Defense of Harper’s Ferry

Colonel Segoine and two privates from the regiment are quoted on wayside markers on the Harpers Ferry battlefield:

“We went below and formed in line of battle and laid down on our arms. Sleep was out of the question but of course, human nature will succumb and drowsiness was general among the boys. It must have been nine O’Clock or more by this time. All of a sudden there came a blinding flash in front of our line. We were all alert in a moment and we got in line of battle as quickly as possible.

We began firing at will for all we knew hardly a thing about military drill and didn’t see anything to fire at but still kept firing till we were ordered to cease firing”

Private Newman Eldred, Company H,
111th New York Regiment

“Suddenly we heard a clattering among the stones; you could see nothing…it turned out to be a body of the enemy’s cavalry that made a dash at us and delivered a fire from carbines, as I supposed. I immediately ordered my regiment to return the fire; I repeated it about three times.”

Colonel Jesse Segoine,
111th New York Regiment.

“Went to the foot of the hill to bury Disbrow, was shot in the head the knight before. Sad time. We buried him with overcoat and blanket wrapped around him.”

Private John Paylor, Company D
111th New York Regiment

“Horace Acker of Meridian had been killed. Poor boy, he was such an impulsive nature. It was impossible to tell whether he was killed by friend or foe as he was found dead in front of our line.”

Private Newman Eldred, Company H,
111th New York Regiment.

I found 4 men killed and 1 very seriously wounded; he died. That made 5 killed. I do not know how many were wounded, 9 or 10, mostly slightly wounded. One man was wounded in the breast, and another had a little finger shot off – some little things of that kind. I could not tell how many of the rebels were killed, or whether any of them were. When they came into our camp [after the surrender] they told us we had killed 20 of them and wounded a number more.”

Colonel Jesse Segoine,
111th New York Regiment

Gettysburg Campaign

Two companies were left on guard at the Accotink bridge. The remaining eight, numbering 390 men, joined the Second Corps on the march to Gettysburg.

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Clinton D. MacDougall until he was wounded on July 3. Lieutenant Colonel Isaac M. Usk took command until he, too was wounded, when Caption Aaron P. Seeley took over the regiment.

From the monument to the 111th New York at Gettysburg:

Arrived early morning July 2nd 1863, position near Ziegler’s Grove. Went to relief of 3rd Corps in afternoon; took this position that evening and held it to close of battle. Number engaged (8 companies) 390 Casualties Killed 58, wounded 177, missing 14, total 249

< See Colonel MacDougall’s and Captain Seeley’s Official Reports
for the 111th New York Infantry Regiment in the Battle of Gettysburg >

Bristoe Campaign

Mine Run Campaign

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 42 killed, 119 wounded and 17 missing, over half its strength.

Spottsylvania Court House

The regiment lost 22 men killed, 37 wounded, and 13 missing

Po River

Assault on the Salient, or “Bloody Angle”

North Anna River

Totopotomoy

Cold Harbor

Before Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg

Attached to Consolidated Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps.

Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad

Ream’s Station

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

Appomattox Campaign

The regiment lost 81 casualties in the last campaign of the war

Hatcher’s Run or Boydton Road and White Oak Road

Sutherland Station and fall of Petersburg

Sailor’s Creek

High Bridge and Farmville

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.