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71st New
York Infantry
Online Books:
71st 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 |
| Seventy-first New York Infantry. — Cols., George B. Hall, Henry L. Potter;
Lieut. -Cols., Henry L. Potter. Thomas J. Leigh, Thomas Rafferty; Majs., Thomas Rafferty,
Peter McDermott, John Taler. The 71st, the 2nd regiment of the Excelsior brigade, composed
of companies from New York city, Olean, Great Valley, Colchester and Kingston, N. Y.,
Newark and Orange, N. J., and Philadelphia, Pa., was mustered into the service of the
United States at Camp Scott, Staten island, June 20 to July 18, 1861, for a three years'
term. It left the state for Washington on July 23; served for a time in the vicinity of
the city; was attached to Sickles' brigade, Hooker's division; performed guard duty along
the Potomac, and in the advance under McClellan was part of the 2nd brigade, 2nd division,
3d corps. It was on trench and picket duty before Yorktown; was present at the battle of
Fair Oaks, and lost 118 killed, wounded and missing during the Seven Days' battles. It
left the Peninsula to go to the support of Gen. Pope at Manassas and at Kettle Run,
Groveton and in the battle of Bull Run (second) lost 114 out of 250 engaged. During the
Maryland campaign the regiment was stationed in the vicinity of Washington and marched to
Falmouth in November, arriving in time to participate in the battle of Fredericksburg, but
did not occupy an exposed position. Winter quarters were established at Falmouth and camp
was broken late in April, 1863, for the Chancellorsville campaign, in which the regiment
took a prominent part. After returning to camp at Falmouth for a short time, it marched to
Gettysburg and there participated in the thick of the fighting with a loss of 91 killed,
wounded or missing. It was also engaged in the encounters at Wapping heights, Kelly's
ford, in the Mine Run fiasco, and after a comparatively uneventful winter in camp near
Brandy Station, Va., entered upon the Wilderness campaign in the 2nd brigade, 4th
division, 2nd corps. It was transferred May 13, to the 4th brigade, 3d division, 2nd
corps, with which it served until the expiration of its term of enlistment. The regiment
was repeatedly in action through the month of May, at the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, the
North Anna, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, and was mustered out at New York city,
July 30, 1864, the veterans and recruits being transferred to the 120th N. Y. infantry. It
lost during service 94 by death from wounds and 74 from other causes. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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