1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment was an engineer
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. It was also known as Serrell's Engineers, New York Volunteer Corps of Engineers, or Engineer's and Artizans. The regiment served initially in the Lower Seaboard Theater
, and later in the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign
.
and the Battle of Fort Sumter
, The American civil war was inevitable. In response to the lack of specialized combat engineer troops in the growing Union army, on August 3, 1861 Congress authorized a massive increase in the number of engineer troops. Edward W. Serrell
, a prominent civil engineer
obtained authorization to begin recruiting an engineer regiment which would become known as the 1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment, or Serrell's Engineers.
The regiment was accepted by the state on September 27, 1861. Serrell was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel
of Volunteers on October 11, 1861, and promoted to a full Colonel
by December of that year. The regiment was officially organized in New York City
, and mustered in for a three year enlistment on October 11, 1861.
Volunteers were recruited by company:
Upon formation, the volunteer engineers were promised pay wages one-third greater than that of the line. After the unit had been mustered, the Paymaster General refused to recognize the status of the newly formed regiment, and paid them the same rate as infantry. After protests to the War Department
failed to rectify the situation, the men refused to take their reduced pay. Finally, after eight months of refusing to accept the lower wages, the order finally came through to increase the soldiers' pay to the agreed amount.
The 1st New York's was deployed to Port Royal Sound
and was formed as the 10th Corps Engineers in the Department of the South. The regiment distinguished itself in the Battle of Fort Pulaski
, helping to capture the fort after 30 hours of bombardment
, constructing batteries for the new James rifled cannon
. The 1st New York was given the honor of having their regimental flag chosen as the first to float over Fort Pulaski after its capture. The regiment was employed throughout the east coast, from South Carolina to Florida.
While serving in the X Corps, the regiment was involved in capturing several key forts in Charleston Harbor
. After the failed infantry assault on Fort Wagner which included the famous charge by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
, retold in the climax of the feature film Glory, the 1st New York Engineers were tasked with conducting a traditional siege
on the fort. After 60 days of shelling, the defenders abandoned the fort on September 7, 1863.
Using Morris Island
as a staging area, the X Corps could focus on recapturing Fort Sumter
, the site of the first military action of the Civil War. During the Battle of Fort Sumter
, the 1st New York established watchtowers and built batteries in an attempt to pummel the fort into capitulation. However, in spite of a near constant bombardment, as well as an failed amphibious assault, Union forces were unable to occupy the fort until its abandonment by Confederate
forces on February 17, 1865.
Unable to recapture Fort Sumter, the X Corps under Gen. Quincy Adams Gillmore
turned their attention to the nearby city of Charleston. Gillmore wanted to shell Charleston using Greek Fire
to force its capitulation without capturing the harbor forts, so he instructed Serrell to explore the possibilities of constructing a battery in the marshes between James Island
and Morris Island.
According to legend, Serrell gave the duty to a young engineer, who declared the project could not be done. Serrell told the doubting engineer that nothing was impossible, and to requisition any necessary materials. A short time later, Serrell received a request for twenty men eighteen feet tall. At the same time there was a request to the department's surgeon to splice three six-foot men together to make the needed eighteen footers. The request did not amuse Serrell, and he soon replaced the young officer.
Serrell assumed personal responsibility and conducted a series of experiments to establish the capability of the soil to support weight. He believed the soil could be stabilized enough to receive the weight of a siege piece. A plan was presented to Gilmore for the construction of a battery on August 2, 1863. It was immediately accepted, and several days were spent setting up support activities to supply lumber and other materials. Construction of the battery began on 10 August.
Construction of the battery began with a rectangular frame of sheet piling driven by a lever activated ram. The first measure to reinforce the soil was "a thick stratum of grass." This was covered by two layers of tarpaulin followed by "15 inches of well rammed sand." A platform consisting of three layers of 3 inch pine planks topped off the position.
Finally, on August 17, 1863, the "Marsh Battery" was completed, and stood ready for its armament. The "Swamp Angel," an 8-inch, 200 pound Parrott Rifle was positioned in the battery, and used to bombard the city of Charleston from August 22–23 of 1863. After lobbing 36 shells into Charleston, the Swamp Angel burst, and the battery was abandoned. Like Sumter before, Charleston held out under bombardment and did not capitulate until February 18, 1865.
This rifle inspired a poem by Herman Melville, and is known as one of the most famous artillery pieces of the Civil War.
In the spring of 1864, companies B, C, E, F, H, K, L & M were sent to join Benjamin Butler's
Army of the James
, and Serrell was again named chief engineer of the Corps. They participated in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign
, building the entire Bermuda Hundred Line, laid many miles of corduroy road
s, dredged the Dutch Gap Canal
, and constructed the abutments and roads that connected the pontoon bridge assembled by the Engineers of the Army of the Potomac
with City Point, Virginia
.
During the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign
, the Confederate line was broken at Fort Harrison
, and the 1st New York set the new line from the newly constructed Fort Brady to Fort Harrison and over to Deep Bottom
.
After the fall of Petersburg, the 1st New York was formed into the Engineer Brigade, along with the 15th New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment and the 50th New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment. Col. Serrell was honorably discharged on February 15, 1865, and Col. James F. Hall took command of the regiment until the end of the war.
The regiment was mustered out on June 30, 1865.
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
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...
that served 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...
. It was also known as Serrell's Engineers, New York Volunteer Corps of Engineers, or Engineer's and Artizans. The regiment served initially in the Lower Seaboard Theater
Lower Seaboard Theater of the American Civil War
The Lower Seaboard Theater of the American Civil War encompassed major military and naval operations that occurred near the coastal areas of the Southeastern United States as well as southern part of the Mississippi River...
, and later in the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
.
Organization and muster
In 1860 the army Corps of Engineers consisted of just 44 officers and 100 soldiers for an army of 15,000 soldiers. After the formation of the ConfederacyConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and the Battle of Fort Sumter
Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, near Charleston, South Carolina, that started the American Civil War. Following declarations of secession by seven Southern states, South Carolina demanded that the U.S. Army abandon its facilities in Charleston Harbor. On...
, The American civil war was inevitable. In response to the lack of specialized combat engineer troops in the growing Union army, on August 3, 1861 Congress authorized a massive increase in the number of engineer troops. Edward W. Serrell
Edward W. Serrell
Edward Wellman Serrell was a prominent American civil engineer during the mid 19th century. In 1861, during the American Civil War he helped raise a regiment of engineers from New York state, the 1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment for the Union Army and was appointed colonel of the...
, a prominent civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
obtained authorization to begin recruiting an engineer regiment which would become known as the 1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment, or Serrell's Engineers.
The regiment was accepted by the state on September 27, 1861. Serrell was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
of Volunteers on October 11, 1861, and promoted to a full Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
by December of that year. The regiment was officially organized in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and mustered in for a three year enlistment on October 11, 1861.
Volunteers were recruited by company:
- Company A: New York City
- Company B: New York City
- Company C: AthensAthens (town), New YorkAthens is a town in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 4,089 at the 2010 census.The Town of Athens has a village also called Athens...
, HudsonHudson, New YorkHudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
, CooperstownCooperstown, New YorkCooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, NewarkNewark, New JerseyNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, and PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... - Company D: New York City
- Company E: Kingston, PAKingston, PennsylvaniaKingston is a municipality located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, on the Susquehanna River opposite Wilkes Barre. Kingston was incorporated as a borough in 1857. Kingston has adopted a home rule charter which became effective in January 1976. It is part of the greater metropolitan...
, Newark, Sing SingOssining (town), New YorkOssining is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 37,674 at the 2010 census. It contains two villages, the Village of Ossining and part of Briarcliff Manor, the rest of which is located in the Town of Mount Pleasant....
, Poughkeepsie, and Ulster CountyUlster County, New YorkUlster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at... - Company F: New York City, BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, RochesterRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, CanandaiguaCanandaigua (city), New YorkCanandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
, and Newark - Company G: New York City, Canandaigua, and Otsego CountyOtsego County, New YorkOtsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
- Company H: New York City
- Company I: New York City, NewburghNewburgh (city), New YorkNewburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
, Schuyler's FallsSchuyler Falls, New YorkSchuyler Falls is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 5,181 at the 2010 census. The Town of Schuyler Falls was named after Peter Schuyler who bought the mill on the Salmon River from Zephaniah Platt....
, MooersMooers (town), New YorkMooers 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....
, GoshenGoshen (town), New YorkGoshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
, SaranacSaranac, New YorkSaranac is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The town is on the western border of the county, west of the City of Plattsburgh and is within the Adirondack Park. The population was 4,007 at the 2010 census. The town is named for the Saranac River that flows past the town.- History...
, PiermontPiermont, New YorkPiermont is a village in Rockland County, New York, United States. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown, located north of the hamlet of Palisades; east of Sparkill and south of Grand View-on-Hudson, on the west bank of the Hudson River. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census.The village's...
, PlattsburghPlattsburgh (city), New YorkPlattsburgh 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,...
, CentervilleCenterville, New YorkCenterville is a town in Allegany County, New York, United States. The population was 762 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its principal settlement.The Town of Centerville is in the northwest corner of the Allegany County.- History :...
, and EllenburghEllenburg, New YorkEllenburg is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 1,743 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Ellen, the daughter of the principal proprietor.... - Company K: New Jersey at NewtonNewton, New JerseyNewton is a town in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 8,244. It is the county seat of Sussex County....
, DoverDover, New JerseyDover is a town in Morris County, New Jersey on the Rockaway River. Dover is west of New York City and west of Newark, New Jersey. As of the United States Census, 2000, the town's population was 18,188.-Geography:...
, PatersonPaterson, New JerseyPaterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, MorristownMorristown, New JerseyMorristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, StanhopeStanhope, New Jersey-Transportation:Route 183 is the main access road that serves the borough. U.S. Route 206 also passes through in the western section and is partially a limited access road which connects to I-80 in neighboring Mount Olive.-Demographics:...
, and RockawayRockaway, New JerseyRockaway is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,438.Rockaway was formed as a borough on June 19, 1894, from portions of Rockaway Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous... - Company L: New York City
- Company M: New York City, Brooklyn, TompkinsvilleTompkinsville, Staten IslandTompkinsville is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. Though the neighborhood sits on the island's eastern shore, along the waterfront facing Upper New York Bay — between St...
, KingstonKingston, New YorkKingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, and TarrytownTarrytown, New YorkTarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
Upon formation, the volunteer engineers were promised pay wages one-third greater than that of the line. After the unit had been mustered, the Paymaster General refused to recognize the status of the newly formed regiment, and paid them the same rate as infantry. After protests to the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
failed to rectify the situation, the men refused to take their reduced pay. Finally, after eight months of refusing to accept the lower wages, the order finally came through to increase the soldiers' pay to the agreed amount.
Department of the South
Port Royal Sound
Port Royal Sound is a coastal sound, or inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the Sea Islands region, in Beaufort County in the U.S. state of South Carolina...
and was formed as the 10th Corps Engineers in the Department of the South. The regiment distinguished itself in the Battle of Fort Pulaski
Battle of Fort Pulaski
The Battle of Fort Pulaski was fought April 10–11, 1862, during the American Civil War. Union forces on Tybee Island and naval operations conducted a 112-day siege, then captured the Confederate-held Fort Pulaski after a 30-hour bombardment. The battle is important for innovative use of rifled guns...
, helping to capture the fort after 30 hours of bombardment
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
, constructing batteries for the new James rifled cannon
James rifle
James rifle is a generic term to describe any artillery gun rifled to the James pattern for use in the American Civil War. Charles T. James developed a rifled projectile and rifling system. Modern authorities such as Warren Ripley and James Hazlett have suggested that the term "James rifle" only...
. The 1st New York was given the honor of having their regimental flag chosen as the first to float over Fort Pulaski after its capture. The regiment was employed throughout the east coast, from South Carolina to Florida.
While serving in the X Corps, the regiment was involved in capturing several key forts in Charleston Harbor
Charleston Harbor
The Charleston Harbor is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina. The inlet is formed by the junction of Ashley and Cooper rivers at . Morris and Sullivan's Island, shelter the entrance...
. After the failed infantry assault on Fort Wagner which included the famous charge by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States during the Civil War...
, retold in the climax of the feature film Glory, the 1st New York Engineers were tasked with conducting a traditional siege
Siege artillery in the American Civil War
Siege artillery is heavy artillery primarily used in military attacks on fortified places. At the time of the American Civil War, the U.S. Army classified its artillery into three types, depending on the gun's weight and intended use. Field artillery were light pieces that often traveled with the...
on the fort. After 60 days of shelling, the defenders abandoned the fort on September 7, 1863.
Using Morris Island
Morris Island
Morris Island is an 840 acre uninhabited island in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, accessible only by boat. The island lies in the outer reaches of the harbor and was thus a strategic location in the American Civil War.-History:...
as a staging area, the X Corps could focus on recapturing Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
, the site of the first military action of the Civil War. During the Battle of Fort Sumter
Second Battle of Fort Sumter
-References:*...
, the 1st New York established watchtowers and built batteries in an attempt to pummel the fort into capitulation. However, in spite of a near constant bombardment, as well as an failed amphibious assault, Union forces were unable to occupy the fort until its abandonment by Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
forces on February 17, 1865.
The Swamp Angel
Quincy Adams Gillmore
Quincy Adams Gillmore was an American civil engineer, author, and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was noted for his actions in the Union victory at Fort Pulaski, where his modern rifled artillery readily pounded the fort's exterior stone walls, an action that...
turned their attention to the nearby city of Charleston. Gillmore wanted to shell Charleston using Greek Fire
Greek fire
Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water....
to force its capitulation without capturing the harbor forts, so he instructed Serrell to explore the possibilities of constructing a battery in the marshes between James Island
James Island (South Carolina)
James Island is one of South Carolina's most urban Sea Islands. The island is separated from peninsular downtown Charleston by the Ashley River, from the mainland by Wappoo Creek and the Wappoo Cut, and from Johns Island by the Stono River...
and Morris Island.
According to legend, Serrell gave the duty to a young engineer, who declared the project could not be done. Serrell told the doubting engineer that nothing was impossible, and to requisition any necessary materials. A short time later, Serrell received a request for twenty men eighteen feet tall. At the same time there was a request to the department's surgeon to splice three six-foot men together to make the needed eighteen footers. The request did not amuse Serrell, and he soon replaced the young officer.
Serrell assumed personal responsibility and conducted a series of experiments to establish the capability of the soil to support weight. He believed the soil could be stabilized enough to receive the weight of a siege piece. A plan was presented to Gilmore for the construction of a battery on August 2, 1863. It was immediately accepted, and several days were spent setting up support activities to supply lumber and other materials. Construction of the battery began on 10 August.
Construction of the battery began with a rectangular frame of sheet piling driven by a lever activated ram. The first measure to reinforce the soil was "a thick stratum of grass." This was covered by two layers of tarpaulin followed by "15 inches of well rammed sand." A platform consisting of three layers of 3 inch pine planks topped off the position.
Finally, on August 17, 1863, the "Marsh Battery" was completed, and stood ready for its armament. The "Swamp Angel," an 8-inch, 200 pound Parrott Rifle was positioned in the battery, and used to bombard the city of Charleston from August 22–23 of 1863. After lobbing 36 shells into Charleston, the Swamp Angel burst, and the battery was abandoned. Like Sumter before, Charleston held out under bombardment and did not capitulate until February 18, 1865.
This rifle inspired a poem by Herman Melville, and is known as one of the most famous artillery pieces of the Civil War.
Army of the James
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
Army of the James
Army of the James
The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...
, and Serrell was again named chief engineer of the Corps. They participated in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign
Bermuda Hundred Campaign
The Bermuda Hundred Campaign was a series of battles fought at the town of Bermuda Hundred, outside Richmond, Virginia, during May 1864 in the American Civil War. Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, commanding the Army of the James, threatened Richmond from the east but was stopped by forces under ...
, building the entire Bermuda Hundred Line, laid many miles of corduroy road
Corduroy road
A corduroy road or log road is a type of road made by placing sand-covered logs perpendicular to the direction of the road over a low or swampy area....
s, dredged the Dutch Gap Canal
Dutch Gap
Dutch Gap is located on the James River in Chesterfield County, Virginia near the site of the lost 17th-century city of Henricus.In 1611, Sir Thomas Dale, according to a method he had learned while campaigning in Holland, cut a ditch across a portion of land behind town...
, and constructed the abutments and roads that connected the pontoon bridge assembled by the Engineers of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
with City Point, Virginia
City Point, Virginia
City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.- History :...
.
During the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
, the Confederate line was broken at Fort Harrison
Fort Harrison
Fort Harrison was an important component of the Confederate defenses of Richmond during the American Civil War. Named after Lieutenant William Harrison, a Confederate engineer, it was the largest in the series of fortifications that extended from New Market Road to the James River that also...
, and the 1st New York set the new line from the newly constructed Fort Brady to Fort Harrison and over to Deep Bottom
First Battle of Deep Bottom
The First Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Darbytown, Strawberry Plains, New Market Road, or Gravel Hill, was fought July 27–29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under Maj. Gens. Winfield S....
.
After the fall of Petersburg, the 1st New York was formed into the Engineer Brigade, along with the 15th New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment and the 50th New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment. Col. Serrell was honorably discharged on February 15, 1865, and Col. James F. Hall took command of the regiment until the end of the war.
The regiment was mustered out on June 30, 1865.