59th New York Infantry Regiment

United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 59th New York Infantry Regiment

The 59th New York Infantry Regiment lost 14 officers and 129 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 127 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War, 64 of whom died in Confederate prisons. It was ranked as one of the “300 fighting regiments” of the war.

It is honored by a monument at Antietam and a monument at Gettysburg. Lieutenant Colonel John Stetson is also honored by a monument where he fell at Antietam.

1861
July – November The 59th New York Infantry Regiment was organized at New York City under the command of Colonel William Linn Tidball, a Mexican War Veteran, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Joachimsen, and Major William Northedge
November 23 Left New York for Washington, D.C. attached to Wadsworth’s Command, Defenses of Washington
1862
January Attached to 2nd Brigade, Casey’s Division, Army of the Potomac
February 26 Lieutenant Colonel Joachimsen was discharged.
March Attached to Military District of Washington
March 21 Captain John L. Stetson, formerly of the 16th New York Infantry Regiment, was mustered in as lieutenant colonel
May At Fort Pennsylvania attached to Sturgis’ Brigade, Military District of Washington
June

Peninsula Campaign

Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula to Join the Army of the Potomac at Harrison’s Landing
July Attached to 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
August 16-28 Movement from Harrison’s Landing to Fortress Monroe, then to Alexandria and Centreville
August 28-31 To Fairfax Court House
August 31-
September 2		 Covered Pope’s retreat to Washington
September 6-22

Maryland Campaign
September 14

Battie of South Mountain
September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

The regiment was commanded by Colonel William Linn Tidball and brought 21 officers and 300 enlisted men to the field.

Lieutenant Colonel John L. Stetson, Captains Abraham Florentine, Gould Jennings, Miller Moody, Edward Wade, Charles Whitney, Lieutenants Stephen Roosa, William Smurr, Benjamin Van Steenbergh and 57 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded. Captain Max Thoman, Lieutenants Barthold Heitman and James Purdy and 131 enlisted men were wounded and 23 enlisted men were missing.

From the brigade marker at Antietam:

Dana’s Brigade, following Gorman’s in column of attack, passed through the East Woods, crossed the Cornfield and the Hagerstown Pike, about 50 yards in rear of Gorman, and entered the West Woods, where its advance was checked about 40 yards east of this point.

Its left flank having been attacked and turned, by McLaws’ and Walker’s Divisions, it was compelled to retire.

A portion of the Brigade, with the 1st Minnesota Infantry, occupied a line near the Nicodemus house which it held for a time until, its flank having been again turned, it retired to the woods and fields east of the Hagerstown Pike.
September 19 Lieutenant Purdy was promoted to captain.
September 22 Moved to Harper’s Ferry
October 16-17 Reconnaissance to Charlestown
October 30-
November 19		 Advance up Loudoun Valley and movement to Falmouth, Va.
Novemner 17 Major Northedge was promoted to lieutenant colonel with rank from September 17
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

Captain Edward Reynolds, Lieutenant Hannibal Seymour and 9 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded. Lieutenant Francis Woodruff, 1 other officer and 30 enlisted men were wounded.
1863
January 3 Captain Max Thoman of Company C was promoted to major.
January 8 Colonel Tidball was discharged and Lieutenant Colonel Northedge was promoted to colonel.
January 9 Major Thoman was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Purdy to major
January 20-24
“Mud March”
February-April At Falmouth
March 4 Lieutenant Colonel Northedge promoted to major
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign
April 29-May 2 Operations at Franklin’s Crossing
May 3

Battle of Maryes Heights, Second Fredericksburg
May 4

Salem Church

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed, Lieutenant Richard Dellamore and 6 enlisted men wounded, and 6 men missing
May 4

Banks’ Ford
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign
June 5 Major Purdy was discharged.
June 25 The regiment was consolidated to a battalion of four companies due to losses. Companies G and K were consolidated with Company A; E and H with Company B; B and D with Company C; and F and I with Company D.
June 5 Colonel Northedge was dismissed for drunkeness, breach of arrest, and offering violence to the commanding officer of his regiment while under arrest.
July 1-4

Battle of Gettysburg

The 59th New York was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Max A. Thoman. He was mortally wounded and Captain William McFadden took command. Lieutenant Colonel Thoman, Adjutant William Pohlman and 10 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 21 enlisted men wounded out of 182 men engaged.

Sergeant James Wiley of Company B was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing the flag of a Georgia regiment on July 3rd.
July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock
August 1 Former Colonel Tidball was re-enrolled with the rank of lieutenant colonel. The 59th New York’s reduced status as a battalion did not allow a colonel in command.
September 13-17 Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men wounded and 2 missing
October 14 Auburn and Bristoe
October 15 Blackburn’s Ford
November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 19 Lieutenant Colonel Tidball was discharged. He would go on to become a captain in the Veteran Reserve Corps and to serve as Judge Advocate General in Vicksburg until 1868.
November 20 Captain Horace P. Rugg of Company A was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign
Decmber-May At Stevensburg
1864
March Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps
May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James
May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 4 men killed or mortally wounded, 6 men wounded and 4 missing
May 8

Battle of Laurel Hill
May 8-21

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

Lieutenant Eugene Wright and 14 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, Captain George Crawford, Lieutenant Charles Hunt and 14 enlisted men wounded, and 1 officer and 4 enlisted men missing.
May 10 Po River
May 12

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

North Anna River

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded
May 26-28 On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31

Totopotomoy

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 23 enlisted men wounded.
June 1-12

Cold Harbor

The regiment lost 12 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and Captain Edwin Richards, 2 other officers and 21 enlisted men wounded.
June 16-18

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

The regiment lost 3 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 6 enlisted men wounded, and 2 officers and 57 enlisted men missing
June 15 – April 2

Siege of Petersburg

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 20 enlisted men wounded, and 11 men mising in the course of the nine-month siege
June 22-23
Jerusalem Plank Road

Lieutenant William Kelly wounded and Captains Ambrose Cole and William McFadden captured. McFadden eventually excaped from prison and rejoined regiment while Coles was paroled
July 5 Five companies of Veterans of the 82nd New York Infantry Regiment were added as Companies E-I, and Company K was formed of new recruits.
July 18 Henry Wadsworth Hudson, recently mustered out as colonel of the 82nd New York, was appointed colonel. But he was never mustered and his commission was revoked.
July 27-29 Demonstration north of the James
July 27-28

Deep Bottom

The regiment lost 8 enlisted men wounded and 12 missing
August 13-20 Demonstration north of the James
August 14-18

Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men mortally wounded, Lieutenants Thomas Huggins and Saveri Venturi and 14 enlisted men wounded, and 5 men missing
August 25

Ream’s Station

Lieutenants William Bell and Saveri Venturi and 3 enlisted men were wounded and 37 men captured.
September 16 Captain William McFadden of Company B was promoted to major.
October 5 Lieutenant Colonel William A. Olmstead, formerly of the 2nd New York Infantry, was commissioned colonel, with rank from September 26
October 27-28
Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men wounded, 1 mortally
November 17 Lieutenant Colonel Rugg was discharged
1865
January 9 Major James Jewell of the 51st New York Infantry was transferred in as lieutenant colonel
January 12 Major McFadden was discharged
February 5-7 Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run
March 25
Watkins’ House
March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign
March 29 On line of Gravelly and Hatcher’s Run
March 30-31

Boydton and White Oak Road
March 31 Crow’s House
April 2

Fall of Petersburg
April 6

Sailor’s Creek
April 7

High Bridge and Farmville

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded
April 9

Appomattox Court House

Surrender of Lee and his army.
April At Burkesville
April 18 Captain William Simms of Company D promoted to major
May 2-16 March to Washington, D.C.
May 23 Grand Review
June 30 The 59th New York Infantry Regiment mustered out under Colonel Williamm A. Olmsted, Lieutenant Colonel James Jewell and Major William Simms