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59th New York Infantry

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Muster In: Organized July to November, 18611
Muster Out: June 30, 18652

Commander(s):
Colonel William A. Olmsted
Commander Image Needed

Lieutenant Colonel Horace P. Rugg
HoracePRugg59thNYv107p55393

Lieutenant Colonel James A. Jewell
Commander Image Needed

Captain George W. Ryerson
Commander Image Needed

Captain Thomas Huggins
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Captain William Ludgate
Commander Image Needed

First Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army4

Second Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army8,9

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Horace P. Rugg10
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons: Springfield Rifles (.58 caliber) (June 30, 1864)11
  • Note: The 59th New York was a battalion of four companies at this time.12,13

Third Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army14,15

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Horace P. Rugg (July 31, 1864)16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: On July 13, 1864, the 42nd New York regiment was mustered out and all remaining troops were assigned to the 82nd New York, which was in the process of being assigned to the 59th New York.17
  • Note: The 82nd New York mustered out June 25, 1864, expiration of term. Veterans and Recruits transferred to the 59th New York on July 10, 1864.18

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army19,20

  • Commander: Captain George W. Ryerson (August 27 and 31, 1864)21,22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army23

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army25,26

  • Commander: Lieutenant William Ludgate (October 31, 1864)27,28
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army29

  • Commander: Colonel William A. Olmsted (December 31, 1864)30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army31,32, 33

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant Colonel James A. Jewell (January 31, 1865)34
    • Captain Thomas Huggins (February 28, 1865)35
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: This unit is listed in the casualty returns for the Battle of Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865, implying it was present during the Eighth Offensive and the battle.36

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: First Brigade | Second Division | II Corps | Army of the Potomac | Union Army37,38

  • Commander: Captain William Ludgate (March 31, 1865)39
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles40:

  • Before Petersburg June 16-18.
  • Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864.
  • Demonstration north of the James July 27-29.
  • Deep Bottom July 27-28.
  • Demonstration north of the James August 13-20.
  • Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18.
  • Ream’s Station August 25.
  • Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28.
  • Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865.
  • Watkins’ House March 25.
  • Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9.
  • On line of Gravelly and Hatcher’s Run March 29.
  • Boydton and White Oak Road March 30-31.
  • Crow’s House March 31.
  • Fall of Petersburg April 2.
  • Sailor’s Creek April 6.
  • High Bridge and Farmville April 7.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    2. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    3. Horace P. Rugg image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 107, Page 5539.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.
    4. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 219-221
    5. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 59th New York Entry, Page 115; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    6. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 219-221
    7. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 543
    8. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 219-221
    9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 543
    10. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), page 543
    11. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 59th New York Entry, Page 115; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    12. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 219-221
    13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 2 (Serial Number 81), p. 543
    14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 252
    15. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 730
    16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 3 (Serial Number 82), page 730
    17. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    18. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
    19. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 613: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    20. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), pages 117, 130: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (August 1864)”
    21. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 312: Ryerson wrote this report on August 27, 1864 and signs it as commanding the 59th New York.
    22. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 2 (Serial Number 88), page 613: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864”
    23. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1298.
    24. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 59th New York Entry, Page 111; Summary Statements of Quarterly Returns of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores on Hand in Regular and Volunteer Army Organizations, 1862-1867, 1870-1876. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1281, Roll 7); Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, 1797-1969, Record Group 156; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 459: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    26. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 153: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Boydton Plank Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864”
    27. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), pages 312-313
    28. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 459: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)”
    29. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1116: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    30. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 3 (Serial Number 89), page 1116: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864)
    31. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 326: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    32. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 739: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    33. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 63: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)”
    34. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 326: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865)
    35. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 739: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 1865)
    36. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 96), page 63: “Return of Casualties in the Union forces at Hatcher’s Run (otherwise known as Dabney’s Mill, Armstrong’s Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughan Road)… (February 5-7, 1865)”
    37. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 567: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    38. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 583: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865”
    39. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 567: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865)
    40. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3)
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