Regiment P. V. to either continue their service beyond their original 3-year term or to complete their term of service, Bates does not provide the date of transfer.  It is noted that May 31, 1864 is the earliest date given by Bates for the transfer to the 191st Regiment by men from other companies of the 2nd Reserves.