85th New York Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

Organized at Elmira, N.Y., and mustered in December 2, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., December 3, 1861. Attached to 3rd Brigade, Casey's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, to September, 1862. Wessell's Brigade, Division at Suffolk, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to December, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of North Carolina, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division., 18th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to May, 1863. District of the Albemarle, Dept. of North Carolina, August, 1863. Sub-District of the Albemarle, District of North Carolina, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. Plymouth, N. C., District of North Carolina, January to March, 1865. 2nd Brigade, Division District of Beaufort, N. C, Dept. of North Carolina, to April, 1865. Unattached, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. North Carolina, to June, 1865.

SERVICE,--Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15.

• Moved to the Peninsula, Va., March 28.
• March 28-September 2, 1862 - The Peninsula Campaign
  • April 5-May 4, 1862 - Siege of Yorktown, Virginia
    • April 29, 1862 - Reconnaissance toward Lee's Mill, Virginia
  • May 5, 1862 - Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia
  • Reconnaissance to Bottom's Bridge May 20-23.
  • May 24, 1862 - Skirmish at Savage's Station, Virginia
  • May 24-27, 1862 - Reconnaissance to Seven Pines, Virginia
  • May 31-June 1, 1862 - Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia
  • New Market Road June 8.
  • June 25-July 1, 1862 - The Seven Days Battles before Richmond, Virginia
  • June 25-July 1, 1862 - The Seven Days Battles before Richmond, Virginia
    • June 28-June 29, 1862 - Skirmishes at Bottom's Bridge, Virginia
    • June 30, 1862 - Engagement at White Oak Swamp, Virginia
    • July 1, 1862 - Engagement at Malvern Hill, Virginia

At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Moved to Fortress Monroe August 16-23, thence to Suffolk, Va., September 18, and duty there until December. Reconnaissance to Franklin October 3. Blackwater October 9, 26, 29 and 30. Franklin October 31. Zuni November 18. Ordered to New Berne, N. C., December 4. Foster's Expedition to Goldsboro, N. C., December 11-20. Actions at Kinston December 14. Whitehall December 16. Goldsboro December 17. Duty at New Berne, N. C., until April, 1863. Expedition to relief of Little Washington April 7-10.

• June 11-August 1, 1863 - The Gettysburg Campaign
  • July 1-3, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Moved to Plymouth, N. C., May 2, and duty there until July. Expedition to Williamston and Gardiner's Bridge July 5-7 (Detachment). Expedition from Plymouth to Foster's Mills July 26-29. Expedition to Roanoke Island August 6-13, and to Columbia August 26-27. Duty at Albemarle Sound and Chowan River until November. Expedition to Winton November 6-9. Regiment veteranize January 1, 1864. Expedition up the Chowan January 6-21. Harrellsville January 20 (Detachment).

• January 30, 1864 - Skirmish at Windsor, North Carolina (detachment)

Siege of Plymouth, N. C., April 17-20. Surrendered at Plymouth April 20. Regiment reorganized January, 1865, and duty in the Dept. of North Carolina until June. Campaign of the Carolinas March 1-April 26. Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March 6-21. Battle of Wise's Forks March 8-10. Occupation of Kinston March 14, and of Goldsboro March 21. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Duty in the Dept. of North Carolina until June. Mustered out June 27, 1865.

Regimental Roster

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Regiment Statistical Information

• Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 34 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 324 Enlisted men by disease. Total 361.

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 822, 827, 897, 898, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 1438-1439)