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178th New
York Infantry
Online Books:
178th New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 42 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| One Hundred and Seventy-eighth New York Infantry. — Col., Edward Wehler;
Lieut. -Cols., Charles F. Smith, John B. Gandolfo, Majs., Selden Hetzel, Augustus B. Sage.
The organization of this regiment was begun at Staten island June 20, 1863, by the
consolidation of the Blair Rifles, Pratt Guards, Seymour Light Infantry, Burnside Rifles,
Westchester Light Infantry and Defenders. Its organization was completed on Oct. 14. 1863,
by the assignment to it of the men enlisted for the 7th, 8th and 31st veteran N. Y.
infantry, all of which were then reorganizing. Co. A was recruited at Rochester, Buffalo,
Niagara and Kingston, and the remaining companies in New York city. The regiment was
mustered into the U. S. service by companies, between June 18 and Oct. 17, 1863, for three
years. It left the state by detachments from June 21 to Oct. 24, proceeding to Washington,
D. C, where it served as provost guard for several months. On Oct. 31, 1863, it was
ordered to Mississippi and stationed at Eastport, in the vicinity of Corinth. It was
placed in Mower's division of the 16th corps; was engaged at Camden, Jackson, and on
Sherman's Meridian expedition. Attached to the 3d brigade (Col. Risdon M. Moore), Mower's
division, detachment of the 16th corps, it moved with Banks' expedition up the Red River,
taking part in engagements at Fort De Russy, Pleasant Hill, Campti, Cloutierville, Moore's
plantation, Bayou Rapides, Mansura and Simsport. The regiment under command of Col. Wehler
was warmly engaged at Pleasant Hill, where it recaptured a battery in a spirited charge
and drove the enemy in confusion. Its loss in this battle amounted to 31 killed, wounded
and missing. When the detachment of the 16th corps consisting of Mower's and A. J. Smith's
divisions were "loaned" by Gen. Sherman to Gen. Banks during the Red River
campaign, it was understood they would soon return. The Red River campaign proved so
disastrous, however, that their return was delayed and they were unable to join in
Sherman's Atlanta campaign. Consequently the 178th remained with the detachment of the
16th corps under A. J. Smith in the Mississippi valley. On the conclusion of the Red River
campaign, the regiment took part in the following engagements during the rest of the year
1864: Lake Chicot, Ark.; Colliersville, and La Grange, Tenn.; Ripley, Tupelo, Old Town
creek and Hurricane creek, Miss.; Lexington, Independence, and Glasgow, Mo.; and
Nashville, Tenn. In the 3d brigade, Garrard's division, 16th corps, it proceeded to Mobile
in the spring of 1865, participating in the siege of that city, and the fighting at the
fall of Fort Blakely. The regiment was consolidated into a battalion of five companies at
Eastport, Miss., in Feb., 1865, and continued in service a year longer, being finally
mustered out on April 20, 1866, at Montgomery, Ala., under command of Lieut.- Col.
Gandolfo. During its term of service the 178th lost by death 18 men killed and mortally
wounded; by disease and other causes 2 officers and 190 enlisted men, a total of 210, of
whom 35 died in the hands of the enemy. Its long service in the South accounts for its
large disease mortality. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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