The 61st New York Infantry Regiment, also known as the "Astor 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 mar ...

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 conscript ...

of 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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

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 ...

Service

The regiment was organized in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

on October 25, 1861, and was mustered in for a three-year enlistment in October, November, and December, 1861; the regiment was formed by consolidation of the Astor Rifles (or Regiment) with the Clinton Guards. At the expiration of its term of service, the men entitled thereto were discharged and the regiment retained in service, but at the same time consolidating Companies G and K into the other companies; on December 20, 1864, the men of the 54th New York Volunteer Infantry not mustered out with their regiment were transferred, forming the new Companies G and K. The companies were all recruited principally in New York City, except Company C at Madison (now Colgate) University,

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, and the second Company I, recruited in Albany and vicinity. The regiment left the State November 9, 1861; served at Washington, D. C., from November 10, 1861; in Howard's Brigade, Sumner's Division,

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 Confede ...

, from November 27, 1861; in Howard's, 1st, Brigade,

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's, 1st, Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March 13, 1862-; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, from July, 1862- in 1st Brigade 1st Division, 2d Corps, from September, 1862; in 2d Brigade, 1st Division 2d Corps, from October, 1862; in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, from November, 1862; and it was mustered out and honorably discharged July 14, 1865, at

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C. In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...

The 1908 book ''The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers'' gives the following description of the regiment's service:

Total strength and casualties

The total enrollment of the command was 1,526 members; during its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 11 officers, 113 enlisted men of wounds received in action, 5 officers, 67 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 2 officers 134 enlisted men; total, 18 officers, 314 enlisted men; aggregate, 332; of whom 46 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.New York State Military Museum Unit History Project 61st Infantry Regiment Civil War Clinton Guards; Astor Regiment or Rifles
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Commanders

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 o ...

Spencer W. Cone * Colonel Francis Channing Barlow * Colonel

Nelson Appleton Miles Nelson Appleton Miles (August 8, 1839 – May 15, 1925) was an American military general (United States), general who served in the American Civil War, the American Indian Wars, and the Spanish–American War. From 1895 to 1903, Miles served a ...

* Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Broady * Colonel George Washington Scott

Notes

References

{{Source-attribution, ''The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers''. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. volume II
The Civil War Archive

External links