27th New York Infantry Regiment's Civil War Historical Sketch

From The 3rd Annual Report Of The Bureau Of Military Statistics

TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY, N. Y. S. V. The Twenty-seventh regiment infantry, N. Y. S. V., was organ¬ized at Elmira on the 21st of May, 186.1. It was composed of companies recruited and accepted as follows, viz:

Co. Where recruited By whom recruited Order Date of acceptance
A White Plains, Westchester co. Capt. Joseph J. Chambers 282 April 30, 1861
B Lyons, Wayne county Capt. Alexander D. Adams 359 May 2, 1861
C Binghamton, Broome county Capt. Jos. J. Bartlett 349 May 2, 1861
D Binghamton, Broome county Capt. Hiram C. Rogers 360 May 2, 1861
E Rochester, Monroe county Capt. George G. Wanzer 512 May 7, 1861
F Binghamton, Broome county Capt. Peter Jay 531 May 8, 1861
G Lima, Livingston county Capt. James Perkins 538 May 7, 1861
H Mount Morris, Livingston co Capt. Charles E. Martin 605 May 11, 1861
I Perry, Wyoming county Capt. Curtis C. Gardner 613 May 13, 1861
K Albion, Orleans county Capt. Henry L. Achilles, jr. 642 May 16, 1861

 

The companies were organized into a regiment by General Van Valkenburgh, and the following field officers elected, viz: Henry W. Slocum, Colonel; Joseph J. Chambers, Lieutenant Colonel; and Joseph J. Bartlett, Major. The State Military Board, on the 21st of May (Special Orders 208), confirmed this election, accepted the regiment and numbered it, and directed Colonel Slocum to report to General Van Valkenburgh, and to hold his regiment in readiness to be mustered into the service of the United States. Company I was mustered into the service of the United States, July 9th, and the remaining companies and field and staff on the 10th. The muster, however, was for two years from May 21st.

The regiment was supplied with uniforms, and arms, tents, &c., and left the State on the 10th of July for Washington via Harris¬burg and Baltimore. The total expenditure by the State, on ac¬count of the regiment, up to the 15th of August, 1861, was $38,617.75, exclusive of subsistence and quarters.

On its arrival in Washington, the regiment was quartered in tents on Franklin Square. A movement against the enemy was then under discussion, and Colonel Slocum and Major Bartlett sought an interview with the war department with a view to have the regiment assigned to the field. In this request they were gratified, and on the 17th of July it took up the line of march from Washington, as a part of the First brigade (Col. Andrew Porter), of the Second division (Gen. Hunter's).

It reached Annandale on the evening of the 17th, Fairfax Court House on the 18th, and entered the battle of Bull Run on the 21st. Its first encounter was with the Twenty-seventh Virginia, which fell hack. It then met the Eighth Georgia, which fell back until reinforced, when the regiment was in turn repulsed, and took ref¬uge under a hill. It was soon after ordered to charge a battery stationed on a knoll, and moved to the work under a heavy fire, which soon fold with fearful effect upon the ranks of the regiment; Colonel Slocum was wounded, the color guard was reduced from nine to two, and the movement was abandoned. Major Bartlett succeeded Colonel Slocum and kept the regiment well in hand. It was engaged in another encounter, and finally retired from the field and reached the road, where the confusion attending the retreat of the army broke it up, as was the case with other regi¬ments actively engaged in the battle. Portions of the regiment reached Fort Corcoran about 9 o'clock on the 22d, and at noon it was partially reorganized and marched to Camp Anderson, Frank¬lin Square.

The regiment remained in Washington Until September, when it was assigned to General Slocum's brigade (with the Sixteenth N. Y.), of General Franklin's division, and moved to the site of Fort Lyon.

It was engaged in the construction of this Fort during the fall of 1861, and spent the winter in "Camp Franklin."

Under the order of March 13, 1862, the regiment, with its brigade and division, was attached to General McDowell's (First) corps. On the 16th of April, General Franklin and General Smith's divisions were detached from General McDowell's corps, and on the 7th of May, were organized as the Sixth corps, under command of General Franklin—General Slocum succeeding Gen. Franklin in the command of the division. This arrangement was not subsequently changed during the term of service of the regi¬ment, although the officers in command were changed, General Bartlett succeeding to the command of the brigade, General Brooks to the division, and General Sedgwick to the corps.

The movements were substantially those of the Sixteenth New York. It participated in the siege of Yorktown, and embarked with Franklin's division for West Point, where it landed on the 6th ; skirmished with the enemy, and on the 7th supported bat¬teries. It was engaged at Gaines' Mill* (*At 2 p. M., Gen. Porter asked for reinforcements, Slocum's division of he 6th corps was ordered to cross to the left bank of the river, by Alexander's bridge, and proceed to his support. At 3.30 P. M., Slocum's division reached the field, and was immediately brought into action at the weak points of our line.) on the 27th of June, and lost heavily; crossed the Chickahominy at 3 P. M., and went into action about 5 P. M., on the extreme right of Porter's corps—drove the enemy from his position by a bayonet charge, and captured a large number of prisoners. It held its position until dark, when, after expending all it's ammunition, it was ordered to retire.

On the 30th, at Charles City Cross Roads,* (* Gen. Slocum's division was on the right of the Charles City road. Gen. Slocum's divi¬sion was to extend to the Charles City road, Gen. Kearney's left to connect with Gen. Slocum's left. * * At half past two the attack was made down the road on Gen. Slo¬cum's left, but was checked by his artillery.—Gen. McClellan's Report.) it skirmished and supported batteries, and at Malvern Hill (July 1st), was sent early in the action to the right of the army to prevent a flank movement by the enemy. During the entire seven days fight it was under fire every day.

The regiment moved with its division from the Peninsula in August, and from thence to the second Bull Run battle. (Aug. 30th.) Here it was thrown to the front to check the advance of the enemy and to cover the retreat of Gen. Pope, but was not particularly or heavily engaged. It followed the retreat to Alex¬andria, and went into camp at Fort Lyon. On the 6th of Sep¬tember, the regiment crossed the Long Bridge and marched through Washington to Tenallytown. It continued on the march of the Maryland campaign, and reached South Mountain on the 14th. Here it opened the fight (Crampton Gap) as skirmishers, and subsequently advanced with its brigade (Bartlett's) upon the enemy at a charge on the right. The enemy were driven up and over the mountain, and the regiment rested on its crest after an action of three hours.* (* Slocum's division was formed on the right of the road leading through the gap, and Smith's upon the left. A line formed of Bartlett's and Torbett's brigades, supported by Newton, whoso activity was conspicuous, advanced steadily upon the enemy at a charge on the right. The enemy were driven from their position at the base of the mountain, where they were protected by a stone wall, steadily forced back up the slope until they reached the position of their battery on the road, well up the mountain. There they made a stand. They were however driven back, retiring their artillery in echelon until, after an action of three hours, the crest was gained, and the enemy hastily fled down the mountain on the other side.—Gen. McClellan's Report.)

At Antietam, on the 17th, it supported batteries, under heavy fire of artillery all day. From Antietam the regiment moved with its corps to Belle Plain, where it arrived on the 4th of December. In the movement on Fredericksburg, it was the first regiment that crossed the Rappahannock in the left grand division; drove the enemy's skirmishers back from the river, and was more or less under fire during the 13th, 14th and 15th. It then went into camp and remained until the "mud march" of January, in which it participated.

In the movement under Gen. Hooker in May, the regiment was engaged in the capture of Marye's Heights, and was subsequently thrown to the front as skirmishers, and covered the retreat of the corps (sixth) until it reached the fortifications at Banks' Ford. It then returned to Belle Plain, and thence to Elmira, where it was mustered out on the 31st of May, 1863. It numbered about five hundred and forty, men and officers, when mustered out. The several companies were received with fitting marks of popular regard in their localities.