176th Infantry Regiment

Nickname: Ironsides

Mustered in: December 22, 1862
Mustered out: April 27, 1866

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912. 
September 4, 1862, Col. Charles Gould received authority to recruit the Ironsides in the then first seven Senatorial Districts of the State for a service of three years; he was succeeded by Col. Mark Hoyt. The S2d Regiment of the National Guard of the State, Col. M. W. Cole, was accepted for a service of nine months October 11, 1862. November 28, 1862, Colonel Hoyt received authority to accept men for a service of nine months; and his regiment was finally organized about December 15, 1862, at Brooklyn, by transferring to it the men enlisted for Colonel Cole's regiment, and the 166th Infantry, both of these organizations indicating no prospect of speedy completion. December 22, 1862, Colonel Hoyt's regiment, completed as above, received the designation I76th Infantry, and was mustered in the service of the United States on the same day at New York city, except Company K, which was not mustered in until January 10, 1863. The nine months' men of the regiment were discharged November 16, 1863, and subsequently, and February 6, 1864, all not yet discharged were ordered to be discharged; the regiment was later filled with drafted men, substitutes and volunteers, enlisted for three years.
The companies were recruited principally: A at Hamilton, Madison, Brookfield, Canastota, for nine months; B at New York city, Brooklyn, Sherburne, for nine months and three years; C at New York city, Warwick, Blooming Grove, Oyster Bay, Wallkill, Milan and Buffalo for nine months; D at New York city, Brooklyn, Oyster Bay, Sing Sing, Monroe and Chester for nine months and three years; E at New York city, Wallkill, Whitehall, White Creek and Milton for nine months and three years; F at Eaton, Nelson, Georgetown and Stockbridge for nine months; G at New York city, Otsego, Pelham, Southampton, Wallkill, New Lisbon, Buffalo and Cooperstown for nine months and three years; H at Syracuse and Buffalo for nine months; I and K (of the S2d National Guard), at Brooklyn for nine months.
The regiment left the State January 11, 1863; it served in the defenses of New Orleans, La., from February, 1863; in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, from March, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, from April, 1863; in the defenses of New Orleans, La., from May, 1863; in the Provisional Brigade, 2d Division, 19th Corps, from January, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 19th Corps, from March, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, 19th Corps, from June, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 10th Corps, from April, 1865; in the Department of the South and Georgia, from June and July, 1865, respectively; and, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Charles Lewis, it was honorably discharged and mustered out April 27, 1866, at Savannah, Ga.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 2 officers, 19 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 12 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 4 officers, 146 enlisted men; total, 6 officers, 177 enlisted men; aggregate, 183; of whom 2 officers, 17 enlisted men, 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 Seventy-sixth Infantry.—Cols., Charles C. Nott, Ambrose Stevens, Charles Lewis; Lieut.-Cols., A. J. H. Du-ganne, Charles Lewis, .William W. Badger; Majs., Morgan Morgan, Jr., Charles Lewis, James , Entwistle. The 176th, the "Ironsides," was recruited from the state at large and was originally intended to be a three years organization. Col. Charles Gould was authorized on Sept. 4, 1862, to recruit the Ironsides in the first seven senatorial districts of the state for three years' service. Neither he, nor his successor, Col. Mark Hoyt, succeeded in this and the regiment was finally organized in December at Brooklyn, by filling it up with recruits • enlisted for nine months. The first nine companies were mustered into the U. S. service from Nov. 20 to Dec. 22, 1862, and Co. K was mustered in on Jan. 10, 1863. After the discharge of the nine months men, Nov. 16, 1863, the organization was recruited to the normal standard by the addition of drafted men, substitutes and volunteers enlisted for three years. The regiment was organized under the direction of the Young Men's Christian Association of New York city. It left the state under command of Col. Nott on Jan. 11, 1863, and embarked on transports for New Orleans. On its arrival it was stationed in the defenses of New Orleans for several weeks and was attached to Augur's division of the 19th corps, when that corps was organized. It formed part of the garrison of New Orleans during the siege of Port Hudson, and took an active part in repelling the advance of the enemy under Gen. Taylor. During June, 1863, detachments of the regiment participated in the skirmishes at Pat-tersonville, La Fourche crossing, Thibodeaux, Fort Buchanan, Bayou Boeuff and Brashier City. In the action at La Fourche crossing, the regiment was commanded by Maj. Morgan and behaved most gallantly; in the actions at Fort Buchanan, on the Atchafalaya, and at Brashear City, the regiment met with serious disaster, over 400 men being captured. This disaster was not due to lack of bravery on the part of the men. There was no one in command, but the men fought with all the bravery that could be expected. The loss of the regiment in the above actions amounted to 464 killed, wounded and captured or missing. In the spring of 1864, attached to the 3d brigade, Grover's division, 19th corps, it took part in Banks' Red River campaign, being engaged at Mansura and Simsport. In July it returned to Virginia with the first two divisions of the 19th corps and took an active part in Sheridan's brilliant campaign in the Shenandoah Valley against Gen. Early, including the battles of Ber-ryville, the Opequan, Fisher's hill, and Cedar creek. Its loss at the Opequan was 47 killed, wounded. and missing, and at Cedar creek, 53. In the assault on Fisher's hill it captured 4 guns from the enemy. It remained in the valley until Jan., 1865, when it was ordered to Savannah, Ga., with Grover's division. In March it was ordered with the division, now commanded by Gen. Birge, to North Carolina, where it was temporarily attached to the 10th corps and took part in the final campaign of the Carolinas, ending with the surrender of Gen. Johnston at Bennett's house. Soon after this it returned to Georgia and was finally mustered out at Savannah on April 27, 1866. The regiment lost during service 2 officers and 31 men killed and mortally wounded; 4 officers and 177 men died of wounds and other causes—total deaths, 181, of whom 1 officer and 17 men died in the hands of the enemy.

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.

Badger, William Whittlesey. "My capture and escape from Mosby." United States service magazine III (1865) 548-60.

Duganne, Augustine Joseph Hickey. Camps and prisons, twenty months in the Department of the Gulf, by A. J. H. Duganne. New York: 1865.
Available online at:
http://www.archive.org/details/campsandprisons01dugagoog

Nott, Charles Cooper. Sketches in prison camps, a continuation of Sketches of the war, by Charles C. Nott, late Colonel of the 176th New York. New York: Anson D. F. Randolph, 1865.

Nott, Charles C. Sketches of the war : a series of letters to the North Moore Street School of New York. New York: Charles T. Evans, 1863. 
Nott was a native of New York City, but fought in the %th Iowa Cavalry. This may be the same Nott who wrote the above book; however, it may not be.

Putnam, George Haven, et al. Papers, ca. 1800-1931 (bulk 1860-1931).
12 cubic ft. (32 boxes)
Collection includes correspondence with many writers, political leaders and other notables (1840-1931); texts and notes for speeches; articles and publications by Putnam; scrapbooks of personal and Putnam Co. memorabilia; and miscellaneous other materials.
Located at the American Heritage Center University of Wyoming.

Putnam, George Haven. "The Civil war fifty years after, a veteran's experiences as recalled by the battle field pictures." American review of reviews XLIII (1911) 316-26.

Putnam, George Haven. Memories of my youth, 1844-1865, by George Haven Putnam, late Brevet Major, 176th regt. N.Y.S. vols. New York, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1914.

Putnam, George Haven. A prisoner of war in Virginia, 1864-5, by George Haven Putnam, Adt. and Bvt.-Major 176th N.Y.S. vols. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1912.

Putnam, George Haven. A prisoner of war in Virginia, 1864-65, by George Haven Putnam. Reprinted with additions, from the report of an address delivered before the New York commandery of the U.S. Loyal legion, December 7, 1910. Third edition, with a list of commissioned officers confined in Danville, Virginia, 1864-65, and an appendix presenting statistics of Northern prisons from the report of Thomas Sturgis. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1914.

Putnam, George Haven. "A prisoner of war in Virginia, 1864-5, by George Haven Putnam, Adt. and Bvt.-Major 176th N.Y.S. vols." MOLLUS-NY IV 208-48.

Putnam, George Haven. Abraham Lincoln, the great Captain, personal reminiscences by a veteran of the Civil war, a lecture delivered at Oxford, May the 7th, 1928, by George Haven Putnam. Oxford: Clarendon press, 1910.

Putnam, George Haven. Some memories of the Civil war. Together with an appreciation of the career and character of Major General Israel Putnam. By George Haven Putnam. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1924.
Available online at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Vp1YAAAAMAAJ

Sexton, Jason. Jason Sexton papers,1865
The collection consists of papers of Jason Sexton while serving as the Provost Marshall at Ft. Pulaski (Ga.) with the 175th New York Infantry Regiment from January - June 1865. The papers include correspondence, receipts, inventories, and a receipt for Confederate prisoners escorted by Sexton. The bulk of the correspondence is between Sexton and his wife, Hettie Sexton. The letters describe Sexton's duties as Provost Marshall; attending church services and the political leanings of the local people; high prices for food; taking care, keeping track of, and transporting Confederate prisoners to Ft. Monroe for exchange; the capture of Jefferson Davis and his passage through the fort; and his news of family and friends. The collection also contains a lengthy letter from Sexton, on board the steamer Oriental, to his family written January 14-19, 1865. The letter describes Sexton's journey from Baltimore to Savannah, the hardships of the voyage, and the transport and conduct of the troops (175th and 176th New York and the 38th Massachusetts Infantry Regiments) on the steamers. 
16 items. 
Located at Fort Pulaski National Monument.

Shelly, William. William Shelly diary, 1863 Jan. 1-Sept. 23.
Diary relates Shelly's experiences while in service in the 176th New York Infantry Regiment. Entries discuss Shelly's sea voyage from New York to Louisiana; his work in the Quartermaster department; his arrival at Lafourche; guerrilla activity in the area; the sound of fighting at Port Hudson (May 28); the capture and parole of his company (June 23-25); his return to Union lines; and his work recruiting for the 16th Regiment of the Corps d'Afrique.
Located at LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, La.

Worman, Edward. 176th NY Regiment captured at Cedar Creek, VA on October 19, 1864, 2014.
5 pages.

 

Items in the museum collection are in bold.