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15th New
York Artillery Heavy
Online Books:
15th New York
Artillery Heavy Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 14 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Fifteenth New York Artillery (Heavy). — Cols., Louis Schirmer,
Michael Weidrich; Lieut.-Cols., Michael Weidrich, Louis Eiche; Majs., Emil Duysing,
William D. Dickey, Leander Shamberger, Louis Eiche, Calvin Shaffer, Julius Dieckman. This
fine German regiment was organized at New York city, the members being principally
recruited in the counties of New York, Orange, and Sullivan. The 3d battalion of
artillery, recruited in New York city in 1861, and which had been performing garrison duty
in the defenses of Washington, was transferred to the 15th as Cos. A, B, C, D and E on
Sept. 30, 1863; on June 23, 1863, a company enlisted for the 12th N. Y. artillery was
assigned to the regiment as Co. F; and Oct. 14, 1863, the 2nd and 34th batteries were
likewise transferred to it. The companies were mustered into the U. S. service for three
years as follows: A, B, C, D and E at New York city, between Oct. 14 and Dec. 19, 1861;
and the remaining companies from Aug. 27, 1863, to Jan. 30, 1864. The original members of
Co. A to E were mustered out on the expiration of their term of enlistment and the
remainder of the regiment continued in service. When assigned to the regiment, Cos. A to E
were on duty at Fort Lyon, Va., and the other companies joined them there as soon as
organized. The regiment performed garrison duty until March, 1864, when it joined the Army
of the Potomac at the front, where it was assigned to the 5th corps, to which it was
attached throughout the remainder of the war, most of the time assigned to Ayres' (2nd)
division. The regiment took part in the engagements of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, the
North Anna, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor, White Oak swamp, first assault on Petersburg, Weldon
railroad, Poplar Grove Church, Hicksford raid, Hatcher's run, and the Appomattox campaign,
including actions at Five Forks, the fall of Petersburg and Appomattox Court House.
Throughout this series of battles it was conspicuous for its steadiness and bravery, and
sustained severe losses. At Spottsylvania its casualties were 160 in killed, wounded and
missing, among the mortally wounded being the gallant Maj. Shamberger. In the assault on
the works of Petersburg in June, 1864, it lost 85 killed and wounded; at the Weldon
railroad, 14 killed, 75 wounded and 5 missing; at White Oak road, 18 killed, 81 wounded
and 11 missing, among the mortally wounded being Maj. Duysing. The regiment also lost
heavily in the trenches before Petersburg from the constant and deadly firing which
prevailed there, having 83 men killed, wounded and missing from this source. It lost by
death during service 8 officers and 148 men, killed and mortally wounded; 5 officers and
225 men died of disease and other causes, a total of 13 officers and 373 men, of whom 63
men died in the hands of the enemy. A number of men were accidentally killed by the
explosion of a magazine at Fort Lyon, Va., June 9, 1863. Under the command of Maj.
Dieckman, the regiment was mustered out at Washington, D. C, Aug. 22, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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