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49th New
York Infantry
Online Books:
49th New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 24 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Forty-ninth New York Infantry. — Cols., Daniel D. Bidwell, Erastus D. Holt,
George H. Selkirk; Lieut. -Cols., William C. Alberger, George W. Johnson, Erastus D. Holt,
George H. Selkirk, Thomas Cluney; Majs., George W. Johnson, William Ellis, Andrew W.
Brazee, George H. Selkirk, Solomon W. Russell, Jr. The 49th, the 2nd Buffalo regiment,
contained four companies from Chautauqua county, four from Erie, one from Westchester and
one from Niagara county and was mustered into the U. S. service at Buffalo, Sept. 18,
1861, for a three years' term. It left Buffalo Sept. 20 for Washington, was there assigned
to the 3d brigade, Smith's division, with which it remained throughout its term of
service. In March, 1862, the brigade and division were attached to the 4th corps and in
May to the 6th corps. The regiment was first engaged at Lewinsville, Va., in Oct., 1861,
after which it encamped near Lewinsville until March, 1862, when it was ordered to
Alexandria and from there to the Peninsula. It performed trench duty at Yorktown; was in
support during the battles of Lee's mill and Williamsburg; participated in the Seven Days'
battles, and went into camp at Harrison's landing until the middle of August, when it was
withdrawn to Alexandria. In September the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac in
Maryland; fought at Crampton's gap, Antietam, and Fredericksburg; spent the winter near
White Oak Church; took part in the Chancellorsville campaign in May, 1863, losing 35
members killed, wounded or missing, and left Virginia on June 13 for Gettysburg. The
regiment was there in support of the artillery, and after the battle joined in the
pursuit, reaching Warrenton, Va., late in the month of July. After a fortnight in camp
there it proceeded to Culpeper, engaging the enemy at Rappahannock Station on the march.
Winter quarters were established at Brandy Station in Dec, 1863, and during that month 175
members reenlisted, securing the continuance of the regiment in the field as a veteran
organization. On May 4, 1864, it broke camp for the Wilderness campaign and during the
next two days lost 89 in killed, wounded and missing. At Spottsylvania the total loss was
121 members, and in these two battles 10 officers were killed, including Maj. Ellis, who
fell at Spottsylvania. After the battle of Cold Harbor the regiment reported a loss of 61
killed, 155 wounded and 30 missing, out of 384 who had left Brandy Station. It proceeded
to Petersburg and participated in the first assault. In July, with the 6th corps, it was
ordered to Washington and arrived in time to assist in the defense of Fort Stevens, where
Lieut. -Col Johnson, the commander, was killed. Continuing its service in the Shenandoah
valley the regiment was active at Charlestown, the Opequan, Fisher's hill, and Cedar
creek, where Col. Bidwell was killed. The original members not reenlisted returned to New
York in October and were there mustered out on the 18th. The veterans were consolidated
into a battalion of five companies, which was ordered to Petersburg, where it participated
in the siege operations until the fall of the city. In the final assault on April 2, 1865,
Col. Holt was killed. The 3d brigade, to which the 49th belonged, was remarkably
unfortunate in the loss of 72 officers in the five regiments of which it was composed. The
49th was mustered out at Washington on June 27, 1865, having lost 141 by death from
wounds, and 180 by death from other causes, out of a total enrollment of 1,312. Col. Fox
numbers it among the "three hundred fighting regiments." |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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