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169th New
York Infantry
Online Books:
169th New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 41 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| One Hundred and Sixty-ninth New York Infantry. — Cols., Clarence Buell, John
McConihe, Alonzo Alden; Lieut. -Cols., John McConihe, Alonzo Alden, James A. Colvin;
Majs., Alonzo Alden, James A. Colvin, Joseph H. Allen. The 169th, known as the Troy
regiment, was recruited in the counties of Rensselaer and Washington and organized at Troy
and Staten island. Cos. A to E were mustered into the U. S. service at Troy, Sept. 25,
1862, and the remaining companies at New Dorp, Staten island, Oct. 6, the term of
enlistment being three years. The 169th left the state Oct. 9, 1862, for Washington. It
achieved honorable distinction in the field, and is numbered by Col. Fox among the three
hundred fighting regiments. He says: "The regiment was actively engaged in the
defense of Suffolk, Va., where it served in Foster's brigade, Corcoran's division. In the
following summer it participated in the operations about Charleston harbor and in May,
1864, it moved with the Army of the James to Bermuda Hundred. The regiment disembarked
there with Butler's army and hard fighting, with its consequent heavy losses, immediately
ensued. At Cold Harbor it fought in Martindale's division, Col. McConihe being killed in
that battle. The 169th held a perilous position in the trenches before Petersburg, losing
men there, killed or wounded, almost every day. While there, on the evening of June 30,
1864, the brigade (Barton's) was ordered to charge the enemy's lines, so that, under cover
of their fire, Curtis' brigade could throw up an advanced rifle-pit; but the regiment
while going into position was prematurely discovered by the enemy and thereby drew upon
themselves a severe fire, which not only frustrated the plan, but cost the regiment many
lives." The regiment was one of those selected for the expedition against Fort
Fisher, being then in Bell's (3d) brigade, Ames' division, 10th corps, and took part in
the desperate but victorious assault on that stronghold. A large proportion of its losses
there, however, occurred at the explosion of the magazine, after the fort had been
captured. After the fall of Fort Fisher, the regiment accompanied the 10th corps in its
advance on Wilmington. The following is a list of the engagements in which the 169th took
part: siege of Suffolk, Fort Wagner, S. C, Port Walthall Junction, Chester Station,
Bermuda Hundred, Cold Harbor, around Petersburg, Dutch gap, Chaffin's farm, Va., and Fort
Fisher, N. C. It was present at Edenton road, Carrsville, Blackwater, Zuni, Nansemond,
South Anna, Drewry's bluff, Darbytown road and Wilmington. On the conclusion of the war it
remained as a garrison at Raleigh, N. C, which city it had entered with the advance of
Sherman's army, and was here mustered out on July 19, 1865, under command of Col. Alden.
The regiment was fortunate in the personnel of its officers and in the ranks was some of
the best blood sent forth by the Empire State. In all its numerous fights the regiment
never faltered, both officers and men behaving in the most praiseworthy and gallant
manner. The total enrollment of the regiment (not including the men transferred from the
142nd N. Y., on June 7, 1865, after the war had ended) was 1,467, of whom 10 officers and
147 men — or 10.7 per cent. — were killed and mortally wounded; 3 officers and
125 men died of disease and other causes; total deaths, 285. The total number killed and
wounded was 618. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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