12th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries – New York – Infantry • Cavalry • Artillery

“Onondaga Regiment”  “Independence Guard”

The 12th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 3 officers and 61 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 59 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1861
May 8 Organized at Elmira, N. Y, and mustered in for two years’ State service unde Colonel Ezra L. Walrath, Lt. Colonel James L. Graham and Major John Louis
May 13 Mustered in for three months’ United States service
May 29 Moved to Washington, D.C. via Harrisburg and Baltimore. Attached to Richardson’s Brigade, Tyler’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia for duty in the Defenses of Washington.
June 19 Lt. Colonel Graham resigned, Lt. Colonel Robert M. Richardson mustered in as replacement
July 10 Crossed the Potomac on Chain Bridge.
July 16 To Vienna
July 17 Through Germantown and to within four miles of Centreville
July 18
Blackburn’s Ford

The regiment lst 7 enlisted men killed, 3 mortally wounded, 17 wounded and 7 missing.

Corporal James E. Cross of Company E earned the Medal of Honor for ‘most distinguished gallantry in action’ and Sergeant Charles F. Rand of Company K for ‘great gallantry in action’
July 21
Battle of Bull Run

The 12th was in reserve and suffered no loss
August 2 Remustered for full term of State service; Attached to Richardson’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac
August 27
Upton’s Hill

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man wounded
September Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
September 20 Captain George W. Cole of Company H transferred to 3rd New York Cavalry Regiment
September 25 Colonel Walrath resigns
October Attached to Wadsworth’s Brigade, McDowell’s Division, Army of the Potomac
October 21 Major John Louis accidentally killed at Washington
October 25 Captain Henry Barnum of Company I was promoted to major
1862
February 3 Consolidated into 5 companies: A, G, H, I & K. Company B was merged into H, C into K, D into I and K, E into A, and F into H; Company A was transferred to the 102nd New York. Henry A. Weeks was commissioned colonel.
March Attached to Butterfield’s 3rd Brigade, Porter’s 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 10 Advance on Manassas, Va.
March 22-24 Moved to the Virginia Peninsula
April 5 Warwick Road
April 5-May 4 Siege of Yorktown
April 11 Before Yorktown; no loss
May 10 Reconnaissance up the Pamunkey; Attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps
May 26 Reconnaissance to Hanover Court House
May 27
Battle of Hanover Court House

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men wounded and 1 missing
May 27-29 Operations about Hanover Court House
June 25-July 1
Seven days before Richmond

5 officers and 104 enlisted men killed, 9 enlisted men mortally wounded; 3 offcers and 56 enlisted men missing
July 27
Battle of Gaines Mill

The regiment lost 2 oficers and 10 enlsted men killed, 9 enlisted men wounded
June 30 White Oak Swamp and Turkey Bend
July 1
Malvern Hill

The regiment lost 9 enlisted men killed and 3 wounded. Major Henry Barnum was severely wounded and captured, but recovered and was exchanged
July Duty at Harrison’s Landing
August 16-28 Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville
August 22 Adjutant Silas Titus resigns to becom colonel of the 122nd New York Infantry Regiment
August 28-
September 2		 Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run

The regiment lost 17 enlisted men killed, 7 mortally wounded; Colonel Weeks, Captains Augustus Root and Henry Ryder, 3 other officers and 50 enlisted men wounded, and 1 officer and 62 enlisted men missing
September 6-22 Maryland Campaign
September 11 Major Barnum resigns to become colonel of the 149th New York.
September 16-17
Battle of Antietam

The regiment was in reserve and suffered no loss
September 19
Shepherdstown

The regiment lost 1 man wounded
September 22 Captain Augustus Root of Company K promoted to major
September At Sharpsburg, Md.
October 30-November 19 Movement to Falmouth, Va.
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 1 officer and 1 enlisted man killed; 1 officer and 12 enlisted men wounded, 7 men missing
December 29-30 Expedition to Richard’s and Ellis’ Fords
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
February-April At Falmouth
February 6 Lt. Colonel Richardson resigned to become colonel of the 15th New York Cavalry Regiment and Major Root was promoted to lieutenant colonel
April 27-May 6 Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment suffered no loss.
May 17
Mustered out, expiration of term.

Three years men were consolidated to a Battalion of two companies (D and F) and assigned to duty as Provost Guard at 5th Army Corps Headquarters under the command of Captain Henry W. Ryder. Lt. Colonel Root mustered out and became lieutenant colonel of the 15th New York Cavalry Regiment
June 11 Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The battalion suffered no loss at Gettysburg.
October 9-22 Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2 Mine Run Campaign
1864
January 1 Captain Henry W. Ryder of Company E promoted to major
May 3-June 2 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8-21
Battle of Spottsylvania Court House
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 2 Transferred to 5th Veteran New York Infantry as Companies E and F.