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1st New York
Artillery
Online Books:
1st New York
Artillery Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 8 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
First New York Artillery. — Cols., Guilford D. Bailey, Charles S.
Wainwright; Lieut. -Cols., Henry E. Turner, Charles S. Wainwright, Edward R. Warner;
Majs., Charles S. Wainwright, J. Watts De Peyster, Jr., Robert Fitzhugh, Luther Kieffer,
John A. Reynolds, David H. Van Valkenburgh, Thomas W. Osborne. This regiment of light
artillery was organized at Elmira in the fall of 1861 and was composed of companies
recruited in the counties of Oswego, Oneida, Onondaga, Chemung, Steuben, Monroe, Wayne,
Erie, Niagara, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Lewis and Herkimer. It was mustered into the U. S.
service from Aug. 30 to Nov. 20, 1861, for three years. Eight companies, under command of
Col. Bailey, left the state on Oct. 31, and I, K, L and M on Nov. 21. Its service was by
batteries in the Armies of the Potomac, Virginia, the Cumberland and Georgia. At the
expiration of the term of service, the original members, except veterans, were mustered
out and the organization composed of veterans and recruits remained in service. Both Col.
Bailey and Maj. Van Valkenburgh were killed in action at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862.
Battery A ("Empire Battery"), Capt. Thomas
H. Bates, was mustered in at Utica, Sept. 12, 1861; served from Nov., 1861, to March,
1862, at and near Washington, for a portion of the time in the artillery reserve of the
Army of the Potomac; was then assigned to Casey's division, 4th corps, and moved on the
Peninsular campaign; and took part in the siege of Yorktown, the battles of Williamsburg,
Bottom's and Turkey Island bridges and Fair Oaks. On June 15, 1862, the enlisted men were
transferred to Batteries D and H, 1st artillery and the 7th and 8th independent batteries.
Capt. Bates then returned to New York to reorganize a new battery, which was recruited at
Utica and served with the 22nd corps, at the artillery camp of instruction near Washington
from Feb. 1, 1863, until June 4. It was then for a time in the Department of the
Susquehanna, being stationed at Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chambersburg, Allegheny City,
Pa., etc. It was active at Chambersburg at the time of the Confederate raid in July, and
was mustered out under Capt. Bates, June 28, 1865, at Elmira. It lost during service 4
killed and 9 died of disease.
Battery B, Capt. Rufus D. Pettit, was recruited at
Elmira and Baldwinsville and was mustered into the U. S. service Aug. 30, 1861. In
November it received by transfer a number of men belonging to Capt. Busteed's Chicago
light battery (C) and in Sept., 1863, a number of men from the 14th N. Y. battery. Most of
its service was with the 2nd corps, the reserve artillery and the artillery brigade, 5th
corps, Army of the Potomac. It participated in the siege of Yorktown, the battles of Fair
Oaks, Seven Days', Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Mine Run
campaign, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomy, Bethesda Church, Petersburg,
Weldon railroad, Poplar Grove Church, Hatcher's run, Hicksford raid, White Oak ridge, Five
Forks, fall of Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. It was mustered out and discharged
at Elmira, June 18, 1865, under Capt. Robert E. Rogers. It lost during service 16 killed
and died of wounds; 10 died of disease and other causes; total deaths, 26. It has the
distinction of ranking 11th among all the light artillery batteries in the service, in
point of loss in battle. Its loss at Gettysburg was particularly heavy, amounting to 10
killed, and 16 wounded. Capt. Hazard, commanding the artillery brigade, 2nd corps,
speaking of the third day's fighting at Gettysburg, says in his report: "Battery B,
1st New York artillery, was entirely exhausted; its ammunition expended; its horses and
men killed and disabled; its commanding officer, Capt. J. M. Rorty, killed, and senior 1st
Lieut. A. S. Sheldon severely wounded. In the death of Capt. Rorty the brigade has lost a
worthy officer, a gallant soldier, and an estimable man. He had enjoyed his new position
but one day, having assumed command of Battery B, on July 2, as it was about to engage the
enemy."
Battery C, Capt. John W. Tamblin, recruited at
Watertown, Leroy, Wilna, Philadelphia, Alexandria, Rutland and Champion, was mustered into
the U. S. service at Elmira, Sept. 6, 1861. Capt. Almont Barnes succeeded to the command
of the battery in Jan., 1862, and David F. Ritchie in Sept., 1864. Most of the active
service of the battery was with the 5th corps, in the engagements at Fredericksburg,
Rappahannock Station, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Williamsport, Md., Bristoe Station,
Mine Run campaign, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor, White
Oak swamp, Petersburg assault in June, 1864, Weldon railroad, Fort Stedman and the fall of
Petersburg. It was mustered out at Elmira, June 17, 1865, having lost 4 men killed, and 18
who died of disease and other causes.
Battery D, Capt. Thomas W. Osborn, recruited at
Watertown, Gouverneur, Russell, Antwerp, Cape Vincent, Diana, Stone Mills, Pitcairn, and
Richville, was mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 6, 1861, at Elmira. In June, 1862,
it received by transfer some of the men of battery A. It was stationed at Washington
through the winter and in the spring of 1862 moved on the Peninsular campaign, assigned to
Hooker's division, 3d corps. It continued to serve with the 3d corps until 1864, after
which it served with the artillery brigade, 5th corps. The battery took part in the
engagements about Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Seven Days' battles, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wapping heights, Kelly's ford, Brandy Station, Mine Run
campaign, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomy, Bethesda Church, White Oak
swamp, first assaults on Petersburg, Weldon railroad, Poplar Grove Church, Hicksford raid,
Hatcher's run, White Oak ridge, Five Forks, fall of Petersburg, and Appomattox Court
House. The battery lost during service 1 officer and 12 men killed and died of wounds; 14
men died of disease and other causes. It was mustered out at Elmira, June 16, 1865, under
command of Capt. James B. Hazelton.
Battery E, Capt. John Stocum, recruited at Bath, Avon
and Mitchellsville, was mustered in at Elmira, Sept. 13, 1861. Capt. Charles C. Wheeler
succeeded to the command in Jan., 1862, and Capt. Angel Matthewson in May, 1864. It was
stationed at Washington during the winter of 1861-62, and served during the Peninsular
campaign with Smith's division, 4th corps, until May, and then in the 2nd division, 6th
corps. In Aug., 1862, it was attached to the 1st N. Y. battery; from June 20, 1863, to
Battery L; in the Wilderness campaign it was attached to the artillery brigade, 5th corps;
and then served as a mortar battery before Petersburg until 1865, when it was in the
artillery reserve, attached to the 9th corps until the end of the war. The battery took
part in the engagements about Yorktown, at Lee's mill, Williamsburg, Mechanicsville,
Garnett's farm, White Oak Swamp, Glendale, Malvern hill, Centerville, Chancellorsville,
Gettysburg, Robertson's tavern, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomy,
Bethesda Church, first assault on Petersburg, Fort Stedman and the fall of Petersburg. It
lost during service 1 officer and 4 men killed and mortally wounded; 1 officer and 12 men
died of disease and other causes, a total of 18. It was mustered out of service, commanded
by Capt. Matthewson, at Elmira, June 6, 1865.
Battery F, Capt. W. R. Wilson, was recruited at
Oswego, Southport and Elmira and there mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 14, 1861.
In Oct., 1863, some of its members were transferred to the 2nd regiment of artillery. It
was chiefly employed in garrison duty, being stationed at Washington during the winter of
1861-2, and the remainder of 1862 was with Franklin's division, 1st corps, and the 1st
division, 6th corps. It was at the White House in June, 1862, and at Yorktown, in the 4th
corps, from July, 1862, to July, 1863. The remainder of its term it was stationed in the
Department of Washington with the 22nd corps. It was mustered out under Capt. Wilson, June
17, 1865, at Elmira. It had no casualties in action, but lost during service 14 men who
died of disease and other causes.
Battery G, Capt. John D. Frank, recruited at Mexico,
was mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 24, 1861, at Elmira. It received by transfer
in Nov., 1861, some of Capt. Busteed's Chicago light battery and in Sept., 1863, its ranks
were filled by the transfer of part of the 14th N. Y. battery. It was stationed at
Washington with its regiment during the winter 1861-62, and its subsequent service was
chiefly with the 2nd corps, Army of the Potomac. In Jan., 1865, it was in the artillery
reserve, attached to the 9th corps. It took part in the following engagements: Warrenton
Junction, siege of Yorktown, Lee's mill, Fair Oaks, Seven Days' Battles, Antietam,
Leesburg, Charlestown, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Auburn, Bristoe
Station, the Mine Run campaign, Morton's ford, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna,
Totopotomy, Cold Harbor, first assault on Petersburg, Weldon railroad, Deep Bottom,
Strawberry Plains, Fort Stedman and the fall of Petersburg. Its loss during service was 1
officer and 11 men killed and mortally wounded; 2 officers and 16 men died of disease and
other causes. It was mustered out, under Capt. Samuel A. McClellan, June 19, 1865, at
Elmira.
Battery H, Capt. Joseph Spratt, recruited at
Watertown and Lowville, was mustered into the U. S. service on Oct. 10, 1861, at Elmira,
and in June, 1862, received some of the members of battery A by transfer. It served at
Washington with the regiment during the winter of 1861-62; in the Peninsular campaign with
Casey's division, 4th corps; was stationed at Gloucester Point during Aug., 1862; at
Yorktown from Sept., 1862, to July, 1863; at Washington, in the 22nd corps, from July to
Sept., 1863; during the remainder of 1863 it served with the artillery brigade, 1st corps;
and from March, 1864, with the artillery brigade, 5th corps. It took part in the siege of
Yorktown and the battles of Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Seven Days' battles, Baltimore
cross-roads, the Mine Run campaign, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, the North Anna, Totopotomy,
Bethesda Church, the assault on Petersburg in June, 1864, Weldon railroad, Poplar Grove
Church, Hatcher's run, Hicksford raid, Fort Stedman, White Oak ridge, Five Forks, the fall
of Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. The battery had 7 men killed in action and lost
10 who died of disease and other causes, a total of 17. It was finally mustered out at
Elmira, June 19, 1865, under Capt. Charles E. Mink.
Battery I, Capt. Michael Wiedrich, recruited at
Buffalo, Lancaster, Amherst and Elmira, was mustered in at Buffalo, Oct. 1, 1861. The 65th
militia contributed a number of its members, and on June 10, 1863, 40 men of the 2nd N. Y.
battery were transferred to it. The battery first served in Blenker's division, Army of
the Potomac, and in June, 1862, it was assigned to the 1st corps, Army of Virginia, with
which it was engaged at Strasburg, Union Church, Aldie, Cross Keys and Port Republic. In
Gen. Pope's campaign in Virginia it served in the 3d division, 11th corps, fighting at
Freeman's ford, Rappahannock Station, Sulphur Springs, Waterloo bridge, Groveton and Bull
Run. With the artillery brigade, 11th corps, it fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg,
and continued to serve with that corps until the consolidation of the 11th and 12th corps
to form the 20th, when it formed part of the artillery brigade of the latter. Proceeding
with its corps to Tennessee, it took part in the battles of Lookout valley and Wauhatchie;
was active in the Chattanooga-Ringgold campaign, including the battle of Missionary ridge,
and in May, 1864, moved with Sherman on the Atlanta campaign, being engaged at Resaca,
Dallas, Kennesaw mountain, Golgotha, Kolb's farm, Peachtree creek and the siege of
Atlanta. On Nov. 15, 1864, it started on the march to the sea, fighting at Monteith swamp,
Savannah, and opposite Argyle island, where it was engaged with Confederate gunboats. In
Jan., 1865, it moved on the campaign of the Carolinas; was in action at Averasboro,
Bentonville and Raleigh; and saw its last fighting at Bennett's house in April. It was
mustered out and discharged on June 23, 1865, at Fort Porter, Buffalo, under command of
Capt. Charles E. Winegar. It lost during service 1 officer and 12 men killed and died of
wounds; 1 officer and 15 men died of disease, accidents, in prison, etc., a total of 29.
Battery K ("Fort Plain Battery"), Capt.
Lorenzo Crounze, recruited at Fort Plain, Stockbridge, Jasper, Elmira and Canandaigua, was
mustered into the U. S. service on Nov. 20, and Dec. 15. 1861, its surplus men being
transferred to the other batteries of the regiment. Capt. Crounse resigned on Sept. 9,
1862, and Capt. Robert H. Fitzhugh succeeded to the command. When the latter was promoted
major, on Sept. 7, 1863, Capt. Solon W. Stocking assumed the command. It took part in Gen.
Pope's Virginia campaign in the summer of 1862, being engaged at Rappahannock river,
Beverly ford and the second Bull Run. Attached to the 1st division, 12th corps it
participated in the battle of Chancellorsville, and as part of the artillery reserve, Army
of the Potomac, in the battle of Gettysburg and the Mine Run campaign. During the 1st year
of the war it was stationed in the defenses of Washington with the 22nd corps, and was
mustered out at Elmira, June 20, 1865. Its losses were 2 men killed and 15 who died of
disease, etc.
Battery L ("Rochester Union Greys"), Capt.
John A. Reynolds, recruited at Rochester, Palmyra and Elmira, was mustered into the U. S.
service at Elmira, Nov. 17, 1861. The 1st militia battalion of light artillery supplied
many members of the battery. When Capt. John A. Reynolds was promoted major on May 9,
1863, Capt. Gilbert H. Reynolds was given the command and on his resignation May 3, 1864,
was succeeded by Lieut. George Breck. It was stationed at Baltimore, Winchester and
Harper's Ferry until the latter part of May, 1862, and was engaged at Charlestown, W. Va.,
and Harper's Ferry. It fought with Pope at Cedar mountain and with the 1st division, 2nd
corps, was engaged at Gainesville and the second Bull Run. It was then assigned to the 1st
division, 1st corps, with which it took part in the battles of South mountain, Antietam,
Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. As a part of the artillery brigade, 1st corps, it did
gallant service at Gettysburg, going into action under Capt. Gilbert Reynolds, who was
severely wounded at the very beginning of the battle on the first day, when Lieut. Breck
took command. Its loss in men was 2 killed and 16 wounded, and 22 horses were killed or
disabled. In Nov., 1863, it participated in the Mine Run campaign, and fought throughout
Grant's campaign of 1864 in the artillery brigade of the 5th corps, at the Wilderness,
Spottsylvania, the North Anna, Totopotomy, Bethesda Church, the assault on Petersburg in
June, and the Weldon railroad. In the final campaign in 1865 it was in the artillery
reserve, attached to the 9th corps, and was active at Hatcher's run, Fort Stedman, and the
final assault on Petersburg. It was mustered out on June 17, 1865, at Elmira, under Capt.
Breck. It lost during service 11 men killed and mortally wounded; 12 men died of disease,
accidents, in prison, etc., a total of 23.
Battery M, Capt. George W. Cothran, recruited at
Rochester, Albany and Lockport, was mustered into the U. S. service at Rochester Nov. 15,
1861. On the resignation of Capt. Cothran in April, 1863, John D. Woodbury became captain,
and on his resignation in the fall of 1864 Capt. Edward H. Underbill assumed command of
the battery. It served with the regiment at Washington in the winter 1861-62; served until
April, 1862, with Williams' division, 5th corps; then in the Department of the Shenandoah
until June 26; in the 1st division, 2nd corps, Army of Virginia, until September; and in
the 1st division, 12th corps, until April, 1863, taking part in the engagements at
Winchester, Edenburg, skirmish at McGaheysville, Middletown, Newtown, Falling Waters,
Cedar mountain, Beverly ford, Sulphur Springs, Antietam and a skirmish near Ripon, Va.
Commanded by Capt. Woodbury, and assigned to the artillery brigade, 12th corps, it
performed gallant service at Chancellorsville, where it sustained one of the heaviest
losses occurring in the light artillery in any one engagement — 5 killed, 13 wounded
and 4 missing. It fought gallantly and with severe loss at Gettysburg. In May, 1864,
attached to the 1st division, 20th corps, it moved on Sherman's Atlanta campaign, being
engaged at Resaca, Dallas, Kennesaw mountain, Golgotha, Nose's creek, Peachtree creek, and
the siege of Atlanta. With the artillery brigade, same corps, it participated in the
Savannah campaign and early in 1865 in the campaign of the Carolinas. In these movements
it was engaged at Savannah, opposite Argyle island, Averasboro, Bentonville, Raleigh and
Bennett's house, where it had its last fight. It was mustered out under command of Capt.
Underbill, at Rochester, June 23, 1865. The battery suffered a loss during service of 13
men killed in action, and 1 officer and 11 men died of disease and other causes.
The 1st artillery sustained a total loss of 6
officers and 95 enlisted men killed and died of wounds received in action. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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