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156th New
York Infantry
Online Books:
156th New York
Infantry Soldier
Roster - Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York For the Year
1893, Volume 40 View the Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| One Hundred and Fifty-sixth New York Infantry. — Cols., Erastus Cooke, Jacob
Sharpe; Lieut. -Cols., Jacob Sharpe, Thomas Fowler, Alfred Neafie; Majs., Louis Schaffner,
Thomas Fowler, William Van Wagenen, Matthias S. Ewan. This regiment, known as the
"Mountain Legion," was recruited in the counties of Ulster, Greene and Richmond
and was organized at Kingston, where it was mustered into the U. S. service for three
years on Nov. 17, 1862. The New Paltz volunteers formed part of the regiment, as did three
companies recruited by Col. Minthorn Thompson. It left the state on Dec. 4, 1862, and
sailed for New Orleans, where it was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d (Emory's) division,
19th corps, with which it participated in its first battle at Fort Bisland, losing 22
killed and wounded. It took an active part in the long siege of Port Hudson, including the
assault of June 14, when Lieut.-Col. Fowler was mortally wounded while leading the
regiment in a charge. The total loss of the regiment during the siege was 30 killed and
wounded. After the fall of Port Hudson it spent the ensuing 9 months in post and garrison
duties, with occasional reconnoissances into the enemy's country. On March 15, 1864, in
Grover's (2nd) division, it moved on Banks' Red River expedition and was engaged at
Pleasant Hill, Alexandria and Mansura, but sustained slight loss. In July, 1864, when the
first two divisions of the corps were ordered to Virginia, the 156th embarked for
Washington and after marching through Maryland engaged in Sheridan's famous Shenandoah
campaign against Early. At the battle of the Opequan the regiment lost 20 killed and 91
wounded, a total of 111. Col. Sharpe had been promoted to brevet brigadier-general for
gallantry and was in command of the brigade at Winchester, while Lieut. -Col. Neafie
gallantly commanded the regiment. The 156th was also in the fights at Fisher's hill, and
Cedar creek, losing in the latter action 92 killed, wounded and missing. In this fight,
when several of the color-guard had fallen, the regimental colors were narrowly saved from
capture by the bravery of Capt. Alfred Cooley, who stripped the colors from the staff and
brought them safely off the field. The fighting in the valley had now ended and in Jan.,
1865, the regiment proceeded with Grover's division to Savannah, Ga. Gen. H. W. Birge was
now given command of the division, which joined in the final campaign in the Carolinas,
temporarily attached to the 10th corps as the 1st division. In May it returned to
Savannah, and the regiment continued to serve in that vicinity until finally mustered out
under Col. Sharpe, at Augusta, Ga., Oct. 23, 1865. It lost during its term of service 4
officers and 60 men killed in action and mortally wounded; 4 officers and 163 men died of
disease and other causes; total deaths, 231. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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