121st New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 121st New York Infantry Regiment

The 121st New York Infantry lost 14 officers and 212 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 4 officers and 117 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War.

From the monument to the regiment at Gettysburg:

Organized in Herkimer and Otsego Co’s.
Mustered in Aug 23, 1862.
Officers 30, men 910.
Joined by transfer, recruits, etc. Officers 21, men 425.
Casualties.
Killed and mortally wounded, officers 14, men 212.
Wounded, officers 27, men 596.
Discharged for wounds, disease etc. officers 37, men 283.
Transferred to other commands, officers 12, men 262.
Mustered out June 25, 1865, officers 25, men 283.

1862
Organized at Herkimer, New York.
August 23 The 121st New York Infantry Regiment mustered in 39 officers and 946 enlisted men under Colonel Richard Franchot, Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. Clark and Major Egbert Olcott
August 30 Left New York for Washington, D.C.
September 3 Arrived in Washington
September Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac
September 6-22

Maryland Campaign
September 14

Battle of Crampton’s Gap, South Mountain
September 25 Colonel Franchot resigned to resume his seat in Congress and was replaced by Colonel Emory Upton
October Duty at Sharpsburg, Maryland.
October 20 Second Lieutenant George W. Davis died of disease
October 30-
November 19		 Movement to Falmouth, Virginia.
November 9 First Lieutenant Angus Cameron died of disease
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 4 enlisted men killed and 12 wounded.
December 16 At Falmouth
1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February At Falmouth
March 23 Lieutenant Colonel Clark was discharged.
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
April 10 Major Olcott was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May 3

Maryes Heights, Second Battle of Fredericksburg
May 3-4

Salem Heights

The regiment led the attack down the Plank Road until counterattacked and thrown back by the 9th Alabama Infantry. Colonel Upton’s horse was shot but he jumped free and continued to lead the attack on foot. The regiment lost 4 officers and 92 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 155 enlisted men wounded, and 2 officers and 21 enlisted men captured or missing. This was 62% of the men engaged, in a fifteen to twenty minute fight.

Captain Nelson O. Wendell, First Lieutenant U. F. Doubleday and Second Lieutenant Frederick E. Ford were killed and Captain Thomas S. Arnold was mortally wounded, dying on May 18.
May 4

Banks’ Ford
June 14-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
July 2-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment arrived on the field on the evening of July 2 and took position on the north slope of Little Round Top. It held this position until the end of the battle, losing 2 enlisted men wounded.

The 121st New York Infantry Regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg on Little Round Top.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.
August Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan
September 20 First Lieutenant A. Clark Rice died of disease
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 7

Rappahannock Station

The regiment lost 7 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 17 enlisted men wounded. It captured almost 700 prisoners and 4 Confederate battle flags.
November 26-
December 2

Mine Run Campaign
1864
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 21 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 30 enlisted men wounded, and 2 officers and 19 enlisted men missing or captured
May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment lost 5 officers and 58 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 8 officers and 84 enlisted men wounded.

Captains Charles A. Butts and John D. Fish, First Lieutenants Silas E. Pierce and Edward P. Johnson and Second Lieutenant Charles F. Pettengill were killed from May 10 -12
May 12

Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle”
May 23-26

North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy
June 1-12
Cold Harbor

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 6 wounded
June 17-18

First Assault on Petersburg
June 17 – July 9

Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 8 wounded
July 4 Colonel Emory Upton was promoted to brigadier general.
July 9-11 Moved to Washington, D.C.
July 11-12

Repulse of Early’s attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 18 enlisted men wounded, and 2 enlisted men captured or missing
July 14-23 Expedition to Snicker’s Gap
August 7-
November 28

Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign
August 16 Lieutenant Colonel Olcott was promoted to colonel with rank effective to July 4.
August 21-22

Near Charlestown

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed and 1 officer and 4 enlisted men wounded
September 19

Battle of Winchester

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed and 1 officer and 12 enlisted men wounded
September 22

Fisher’s Hill

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men wounded
September 23-24 Mt. Jackson
October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek

The regiment lost Captains Jonathan Burrell and John D. P. Douw, First Lieutenant William H. Tucker and 12 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 35 enlisted men wounded, and 5 enlisted men missing
October Duty in the Shenandoah Valley
December 9-12 Moved to Petersburg, Virginia.
December 12

Siege of Petersburg
December 24 Captain James Oronkhite of Company E promoted to major
1865
February 5-7
Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run

The regiment lost 4 enisted men wounded, 1 mortally
March Second Lieutenant Samuel B. Kelley died of disease
March 25
Petersburg

The regiment lost First Lieutenant Horatio N. Duro killed and 3 enlisted men wounded at Fort Fisher
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

The regiment lost 1 officer and 24 enlisted men wounded in addition to the killed and mortally wounded men at Petersburg and Sailor’s Creek
March 31 Captain Henry M. Galpin of Company A was promoted to major
April 2

Fall of Petersburg

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed
April 6

Sailor’s Creek

The regiment lost Captain Ten Eyck C. Howland, First Lieutenant John T. Morton and 6 enlisted men killed. It captured two Confederate colors and several hundred prisoners. Private Harris Hawthorn was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing Confederate General Custis Lee (Robert E. Lee’s eldest son) but the claim was challenged by Private David Dunnels White of the 37th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April 10 At Farmville and Burkesville. Lieutenant Colonel Olcott was promoted to colonel
April 23-27 March to Danville
April 27 Captain John S. Kidder of Company I was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
May 24 – June 3 March to Richmond, then to Washington, D.C.
June 8 Corps Review
June 25 The 121st New York Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Colonel Olcott and Lieutenant Colonel Kidder. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 65th New York Infantry
July 4 The regiment paraded at the Little Falls, New York Fourth of July celebration bearing their seven captured Confederate colors, and were treated to a banquet by the citizens.