United States Regiments & Batteries > New York > 84th New York Infantry Regiment


14th New York State Militia

“14th Brooklyn”

The 14th New York State Militia, which was later designated as the 84th New York Infantry Regiment, lost 8 officers and 154 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 69 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by three monuments at Gettysburg and another monument at Anietam.

1860
1860 The regiment adopted the Chasseur Uniform after viewing Colonel Elmer Ellsworth’s drill team. It retained the uniform (similar to the Zouave uniform) throughout the war, earning the nickname “Red legged devils.”
1861
May 18 Tendered services to Government. Companies A-H left Brooklyn (Companies I and K remained) for Washington, D.C. under Colonel Alfred M. Wood, Lieutenant Colonel Edward B. Fowler and Major James Jourdan.

  • Company A – Captain R. B. Jourdan
  • Company B – Captain G. Mallory
  • Company C – Captain D. Myers, “City Grenadiers”
  • Company D – Captain C.F. Baldwin
  • Company E – Captain W.L.B. Stears
  • Company F – Captain A.G.A. Harnickell
  • Company G – Captain G. Plass
  • Company H – Captain W.H. Debeovise
  • Company I – Captain A.W.H. Gill
  • Company K – Captain C. Morris
  • Corps Engineers – Captain R. Butt
May 23-24 Advance into Virginia and occupation of Arlington Heights
May 25 Mustered into United States service at Washington as the 14th New York State Militia Infantry Regiment. Camp at Meridian Hill, Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Mansfield’s Command, Defenses of Washington
June Attached to Porter’s Brigade, Hunter’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia
July 2-16 Camp near Arlington House. Companies I and K rejoined regiment.
July 16-21 Advance on Manassas, Virginia.
July 21

Battle of Bull Run (Manassass)

The regiment made four attacks on Henry Hill, recapturing but being unable to hold the guns of Rickett’s and Griffin’s batteries. It lost 2 officers and 44 men killed or mortally wounded, Colonel Wood, Captains C.F. Baldwin, R.B. Jourdan and G. Plass and 30 enlisted men were wounded, and Colonel Wood, 3 other officers and 58 enlisted men were captured or missing. Unlike most of the Union army, the 14th left the field in good order.

August Duty at Arlington Heights attached to Keyes’ Brigade, Division of the Potomac
August 21 The Engineer Company mustered out
August 27 1 enlisted man was wounded near Ball’s Cross Roads, Virginia
September 28 Advance on Munson’s and Hall’s Hills
October At Upton’s Hill attached to Keyes’ Brigade, McDowell’s Division, Army of the Potomac. Colonel Wood was exchanged and returned to the regiment, but was discharged for disability from his wound.
October 5 1 enlisted man was wounded near Upton’s Hill, Virginia
November 18
Skirmish at Fall’s Church Road, near Fairfax Court House.

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed, 1 wounded, and 1 officer and 9 enlisted men captured

December 7 The regiment was officially redesignated as the 84th New York Infantry Regiment, but at its own request it continued to be referred to as the 14th New York State Militia.
December 19 Major James Jourdan transferred to the 56th New York Infantry Regiment as lieutenant colonel.
1862
March 10-15 Advance on Manassas, Virginia, attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
April 4-19 McDowell’s advance on Falmouth, Virginia, attached to 1st Brigade, King’s Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock
April 17 1 enlisted man was wounded near Falmouth, Virginia
April-May Camp at Falmouth
May 25-29 McDowell’s advance on Richmond, Virginia.
May 29-June 21 Operations against Jackson attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Pope’s Army of Virginia
July-August Duty at Falmouth
July 23-25 Expedition to Po River (Companies B and E)
July 23

Mt. Carmel Church

1 enlisted man was wounded near Caramel Church, Virginia

August 5-8 Reconnaissance to Spottsylvania Court House
August 10-11 March to Cedar Mountain
August 16-September 2

Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia

August 20-23

Fords of the Rappahannock

1 enlisted man was killed at Sulphur Springs

August 28

Battle of Gainesville

August 29

Groveton (Brawner’s Farm)

August 30
Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Fowler until he was wounded in the thigh. It lost 3 officers and 20 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 5 officers and 30 enlisted men wounded, and 4 officers and 58 enlisted men captured.

Major William H deBevoise took command of the regiment.

September 2

Battle of Chantilly

September 6-22

Maryland Campaign

Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac

September 14

Battle of South Mountain

The regiment lost 7 enlisted men killed, 13 wounded and 8 missing in fighting at Turner’s Gap.

September 16-17

Battle of Antietam

Commanded by Major William H. deBevoise, the regiment brought less than 100 men to the field. It lost 1 officer and 11 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 15 enlisted men wounded.

From the regiment’s monument at Antietam:

On this spot, known as ‘The Cornfield’, the 84th N.Y. Volunteer Infantry – (14th Brooklyn, N.Y. S. M.) of the 1st Brigade, Col. Phelps, 1st Division – Gen. Doubleday, 1st Corps, Gen. Hooker, was hotly engaged on the morning of September 17, 1862

From the brigade marker on the Antietam battlefield:

Phelps’ Brigade formed line at 5:30 A. M. on September 17, and moved in support of Gibbon’s Brigade. When Gibbon deployed, 135 yards north of this in the Cornfield and on the plateau west of the Hagerstown Pike, Phelps’ Brigade (425 officers and men) halted 25 paces in his rear, in the Cornfield. After Gibbon advanced and became heavily engaged on both sides of the Pike, Phelps moved to the support of his left and fought on this ground. The subsequent movements of this Brigade conformed to those of Gibbon. After heavy loss it retired to the fields north of D. R. Miller’s and thence beyond the Poffenberger Lane.

September-October At Sharpsburg, Maryland.
October 1 Major DeBevoise was promotd to Lieutenant Colonel.
October 26-November 22 March to Falmouth, Virginia.
November 22-December 8 At Brooks’ Station
December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 3 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 3 wounded.

December-April At Falmouth and Belle Plain
1863
January 20-24 “Mud March”Colonel Fowler returned to the regiment from his Second Manassas wound.
April 22-24 Expedition to Port Conway
April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

April 29-May 2 Operations at Pollock’s Mill Creek
April 29-30

Fitzhugh’s Crossing

The regiment lost Lieutenant James H. Bloomfield and 3 enlisted men mortally wounded and 1 officer and 18 enlisted men wounded

May 2-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 1 man killed and 22 wounded.

May 11 Lieutenant-Colonel deBevoise was discharged for disability.
June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The 84th New York Infantry Regiment took 356 men into battle and was commanded by Colonel Edward Fowler. It lost 13 enlisted men killed, 13 mortally wounded, 6 officers and 87 enlisted men ounded, and 98 men missing

From the monument on Reynolds Avenue:

July 1. First engaged the enemy between the McPherson House and Reynolds Grove (see marker). Subsequently moved to this place and engaged Davis’ Brigade. Remained at the railroad cut at Seminary Ridge until the final retreat. Had a running fight through Gettysburg to Culp’s Hill. On the evening of the 2nd and again on the morning of the 3rd went to support Greene’s Brigade and was heavily engaged (see marker)

From the marker on Meredith Avenue: 

Here, in the forenoon, July 1st, 1863, the Regiment opened fire on A.P. Hill’s Corps; afterwards charged successfully on Davis’ Brigade at the railroad to the right and rear of this position as indicated by a monument there; later had a running fight through Gettysburg to Culp’s Hill, where at night July 2nd, repulsed the advance of Johnson’s Division of Ewell’s Corps, then moved to the right to reinforce the 12th Corps, as recorded on tablet in boulder to the right of the hill. It lost in the battle 13 killed, 105 wounded and 99 missing.

From the marker on Slocum Avenue:

Here at about 9 p.m. July 2nd, 1863 the Regiment while moving from the position to the left of this to reinforce Greene’s Brigade, unexpectedly encountered the advance of Johnson’s Division of Ewell’s Corps, which had crossed the abandoned works and was advancing towards the Baltimore Pike. By opening fire on them the Regiment caused them to halt until the 12th Corps returned and drove them back.

At Daylight July 3rd the Regiment rejoined the Brigade, but soon afterwards moved again to the right to reinforce the 12th Corps and fought in the trenches and lay in reserve until the repulse of the enemy.

In the first day’s battle this Regiment was heavily engaged with the 1st Corps at the Railroad beyond the Seminary as indicated by a monument there.

It lost in the battle 13 killed, 105 wounded and 99 missing.

July 5-24 Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Virginia.
July 25-31 At Manassas Junction
August 1-14 At Rappahannock Station
August-October Duty on line of the Rappahannock
October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

November 7-8 Advance to line of the Rappahannock
November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

1 enisted man was wounded

December 28 Provost duty at Culpeper, Va.
1864
February 6-7 Demonstration on the Rapidan
March Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Corps
May 4-22

Rapidan Campaign

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 man wounded

May 8

Laurel Hill

May 8-21

Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment lost 1 officer and 13 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 6 officers and 86 enlisted men wounded, and 5 men missing in the two weeks of fighting

May 12

Assault on the Salient

May 21 Veterans and Recruits were attached to 12th New York Battalion
May 22 Non-Veterans left the front to muster out
May 24 Arrived at Brooklyn
June 2 Veterans and Recruits transferred to 5th New York Veteran Infantry
June 14 The 84th New York Infantry Regiment (14th New York State Militia) mustered out under Colonel Fowler to date June 6