United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 56th New York Infantry Regiment
“10th Legion”
The 56th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 1 officer and 63 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 213 enlisted men to disease in the Civil War.
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1861
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| Organized at Newburg, New York. The regiment was originally organized with eleven companies, two companies of cavalry and two batteries of artillery, the whole being known as the 10th Legion.A number of combined arms Legions were created in the early years of the Civil War, but most quickly broke up into their separate infantry, cavalry and artillery components. The batteries of the 10th Legion became the 7th and 8th New York Independent Batteries and the cavalry became part of the 1st New York Mounted Rifles. | |
| October 28 | Mustered in under the command of Colonel Charles H. Van Wyck, Lieutenant Colonel James Jourdan (former Major of the 14th New York State Militia) and Major Jacob Sharpe |
| November 7 | Left New York for Washington, D.C. |
| November | Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to 1st Brigade, Casey’s Division, Army of the Potomac |
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1862
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| March | Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 4th Corps, Army of the Potomac |
| March 10-15 | Advance on Manassas, Virginia. |
| March 28 | Moved to Newport News, Virginia. |
| April 5-May 4 |
Siege of Yorktown |
| May 5 |
Battle of Williamsburg |
| May 20-23 | Operations about Bottom’s Bridge |
| May 31-June 1 |
Battle of Seven Pines (or Fair Oaks)Captain William Williams and 26 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers and 35 enlisted men wounded, and 5 men captured |
| June | Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Corps |
| June 25-July 1 |
Seven days before Richmond |
| June 27 |
Battle of Gaines Mill |
| June 28-29 |
Bottom’s Bridge |
| June 30 |
White Oak Swamp |
| July 1 |
Malvern Hill |
| July | At Harrison’s Landing |
| August 5 | Major Sharpe was discharged. |
| August 6-7 | Lieytenant Colonel Jourdan was discharged. Captain Frederick Decker of Company C was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain John Wheeler of Company D to major. |
| August 16-22 | Moved to Fortress Monroe, Va. then to Yorktown, Virginia. |
| September-December | Duty at Yorktown and at Gloucester Point. |
| September 16 | Action at Lee’s Mills |
| November 23 | Lieutenant Colonel Decker was discharged, and Captain Rockwell Tyler of Company L was promoted to major |
| December 11-15 | Reconnaissance to Gloucester and Matthews Counties attached to Naglee’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina |
| December 26-January 1 | Moved to Morehead City, North Carolina. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, Department of North Carolina |
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1863
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| January 28-31 | To Port Royal, South Carolina. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Corps, Department of the South |
| February-March | At St. Helena Island, South Carolina. |
| March 27-July 6 | At Seabrook Island |
| April | Attached to Stephenson’s Brigade, Seabrook Island, South Carolina, 10th Corps, Department of the South |
| July 9-16 | Expedition to James Island attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Morris Island, South Carolina,10th Corps |
| July 16 | Grimball’s Landing, Secessionville |
| July | Siege of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, South Carolina, and operations against Fort Sumter and Charleston attached to Davis’ Brigade, Folly Island, South Carolina, 10th Corps |
| August | Duty in District of Beaufort, South Carolina attached to Saxton’s Division, District of Beaufort, South Carolina, 10th Corps |
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1864 |
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| February 18 | Captain Eliphas Smith of Company I promoted to major |
| April | Attached to District of Beaufort, South Carolina, Department of the South |
| May 18 | Maor Tyler promoted to lieutenant colonel |
| June 30-July 10 | Expedition to James Island, South Carolina. |
| July 4 | James Island |
| July 9 | John’s Island |
| July-November | Duty on Morris and Folly Islands, South Carolina. |
| November 28-30 | Hatch’s Expedition up Broad River attached to 1st Brigade, Coast Division, Department of the South |
| November 30 |
Battle of Honey HillThe regiment lost 12 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 33 enlisted men wounded, and 4 men captured or missing |
| December 5 |
Boydt’s PointThe regiment lost 3 officers and 18 enlisted men wounded |
| December 6-9 | Demonstration on Charleston and Savannah Railroad |
| December 6 |
Deveaux’s NeckThe regiment lost 17 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, and 4 officers and 33 enlisted men wounded |
| December 9 |
CoosawhatchieThe regiment lost 4 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 20 enlisted men wounded |
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1865
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| January 18 – March 25 |
Ordered to Morris Island; Attached to 1st Separate Brigade, Morris Island, South Carolina, Dept. of the South |
| March | Attached to 4th Separate Brigade, Department of the South |
| April 5-25 | Potter’s Expedition to Camden, South Carolina. |
| April 9 |
Dingle’s MillsThe regiment lost 4 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, and 17 enlisted men wounded |
| April 15 | Statesburg |
| April 17 | Occupation of Camden |
| April 18 | Boykin’s Mills |
| April 19 | Denkin’s Mills and Beech Creek, near Statesburg |
| April-September | Duty in Northern and Western Districts of South Carolina |
| July | Attached to 2nd Sub-District, District of Western South Carolina |
| September 29 | Lieutenant Colonel Tyler was promoted to colonel, Major Smith was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain James Dubois of Company F was promoted to major but none were mustered. |
| October 17 | The 56th New York Infantry Regiment mustered out at Charleston under Colonel Van Wyck, Lieutenant Colonel Tyler and Major Smith |