≡ Menu

BTC Notes: A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers,[Fourth Oneida]

Note: The BTC Notes series serves as a way to gather important information about a given source on the Siege of Petersburg like a book, article, essay, map, etc.

A History of the One Hundred Seventeenth Regiment, NY Volunteers by J.A. MowrisSubject: A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers,[Fourth Oneida] by J.A. Mowris

Important Points:

Notes:

  • Earlier chapters do not discuss the Bermuda Hundred Campaign or the Siege of Petersburg and were not consulted for the purposes of this research.
  • The 117th New York left the Petersburg/Richmond front for good in December 1864, so later chapters in the book were also not consulted for the purposes of this research.

Chapter IX. Leave Folly Island to Join the Army of the James:

  • “On the afternoon of April 24th, we arrived at Gloucester Point, and, one week later, at West Point.”1
  •  Colonel White rejoined the 117th NY around May 1, 1864 with fresh recruits.  The entire Army of the James was reorganizing at this time. (“We remained on the Point about one week, during which time the 10th and 18th corps, under Gen. Butler, were re organized for duty in the field. The regiment was here re inforced by another installment of recruits, which had just come down in charge of Col. White, who now rejoined the regiment after a recruiting tour and an absence of several weeks.”)2
  • The First Brigade, Second Division, Tenth Corps, Army of the James was commanded by Colonel Henry on April 29, 1864 and consisted of the following regiments: 40th MA, 89th NY, 117th NY, 142nd NY, and 3rd NY.  (“By the 29th of April there was a good deal of preparation in the entire corps. On the evening of the 30th, our brigade, the 1st, under command of Col. Henry, of the 40th Mass., consisting of the 89th, 117th, 142d, 3d, all N.Y. State regiments, and the 40th Mass., embarked on four transports.”)3
  • The 117th NY lost 89 men at the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff.4
  • The author alleges the brigade commander was far to the rear at Drewry’s Bluff. Was this Adelbert Ames?  Further research is needed. (“The service rendered by the 117th, and her four sister regiments in this terrific battle, is the more creditable, in view of the fact that they were obliged, through nearly the whole engagement, to act independently ; the brigade Commander, Col. A., being absent and far to the rear, as was alleged, by virtue of a severe attack of discretion.”)5

Chapter X. Cold Harbor, Capture of Petersburg Heights, Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg Trenches:

  • The 117th NY returned to the Bermuda Hundred lines on the night of June 14, 1864.6
  • The 117th NY made a charge on June 15, 1864 at the Second Battle of Petersburg.7
  • Around June 17, 1864 the 13th Indiana was mustered out of the service and the 112th NY joined the brigade.  The reorganization in which the 13th Indiana became a part of the same brigade as the 117th NY was never mentioned in this book.8
  • The 117th NY was in Turner’s Division (1st Brig, 2nd Div, 10th Corps, AotJ) as of late June 1864.9

Chapter XI. Springing of the Mine, Crossing of the James:

  • In a skirmish on the Bermuda Hundred line on August 25, 1864 the 117th NY lost some men as prisoners.10

Chapter XII. Chapin’s Farm:

  • The 117th NY suffered over 100 casualties at the Battle of Fort Harrison on September 28, 1864.11
  • The 117th was in reserve during a Confederate attack on October 7, 1864.12
  • The 1st Brig, 2nd Div, 10th Corps lost around 300 men at Second Fair Oaks on Ocotber 27, 1864.13
  • The 117th NY lost 52 men at Second Fair Oaks on Oct. 27, 1864.14
  • The 112th NY was sent to New York City on November 3, 1864 in the event of riots following the results of the Presidential election.15
  • In December 1864 the Army of the James was reorganized into an all white (24th) and all black (25th) corps.16

Unit Strengths

  • No unit strengths mentioned.

Unit Armament

  • No unit armament mentioned.

Unit Commanders:

  •  Colonel White rejoined the 117th NY around May 1, 1864 with fresh recruits.  The entire Army of the James was reorganizing at this time. (“We remained on the Point about one week, during which time the 10th and 18th corps, under Gen. Butler, were re organized for duty in the field. The regiment was here re inforced by another installment of recruits, which had just come down in charge of Col. White, who now rejoined the regiment after a recruiting tour and an absence of several weeks.”)17
  • Col. Henry was in command of the brigade at Cold Harbor.  No mention is made of its attachment to the 18th Corps at this time.18
  • The First Brigade, Second Division, Tenth Corps, Army of the James was commanded by Colonel Henry on April 29, 1864 and consisted of the following regiments: 40th MA, 89th NY, 117th NY, 142nd NY, and 3rd NY.  (“By the 29th of April there was a good deal of preparation in the entire corps. On the evening of the 30th, our brigade, the 1st, under command of Col. Henry, of the 40th Mass., consisting of the 89th, 117th, 142d, 3d, all N.Y. State regiments, and the 40th Mass., embarked on four transports.”)19
  • Col. White was wounded at the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff, and LtCol Daggett took command.20
  • Col. Bell appears to have been in command of the brigade on June 17, 1864.  There is no mention of who commanded the brigade on the previous two days.21
  • Col. White was apparently at the head of the regiment from the beginning of the siege until sometime in early July 1864, at which point he fell sick. (“It was here that Col. White’s remarkable powers of endurance failed. He had scarcely been relieved from duty a day for several months, and here he was at the front constantly, enduring the deprivations and perils of that position. He refused to retire from the command, till assured by his friends and the surgeons, that, in his condition, it was imprudent for him to remain.”)22
  • Col. Smith was in command of the 112th New York at the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864. (“Part of the Brigade had moved in. Col. Smith with the right wing of the Regiment had crowded through, and was in good position on the left of the passage. Capt. Ludwick, at this time acting Major, had command of the left wing of the Regiment.”)23
  • The 117th NY was under the command of Major Bagg at the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864.24
  • At the start of the 5th Offensive on September 28-29, 1864 Col. Daggett commanded the 1st Brig, 2nd Div, 10th Corps.25
  • Major Bagg commanded the 117th NY at the Second Battle of Fair Oaks on October 27, 1864.26
  • Col. Curtis commanded the 1st Brig, 2nd Div, 10th Corps at Second Fair Oaks on October 27, 1864.27
  • Major Bagg was in command at the Battle of Fort Harrison on September 29, 1864 and the the Battle of New Market Road on October 7, 1864.28

Sources:

  1. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 97 ↩
  2. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 99 ↩
  3. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, pp. 99-100 ↩
  4. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 107 ↩
  5. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 107 ↩
  6. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 113 ↩
  7. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, pp. 114-115 ↩
  8. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 117 ↩
  9. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 118 ↩
  10. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 130 ↩
  11. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 138 ↩
  12. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 140 ↩
  13. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 143 ↩
  14. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 144 ↩
  15. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, pp. 144-145 ↩
  16. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 145 ↩
  17. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 99 ↩
  18. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 110 ↩
  19. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, pp. 99-100 ↩
  20. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 106 ↩
  21. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 117 ↩
  22. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 120 ↩
  23. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 125 ↩
  24. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 126 ↩
  25. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, pp. 134, 137 ↩
  26. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 143 ↩
  27. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 143 ↩
  28. Mowris, J.A., A History of the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment, N.Y. Volunteers. Hartford, Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1866, p. 232 ↩

Tagged as: , , ,

{ 0 comments… add one }

Leave a Reply

Next post:

Previous post:

Search SOPO

SOPO RSS Feed

Subscribe to The Siege of Petersburg Online RSS Feed

Links