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54th New
York Infantry
Online Books:
54th New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 25 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Fifty-fourth New York Infantry. — Col., Eugene A. Kozlay; Lieut.-Cols.,
Alexander Hock, William P. Wainwright, Stephen Kovacs, Charles Ashby, Bankson Taylor
Morgan; Maj., Louis Von Litrow, Charles Ashby, Stephen Kovacs. The 54th, the "Barney
Black Rifles," was composed of men of German origin, recruited in New York city and
Brooklyn, and one company of the McClellan infantry. It was mustered into the U. S.
service at Hudson City, N. J., Sept. 5 to Oct. 16, 1861, for a three years' term, and left
for Washington Oct. 29. It was assigned to the provisional brigade of Casey's division,
with which it served until December, when it became a part of Steinwehr's brigade,
Blenker's division. It served in the vicinity of Washington until April, 1862, when
Blenker's division was ordered to Virginia and assigned to Gen. Fremont's command. The
54th belonged to the 1st brigade and was employed in the region near Strasburg until June
8, when it took an active part in the battle of Cross Keys. On June 26, 1862, the regiment
became a part of the 2nd brigade, 3d division, 1st corps, Army of Virginia, and on the
29th of the same month Gen. Sigel took command of the forces formerly commanded by
Fremont. During Gen. Pope's campaign the regiment rendered effective service at Fox's
ford, Sulphur Springs, at Waterloo Bridge, Groveton and Manassas. The 1st corps became the
11th on Sept. 12, 1862, and the 54th was assigned to the 1st brigade, 1st division, with
which it went into winter quarters at Stafford, Va. Camp was broken late in April, 1863,
for the Chancellorsville campaign, in which the regiment lost 42 in killed, wounded and
missing. After a short rest near Falmouth the march to Gettysburg was commenced. It was in
action on July 1, and on the 2nd was posted on Cemetery hill. The loss of the 54th was 102
killed, wounded or missing. Camp was occupied near Hagerstown, Md., until Aug. 7, when the
division was ordered to Charleston harbor and there assigned to the 10th corps, in which
the 54th served in the 1st brigade of Gordon's division. It was stationed on Folly island;
participated in the siege of Fort Wagner; the bombardment of Fort Sumter; and remained in
that vicinity during the winter of 1863-64. At this time a sufficient number of the
command reenlisted to secure its continuance in the field as a veteran organization and in
the summer of 1864 was posted on James island, where it was actively engaged in July with
a loss of 20. In March, 1865, it left this post to enter Charleston, where it received on
June 22 the veterans and recruits of the 127th and 157th N. Y., and remained until April,
1866. It was mustered out at Charleston April 14, 1866, having served nearly five years
and lost during this period 40 by death from wounds and 102 by death from accident,
disease or imprisonment. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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