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43rd New
York Infantry
Online Books:
43rd 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-third New York Infantry. — Cols., Francis L. Vinton, Benjamin F. Baker,
John Wilson, Charles A. Milliken; Lieut. -Cols., Charles H. Pierson, Benjamin F. Baker,
John Wilson, John Fryer, James D. Visscher, Volkert V. Van Patten, Charles A. Milliken,
William H. Terrell; Majs., Benjamin F. Baker, John Wilson, John Fryer, William Wallace,
John L. Newman, Volkert V. Van Patten, Charles A. Milliken, Samuel Davidson, William
Russell. The 43d, the "Albany Rifles," contained five companies from Albany, two
from New York city, one from Montgomery county, one from Washington county and one from
Otsego county and was organized at Albany, where it was mustered into the U. S. service in
Aug. and Sept., 1861, for three years, and left the state for Washington, 700 strong,
Sept. 21. It went into camp at Alexandria, Va., being first assigned to Hancock's brigade,
Smith's division, 4th corps, Army of the Potomac, and in May, 1862, to the 1st brigade,
2nd division, 6th corps, with which it participated in the siege of Yorktown, fought at
Lee's mill, Williamsburg, and in the Seven Days' battles, losing in that week 71 killed,
wounded and missing. Owing to reduction in numbers, the regiment was consolidated on July
18, 1862, into a battalion of five companies. The 43d took part in the battle of Antietam,
went into camp at Sharpsburg, Md., where five new companies joined it in October, and was
next actively engaged at Fredericksburg, after which it established winter quarters at
Falmouth. As part of the light brigade, 6th corps, it fought in the Chancellorsville
campaign, losing 138 men at Salem Church, and 66 in the assault upon Marye's heights. It
again encountered the enemy at Deep Run crossing in June, when the loss of the light
brigade was so severe that it was broken up and the 43d was assigned to the 3d brigade,
2nd division, 6th corps, with which it continued to serve during its term of enlistment.
The brigade reached Gettysburg on July 2, after a forced march, and went into action the
next day. During the autumn of 1863, it encountered the enemy at Rappahannock Station,
Locust Grove, Auburn and Mine Run, and finally established winter quarters at Brandy
Station in December, when 217 members reenlisted and immediately received their veteran
furlough. Camp was broken on May 3, 1864, for the Wilderness campaign which proved to be
the most fatal for the 43d of any during its service. In the battle of the Wilderness the
total loss was 198 members, including 3 field officers killed or mortally wounded.
Although reduced to an effective force of 7 officers and 92 men, the regiment was active
at Spottsylvania, the North Anna, Totopotomy and Cold Harbor and shared in the first
assault on Petersburg. At the time of Early's raid, the 6th corps was hurried to
Washington and repulsed the enemy at Port Stevens, where Col. Visscher, and 5 enlisted men
were killed and 29 wounded. Continuing the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, the regiment
was engaged at Charlestown, the Opequan, Fisher's hill, and Cedar Creek. The original
members not reenlisted were mustered out at Albany, Sept. 29, 1864, and 15 officers and
400 veterans and recruits remained in the field, in camp at Winchester. On Dec. 5, the
regiment returned to Petersburg and was posted near Fort Stedman. It shared in the final
assault April 2, 1865, in the battle of Sailor's creek, and was present at the surrender
of Lee's Army at Appomattox. The 6th corps was then stationed for a short time at
Danville, Va., after which it participated in the grand review of the Union armies at
Washington, where the 43d was mustered out on June 27, 1865. The total strength of the
regiment was 2,327 members, of whom 692 were killed, wounded or captured, 94 died from
accident or disease, and 27 perished in prison. The deserved reputation of the 43d as a
crack fighting regiment is confirmed by Col. Fox, who names it one of the "three
hundred fighting regiments." |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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