70th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York < 70th New York Infantry Regiment

“1st Excelsior”

The 70th New York Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 181 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 officers and 62 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored along with its sister regiments in the brigade on the Excelsior Brigade monument at Gettysburg.

1861
The 70th New York Infantry Regiment was organized under the special authority of the War Department as the 1st Regiment, Sickles’ Excelsior Brigade, at Camp Scott, Staten Island, New York. Company C was recruited in Paw Paw, Michigan, Company E at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Company H in Boston, and Companies I and K in New Jersey.
June 20 Mustered in under the command of Colonel Daniel E. Sickles, Lieutenant Colonel William Dwight, Jr. and Major Egbert J. Farnum

  • Company A – Captain Enoch J. Ayres
  • Company B – Captain Daniel Mahon
  • Company C – Captain William H. Hugo
  • Company D – Captain Benjamin Price
  • Company E – Captain Jacob Brunn
  • Company F – Captain Thomas Holt
  • Company G – Captain Henry B. O’Reilley
  • Company H – Captain William H. Bugbee
  • Comany I – Captain Joel M. Johnson
  • Company K – Captain Frederick T.R. Gruett
July 23 Left New York for Washington, D.C. Attached to Sickles’ Brigade, Division of the Potomac and Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
September 3 Colonel Sickles was promoted to brigadier general. Lieutenant Colonel Dwight was promoted to colonel and Major Farnum to lieutenant colonel.
September 15-
October 2
Expedition to Lower Maryland
October Attached to Sickles’ Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
November 1 Captain Thomas Holt of Company F was promoted to major.
December 11 The regiment was transferred from the War Department to the State of New York and formally designated as the 70th New York Infantry Regiment.
1862
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10 Advance on Manassas, Virginia.
March 18 Expedition from Dumfries to Fredericksburg and capture of stores.
April 4 Reconnaissance from Liverpool Point to Stafford Court House, Virginia.
April 6
Action at Stafford Court House

1 enlisted man was wounded.
April 10-May 4

Peninsula Campaign

Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula and Siege of Yorktown. One enlisted man was wounded.
May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

Captains Jacob Brunnn, William Bugbee, John Mitchell and Henry O’Reilly, Lieutenants Herrick Hayner, William Kilburn, Frank Nelson, Gorham P. Stevens and 101 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, Colonel Dwight, 11 other officers and 112 enlisted men were wounded, and 97 enlisted men missing or captured out of 700 men engaged. Colonel Dwight was left for dead on the field, but survivied and was captured.

Sergeant John Nicholas Coyne earned the Medal of Honor for capturing a stand of Confederate colors after a hand-to-hand fight.
May 31-June 1

Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed, Lieutenant John Coyne and 15 enlisted men wounded and enlisted man missing
June 12

Fair Oaks

The regiment lost 9 enlisted men wounded.
June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond
June 25

Battle of Oak Grove

The regiment lost 7 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 5 enlisted men wounded, and 1 man missing.
June 30

Peach Orchard and Savage Station, White Oak Swamp and Glendale
July 1

Malvern Hill

One enlisted men was mortally wounded.
August 5 -16 At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-28 Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville
August 26-
September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 27

Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run

The regiment lost 5 men wounded.
August 29

Battle of Groveton
August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed, 2 officers and 10 enlisted men wounded, and 10 men missing.
September 1

Battle of Chantilly
September-November Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. at Fairfax Station, Virginia.
November 10-12 Operations along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad.
November 30 Colonel Dwight was released from Confederate captivity in a prisoner exchange and was promoted to brigadier general.
December 1 Captain Daniel Mahen of Company B was promoted to major.
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 1 officer and 3 enlisted men wounded.
December-April Duty at Falmouth
1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
January 14 Captain Daniel Mahen of Company B was promoted to major with rank from December 1, 1862.
February 1 Ltieutenant Colonel Farnum was promoted to colonel, and Major Holt to lieutenant colonel.
February 5-7 Operations about Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 4 enlisted men killed. Captain Charles Young and 11 enlisted men were wounded and 17 enlisted men were missing.
May 16 – 17 Lieutenant Colonel Holt transferred to the 74th New York Infantry Regiment as colonel, Major Mahen was promoted to lieutenant colonel but not mustered, and Captain William Hugo of Company C was was promoted to major..
May 19 Three years men from the 2nd New York Infantry were transferred in.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel John E. Farnum. It lost 36 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captains William Hugo, William Kay and George Robinson, Lieutenants John Coyn, William Gage, Ransom Gaylord, Don Rogers and 69 enlisted men were wounded and 4 enlisted men were missing.

From the monument to the Excelsior Brigade at Gettysburg:

On the afternoon of the 2nd of July 1863, the brigade of which this regiment formed a part, supported Carr’s Brigade in resisting the assault of the enemy along the line of the Emmittsburg Road. On July 3rd, supported the left centre of the army.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
July 23
Wapping Heights, Virginia.

The regiment lost Captain Benjamin Price and 10 men killed, 1 man mortally wounded, and 20 men wounded.
July-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 or Locust Grove

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and1 officer and 6 enlisted men wounded.
November 30 Lieutenant Colonel Holt returned to the regiment after serving as colonel of the 74th New York since May 16, 1862.
December-May Duty near Brandy Station
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Corps
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 Lieutenant Henry Chamberlain and 3 enlisted men killed, Lieutenants Thomas Chafee, Charles Young and 18 enlisted men wounded and 5 enlisted men missing
May 10

Po River
May 10-21

Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed, 2 officers and 29 enlisted men wounded, and 10 enlisted men missing
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 2 enlisted men killed and 8 wounded.
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
June 1-12

Cold Harbor
June 16-18

Before Petersburg

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed, Captain Morris Foot wounded, and 1 man missing
June 22 Ordered to New York City for muster out. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 86th Regiment New York Infantry.
July 7 The 70th New York Infantry Regiment mustered out to date from July 1, 1864, expiration of term, under Colonel J. Egbert Farnum, Lieutenant Colonel Holt and Major William Hugo