United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 45th New York Infantry Regiment


“5th German Rifles”

The 45th New York Infantry Regiment lost 5 officers and 42 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 106 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

1861
Organized at New York City
September 9 The 45th New York Infantry Regiment mustered in under the command of Colonel George Von Amsberg, Lieutenant Colonel Edward C. Wratislaw and Major Charles Semsey
October 9 Left New York for Washington, D.C. Attached to Casey’s Division, Army of the Potomac for Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C.
December 2
Annandale Church, Virginia.

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 12 captured

December Attached to Stahel’s Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
March Attached to Stahel’s Brigade, Blenker’s Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
April Redesignaed Stahel’s 1st Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Department of the Mountains
May – August Operations in the Shenandoah Valley
June 8
Battle of Cross Keys

Lieutenant Henry Grassan and 3 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 5 enlisted men wounded, and 1 officer and enlisted man missing or captured

June Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Pope’s Army of Virginia. At Sperryville and Centreville
June 15 Major Semsey discharged and Captain Adolphus Dobke of Company D promoted to major
July 28 Outpost duty at Madison Court House
August 16-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

August 20-23 Fords of the Rappahannock
August 29
Battle of Groveton

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men killed.

August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

The regiment lost 6 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captain Joseph Spangenberg and 30 enlisted men wounded, and 6 men captured.

September Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac
November 28-30 Reconnaissance to Snicker’s Ferry and Berryville
December 10-15 March to Fredericksburg, Virginia.
December Duty at Falmouth and Brooks’ Station
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost Captains Lewis Bisky, Francis Dessaner, Charles Leonhard and 15 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captains Joseph Spangenberg and Augustus Michaelis and Lieutenants Rudolph Basson and Henry Albert and 18 enlisted men wounded, and Captain Michaelis, Lieutenant Albert and 36 enlisted men missing or captured

May 11 Lieutenant Colonel Wratislaw discharged
May 19 Major Adolphus Dobke was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Charles Koch of Company E to major
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel George Karl Heinrich Willhelm Von Amsberg until he took command of the brigade on July 1. Lieutenant Colonel Adolphus Dobke then took command. Lieutenant Edward Milde was killed, Major Koch was wounded, Captains Henry Dietz, John Heil, Francis Irsch and William Syring and Lieutenants Henry Albert, Henry Bath, Otto Gerson, Adam Hauf, Hugo Kandler, Edward Kunkle, Jacob Leydhecker, Louis Lindemeyer, George Schule and James Vanderhoef were captured.

Text from the monument to the 45th New York:

This regiment went into action about 11:30 a.m., July 1st 1863 by deploying four companies as skirmishers under Captain Irsch. About one hundred yards to the rear of this monument, they advanced supported by the other six companies under Lt. Dobke, about five hundred and forty yards under a terrific artillery and sharpshooters fire to a point indicated by marker in front. This regiment also assisted in repelling a charge on the flank of the 1st Corps to the left, capturing many prisoners. Covered retrograde movement into town, fighting through the streets, where Major Koch fell desperately wounded. A portion of the regiment was cut off and took shelter in connecting houses and yards on Chambersburg Street west of the town square, holding the enemy at bay, until about 5:30 p.m. when they surrendered, after having destroyed their arms and accoutrements.

The regiment carried into action July 1st, 25 officers and about 250 men as officially reported. It lost, killed 11, wounded 35, missing 164, total 210 officers and men. Among the missing many were killed or wounded in the town and not included in the above numbers. Those captured refused offered parole hoping to encumber the enemy, believing that the Union Army would capture the crippled foe. and thereby effect their release. Sadly disappointed, they suffered indescribable misery in Andersonville and other prison pens, neglected, often maltreated and finally believing themselves forgotten and forsaken. Many died martyrs and joined their more fortunate comrades who fell gloriously on this field.

On July 2, the remnant of the regiment was exposed to a heavy artillery fire on Cemetery Hill, and in the evening moved hastily to Culp’s Hill and assisted in repulsing an attack on Greene’s Brigade 12th Corps (see markers on Culp’s and Cemetery Hills). On 3rd it was again exposed to artillery and sharpshooters fire, whereupon Sergt. Link, with volunteers, dislodged the enemy’s sharpshooters in the edge of town, nearly all the small attacking party being killed or wounded in the effort.

July-September Duty near Bristoe Station
September 24-October 3 Movement to Bridgeport, Alabama and attached to Army of the Cumberland
October 20 Reconnaissance from Bridgeport to Trenton
October 25-28 March along Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad to Lookout Valley, Tennessee.
October 26-29 Reopen Tennessee River
October 28-29
Battle of Wauhatchie, Tennessee.

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men wounded, 1 mortally

November 23-27

Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign

November 23 Orchard Knob
November 24-25

Tunnel Hill

November 25

Mission Ridge

November 28-December 17 March to relief of Knoxville
December Duty in Lookout Valley
1864
January 22 Colonel Von Amsberg was discharged
April Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Corps, Army of the Cumberland
May 1 – July 6

Atlanta Campaign

May 5-13 Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge and Dalton
May 14-15

Battle of Resaca

March 16 Lieutenant Colonel Dobke was promoted to colonel with rank from May 11 but was not mustered
May 19 Near Cassville
May 22-25 Advance on Dallas
May 25
Battle of New Hope Church
May 26-June 4
Battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills
June 10-July 2 Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain
June 11-14 Pine Mountain
June 15-17 Lost Mountain
June 15
Gilgal or Golgotha Church
June 17 Muddy Creek
June 19 Noyes Creek
June 22 Kolb’s Farm
June 27
Assault on Kenesaw
July 4 Ruff’s Station, Smyrna Camp Ground
July 6 Ordered to Nashville, Tenn. assigned to 4th Division, 20th Corps
August 22 Major Koch promoted to lieutenant colonel with rank from August 7, but was not mustered
November Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 20th Corps, Dept. of the Cumberland
December 15-16

Battle of Nashville

1865
February 18 Major Joseph Spartenberg promoted to lieutenant colonel with rank to January 18, but not mustered
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Nashville, Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland
May 31 Captain Gustav Korn of Company I was promoted to major
June 30 The 45th New York Infantry Regiment consolidated with the 58th New York Infantry Regiment under the command of Colonel Dobke, Lieutenant Colonel Korn and Major Spartenberg.