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

Colonel Henry Moore received authority from the War Department, July 24, 1861, to recruit a regiment of infantry; it was recruited principally in New York city and Brooklyn, and a few men came from Dutchess county; the Imperial Zouaves, Col. Wesley Merritt, an incomplete organization, recruited under authority from War Department, of July 27, 1861, formed its nucleus. September 14, 1861, the State authorities gave it its numerical designation, and it was, on the same day, mustered in the service of the United States for three years, at East New York. January 30, 1864, a portion of the Enfants Perdus were transferred to the regiment. At the expiration of its term of service, the men entitled thereto were discharged and the regiment retained. June 17, 1865, it received 301 officers and enlisted men of the 115th Infantry, not mustered out with their regiment. 
The regiment left the State September 19, 1861; served in Viele's, 1st, Brigade, T. W. Sherman's Expeditionary Corps, from September 19, 1861, at and near Washington, D. C.; in the Department of the South, from November, 1861; on Edisto Island, Department of the South, from March, 1862; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the South, from June, 1862; at Hilton Head, S. C., from July, 1862; in Terry's Brigade, 10th Corps, from January, 1863; unassigned, 10th Corps, from February, 1863; at Ossawba Island, Ga., 10th Corps, from April, 1863; on Folly Island, S. C, from July, 1863; at Hilton Head, S. C., from November, 1863; in Barton's Brigade, Seymour's Division, 10th Corps, in District of Florida, from December, 1863; in 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 10th Corps, Army of the James, from April, 1864; in 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 18th Corps, from May 30, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 10th Corps, from June 15, 1864; in same brigade and division, 24th Corps, from December, 1864; in Provisional Corps, from March, 1865; in 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 10th Corps, from April 2, 1865; and it was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Col. Christopher R. Macdonald, August 30, 1865, at Raleigh, N. C.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 7 officers, 57 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 29 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 157 enlisted men; total, 7 officers, 243 enlisted men; aggregate, 250; of whom 55 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.

Forty-seventh Infantry.—Cols., Henry Moore, James L. Frazer, Henry Wood, Christopher R. McDonald; Lieut.-Cols., James L. Frazer, Pierce C. Kane, George B. Van Brunt, Albert B. Nicholas, Christopher R. McDonald, Joseph McDonald; Majs., Daniel Lloyd, Pierce C. Kane, George B. Van Brunt, David Allen, Christopher R. McDonald, Edward Eddy, Jr., Charles A. Moore, Frank A. Butts, The 47th, the "Washington Grays," was recruited in New York and Brooklyn and mustered into the U. S. service at East New York, Sept. 14, 1861, for a three years' term. It left the state Sept. 15, with 678 members, for Washington, and with the 1st brigade of Sherman's division, embarked for Hilton Head in October, and arrived there on Nov. 3. It was stationed at Hilton Head until Jan. I, 1862, when it was ordered to Beaufort, S. C., to participate in the operations against Port Royal ferry and then returned to Hilton Head. Early in February the regiment moved to Edisto island and remained there until ordered to James island in June, where it became a part of the 1st brigade, 1st division and was engaged at Secessionville. On July I it returned to Hilton Head, where it performed guard and picket duty during the ensuing fall and winter. It was active in the assault on Fort Wagner in July, 1863, and was stationed in that vicinity during the remainder of the year. In the Florida expedition in Feb., 1864, the regiment suffered a loss at Olustee of 313 in killed, wounded and missing. After proceeding up the St. John's river as far as Palatka, the expedition returned to Hilton Head. In April the 47th was ordered to Virginia and assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, l0th corps, Army of the James, at Bermuda Hundred. On May 25, the division was assigned to the 18th corps and after several encounters near Bermuda Hundred, notably at Port Walthall Junction, the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac just before the battle of Cold Harbor, in which it bore an active part. . On June 15, it was transferred to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, l0th corps; took part in the first assault on Petersburg; was present at the mine explosion, July 30; and was active in engagements at Strawberry Plains, Fort Harrison and on the Darbytown road. The original members not reenlisted were mustered out in July, 1864, but the veterans and recruits continued as a regiment in the field. In Dec., 1864, in the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, 24th corps the regiment was ordered to Fort Fisher, N. C., and played its part in the reduction of that stronghold. The 47th passed the remaining months of its service in the Carolinas, being present at Smithfield, Fort Anderson, Wilmington, Cox's bridge and Bennett's house, and on April 2, 1865, was attached to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, l0th corps. It was mustered out at Raleigh, N. C., Aug. 30 1865, after four years of faithful and efficient service to the Union Cause. During its term of service the regiment lost 93 by death from wounds and 157 from other causes.