The 126th New York Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Service

The 126th New York Infantry was organized at

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New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, and mustered in for three years service on August 22, 1862, under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Eliakim Sherrill Eliakim Sherrill (February 16, 1813July 4, 1863) was an antebellum United States Congressman from the state of New York and a brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded during the Battle of Gettysb ...

. The regiment was attached to Miles' Command, Harpers Ferry, Virginia, September 1862. Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois, to December 1862. 3rd Brigade, Casey's Division, Defenses of Washington, D.C., to February 1863. 3rd Brigade, Casey's Division, XXII Corps, to April 1863. 3rd Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, XXII Corps, to June 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division,

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

, to March 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, to June 1864. Consolidated Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, to November 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, to June 1865. The 126th New York Infantry mustered out of service June 3, 1865. Recruits and veterans were transferred to the 4th New York Heavy Artillery.

Detailed service

The regiment left New York for

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, then moved to

Martinsburg, Virginia Martinsburg is a city in and the seat of Berkeley County, West Virginia, in the tip of the state's Eastern Panhandle region in the lower Shenandoah Valley. Its population was 18,835 in the 2021 census estimate, making it the largest city in the Ea ...

on September 2, 1862. Retreat to

Harper's Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

, September 11–12. Defense of Harpers Ferry, September 12–15, 1862. Maryland Heights September 12–13. Bolivar Heights September 14–15. Regiment surrendered September 15. Paroled September 16 and sent to

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

, then to Camp Douglas,

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, and duty there guarding prisoners until November. Declared exchanged November 22, 1862. Moved to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, November 23–25. Camp at

Arlington Heights, Virginia The Arlington Heights Historic District is a national historic district located at Arlington County, Virginia. It contains 737 contributing buildings and 1 contributing site in a residential neighborhood in central Arlington. The area was formed ...

, defenses of Washington, to December 3, 1862, and at

Centreville, Virginia Centreville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The population was 73,518 as of the 2020 census. Centreville is approximately west of Washington, D.C. History Colonia ...

, until June 1863. Ordered to join Army of the Potomac in the field and joined II Corps June 25. Gettysburg Campaign June 25-July 24.

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

July 1–3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5–24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13–17. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7–8. Brandy Station November 8.

Mine Run Campaign The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union A ...

November 26-December 2. Duty near

Brandy Station, Virginia Brandy Station is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 191. Its original name was Brandy. The name Brandy S ...

, until May 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6–7. Morton's Ford February 6–7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5–7; Spotsylvania May 8–12; Po River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12–21. Assault on the Salient, "Bloody Angle," May 12. North Anna River May 23–26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 28–31. Cold Harbor June 1–12. Before Petersburg June 16–18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad, June 22–23, 1864. Demonstration north of James River July 27–29. Deep Bottom July 27–28. Demonstration north of James River August 13–20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14–18. Ream's Station August 25. Reconnaissance to Hatcher's Run December 9–10. Dabney's Mills February 5–7, 1865. Watkins' House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. On line of Hatcher's and Gravelly Runs March 29–30. White Oak Road March 31. Sutherland Station and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3–9. Deatonville Road, Sailor's Creek, April 6. High Bridge and Farmville April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Burkesville until May 2. Moved to Washington, D.C., May 2–12.

Grand Review of the Armies The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in the national capital city of Washington, D.C., on May 23–24, 1865, following the Union victory in the American Civil War (1861–1865). Elements of the Union Army in the ...

May 23.Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion.'' Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co., 1908.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 276 men during service; 16 officers and 137 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 122 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

- commanded the regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg until July 2 when he assumed command of a brigade; mortally wounded in action on July 3 * Colonel Ira Smith Brown *

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

James M. Bull - commanded the regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2–3 *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Winfield Scott - commanded at the Battle of the Wilderness * Captain John B. Geddis - commanded at the First Battle of Deep Bottom

Notable members

* Captain Morris Brown Jr., Company A -

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient for action at the Battle of Gettysburg * Sergeant George H. Dore, Company D - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Gettysburg * Private Jerry Wall, Company B - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Gettysburg

References

;Attribution *

External links

126th New York Infantry Monument at Gettysburg
Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Infantry 126 1862 establishments in New York (state)