The 80th New York Infantry Regiment, the "Twentieth New York State Militia", "Ulster Guard", 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 ...

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 (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

On the return of the

20th New York State Militia Regiment The 80th New York Infantry Regiment, the "Twentieth New York State Militia", "Ulster Guard", was an infantry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service On the return of the 20th New York State Militia Regiment from its ...

from its three months' service, Col. George W. Pratt reorganized it at

Kingston, New York Kingston is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, United States. It is north of New York City and south of Albany, New York, Albany. The city's metropolitan area is grouped with t ...

as a regiment of volunteers, and it was mustered in the service of the United States for three years between September 20 and October 20, 1861. December 7, 1861, it received its State numerical designation, and May 24, 1863, the three years' men of the

35th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 35th New York Infantry Regiment, the "Jefferson County, New York, Jefferson County Regiment", was an infantry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service This regiment was accepted by the State May 25, 1861; organized ...

. November 6, 1864, a new company joined the regiment. The companies were recruited principally in

Ulster County Ulster County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is situated along the Hudson River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851. The county seat is Kingston. The county is named after the Irish province of Ulster. History ...

; men from neighboring counties also joined the regiment. The regiment left the State October 26, 1861; served in Wadsworth's Brigade from October, 1861; in

Irvin McDowell Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885) was a career American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War. In 1862, he was given command o ...

's Division,

Army of 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 ...

, from November, 1861; in 2d Brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of Potomac, from January, 1862; in

Marsena R. Patrick Marsena Rudolph Patrick (March 15, 1811 – July 27, 1888) was a college president and an officer in the United States Army, serving as a general in the Union Army, Union volunteer forces during the American Civil War. He was the provost marshal fo ...

's, 1st, Brigade, King's, 3d, Division, 1st Corps, Army of Potomac, from March, 1862; in 2d Brigade, same division, Department of the Rappahannock, from May, 1862; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 3d Corps,

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...

, from June, 1862; in same brigade and division, 1st Corps, Army of Potomac, from September 12, 1862; in Patrick's Provost Guard Brigade, Army of Potomac, from January 7, 1863; in 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 1st Corps, Army of Potomac, from June, 1863; in Provost Guard Brigade, Army of Potomac, from July 16, 1863; in the Independent Brigade, 9th Corps, Army of Potomac, from March, 1865; on provost duty at

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 1613-186 ...

, from April 7, 1865; at

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, from April 22, 1865; at

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, from November 27, 1865; and it was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Col. Jacob B. Hardenbergh, January 29, 1866, at

Portsmouth, Virginia Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...

. The regiment left for

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, ...

and performed picket duty along the Potomac in the vicinity of

Upton's Hill Upton's Hill is a geographic eminence located in western Arlington County, Virginia. Its summit rises to above sea level. Location Upton's Hill straddles the border of Arlington County and Fairfax County, Virginia at . The hill is generally ...

, during the first winter. It fought in Gen. John Pope's Virginia campaign. At the second Bull Run the 80th lost 279 in killed, wounded and missing, and Col. Pratt died a few weeks later of the wounds received in that battle. It was active at South mountain and Antietam, encamped at Sharpsburg for one week and marched through

Crampton's Gap Crampton's Gap, also known as Crampton Gap, is a wind gap on South Mountain in Maryland. The gap connects Burkittsville in the Middletown Valley to the east with Gapland and Rohrersville in the Pleasant Valley to the west. Documentation of ...

, Leesburg, Warrenton and Stafford Court House to Fredericksburg, where it participated in the battle. Winter quarters were established soon after near Hall's Landing and occupied until Jan. 7, 1863, when the 80th was assigned, to the provost guard brigade, with headquarters at Brooks' Station and remained on duty at army headquarters until after the battle of Chancellorsville. In June, 1863, the regiment was closely engaged at Gettysburg, where it lost 170 killed, wounded or missing out of 287 engaged. It suffered most severely in the repulse of

George Pickett George Edward Pickett (January 16,Military records cited by Eicher, p. 428, and Warner, p. 239, list January 28. The memorial that marks his gravesite in Hollywood Cemetery lists his birthday as January 25. Thclaims to have accessed the baptism ...

's charge on the last day. After the battle of Gettysburg, the 80th was again ordered to headquarters for provost guard duty and continued in this service until the end of the siege of Petersburg, when it shared in the final assault, April 2, 1865. From April 22 to November 27, 1865, it was stationed at

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and then ordered to

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, where it remained until mustered out on January 29, 1866. The regiment early became known for its fine fighting qualities and sustained a reputation for courage and steadiness under fire throughput its long term of service, which lasted, including its militia service, from the spring of 1861 to Jan., 1866. The regiment is classed among the "three hundred fighting regiments," which includes every regiment in the Union Armies which lost over 130 in killed and died of wounds and were considered among the most gallant fighting forces during the Civil War.

Total strength and casualties

The total enrollment of the regiment was 2,103, of whom 128 died of wounds and 156 from accident, imprisonment or disease. During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 5 officers, 81 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 3 officers, 39 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 156 enlisted men; total, 8 officers', 276 enlisted, men; aggregate, 284; of whom 22 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy; by the explosion of ammunition at City Point, Va., August 9, 1864, the regiment lost, by death, 6 enlisted men.New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center - Civil War - 80th Infantry Regiment
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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 of ...

Jacob B. Hartenberg * Colonel George W. Pratt * Colonel Theodore B. Gates

Notes

References

The Civil War Archive

External links