101st Infantry Regiment

Nickname: Union Brigade; Second Onondaga County Regiment.

Mustered in: September 2, 1861 to February 28, 1862
Transferred to 37th regiment of infantry: December 24, 1862

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

Johnson Butler Brown was authorized in September, 1861, to recruit a regiment of infantry with headquarters at Syracuse, the 2d Onondaga County Regiment. Enrico Fardella was authorized to recruit a regiment of infantry with headquarters at Hancock, the 1st Union Brigade. The organization of these regiments making slow progress, they were ordered in January, 1862, to be consolidated into one regiment with Enrico Fardella as Colonel and Johnson Butler Brown as Lieutenant-Colonel, and the fraction of the regiment organized at Syracuse was ordered to Hancock in February, 1862. The 1st Union Brigade consisted of Companies A, B, C, D, E, F and G, in January, 1862. On the 28th of January Companies F and G were consolidated to form Company F; this company became, February 7, 1862, Company E, that company having been consolidated with Companies B and C. This new Company E was at the consolidation of the Hancock and Syracuse regiments merged into Companies A, B, C and D, and a new Company E formed. The companies of the Union Brigade formed respectively Companies A, D, F, G and K of the 101st Infantry.
The 2d Onondaga County Regiment was in February, 1862, formed, by consolidations, into five companies, which became Companies B, C, E, H and I of the 101st Infantry.
The regiment was mustered in the service of the United States for three years between September 2, 1861, and February 28, 1862. The companies were recruited principally: A at New York City; B, H and K at Syracuse; C at Conestoga; D, F and G at Hancock; E at Utica, and I at Camillus.
The regiment left the State March 9, 1862; served in General Wadsworth's command, Military District of Washington, from March, 1862; in Whipple's Brigade, Military District of Washington, from May, 1862; in 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 3d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from June 9, 1862; in 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 3d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from July, 1862; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 3d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from November 14, 1862, and December 24, 1862, under Col. George F. Chester, it was transferred to the 37th N. Y. Volunteers and discontinued.
During its service the regiment lost by death, kill in action, 13 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 1 officer, 12 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, I officer, 48 enlisted men; total, 2 officers, 73 enlisted men; aggregate, 75; of whom 1 enlisted man died in the hands of the enemy.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. volume II. 

One Hundred and First Infantry.—Cols., Enrico Fardella, George F. Chester; Lieut-Cols., Johnson B. Brown, Gustavus Sniper; Majs., Gustavus Sniper, Samuel L. Mitchell. This regiment, known as the Union brigade or Onondaga regiment, was organized at Hancock, Jan. 3, 1862, was recruited in the counties of Delaware, New York and Onondaga, and was mustered in from Sept. 2, 1861, to Feb. 28, 1862. It left the state for Washington March 9, 1862, and in June was assigned to Kearny's famous division, 3d corps, with which it took part in the Seven Days' battles, fighting at Oak Grove, Glen-dale, and Malvern hill, with a loss during the campaign of 7 killed; 15 wounded and 22 missing. On Aug. 14, the regiment marched with the 3d corps to Yorktown, whence it embarked for Alexandria, and proceeded from there to Warrenton Junction, where it was pent to reinforce Gen. Pope. It was engaged at Groveton, the second Bull Run and Chantilly, sustaining a loss at Bull Run of 6 killed, 101 wounded, and 17 missing, a total of 124 out of 168 en-gaged, or over 73 per cent.—a percentage only exceeded in any one battle by two other regiments in the Union Army. It was active at the battle of Fredericksburg in December, losing 13 killed and wounded. On Dec. 24, 1862, it was transferred to the 37th N. Y. infantry and the officers were mustered out. The regiment lost during service I officer and 25 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; I officer and 48 enlisted men died of disease and other causes; total, 2 officers and 73 enlisted men.

NYSMM Online Resources

Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (pdf)
Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (spreadsheet)

Muster Roll

Unit Roster

Civil War Newspaper Clippings (text)
       Pages 1 - 2 (pdf)

Miscellaneous documents (Collection 2012.0055, originally found in the 101st Infantry newspaper folder) (text)
      Page image view is here. (pdf)

Search the Museum catalog for this unit

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Other Resources

This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to ng.ny.nyarng.list.historians@army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Bowers, Andrew. Letter to Maria, 1862. 
2 items (3 p.)
Letter written by Bowers while encamped near Fort Logan, mentions trip to Mount Vernon and that he expects the war to end soon. He also mentions his friends David Waterbury and Martin Fleuers. Also included is one page of notes on the military service records of Bowers, Waterbury, and Fleuers.
Located at the Clarke Historical Library, University of Michagan.

Coon, David H. David H. Coon Letters, 1861 : 101st New York Volunteer Infantry.

Crego, Arthur V. U. S. "Staff and Field Officers's Sword Model 1850 : A Civil War Presentation." Military Collector & Historian. 59:2 (Summer 2007) 131-133.

Dodge, Theodore Ayrault. On campaign with the Army of the Potomac : the Civil War journal of Theodore Ayrault Dodge. New York : Cooper Square Press, 2001.

Easton, John Burdett. Civil War letters from J. Burdett Easton 1841-1907. Pittsford, N.Y.: R.E. Craytor,1996. v leaves, 85 p. : ill. ; 29 cm. 
Located at the University of Rochester.

Ford, Edward I. The Edward I. Ford collection, 1863-1866.
2 items (315 cubic in.)
Collection consists of two diaries, one for 1863 and the other for 1866, (both leather bound, four and seven-eighths inches by three and one eighth inches and one-half of an inch thick). The 1863 diary has 180 pages and 365 entries, as well as notes and cash accounts. The 1866 diary has 182 pages and 365 entries, as well as notes and cash accounts.
Located at the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Ford, Henry E. History of the 101st regiment, by Lieut. H. E. Ford. Syracuse [Press of Times pub. co.] 155 p.

Keith, Elijah. Elijah Keith Civil War papers, 1862-1865.
Description:    0.5 cu. ft
Abstract:    The Elijah Reed Keith Civil War papers consist of correspondence between Elijah and different members of his family, primarily his wife Caroline, during the years 1862-1865. The first letters dated ca. Feb. 1862, come from Charles Keith, who has already mustered into service in the New York State Volunteers, and are addressed to his father, who had not yet enlisted. Charles' letters are brief updates concerning his whereabouts and living conditions. He writes to his family relatively infrequently up until the time of his death on June 17, 1864. Elijah's letters begin on Sept. 25, 1862, while he is at Camp Schuyler in Herkimer Co., N.Y. He writes to his wife and family at least twice a week throughout his time in the service. Although Elijah does not seem to see much combat because of illness, he remains with his regiment for much of the war, until he goes to the Armory Square Hospital in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 2, 1864. His letters contain vivid descriptions of army life and of the hospital, as well as his opinions on such matters as abolition, the looting of southern homes, and the nature of war. Letters written to Elijah Keith from his wife, Caroline Lake Keith, and occasional letters from daughters, Celia and Laverna, describe life on the family farm, the sale of farm produce, financial troubles, and sentiments about issues such as the draft and the war in general.
Held at the Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York.

Klice, Henry L. LeighColl Bk 2: 81 
(Enlisted man's letter, Jul 15, 1862)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Livermore, Thomas L. Memoir of Theodore Ayrault Dodge. Boston: MA Hist Soc., 1909. 16 p.

McLain, Jean Marie. As best we could : a Civil War story of the 101st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and their loved ones at home. Austin, Tex. : 1st World Library,2002.
Fiction

Murray, R. L. Letters from the front : Onondaga County troops in the Civil War. Wolcott, N.Y. Benedum Books, c2002.

Onondaga Historical Association. Civil War flags at the Onondaga County Courthouse Syracuse, NY: Dupli (printer) 2012.

Slate, Gary. The 101st NY Infantry : what ever happened to those guys? 2001
Description:    8 leaves ; 28 cm
Held at the Onondaga County Public Library

    
White, Lewis. Lewis White correspondence, 1862-1924.
Description:    8 items in 1 envelope.
Abstract:    This small group consists of four letters (1862) and four empty envelopes (1920s). The first letter dated March 15, [1862], describes the regiment's journey from Hancock, New York to Washington, D.C. White writes the departure was delayed because "one of the boys set the barracks on fire." There was a mud march to the campsite where there was "nothing to eat" and "no straw for our beds but one blanket." The second letter dated June 13, 1862, describes a camp near Richmond, Virginia, where they "are right here in the jaws of the rebels." He recounts battlefield casualties, a skirmish at the White House Landing, and a soldier who "shot his thumb" to "get away." In the third letter, White reports he had been sick with "Chill fever" for ten days. He also describes the battle of White Oak as told by an Irish soldier from his company. In the final letter, dated August 6, 1862, he proudly announces "I am now chosen colors corporal one that goes with the colors into battle the most dangerous place in the regiment." The four empty envelopes were sent from Ida E. White of Parish, New York to Lewis J. White (1877-1934) a banker in Ely, Minnesota.
Held at the The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Williams, T. Harry, ed. "The Reluctant Warrior: The Diary of N.K. Nichols." Civil War History (Mar 1957) pp. 17-39.

Wright, Clark. LeighColl Bk 10: 11
(Enlisted man's letter, Aug 19, 1862)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA. 

 

Unit bibliography from the Army Heritage Center

Items the museum holds are in bold.