The 39th New York Infantry Regiment, known as the "Garibaldi Guard" after the Italian revolutionary,

Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as ''Gioxeppe Gaibado''. In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as ''Jousé'' or ''Josep''. 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, pa ...

, was an infantry regiment that served 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 Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

Service

Captain Carlos Alvarez de la Mesa, 39th Infantry Regiment

The Civil War in America attack on the pickets of the Garibaldi Guard on the east branch of the Potomac

This regiment was mustered (assembled) in New York City by the Union Defense Committee, under the leadership of Col. Frederick George D'Utassy by special authority from the War Department during the Civil War of the United States. On May 27, 1861, they deployed to Washington D.C., having been authorized for a period of three years by New York State. Initially, the regiment was divided into eleven

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...

of men of different national heritage: three German, three Hungarian, one Swiss, one Italian, one French, one Spanish, and one Portuguese. On May 31, 1863, the regiment was consolidated into four companies: A, B, C and D. The regiment expanded as new companies were recruited in the field. On December 8, 1863, Company E was added; on December 14, 1863, Company F joined. On December 19, 1863, Company G was added; and on December 30, 1863 Company H joined. Companies I and K joined in January, 1864. Companies A, B, C and D were mustered out in New York city June 24, 1864. Enlistees who were not entitled to be discharged were transferred to other companies within the regiment. Six companies: E, F, G, H, I and K, remained in service. In October, 1864, a new Company D, mustered mostly from Malone, New York joined the regiment for one year. On June 2, 1865, the members of the regiment not eligible to be mustered out were transferred into the 185th Infantry. The regiment left the New York State May 28, 1861; served at and near Washington, D. C., from June 1, 1861; in the 1st Brigade, 5th Division, Army of Northeastern Virginia, from July 13, 1861; in Blenker's Brigade, Division of Potomac, from August 4, 1861; in Stahel's Brigade, Blenker's Division, Army of the Potomac, from October 15, 1861; in 1st Brigade, same division, Mountain Department, from April, 1862; in White's Brigade, Army of Virginia, at Winchester, Va., from July, 1862; at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., from September, 1862; at Camp Douglass, Chicago, Ill., from September 27, 1862; near Washington, D.C., 1st Brigade, Casey's Division, defenses of Washington, from December, 1862; in January, 1863, in 3d Brigade, Casey's, later Abercrombie's Division, 22d Corps; in 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from June 25, 1863; in the 3d, and for a time in the Consolidated, Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March, 1864; and was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Col. Augustus Funk, July I, 1865, except (new) Company D, which had been mustered out, June 7, 1865, at Alexandria, Va. During its period of service, 5 officers and 62 enlisted men were killed in action; 3 officers and 49 enlisted men died of wounds received in action; 1 officer and 158 enlisted men died of disease and other causes. In total, 278 men (9 officers and 269 enlistees) died while in service in the regiment. Of those, 1 officer and 99 enlisted men died while captured by the Rebel army.

Total strength and casualties

The regiment suffered a total of 274 fatalities. Eight officers and 107 enlisted men were killed in action or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 158 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

#Colonel Frederick George D'Utassy #Major Daniel Woodall — July 30, 1863 - October 5, 1863 (detached from the

1st Delaware Infantry Regiment The 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment, later known as the 1st Delaware Veteran Infantry Regiment was a United States volunteer infantry regiment raised for Union Army service in the American Civil War. Part of the II Corps it served in the Eastern ...

) #Colonel Augustus Funk

Reenactment

Notes

{{reflist

References

The Civil War Archive

External links

* Catalfamo, Catherine

The University of Texas at Austin; 1989; Ph.D. Thesis * ttp://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/39thInf/39thInfMain.htm New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center - Civil War - 39th Infantry RegimentHistory, photographs, table of battles and casualties, and historical sketch for the 39th New York Infantry Regiment. * http://www.civilwarhome.com/italian.htm * http://www.daddezio.com/italy/garibaldi/index.html 1861 establishments in New York (state) Military units and formations established in 1861 Infantry 039 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865