54th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 54th New York Infantry Regiment

“Hiram Barney Rifles” “Black Rifles”

The 54th New York Infantry Regiment lost 2 officers and 38 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 101 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

Hiram Barney was a major abolitionist and supporter of the Republican party in New York.

1861
Organized at Hudson, New York from German immigrants as the “Black Rifles” as they were originally uniformed in black and silver.
September 5 -October 16 Mustered in under Colonel Eugene E. Kozlay, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hoch and Major Victor Von Littron
October 29 Left State for Washington, D.C. Attached to Provisional Brigade, Casey’s Division, Army of the Potomac for duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.
December Attached to Steinwehr’s Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Army of the Potomac
1862
February 26 Captain Charles Ashby of Company K was promoted to major
March Attached to Steinwehr’s 2nd Brigade, Blenker’s 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
March 18 Colonel Kozlay and Lieutenant Colonel Hoch were discharged
April Attached to 2nd Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Department of the Mountains
April 5-18 Movement to Winchester, Virginia.
April 22 Major Von Littron died of disease.
May – June Operations in the Shenandoah Valley attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Pope’s Army of Virginia
June 3 Major Ashby promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Stephen Kovacs of Company E to major
June 8

Battle of Cross Keys

The regiment lost 3 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 3 men wounded
July 7 to August 8 At Sperryville
August 9

Battle of Cedar Mountain
August 16-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

The regiment lost 2 officers and 21 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers and 112 enlisted men wounded, and 22 men missing or captured during the campaign..
August 20-23 Fords of the Rappahannock
August 26-27 Sulphur Springs
August 29

Battle of Groveton
August 30

Second Battle of Bull Run

Lieutenants Adolph Beer and Emil Haberkorn were killed.
September Duty in the Defenses of Washington. D.C. attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac
October Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac.
November 1-19 Movement to Centreville
November 7 Waterloo Bridge
November 28-30 Reconnaissance to Snicker’s Ferry and Berryville
December 9-15 Movement to Fredericksburg
1863
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February – April At Stafford Court House
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 4 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 3 officers and 18 enlisted men wounded, and 17 men missing.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
June 11 Lieutenant Charles Ashby discharged at Brook’s Station, Virginia
July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Major Stephen Kovacs. He was captured on July 1 in skirmishing along Rock Creek north of Gettysburg, and Lieutenant Ernst Both took command. The 54th brought 216 men to the field.

The monument depicts color bearer Heinrich Michel, who was killed carrying the colors on July 2.

From the monument to the 54th New York at Gettysburg:

July 1st Skirmishing on extreme right near Rock Creek. July 2nd at sunset, severe fighting in this position. Casualties: Killed 7, wounded 47, missing 48. Total loss 102.
August 1 Ordered to Department of the South and attached to 1st Brigade, Gordon’s Division, Folly Island, South Carolina, 10th Corps, Department of the South
August 9 -September 7

Siege of Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island, and operations against Fort Sumter and Charleston
October Operations against Charleston and duty on Folly and Morris Islands, South Carolina.
1864
January 8 Bankson Morgan was mustered in as lieutenant colonel
February 6-14 Expedition to Johnson’s Island and James Island
March 19 Eugene Kozlay re-mustered as colonel, Major Kovacs was paroled and returned to regiment
April Attached to Folly Island, South Carolina, Northern District, Department of the South
July 4-6

John’s Island, South Carolina

The regiment lost 3 enlisted men killed and 17 wounded
October Attached to 1st Separate Brigade, Morris Island, South Carolina, Department of the South
October 24

At Santee River

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 3 wounded
1865
February Duty in District of South Carolina, Department of the South
February 10

James Island, South Carolina

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed and 7 wounded
February 27

Santee River

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 6 wounded
July Transferred to 3rd Sub-District, Department of the South
August Attached to 1st Brigade, Department of the South
April 14 The 54th New York Infantry Regiment mustered out under the command of Colonel Kozlay, Lieutenant Colonel Morgan and Major Kovacs