The 83rd New York Infantry Regiment, the "Ninth Militia," "Ninth Infantry National Guard," or "City 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

The 9th New York State Militia was not called up, but organized in New York City as a regiment of volunteers under Col. Michael M. van Beuren. The regiment left the state in May, 1861 under the leadership of Col. John W. Stiles and served at

Washington, DC ) , 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 ...

, mustering in to federal service there in June; in several different commands until August; in the

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 ...

from October; in 5th Corps, from March, 1862; in 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; and in 1st Corps, Army of Potomac, from September. In May 1863, the three years' men of the 26th Infantry were transferred in. The regiment served again in 5th Corps, Army of Potomac, from March, 1864, and was honorably discharged and mustered out at New York City in June, 1864; men not entitled to be mustered out were transferred to the 97th Infantry. The 83rd served along the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and at

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 ...

. In the spring of 1862 the regiment was stationed near

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, of which it is the seat of government. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2019 was 10,027. It is at the junction of U.S. R ...

and along the

Rappahannock River The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It traverses the entir ...

; it participated in General John Pope's Virginia campaign, losing 75 men at the Battle of Second Bull Run. At South Mountain and Antietam, Confederate forces heavily engaged the 83rd, costing 114 at Antietam. The regiment lost even more at Fredericksburg—125 killed, wounded or missing—among whom was the severely wounded Colonel Hendrickson. The regiment spent the winter of 1862-3 at

Falmouth, Virginia Falmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U. ...

, and was not threatened during Chancellorsville, but played an important part at Gettysburg in the capture of Iverson's

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

brigade. Coming south, the regiment was stationed at

Hagerstown, Maryland Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States and the county seat of Washington County. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2020 census was 43,527, and the population of the Hagerstown metropolitan area (exten ...

, and Liberty, Virginia; the 83rd camped near

Brandy Station, Virginia Brandy Station is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Culpeper County, Virginia, Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census ...

, in the early winter of 1863-4. It served during the Wilderness campaign, where Colonel Moesch was killed and 128 men were reported killed, wounded or missing. The 83d was named as one of the "three hundred fighting regiments."

Total strength and casualties

The total enrollment of the regiment was 1,413 members; during its service the regiment lost by death; killed in action, 8 officers, 103 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 1 officer, 52 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 2 officers, 89 enlisted men; total, 11 officers, 244 enlisted men; aggregate, 255; of whom 16 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.New York State Military Museum Unit History Project 83rd Infantry Regiment Civil War Ninth Militia; Ninth Infantry National Guard; City Guard
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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 ...

John W. Stiles * Colonel John Hendrickson * Colonel

Joseph A. Moesch Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

* Lieutenant Colonel William Chalmers

Notes

References

*Hussey, George A. and Todd, William (1889). ''History of the Ninth Regiment N.Y.S.M. 83rd N.Y. Volunteers''. New York, NY: Oglivie, 57 Rose St.(reprinted by The Cornell University Library Digital Collections)
The Civil War Archive

External links