Levi Belles

Levi B. Belles

Levi B. Belles (sometimes Bellis) enlisted and was mustered into Company K, 151st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (1st Brigade, 3rd Division, I Corps, Army of the Potomac) on November 3, 1862 as a Private. He was 18 years old. The 151st was a nine-month regiment (believed to be one of the last two in the Union Army to be mustered in as such). Most of Company K was recruited in Reading, Pennsylvania by Jacob Hessler, a former Private in the Ringgold Light Artillery, one of the First Defenders units. Hessler served as 1st Lieutenant to the Company under Captain James Weida of Longswamp.

The 151st participated in the Battle of Chancellorsville and fought on the first and third days at the Battle of Gettysburg. On July 1st, it was one of the last reserve regiments to be called into action near McPherson's Woods west of the Lutheran Seminary and suffered heavy losses. On July 3rd, it, along with the 80th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, filled in to the left of center on Cemetery Ridge and assisted in repulsing the Picket-Pettigrew-Trimble assault.

Private Belles mustered our of service on July 27, 1863. He died in 1931 at the age of 86.

Photograph and information submitted by Levi B. Belles' great great grandson, Steve Heffner, General George H. Thomas Camp #19 (Lancaster), Pennsylvania Department, SUVCW.

Levi B. Belles (circa late 1920s)