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42nd New
York Infantry
Online Books:
42nd New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 23 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Forty-second New York Infantry. — Cols., William D. Kennedy, Milton Cogswell,
Edmund C. Charles, James E. Mallon, William A. Lynch; Lieut.-Cols., Michael Doheny, James
I. Mooney, George M. Bomford, William A. Lynch, Robert C. Wright; Majs., Peter Bowe, James
E. Mallon, Patrick J. Downing. The 42d, the "Tammany Regiment," was recruited in
New York city; mustered into the U. S. service at Great Neck, L. I., June 22-28, 1861, for
three years; was quartered on Long Island for nearly a month, embarking on July 18 for
Washington, where it remained in camp but a short time, when it was ordered to Poolville,
Md., and assigned to Stone's brigade. On Oct. 15, the regiment became a part of Gorman's
brigade, Stone's division, Army of the Potomac. It behaved gallantly in the battle of
Ball's Bluff, but met with the heavy loss of 133 in killed, wounded and missing, including
Col. Baker, Col. Cogswell and Capt. Garety. In Jan., 1862, the regiment was attached to
Burns' brigade of its old division and in March, to the 3d brigade, 2nd division, 2nd
corps, Army of the Potomac, with which it participated in the Peninsular campaign. It was
active in the operations before Yorktown, the battle of West Point, and during the Seven
Days' battles, losing at Glendale 56 in killed, wounded and missing. In the battle of
Antietam the regiment met with the heaviest loss of its entire service — 181 killed,
wounded or missing, out of 345 engaged in the charge under Gen. Sedgwick which proved so
fatal. At Fredericksburg the regiment was more fortunate, although 22 were killed or
wounded. The winter was passed in camp near Falmouth and in May, 1863, broke camp for the
Chancellorsville campaign, in which the regiment was active at Marye's heights and Salem
Church. At Gettysburg, under command of Col. Mallon, the regiment received high
commendation for heroic conduct but at the cost of a total loss of 74 members. On the
southward march, the 42nd was engaged at Auburn, at Bristoe Station, where Col. Mallon was
killed, shared in the operations about Mine Run, fought at Robertson's tavern, and went
into winter quarters at Brandy Station. A large number of the men reenlisted in Dec, 1864.
Camp was broken May 3, 1864, for the Wilderness campaign, in which the regiment, assigned
to the 1st brigade, 2nd division, 2nd corps, conducted itself with courage and steadiness
throughout the month of arduous service which culminated at Cold Harbor, the Wilderness,
Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, the North Anna, Totopotomoy, all being fields of action for
the 42nd. On July 13, 1864, the original members not reenlisted were mustered out at New
York city and the veterans and recruits were transferred to the 82nd N. Y., which had also
won an enviable reputation for fighting qualities. The total strength of the regiment was
1,210 members, of whom 718 were killed, wounded or captured, 152 being killed or dying of
wounds and 106 dying of accident, disease or imprisonment. The regiment is numbered by
Col. Fox among the "three hundred fighting regiments" and during its service
always reflected credit on the state which sent it forth. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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