39th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 39th New York Infantry Regiment

The 39th New York Infantry Regiment lost 8 officers and 107 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 158 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument and marker at Gettysburg.

1861
May 27 The regiment was organized and recruited at New York City by the Union Defense Committee of New York City under special authority of the War Department. Its field officers were Colonel Frederick George D’Utassy, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Repetti. It had an international makeup:

  • Companies A, H and K consisted of Germans
  • Companies B, E & F of Hungarians
  • Company C of Italians
  • Company D of Swiss
  • Company G of French
  • Company I of Spanish and Portuguese.

The regiment was equipped with Garibaldi hats, a black felt hat with a round top and black plume. A forty man bugle corps took the place of the normal regimental band, and a number of vivandieres accompanied the regiment in to service.
May 28 Left New York for Washington, D.C.
June 6 Mustered in to date from May 28. Attached to Blenker’s Brigade, Miles’ Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia and Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
July 8 50 members of company G mutinied due to numerous complaints and, under Captain Tabatz, marched into Washington . They were surrounded by three companies of regular infantry and one of Regular cavalry and were confined in the Treasury Building. All issues were resolved, however, and they were released.
July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Virginia.
July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
August Attached to Blenker’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac and duty in the Defenses of Washington
October Attached to Blenker’s Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
January Attached to Stahl’s 1st Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
March Attached to 1st Brigade, Blenker’s 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
April Attached to 1st Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Mountain Department for operations in the Shenandoah Valley
May 1 Captain Charles Schwarz of Company A was promoted to major
June Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Pope’s Army of Virginia and duty near Strasburg
June 2 Strasburg and Woodstock
June 6 Near Harrisonburg
June 8

Battle of Cross Keys
June 19 Lieutenant Colonel Repetti was discharged
July 15 Near Middletown
July Attached to White’s Brigade, Army of Virginia, Duty at Winchester, Virginia.
July 18 Major Schwarz was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Hugo Hillebrandt of Company G to major
September Attached to Miles’ Command, Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.
September 12 Solomon’s Gap
September 12-15

Defense of Harper’s Ferry

The regiment was under the command of Major Hildebrandt, with Colonel D’Utassy in temporary brigade command.
September 12-13

Maryland Heights

Two companies of the regiment recovered two cannon and ammunition during the withdrawal from the heights.
September 14

Bolivar Heights

Seven men were wounded
September 15

Surrender of Harpers Ferry

The regiment was surrendered with the garrison. The regiment’s colors were concealed around the body of a sergeant and were saved.
September 16 530 men were paroled and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, then to Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois.
November 22 The regiment was exchanged
November 22-25 Moved to Washington, D.C.
December Attached to Casey’s Division, Defenses of Washington, D.C. and duty at Arlington Heights and Centreville, Virginia, Defenses of Washington
1863
February Attached to 3rd Brigade, Abercrombie’s Division, 22nd Corps, Department of Washington
May The regiment was reorganized, wth “all the worthless officers and many of the men” mustered out. It was then consolidated into a battalion of four companies, A-D, under the command of Major Hugo Hildebrandt, a former Prussian officer.
May 29 Colonel D’Utassy was dismissed for a variety of charges and eventually imprisoned in New York’s Sing Sing prison.
May 31 Lieutenant Colonel Schwarz was discharged
June 25 Ordered to join the Army of the Potomac in the field and joined 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
July 1-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Major Hugo Hillebrandt. He was wounded on July 3. The 39th New York captured three battle flags and was commended for its valor.

From the regimental monument on the battlefield:

The regiment at about 7 o’clock p.m. July 2, 1863 being ordered to support General Sickles’ line, charged and drove the enemy recapturing the guns and equipment of Battery I, 5th U.S. Artillery. A stone tablet marks the place where this incident occurs.

Casualties: killed 15, wounded 80, total 85.

This regiment (composed of 4 companies) held this position July 2d and 3d 1863.

Monument to the 39th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg

From the stone tablet:

On this spot July 2 1863 the 39th N.Y. Infantry re-captured the guns and equipment of Battery I, 5th U.S. Artillery.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
August On line of the Rappahannock
September 13-17 Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign
October 14 Auburn and Bristoe
October 15 Mitchell’s Ford
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 14 Major Augustus Funk of the 38th New York was appointed colonel of the 39th
November 26

Mine Run Campaign
December 8 Company E was organized in the field from recruits
December 10 Major Hillebrandt was discharged due to his Gettysburg wound
December 14 Company F was organized in the field from recruits
December 19 Company G was organized in the field from recruits
December 30 Company H was organized in the field from recruits
1864
January Companies I and K were organized in the field from recruits
January 8 James G. Hughs commissioned lieutenant colonel
January 16 Captain Charles Baker of the 159th New York was commissioned major in the 39th
February 6-7

Demonstration on the Rapidan, Morton’s Ford

The regiment lost about 20 wounded fording the waist-deep river under fire and attacking a line of rifle pits
February At Stevensburg, Virginia.
March Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Corps
May 3 Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

Colonel Funk and Lieutenant Colonel Hughes were wounded
May 8-21

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 10 Battle of Po River
May 12 Assault on the Salient or “Bloody Angle”
May 18 Major Baker wounded and was discharged for disability on May 30
May 23-26 North Anna River
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31 Totopotomoy
June 1-12 Cold Harbor; attached to Consolidated Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps
June 16-18 Before Petersburg
June 16 Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23 Jerusalem Plank Road
June 24 Companies A-D were mustered out in New York City under the command of Captain Rasmussen; the remaining seven companies of regiment under Colonel Funk were known as the 39th Battalion
July 27-29 Demonstration on north side of the James
July 27-28 Deep Bottom
August 13-20 Demonstration north of the James
August 14-18 Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom
August 25

Ream’s Station
October New Company D joins regiment, being enlisted for one year
October 27-28 Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run
November Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps
December 9-10 Reconnaissance to Hatcher’s Run
1865
January 23 Lieutenant Colonel Hughes was discharged for disability due to his wound
January 27 Captain John McEwan Hyde was promoted to lieutenant colonel
February 5-7

Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 25 Watkins’ House
March 28 Appomattox Campaign
March 30-31

Hatcher’s Run or Boydton and White Oak Roads
April 2

Sutherland Station and fall of Petersburg
April 6 Sailor’s Creek
April 7 High Bridge and Farmville
April 9

Appomattox Court House.

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April At Burkesville
May 2-12 Moved to Washington, D.C.
May 15 Lt. Colonel Hyde discharged for disability
May 23 Grand Review
June 7 Company D mustered out at Alexandria, Virginia
July 1 Mustered out under Colonel Augustus Funk. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 185th New York Infantry.