New York State Bureau of Military Statistics Historical Notes on New York Volunteer Regiments

Arranged by branch of service and therein by unit number.

This series consists of seven oversized volumes detailing the organizational history of New York State Volunteer infantry, artillery and cavalry regiments that participated in the Civil War. These "historical notes" were compiled by the Bureau of Military Statistics most likely between 1863 and 1866. A law of 1863 directed the bureau, in addition to other duties, to "collect and preserve, in permanent form...a record of the service of the general regiments which shall include an account of their organization and subsequent history and operations..."

Each regimental history consists of twenty pages providing information on the unit's recruitment and organization; terms of enlistment; presentation and final disposition of flags; arms, uniforms and equipment; and mustering out. Unfortunately, the quantity and quality of the information provided varies widely. Some unit histories are extremely complete and detailed while others contain no information whatsoever. A completed history will provide the following: synonym; order number for raising; date; by whom authorization was granted; to whom authorization was granted; auspices under which the organization was raised; special service or particular brigade for which raised; consolidations upon first organization; subsequent consolidations; place where organized; branch camps and recruiting stations; places where companies were principally raised from and by whom; date when mustered into federal service as a regiment; place; name and rank of mustering officer; muster in by companies (letter, date, number, place, by whom) for both state service and federal service; company acceptances under act of April 16, 1861 (letter, order number, date of order, name of captain); aid received in the organization of the regiment from the "General Government," State of New York, counties, cities, towns, committees, patrons, and other sources (provides amounts and dates); dates when recruiting began and ended; name of surgeon who conducted medical inspections;

date of appointment; by whom; "results of his labor;" number of rejections; remarks; bounties paid by the United States, New York counties, cities, towns, villages, associations, and individuals; term of enlistment; circumstances attending the organization; re-enlistments; presentation of flags; flags issued by the state or the federal government; flags exchanged; flags captured; loss of flags; final deposit of flags after being worn out or otherwise; testimonials to officers; date of departure from camp; date of departure from state; by what order; destination; parting ceremonies; route and incidents; date of arrival at destination; assignment to duty and subsequent changes; transfers in brigades; band leader's name; where band was organized; number of men in band; arms (usually a reference to report of the Adjutant-General); type first issued; calibre; date of issue; where issued; by whom issued; changes of arms, specialities and peculiarities; remarks; date when tents were issued; place of issue; kind and changes; description of camp equipage (usually a reference to report by the Adjutant-General or Commissary General); movements and services (often blank); casualties; sanitary history (usually blank); date of end of service; manner; place where mustered out; by whom; authority and order for mustering out; number when mustered out; complimentary orders; disposition of men with unexpired terms; date when reached state; and receptions.

Although much of the information on the units contained in this series can be obtained from Frederick Phisterer's New York in the War of the Rebellion (Albany: J.B. Lyon Company, 1912), there are some topics on which Phisterer does not touch. These include arms and equipment issued and used by the regiments, bounties paid, and aid furnished by federal, state, or local authorities.

Series A4143, Roster of Staff Officers and Enlisted Men of the 128th Regiment, New York Volunteers, and Series 13775, Civil War muster roll abstracts of New York State Volunteers, United States Sharpshooters, and United States Colored Troops, contain related records.

Item list.

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