117th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 117th New York Infantry Regiment

The 117th New York Infantry Regiment lost 7 officers and 123 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 135 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

1862
Organized at Oneida, New York.

  • Company A was recruited at Rome, Utica and Vernon
  • Company B at Utica, Camden, Verona and Vienna
  • Company C at Utica, Westmoreland, Rome and Bridgewater
  • Company D at Whitestown, Sangerfield, Utica, Vienna and New Hartford
  • Company E at Rome
  • Company F at Oriskany, Trenton, Utica, Floyd, Rome, Steuben and Deerfield
  • Company G at Rome, Clayville, Paris and Utica
  • Company H at Utica, Vienna, Rome and Camden
  • Company I at Rome, Boonville, Ava, Utica, Western and Clayville
  • Company K at Clinton, Remsen, Augusta, Boonville, Deansville, Marshall and Vernon.
August 8 The 117th New York Infantry Regiment mustered in under the command of Colonel William R. Pease, Lieutenant Colonel Alvin White, and Major Rufus Daggett. Colonel Pease had been Captain in the 7th United States Infantry and was a graduate of the West Point Class of 1855.
August 22 Left New York for Washington, D.C.
September Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., and at Tennallytown. Attached to Defenses of Washington north of the Potomac
October Attached to 2nd and 3rd Brigade, Haskins’ Division, north of the Potomac
1863
April 16 Ordered to Suffolk, Va. and attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Corps, Dept. of Virginia
April 20-May 4

Siege of Suffolk
May 3 Providence Church Road, Nansemond River
May 4 Colonel Pease was promoted to Brevet Major in the regular army for “gallant and meritorious service in the siege of Suffolk.”
May 15 Colonel William Pease took command of the brigade as senior colonel.
June 5 Colonel William Pease went on sick leave. He would not return to the regiment, and would retire from active service in August, resigning his volunteer commission due to disability from disease contracted in the line of duty. Lieutenant Colonel Alvin White was promoted to colonel.
June 24-July 7

Dix’s Peninsula Campaign
July 1-7 Expedition from White House to South Anna River
July 12 Ordered to Folly Island, South Carolina, attached to Alvord’s Brigade, Vodge’s Division, Folly Island, South Carolina, 10th Corps, Department of the South
August 17-
September 7		 Siege operations against Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island, S.C., and against Charleston and Fort Sumter
August 17-23

Bombardment of Fort Sumter and Charleston
September – April Operations against Charleston, South Carolina, and duty on Folly Island, South Carolina.
September 5 Major Rufus Daggett was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
1864
February Attached to 2nd Brigade, Folly Island, Northern District, Department of the South
April Moved to Gloucester Point, Virginia. Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Corps, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina
May 4-28

Butler’s operations on south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond

Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps,, Army of the James
May 5

Occupation of City Point and Bermuda Hundred
May 9-10 Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church
May 12-16 Operations against Fort Darling
May 14-16

Battle of Drury’s Bluff

Colonel Alvin White was wounded in the left shoulder.
May 16-28

Bermuda Hundred
May 28-31 Moved to White House, then to Cold Harbor
June 1-12

Battles about Cold Harbor
June Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Army Corps, Army of the James
June 15-18

First Assault on Petersburg
June 16

Siege of Petersburg 

Duty in trenches before Petersburg and on the Bermuda Hundred front.
July Colonel Alvin White was forced to resign his commission and return home due to health reasons. He was 61 years old.
August 12 Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Daggett was promoted to colonel.
September 28-30

Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights

Colonel Rufus Daggett was wounded at Fort Gilmer.
October 27-28
Battle of Fair Oaks
November Duty in trenches before Richmond
December 7-27

Expedition to Fort Fisher, North Carolina

Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 24th Corps
1865
January 3-15

2nd Expedition to Fort Fisher, North Carolina

Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Terry’s Provisional Corps, Department of North Carolina. Colonel Rufus Daggett returned from sick leave and was given command of the brigade as senior colonel.
January 15

Assault and capture of Fort Fisher
February 11-13 Cape Fear Entrenchments
February 11 Sugar Loaf Battery
February 18-19 Fort Anderson
February 22

Capture of Wilmington
March 1-April 26

Campaign of the Carolinas

Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th Corps, Army of the Ohio, Department of North Carolina
March 6-21 Advance on Goldsboro
April 14 Occupation of Raleigh
April 26

Bennett’s House

Surrender of Johnston and his army.
May Duty in North Carolina
June 8 The 117th New York Infantry Regiment mustered out at Raleigh. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 48th New York Infantry