16th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 16th New York Volunteer Infantry (or 1st Northern New York Regiment) was an infantry
regiment
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
and mustered in for three years service on May 15, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Thomas A. Davies.
Companies were principally recruited as follows: A at Ogdensburg
, B and F at Potsdam
, C and E at Plattsburg
, D at Gouverneur
, G at DePeyster, H at Stockholm
, I at Malone
, and K at West Chazy
and Mooers
.
The regiment was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of Northeastern Virginia from June 1861 to August 1861; Heintzelman's Brigade, Division of the Potomac to March 1862; Slocum's
Brigade, Franklin's
Division, I Corps to May 1862; 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps to May 1863.
The 16th New York Infantry mustered out of service in Albany on May 22, 1863. The three-year men were transferred to the 121st New York
.
on July 11, from there to Manassas
, where it was engaged but a very short time on the 21st and returned immediately after to Alexandria. On September 15, 1862 to Fort Lyon. The winter of 1861-62 was passed at Camp Franklin. Ordered to Catlett's Station April 6, 1862, but at once returned to camp; then ordered to Yorktown
, where it arrived on May 3. The regiment was in action at West Point
, and at Gaines Mill, its loss being over 200 killed and wounded. It was present through the remainder of that week of battle, but was not closely engaged, then encamped at Harrison's Landing until August 16, 1862, when it returned for a brief period to Alexandria. In the Battle of Crampton's Gap
it was in the van and lost heavily; was held in reserve at Antietam
; at Fredericksburg
was posted on picket duty, and after the battle went into winter quarters near Falmouth
. It shared the hardships and discomforts of the Mud March
under Burnside
and was active in the Battle of Chancellorsville
, with a loss at Salem Church
of 20 killed, 87 wounded and 49 missing. A few days were next spent at Banks' Ford, then a short time in the old camp at Falmouth, and on May 22, 1863, the regiment was mustered out at Albany. During its term of service its loss was 112 men killed or mortally wounded and 84 deaths from other causes. The three years men were transferred to the 121 st N. Y.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Service
The 16th New York Infantry was organized at Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and mustered in for three years service on May 15, 1861 under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Thomas A. Davies.
Companies were principally recruited as follows: A at Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg, New York
Ogdensburg is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 11,128 at the 2010 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and developer Samuel Ogden....
, B and F at Potsdam
Potsdam (town), New York
Potsdam is a town located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 15,957 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 13676. The town is named after the city of Potsdam in Germany...
, C and E at Plattsburg
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...
, D at Gouverneur
Gouverneur (town), New York
Gouverneur is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 7,418 at the 2000 census. The town is named after statesman and landowner Gouverneur Morris....
, G at DePeyster, H at Stockholm
Stockholm, New York
Stockholm is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 3,592 at the 2000 census. The name was assigned by surveyors from Stockholm in Sweden....
, I at Malone
Malone, New York
Malone, New York is the name of two locations in Franklin County, New York, in the United States:*Malone , New York*Malone , New York...
, and K at West Chazy
Chazy, New York
Chazy is a town in northeastern Clinton County, New York, in the United States. The population was 4,284 at the 2010 census. The closest city is Plattsburgh, to the south. Chazy is from Canada. The zip code is 12921 and it is in area code 518.- History:...
and Mooers
Mooers (town), New York
Mooers is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 3,592 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Benjamin Mooers, an early settler....
.
The regiment was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of Northeastern Virginia from June 1861 to August 1861; Heintzelman's Brigade, Division of the Potomac to March 1862; Slocum's
Henry Warner Slocum
Henry Warner Slocum , was a Union general during the American Civil War and later served in the United States House of Representatives from New York. During the war, he was one of the youngest major generals in the Army and fought numerous major battles in the Eastern Theater and in Georgia and the...
Brigade, Franklin's
William B. Franklin
William Buel Franklin was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of a corps commander in the Army of the Potomac, fighting in several notable early battles in the Eastern Theater.-Early life:William B. Franklin was born in York,...
Division, I Corps to May 1862; 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps to May 1863.
The 16th New York Infantry mustered out of service in Albany on May 22, 1863. The three-year men were transferred to the 121st New York
121st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 121st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the "Onesers", was a volunteer regiment recruited during the American Civil War from Otsego County and Herkimer County, New York. The Hon. Richard Franchot was appointed colonel of the regiment and authorized to establish his...
.
Detailed service
Mustered in at Albany, May 15, 1861, went into camp near Bethlehem and left the state for Washington on June 26. To AlexandriaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
on July 11, from there to Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
, where it was engaged but a very short time on the 21st and returned immediately after to Alexandria. On September 15, 1862 to Fort Lyon. The winter of 1861-62 was passed at Camp Franklin. Ordered to Catlett's Station April 6, 1862, but at once returned to camp; then ordered to Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, where it arrived on May 3. The regiment was in action at West Point
West Point, Virginia
West Point is an incorporated town in King William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,867 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Point is located at...
, and at Gaines Mill, its loss being over 200 killed and wounded. It was present through the remainder of that week of battle, but was not closely engaged, then encamped at Harrison's Landing until August 16, 1862, when it returned for a brief period to Alexandria. In the Battle of Crampton's Gap
Battle of Crampton's Gap
The Battle of Crampton's Gap or Battle of Burkittsville was a battle fought between forces under Confederate Brig. Gen. Howell Cobb and Union Maj. Gen. William B...
it was in the van and lost heavily; was held in reserve at Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
; at Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
was posted on picket duty, and after the battle went into winter quarters near Falmouth
Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
. It shared the hardships and discomforts of the Mud March
Mud March (American Civil War)
The Mud March was an abortive attempt at a winter offensive in January 1863 by Union Army Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside in the American Civil War....
under Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
and was active in the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
, with a loss at Salem Church
Battle of Salem Church
The Battle of Salem Church, also known as the Battle of Banks' Ford, took place on May 3–4, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign of the American Civil War....
of 20 killed, 87 wounded and 49 missing. A few days were next spent at Banks' Ford, then a short time in the old camp at Falmouth, and on May 22, 1863, the regiment was mustered out at Albany. During its term of service its loss was 112 men killed or mortally wounded and 84 deaths from other causes. The three years men were transferred to the 121 st N. Y.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 213 men during service including 5 officers and 124 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 83 enlisted men who died of disease.Commanders
- Colonel Thomas A. Davies
- Colonel Joseph Howland
- Colonel Joel J. Seaver
- Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Samuel Marsh - Lieutenant Colonel Frank Palmer
- MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
Buel Palmer - Major John C. Gilmore
See also
- List of New York Civil War regiments
- New York in the Civil War