The first Battalion of New York State Sharpshooters, Companies 6-10 were neither independent units nor part of Hiram Berdan's United States Sharp Shooters. Company 7 went directly to Suffolk, Va. and joined the 112th New York Infantry Regiment, and the rest of the above mentioned companies initially went to Baltimore and then Washingrton, D.C. and joined the U.S. Army of the Potomac. Companies 9 and 10 were consolidated. In 1864 Companies 6, 7-9 rejoined Company 7 and the 112th New York Infantry Regiment. All of them fought in the Battle of Cold Harbor May 31-June 12, 1864.
The Civil War left no corner of the United States untouched, and Brockport--a small western New York town--was no exception. Brockport more than answered the call of duty, sending hundreds of its sons to battle. Brockporters were among the first to respond to Lincoln's initial call for volunteers, and the experiences of that company in the famous "Old 13th" are renowned. Another company led the charge that helped save Little Round Top before the climactic battle at Gettysburg, and still another played a key role in repulsing Pickett's charge. Meanwhile, the homefront was intensely involved in recruitment drives and providing aid to soldiers and their families. Local historian William G. Andrews retells the experiences of Brockport's regiments at war, as well as how life was affected at home. Discover the stories of bravery and endurance from Brockport during the Civil War.
On June 14, 1863, US Major General John Adams Dix received the following directive from General-in-Chief Henry Halleck: “All your available force should be concentrated to threaten Richmond, by seizing and destroying their railroad bridges over the South and North Anna Rivers, and do them all the damage possible.” With General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia marching toward Gettysburg and only a limited Confederate force guarding Richmond, Halleck sensed a rare opportunity for the Union cause. In response, Dix, who had lived a life of considerable public service but possessed limited military experience, gathered his men and began a slow advance. During the ensuing operation, 20,000 US troops would threaten the Confederate capital and seek to cut the railroads supplying Lee’s army in Pennsylvania. To some, Dix’s campaign presented a tremendous chance for US forces to strike hard at Richmond while Lee was off in Pennsylvania. To others, it was an unnecessary lark that tied up units deployed more effectively in protecting Washington and confronting Lee’s men on Northern soil. In this study, Newsome offers an in-depth look into this little-known Federal advance against Richmond during the Gettysburg Campaign. The first full-length examination of Dix’s venture, this volume not only delves into the military operations at the time, but also addresses concurrent issues related to diplomacy, US war policy, and the involvement of enslaved people in the Federal offensive. Gettysburg’s Southern Front also points to the often-unrecognized value in examining events of the US Civil War beyond the larger famous battles and campaigns. At the time, political and military leaders on both sides carefully weighed Dix’s efforts at Richmond and understood that the offensive had the potential to generate dramatic results. In fact, this piece of the Gettysburg Campaign may rank as one of the Union war effort’s more compelling lost opportunities in the East, one that could have changed the course of the conflict.
The 112th New York Infantry Regiment served 1,017 days during the Civil War, from 1862 to 1865. They campaigned in four states, fought in 16 battles and lost 324 men, including two regimental commanders. This unit history is based on the personal papers of Chaplain William Lyman Hyde, including his war diary, journals, reports and letters to his wife. A prolific writer, Hyde's remarkable story of service to God and country is told in his own words, providing vivid depictions of camp life, combat and its aftermath and the daily trials faced by the "Chautauqua Regiment."
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873)
