74th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > Infantry

The 74th New York Infantry Regiment served in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War from August of 1861 until August of 1864. It lost 8 officers and 122 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 officers and 67 enlisted men to disease.

1861
The regiment was organized under authority of the War Department at Camp Scott, Staten Island, N.Y., as 5th Regiment, Sickles’ Brigade. Companies A and B were recruited in part at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Company D at Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, and Company F in Pennsylvania, while the balance of the regiment was recruited in New York City and Long Island. Many of the members had been in the 15th New York State Militia Regiment.
August 20 Left State for Washington, D.C. under Colonel Charles K. Graham, Lietenant Colonel Charles H. Burtis and Major William B. Olmstead
September Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C, attached to Sickles’ Brigade, Division of the Potomac
September 15-October 2 Expedition to Lower Maryland
October Assigned to Sickles’ Brigade, Hooker’s Division. Army of the Potomac
November 9 Expedition to Matthias Point
December 11 Designated 74th New York Infantry.
1862
March 10 Advance on Manassas, Va. assigned to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 18 Expedition from Dumfries to Fredericksburg, Va., and capture of stores
April 4 Reconnaissance from Liverpool Point to Stafford Court House and action at Stafford Court House
April Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula
April 10 Colonel Graham was discharged.
April 10-May 4
Siege of Yorktown

Private John Ford was mortally wounded.
April 19 Lieutenant Colonel Burtis was promoted to colonel but was not mustered
April 27 Major Olmstead was discharged and became lieutenant colonel of the 2nd New York Infantry Regiment.
April 28 Captain George Quarterman of Company C was promoted to major
May 5
Battle of Williamsburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Charles Burtis. It lost 49 men killed or mortally wounded, Major Quarterman, Lieutenant Lovell Purdy and 43 men wounded, and 1 officer and 47 men missing.
May 26 Colonel Graham was re-mustered. Captain John Glass of Company A was promoted to lieutenant colonel but was not mustered.
May 31-June 1
Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks

The regiment lost 3 men killed or mortally wounded, and 1 officer and 16 men wounded.
June 23 Captain George Morey died of disease at division hospital near Bottom’s Briadge, Virginia
June 25-July 1
Seven days before Richmond

Lieutenant Thomas Burns and 7 men were killed or mortally wounded, 32 enlisted men were wounded, and 15 men missing in the week’s fighting.
June 25
Battle of Oak Grove
June 29
Peach Orchard and Savage Station
June 30
White Oak Swamp and Glendale
July 1
Battle of Malvern Hill
August 5 Malvern Hill
July At Harrison’s Landing
August 16-26 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

Captain Edmund Harrison, Lieutenants Rudolph Anderson and Robert Andrews and 13 men were killed or mortally wounded, 3 officers and 17 men were wounded, and 15 men missing.
August 29
Battle of Groveton

The regiment lost 8 men killed or mortally wounded.
August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run
September-
November

Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.
September 18 Colonel Burtis was discharged. Captain William Lounsbury of Company D was promoted to lieutenant colonel
November 10-12 Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad.
November 13-25 At Fairfax Station.
December 12-15
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 19 Lieutenant Colonel Glass discharged for disability.
December At Falmouth
1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February At Falmouth
February 5-7 Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church.
March 15 Colonel Graham mustered out for promotion to brigadier general.
April 10 Major Quarterman was discharged for disability due to wounds.
April 11 Captain Henry Alles of Company B promoted to major
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5
Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 5 men killed or mortally wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Lounsbury, Major Alles, 1 other officer and 17 men were wounded, and 15 men missing.

Four members of the regiment earned the Medal of Honor. Sergeant Major Eugene Phillip Jacobson and Privates Felix Brannigan, Joseph Gion and Gotlieb Luty of Company A volunteered to advance on Confederate lines and bring back valuable information.
May 16 Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Holt of the 70th New York Infantry transferred in as colonel
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The 74th New York Infantry Regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Holt. Captain William Chester and 17 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, Captain Charles Summers, Lieutenants William Bullard, Frederick Garnett, 2 other officers and 63 enlisted men were wounded, and 3 men missing in fighting north of the Peach Orchard. It is honored on the Excelsior Brigade monument at Gettysburg with its sister regiments in the brigade.

From the monument:

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

Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
July 23
Wapping Heights

Lieutenants Charles Preston and James Short and 2 enlisted men were killed and 7 men wounded.
August-October Duty on the Rappahannock
August 9 Lieutenant Colonel Lounsbury mustered out.
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 2 men killed or mortally wounded and 8 men wounded.
November 30 Colonel Thomas Holt returned to 70th New York Infantry as lieutenant colonel.
December-May Duty near Brandy Station
1864
February 6-7
Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Assigned to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps
April 20 Captain Lovell Purdy of Company H promoted to major
May 3-June 15 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River. Assigned to 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps.
May 5-7
Battle of the Wilderness

The 74th New York Infantry Regiment lost 3 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 14 men wounded.
May 8-21
Spotsylvania Court House
May 10
Po River

Lieutenant Charles Dussuet and 3 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, Lieutenant Ira Terry and 10 enlisted men wounded, and 1 man missing.
May 19
Harris Farm or Fredericksburg Road
May 23-26
North Anna River

The regiment lost 1 officer and 6 men wounded and 5 men missing.
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31
Totopotomoy

Lieutenant James Hill was wounded at Cold Harbor
June 1-12
Cold Harbor

Captain Alexander McCune mortally wounded
June 16-19
Assault on Petersburg

The regiment lost 2 men killed and Major Purdy and 7 men wounded.
June 16

Siege of Petersburg begins
June 19 Company D mustered out before Petersburg
June 21 Company A mustered out
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad
June 26 Company B mustered out
June 28 Company G mustered out
July Assigned to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps
July 6 Company C mustered out
July 27-29 Demonstration north of the James
July 27-28
Deep Bottom
August 3 Companies E, F, H, I and K of the 74th New York Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William H. Lounsberry and Major Purdy. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 40th Regiment New York Infantry as Companies G and H.