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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in the Seven Days' battles, and went into camp at Harrison's landing until the middle of August, when it was withdrawn to Alexandria.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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