United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > Infantry
“The Orange Blossoms”
The 124th New York Volunteer Infantry was formed from volunteers in Orange County, New York, giving it its nickname. It lost 11 officers and 137 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 92 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by two monuments at Gettysburg.
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1862
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| Organized at Goshen | |||
| September 5 | Mustered in under the command of Colonel A. Van Horne Ellis, Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Cummins and Major James Cromwell | ||
| September 6 | Left State for Washington, D.C. | ||
| September | Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Piatt’s Brigade, Whipple’s Division | ||
| October 18-19 | Moved to Point of Rocks, then to Pleasant Valley, Md. | ||
| October 24- November 16 |
Movement toward Warrenton, Va. | ||
| November 5-6 | Reconnaissance to Manassas Gap | ||
| November 18-24 | Movement to Falmouth, Virginia. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. | ||
| December 12-15 |
Battle of FredericksburgThe regiment lost four enlisted men captured or missing |
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| December 16 | Duty near Falmouth | ||
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1863
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| January 20-24 | “Mud March” | ||
| February-April | Duty near Falmouth | ||
| April 27-May 6 |
Chancellorsville Campaign |
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| April | Colonel Ellis issued orange ribbons to the men to be worn in combat. This would remind them of their home in Orange County they were fighting for, help identify the men of the regiment to each other during the coming battle, and would result in their nickname of the Orange Blossoms. | ||
| May 1-5 |
Battle of ChancellorsvilleThe regiment lost Lieutenant Henry Gowdy, 1 other oficer and 55 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captains David Christ, Henry Murray and Charles Weygant, Lieutenants William Brownson, Thomas Quick, Theodore Roberson, Daniel Sayer, Lewis Wisner and 135 enlisted men wounded, and 6 enlisted men missing or captured. Sergeant Thomas Bradley of Company H was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Chancellorsville on May 3 when he volunteered to run, alone and under heavy artillery and rifle fire, to obtain ammunition for the regiment. Bradley would be promoted to captain after the battle and serve as an aide to General Gershom Mott. |
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| June 9 |
Battle of Brandy StationThe regiment losr 2 enlisted men killed, Lieutenant John Houston and 11 enlisted men wounded, and 14 missing or captured. The 124th New York was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Cummins. |
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| June 11-July 24 |
Gettysburg CampaignAssigned to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps |
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| July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Augustus Van Horne Ellis, whose figure tops the monument. In the thick of the fighting by the Devil’s Den, Colonel Ellis ordered the staff’s horses brought up and he, Major James Cromwell and Adjutant Henry Ramsdell mounted. When a captain protested that they were making targets of themselves Major Cromwell replied, “the men must see us today.” Both he and Colonel Ellis were killed, but the 124th bought an hour’s time for the south flank of the Army of the Potomac. Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Cummins took over command of the regiment despite also being wounded. The 124th brought 279 men to the field and lost 28 killed, 57 wounded and 5 missing. From the monument: The Orange Blossoms went into action on this spot with 18 officers and 220 men. Lost in killed and wounded 7 officers and 85 men. Killed
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| July 5-24 | Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va. | ||
| July 23 |
Wapping Heights, Va.The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 1 wounded |
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| August – October | Duty on line of the Rappahannock and the Rapidan | ||
| September 16 | Captain Charles Weygant of Company C promoted to major with rank from July 2 | ||
| October 6 | Major Wegant was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Henry S. Murray of Company B promoted to major | ||
| October 9-22 |
Bristoe Campaign |
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| November 7-8 | Advance to line of the Rappahannock | ||
| November 7 |
Kelly’s Ford |
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| November 26- December 2 |
Mine Run Campaign |
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| November 27 |
Payne’s Farm |
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| November 28-30 |
Mine RunThe regiment lost 2 enlisted men mortally wounded and 14 wounded. |
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| December | Duty near Brandy Station | ||
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1864
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| February 6-7 | Demonstration on the Rapidan | ||
| February 11 | Lieutenant Colonel Cummins promoted to colonel | ||
| March | Transferred to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps | ||
| May 3-June 15 |
Campaign from the Rapidan to the James (Overland Campaign) |
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| May 5-7 |
Battle of the WildernessThe regiment lost 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Colonel Cummins and 48 enlisted men wounded and 1 enlisted man missing or captured |
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| May 8-21 |
Spotsylvania Court HouseThe regiment lost 1 officer killed, 19 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Lt. Colonel Wegant and 6 enlisted men were wounded, and Lieutenant Charles Stewart and 6 enlisted men were missing or captured. |
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| May 8 |
Laurel Hill |
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| May 10 |
Po River |
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| May 12 |
Assault on the Salient “Bloody Angle”Captain James Benedict and Lieutenants Edward Carmick, John Houston, William Mapes and Charles Wood were wounded |
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| May 19 |
Harris Farm, or Fredericksburg Road |
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| May 23-26 |
North Anna River |
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| May 26-28 | On line of the Pamunkey | ||
| May 28-31 |
TotopotomoyCaptain David Crist was killed |
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| June 1-12 |
Battle of Cold HarborThe regiment lost 1 officer and 2 enlisted men wounded |
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| June 16-18 |
First Assault on PetersburgThe regiment lost 1 officer and 2 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 16 enlisted men wounded, and 1 man missing |
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| June 16 |
Siege of Petersburg beginsLieutenant William Benjamin is wounded. |
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| June 18 | Captain William Jackson wasbkilled at Petersburg | ||
| June 22-23 |
Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad |
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| July 14 | Lieutenant Charles Cressy died of fever in the hospital at Daavids Island, New YOrk | ||
| July 27-29 | Demonstration north of the James | ||
| July 27-28 |
Deep Bottom |
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| August 13-20 | Demonstration on north side of the James | ||
| August 14-18 |
Strawberry Plains, Deep BottomThe regiment lost Captain William Mapes and 2 enlisted men wounded |
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| September 19 | Colonel Cummins was discharged for his wound at the Wilderness | ||
| September 29- October 2 |
Poplar Springs Church |
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| October 22 | Lieutenant Jonathan Birdsall killed in camp | ||
| October 27-28 |
Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s RunThe regiment lost Lieutenant James Finnigan and 3 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Lt. Colonel Weygant, Captain Edward Carmick, Lieutenants Thomas Bradley and Ebenezer Holbert and 7 enlisted men wounded and 2 men missing |
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| December 9-10 | Raid on Weldon Railroad | ||
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1865
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| January 11 | Lt. Colonel Weygant was promoted to colonel. Major Murray, in Confederate prison, was promoted to lieutenant colonel with rank from September 19, 1864 and Captain James Benedict of Company D was promoted to major. None of the officers were mustered at their new rank, however. | ||
| February 5-7 |
Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run |
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| March 25 |
Watkins’ HouseThe regiment was attacked early in the evening. Lieutenant Colonel Charles Weygant allowed the attackers to advance within 80 yards of the field works, when the regiment opened fire and drove them back. They then counterattacked, capturing the the battle flag of the 59th Alabama and dispersing the attackers. |
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| March 28- April 9 |
Appomattox CampaignThe regiment lost Captain Edward Carmick and 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Lieutenant John King and 20 enlisted men wounded and 2 men missing |
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| March 29-31 |
Boydton and White Oak Roads |
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| March 31 | Crow’s House | ||
| April 2 |
Fall of Petersburg |
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| April 6 |
Sailor’s Creek |
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| April 7 |
High Bridge and Farmville |
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| April 9 |
Appomattox Court HouseSurrender of Lee and his army. |
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| April | At Burkesville | ||
| May 2-12 | Moved to Washington, D.C. | ||
| May 23 | Grand Review | ||
| June 3 | Mustered out under Colonel Weygant and Lieutenant Colonel Murray. Veterans and Recruits were transferred to the 93rd New York Infantry. | ||