71st New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 71st New York Infantry Regiment

“2nd Excelsior”

The 71st New York Infantry Regiment lost 5 officers and 83 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 officers and 73 enlisted men to disease. It is honored on the Excelsior Brigade monument at Gettysburg.

1861
June Organized under the authority of the War Department at Camp Scott, Staten Island, N.Y., as the 2nd Regiment, Sickles’ Excelsior Brigade. Companies A and D were primarily recruited in Newark, New Jersey, Company E at Orange, New Jersey and Company G in Philadelphia, with the remainder of the regiment from New York.
June 18 The regiment was mustered in for three years Federal service under the command of Colonel George B. Hall, Lieutenant Colonel Henry L. Potter and Major Peter McDermott.

  • Company A – Captain Patrick Nolan
  • Company B – Captain Paul B. Bradley
  • Company C – Captain John G. Brown
  • Company D – Captain William H. Greene
  • Company E – Captain Owen Murphy
  • Company F – Captain Walter A. Donaldson
  • Company G – Captain Edward W. Powers
  • Company H – Captain Thomas Rafferty
  • Company I – Captain John T. Bruen
  • Company K – Captain Thomas A. Glover
July 23 Left New York for Washington, D.C. Attached to Sickles’ Brigade, Division of the Potomac for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
August 1 Major McDermott was discharged to organize and eventually become colonel of the 170th New York Infantry
August 10 Captain John Toler of Company A was promoted to major.
September 15-
October 2

Expedition to Lower Maryland
September 20 Captain Orville Howard died of disease in City Hospital, Washington.
October Attached to Sickles’ Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
November 9 Expedition to Matthias Point.
1862
February 28 Captain John T. Bruen of Company C was transferred to command the 10th New York Independent Battery.
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10 Advance on Manassas, Virginia.
March 14 Captain Edward W. Powers of Company G was discharged.
March 18 Expedition from Dumfries to Fredericksburg, Virginia, and capture of stores.
April 4 Reconnaissance from Liverpool Point to Stafford Court House and action at Stafford Court House.
April

Peninsula Campaign

Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula
April 10-May 4

Siege of Yorktown
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg
May 30 Adjutant James Powell was captured and paroled at Bottom’s Bridge, Virginia.
May 31-June 1

Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks

Lieutenant Theodore Laurier and 5 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, Lieutenant Patrick Nolan and 8 enlisted men were wounded, and 5 men were captured.
June 6 Lieutenant William White was wounded at Fair Oaks.
June 15 Lieutenant Joseph Palmer was killed in a skirmish at Fair Oaks.
June 25-July 1

Seven Days before Richmond

The regiment lost 10 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captain Thomas Rafferty of Company H and 29 enlisted men were wounded, and 3 officers and 75 enlisted men were captured in the seven days of fighting.
June 25

Battle of Oak Grove
June 29

Peach Orchard and Savage Station
June 30

White Oak Swamp and Glendale
July 1 & August 5

Malvern Hill
July 31 First Lieutenant John C. Leigh was promoted to captain of Company C. Second Lieutenant George W. Claflin was promoted to captain of Company H.
August At Harrison’s Landing
August 1 Captain Thomas Rafferty of Company H was promoted to major.
August 4 Lieutenant James C. Whalley was promoted to captain of Company C.
August 16-26 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville.
August 26-
September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

The regiment muster around 250 men. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Potter, Lieutenants Benjamin Franklin, James Powell and James Webb and 55 enlisted men were wounded, and 22 enlisted men were captured during the campaign. These were in addition to those listed below in battles from August 27-30.
August 27

Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run

Lieutenants John Lowentrout and Terrance Murphyand 19 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded. Captain William Greene of Company D was wounded.
August 29

Battle of Groveton

The regiment lost 11 enlsited men killed or mortally wounded.
August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
September-November Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. at Fairfax Station.
September 6 First Lieutenant Thomas Graham was promoted to captain of Company G.
September 15 Major Toler was discharged.
November 10-12 Operations along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 3 enlisted men wounded.
1863
January Winter quarters at Falmouth
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February 5-7 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
April 28 Colonel George Hall was discharged for disability.
May 1 Lieutenant Colonel Potter was promoted to colonel and Major Rafferty to lieutenant colonel.
May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captains Walter Donaldson and William Ellwood and 12 enlisted men wounded, and 23 men captured.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The 71st New York Infantry Regiment was commaned by Colonel Potter until he was wounded on July 2nd. Lieutenant Andrew Estes and 16 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded. Captain Walter Donaldson, Lieutenants Edward Conway, Hiram Holmes, Andrew Leonard, John O’Connell and Charles Slavin and 55 enlisted men were wounded, and 13 enlisted men were missing.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
July 23

Wapping Heights

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed and 13 wounded.
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Kelly’s Ford
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign
November 27

Payne’s Farm

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 7 wounded
December-May Duty near Brandy Station, Va.
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Corps
March 8 First Lieutenant James Chambers was promoted to captain of Company D.
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River

Attached to 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps.
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed and 1 mortally wounded, Lieutenant Thomas Fogarty, 1 other officer, and 2 enlisted men wounded. Captain Thomas Leigh was wounded, captured and escaped, and 1 enlisted man was missing
May 8-21

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

Captain Patrick Nolan of Company A, Lieutenant John McBlair and 5 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, Lieutenant William Shick and 8 enlisted men were wounded and 2 enlisted men were missing.
May 10

Po River
May 12 Assault on the Salient or “Bloody Angle”
May 19

Harris Farm or Fredericksburg Road
May 23-26

North Anna River

The regiment lost 8 enlisted men wounded and 3 missing
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Cold Harbor

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed, 1 officer mortally wounded and 2 men missing.
June 16-18

First Assault on Petersburg

The regiment lost 7 enlisted men illed or mortally wounded, Captain James Chambers of Company D, 1 other officer and 11 enlisted men wounded and 3 men missing.
June 18

Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad
July 7 Veterans and Recruits transferred to 120th New York Infantry Regiment.
July 30 The 71st New York Infantry Regiment was mustered out at New York City under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Rafferty, as Colonel Potter was detached due to wounds.