70th New York Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

"1st Excelsior"

Organized under authority of the War Department as 1st Regiment, Sickles' Brigade, at Camp Scott, Staten Island, N.Y., and mustered in June 20, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., July 23, 1861. Attached to Sickles' Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Sickles' Brigade, Hooker's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. (Designated 70th Regiment New York Infantry December 11, 1861.) 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps, to May, 1864. 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1864.

SERVICE.--Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Expedition to Lower Maryland September 15-October 2, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10, 1862. Expedition from Dumfries to Fredericksburg and capture of stores March 18. Reconnaissance from Liverpool Point to Stafford Court House, Va., and action at Stafford Court House April 4.

• Ordered to the Peninsula, Va.
• ?-September 2, 1862 - The Peninsula Campaign
  • April 10-May 4, 1862 - Siege of Yorktown, Virginia
  • May 5, 1862 - Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia
  • May 31-June 1, 1862 - Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia
  • June 25-July 1, 1862 - The Seven Days Battles before Richmond, Virginia
    • June 25, 1862 - Engagement at Oak Grove, Virginia
    • June 29, 1862 - Engagement at Savage's Station, Virginia
    • June 29, 1862 - Battle of the Peach Orchard, Virginia
    • June 30, 1862 - Engagement at White Oak Swamp, Virginia
    • June 30, 1862 - Engagement at Glendale, Virginia
    • July 1, 1862 - Engagement at Malvern Hill, Virginia

Malvern Hill August 5. At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 26-September 2. Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run August 27. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30; Chantilly September 1. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until November. At Fairfax Station, Va., until November 25. Operations on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad November 10-12. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Duty at Falmouth until April 27, 1863. "Mud March" January 20-24. Operations about Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7.

• April 27-May 6, 1863 - The Chancellorsville Campaign
  • May 1-5, 1863 - Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia
• June 11-August 1, 1863 - The Gettysburg Campaign
  • July 1-3, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Wapping Heights, Va., July 23. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until 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 November 27. Duty near Brandy Station until May, 1864.

• Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7.
• May 4-June 12, 1864 - The Overland Campaign
  • May 5-7, 1864 - Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia
  • May 8-21, 1864 - Battles of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
    • May 10, 1864 - Combat at Po River, Virginia
    • May 12, 1864 - Assault on the Salient at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
    • May 19, 1864 - Engagement at Harris Farm, Virginia
  • May 22-26, 1864 - Operations on Line of the North Anna River, Virginia
  • May 26-28, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Pamunkey River, Virginia
  • May 28-31, 1864 - Operations on Line of the Totopotomoy River, Virginia
  • June 1-12, 1864 - Battles of Cold Harbor, Virginia
  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
• Ordered to New York for muster out June 22.
• Veterans and Recruits transferred to 86th New York Infantry
• July 7, 1864 - Mustered out to date from July 1, 1864, expiration of term

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

Regiment Casualty Comparisons by Source

Source	Casualties	Remarks
Dyer	9 Officers and 181 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded 2 Officers and 62 enlisted men killed by disease Total 254	None
Fox	Fox lists this unit as: 19th on the list of units with losses based on duration of the entire term of service of the unit (3rd of the New York troops)	This feature is not yet available. Check back soon for updates!
WotRWiki Statistics	0 troops killed Includes 0 troops mortally wounded Includes 0 troops killed by disease All others are troops killed in action or under special circumstances	This feature is not yet available. Check back soon for updates!

Legacy

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Sources

• Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 827, 897, 898, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 916, 932, 933, 934, 936, 937, 938, 940, 941, 1431)
• Fox, William F. 1840-1909. Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865: A Treatise on the Extent and Nature of the Mortuary Losses in the Union Regiments, With Full and Exhaustive Statistics Compiled From the Official Records on File in the State Military Bureaus and at Washington. Albany: Albany Pub. Co., 1889. (Page 12)