Christopher Pennell, who had attended Amherst College, was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Union Army on November 21, 1863, and mustered into the 19th Regiment on January 14, 1864 at Camp Stanton. He served on recruiting duty during February, 1864. During May and June 1864, he served as an aide at 2nd Brigade Headquarters, 4th Division, 9th Army Corps.

Lieutenant Pennell was killed at the Battle of the Crater outside Petersburg, Virginia on July 30, 1864.

General H.G. Thomas said of the death of Lieutenant Pennell:

Capt. Marshal L. Dempsey and Lieut. Christopher Pennell of my staff, and four white orderlies with the brigade guidon, accompanied me, closely followed by Lieut.-Col. Ross leading the Thirty-first Regiment. At the instant of reaching the works, Ross was shot down, the next officer in rank, Capt. Wright, was shot as he stooped over him. The men were largely without leaders, and their organization was destroyed. Two of my four orderlies were wounded, one flag in hand, the remaining two sought shelter, when Lieutenant Pennell, rescuing the guidon, hastened down the line outside the pits, with his sword uplifted in his right hand and the banner in his left, he sought to call out the men along the whole line of the parapet. In a moment a musketry fire was focused on him individually, whirling him round several times before he fell. Of commanding figure, his bravery was so conspicuous, that according to Colonel Weld’s testimony a number of his (Weld’s) men were shot, because, spell-bound, they forgot their own shelter in watching the superb boy, who was the only son of an old Massachusetts clergyman, and to me was as Jonathan was to David. Two days later with a flag of truce I searched in vain for his body. He was doubtless shot literally to pieces, for the leaden hail poured incessantly for a long time about that spot, and he probably sleeps among the unknown whom we buried in the long deep trenches we dug that day.

Lt. Colonel Perkins issued the following order commemorating the brave men, including Lieutenant Pennell, who had died during the battle of the crater at Petersburg.

August 9, 1864

Near Petersburg, Virginia

Headquarters 19th Regiment U.S.C. Troops

General Orders

No. 14

The Commanding Officer takes opportunity to thank and congratulate the officers, noncom officers, and privates of this Regiment for their gallant conduct on 30 July. Although fighting under the greatest disadvantages each one seemed to strive to do his duty and although the issue was unfortunate yet this Regiment has done nothing to be ashamed of. The 19th Regiment was the only one in the Division that carried its colors through the whole of the fight. The thanks of the Commanding Officer and of the whole regiment are hereby tendered publicly to Sgt. Jones, Company C, who bore the stars and stripes through the whole of the fight, and carried them from the field when the command had gone to the rear.

While we pride ourselves on the good conduct of the Regiment, let us not forget the many brave officers and men who by their deaths have helped to give us this proud stand. Maj. Rockwood, that brave Christian soldier, Lieut.'s Mix, Dobbs, Raymor, and Pennell have fallen in the conflict with many brave soldiers to bear company.

Let us emulate their noble example and in another engagement determine to bear still farther the already bloodstained banner and standard of our regiment.

Lt. Col. Joseph Perkins