72nd New York Volunteer Battle History

1861:

The 72nd New York Volunteer Infantry was organized under authority of the War Department at Camp Scott, at Staten Island, N Y., as 3rd Regiment, Sickles' Brigade.

·           Expedition to Lower Maryland September 15 - October 2, 1861

·           Budd's Ferry, Maryland - October 23, 1861.

1862:

·           Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10, 1862.

·           Expedition from Dumfries to Fredericksburg, Va., and capture of stores March 18.

·           Potomac River, Night of March 19, 1862. Capt. Robert T. Johnson, with 50 men of Co. I, crossed the Potomac into Virginia.

·           Potomac River, Night of March 20, 1862. Capt. Darwin Willard with 100 men of Companies A and B, crossed the Potomac and engaged the enemy at Boyd's Hole, Virginia.

·           Potomac River, Night of April 2, 1862. Lieutenant Colonel Israel Moses, with a detachment of 250 men of the regiment, with similar detachments from the other regiments of the brigade, crossed the Potomac and advanced to Stafford Court House, Virginia.

·           Reconnaissance from Liverpool Point to Stafford Court House and action at Stafford Court House April 4.

·           Ordered to the Peninsula April, 1862.

·           Siege of Yorktown April 10-May 4.

·           Battle of Williamsburg May 5.

Losses at Williamsburg:  

Killed 61

Mortally Wounded 23

Wounded 67

Missing 44

Total loss  195 

·           Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks May 31-June 1.

·           Seven Pines, Virginia, June 12, 1862.

·           Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1:

·           The Orchards or Oak Groves, Virginia, June 25, 1862.

·           Fair Oaks, Virginia, June 27, 1862

·           Peach Orchard, Savage Station, Virginia, June 29, 1862.

·           White Oak Swamp and Glendale, Virginia, June 30, 1862.

·           Malvern Hill, Virginia, July 1, 1862.

Losses for the Seven Days Battle:  

Killed 16

Mortally Wounded 6

Wounded 61

Missing 4

Total loss  87

·           Second Malvern Hill, Virginia, August 5, 1862.

·           At Harrison's Landing till August 16.

·           Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centerville, August 16-26.

·           Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 26-September 2.

·           Night of August 26 - Kettle Run, Virginia.

·           August 27 - Bristoe Station, Virginia.

·           August 29 - Groveton, Virginia.

·           August 30 - Second Bull Run, Virginia.

·           September 2 - Chantilly, Virginia.

Losses for Pope's Campaign:  

Killed 5

Mortally Wounded 2

Wounded 23

Missing 7

Total loss  37

·           Duty in the Defenses of Washington till November.

·           At Fairfax Station till November 25.

·           Operations on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad November 10-12.

·           Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15.

1863:

·           At Falmouth till April 27.

·           "Mud March" January 20-24.

·           Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7.

·           Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.

·           Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5.

·           May 2, 1863 - Chancellorsville, Virginia.

·           May 3, 1863 - Chancellorsville, Virginia.

Losses for the Chancellorsville campaign:  

Killed 15

Mortally Wounded 3

Wounded 28

Missing 55

Total loss  101

·           Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign Jun 11-July 24.

·           Peach Orchard, Gettysburg, Pa. - July 2, 1863.

·           Cemetery Ridge, Gettysburg, Pa. - July 3, 1863

Losses for the Gettysburg Campaign:  

Killed 7

Mortally Wounded 7

Wounded 72

Missing 28

Total loss  114

·           Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap July 5-24.

·           Wapping Heights, Va., July 23.

·           Duty on line of the Rappahannock till October.

·           Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.

·           Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.

·           Kelly's Ford November 7.

·           Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.

·           Payne's Farm, Locust Grove, Virginia November 27.

Losses for Locust Grove:  

Killed 4

Mortally Wounded 1

Wounded 15

Missing 0

Total loss  20

·           Mine Run, Virginia November 29, 1863.

1864:

·           Duty near Brandy Station till May, 1864.

·           Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7.

·           Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 3-June 15.

·           Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7.

·           Morning of May 6, 1864 - Wilderness, Virginia.

·           Afternoon of May 6, 1864 - Brock Road, Wilderness, Virginia.

Losses for the Wilderness Campaign:  

Killed 2

Mortally Wounded 2

Wounded 14

Missing 3

Total loss  21

·           Spotsylvania Campaign - May 8-12.

·           May 9, 1864 - Todd's Tavern, Virginia.

·           Morning of May 10, 1864 - Spotsylvania, Virginia.

·           Afternoon of May 10, 1864 - Spotsylvania, Virginia.

·           May 12, 1864 - Spotsylvania C. H., Virginia.

Losses for the Spotsylvania Campaign:  

Killed 4

Mortally Wounded 3

Wounded 27

Missing 6

Total loss  40

·           Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21.

·           May 12, 1864 - Assault on the Salient or "Bloody Angle".

·           May 18, 1864 - Landron House, Virginia.

·           May 19, 1864 - Anderson's Farm, Virginia.

·           May 19, 1864 - Harris Farm, or Fredericksburg Road, Virginia.

·           May 23, 1864 - North Anna River, Virginia.

Losses for North Anna:  

Killed 1

Mortally Wounded 0

Wounded 9

Missing 0

Total loss  10

·           Taylor's Bridge, Virginia May 24.

·           On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.

·           Totopotomoy May 28-31.

·           Cold Harbor June 1-12.

·           June 3, 1864 - Cold Harbor, Virginia.

·           June 4, 1864 - Cold Harbor, Virginia.

·           Siege of Petersburg, Virginia June 16-21, 1864.

·           June 17, 1864 - Harrison's Creek, Virginia.

·           June 18, 1864 - Norfolk Railroad, Virginia.

·           June 21, 1864 - Weldon Railroad, Virginia.

Losses for the Petersburg Campaign:  

Killed 3

Mortally Wounded 1

Wounded 10

Missing 0

Total loss  14

 

 

Eight Companies mustered out June 21, 1864 (Cos. A, B, D, E, F, I, and K).
Companies C, G and H attached to 120th Regiment New York Infantry.

·           July 27, 1864 - Deep Bottom, Virginia.

·           August 14, 1864 - Strawberry Plains, Virginia.

·           Night of September 9, 1864 - Fort Hell near Petersburg, Virginia.

·           October 2, 1864 - Poplar Springs Church, Virginia.

·           October 27, 1864 - Boydton Plank Road, Virginia.


Company C mustered out July 20, 1864.
Company G mustered out July 2, 1864.
Company H mustered out October 31, 1864.
Veterans and Recruits were transferred to 120th Regiment New York Infantry.

Total Losses for the Regiment for Three Years of Service:  

Killed 120

Mortally Wounded  54

Wounded and Recovered 354

Died of disease 86

Died in Prison 10

Missing 138

Total Losses  762

 

Estimated Total Enrollment for the Third Excelsior: 1250

Percentage Killed and Mortally Wounded 13.9%

Percentage Total Loss  60.8%

 

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