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69th New
York Infantry
Online Books:
69th New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 28 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Sixty -ninth New York Infantry. — Cols., Robert Nugent, William Wilson;
Lieut.-Cols., James Kelly, James E. McGee, John Garrett, James J. Smith; Majs., James
Cavanagh, John Garrett, Richard Moroney. The 69th, the 1st regiment of the Irish brigade,
was the outgrowth of the 69th militia (q. v.) and contained members from New York city,
Chicago, Ill., Brooklyn and Buffalo. It was mustered into the U. S. service at New York
city Sept. 7 to Nov. 17, 1861, for three years, and left for Washington on Nov. 18. It was
stationed at Fort Corcoran near Washington and became a part of the Irish brigade under
Gen. Meagher in December. At the time of the general advance under Gen. McClellan in
March, 1862, the Irish brigade became the 2nd brigade, 1st division, 2nd corps, and moved
to the Peninsula in April after having its first encounter with the enemy at Rappahannock
Station, Va. The part taken by the brigade in the siege of Yorktown was not especially
prominent, but its prompt action at Fair Oaks helped to save the day, and during the Seven
Days' battles it was constantly in action, the 69th alone losing 208 in killed, wounded
and missing. At the second Bull Run the division arrived too late for the battle but at
Antietam the Irish brigade was in the midst of the fight at the "Bloody Lane,"
where the loss of the regiment was 196 in killed, wounded and missing out of 317 engaged.
After the battle the regiment was withdrawn to Charlestown, W. Va., and then moved via
Snicker's gap and Hartwood Church to Fredericksburg, where it again suffered severely in
the desperate but unsuccessful assault on Marye's heights, the total loss being 128. The
winter was passed in camp near Falmouth; the regiment was prominent in the
Chancellorsville campaign and again at Gettysburg; then fought at Auburn and Bristoe
Station; shared in the Mine Run campaign; and went into winter quarters near Brandy
Station. The loss of the regiment was so severe that in June, 1863, it became necessary to
consolidate it into two companies. In Dec. and Jan., 1863-64, a large number of these
tried soldiers reenlisted and upon their return from veteran furlough received the
addition of many new recruits, which insured the continuance of the regiment in the field
as a veteran organization. The regiment bore a heavy part in the battles of the Wilderness
and Cold Harbor; lost heavily in the first assault on Petersburg; remained in position
before Petersburg during the long siege; was active at the Weldon railroad, Strawberry
Plains, Reams' station, Hatcher's run and the Appomattox campaign, and was finally
mustered out at Alexandria, June 30, 1865. The 69th lost the greatest number of men killed
or wounded of any of the New York regiments. It ranks 6th in total loss among all the
regiments in the Union army and 7th in percentage of loss to total enrollment. The total
number enrolled was 1,513, of whom 261 died from wounds and 151 from other causes, 63
dying in prisons. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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