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118th New York Infantry

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Muster In: Organized at Plattsburg, N.Y., and mustered in August 27, 1862.1
Muster Out: Mustered out June 13, 1865.2

Commander(s):
Lieutenant Colonel George F. Nichols
GeorgeFNichols118thNY3

Lieutenant Colonel Levi S. Dominy
Commander Image

Major John L. Cunningham
JohnLCunningham118thNYv130p66774

Commander 4
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army5,6

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army9,10

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

  • Commander: Captain Levi S. Dominy (July 31, 1864)16
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army17

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel George F. Nichols (August 31, 1864)18
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | First Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army19,20

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

  • Commander: Major Levi S. Dominy (at least October 15 & 31, 1864)27,28
  • Unit Strength: ~250 officers and men PFD (October 27, 1864)29
  • Weapons: Spencer’s Breech-loading Rifles (.52 caliber) (October 27, 1864)30

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle:

Second Brigade | First Division | XVIII Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (November 1-December 3, 1864)31

Second Brigade | Third Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army (December 3-31, 1864)32

  • Commander: Major John L. Cunningham (December 31, 1864)33
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: On December 3, 1864, the X Corps and XVIII Corps of the Army of the James were reorganized into the XXIV Corps and the XXV Corps.

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army34,35

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Levi S. Dominy (January 31 & February 28, 1865)36,37
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Second Brigade | Third Division | XXIV Corps | Army of the James | Union Army38,39

  • Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Levi S. Dominy (March 31, 1865)40
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles41:

  • Before Petersburg June 15-18.
  • Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
  • Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864.
  • In trenches before Petersburg and on the Bermuda Hundred front until September 27.
  • Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30.
  • Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28.
  • Duty in the tre ches before Richmond until March, 1865.
  • Fall of Petersburg and Richmond April 2-3.
  • Pursuit of Lee April 3-9.
  • Appomattox Court House April 9.
  • Surrender of Lee and his army.
  • Provost duty at Richmond and Manchester until June.

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. Image from the personal collection of Joseph Maghe.  This image may not be reproduced without his written consent.  I’d like to thank Joe for his extreme generosity in providing this and many other images for commanders at this site. ↩
  4. John L. Cunningham image.  MOLLUS-Mass Civil War Photograph Collection, Vol. 130, Page 6677.  United States Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA. ↩
  5. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 235 ↩
  6. 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. 554 ↩
  7. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 118th New York Entry, Page 124; 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. ↩
  8. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 118th New York Entry, Page 124; 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. ↩
  9. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), p. 235 ↩
  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), p. 554 ↩
  11. 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. 554 ↩
  12. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 118th New York Entry, Page 124; 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. ↩
  13. Volume 13 (Ordnance Returns for the Second Quarter, April-June, 1864); 118th New York Entry, Page 124; 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. ↩
  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 265 ↩
  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 739 ↩
  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 739 ↩
  17. 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 621: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
  18. 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 621: “Organization of the Army of the Potomac…August 31, 1864” ↩
  19. 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. 1304. ↩
  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), page 135: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces (September-October 1864)” ↩
  21. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 118th New York Entry, Page 120; 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. ↩
  22. Volume 15 (Ordnance Returns for the Third Quarter, July-September, 1864); 118th New York Entry, Page 120; 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. ↩
  23. “In Front of Richmond.” Adirondack Record (Au Sable, NY). July 25, 1919, p. 2 col. 1-5 ↩
  24. “In Front of Richmond.” Adirondack Record (Au Sable, NY). July 25, 1919, p. 2 col. 1-5 ↩
  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 466: “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 150: “Return of Casualties in the Union Forces…Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road, Va., October 27-28, 1864” ↩
  27. “In Front of Richmond.” Adirondack Record (Au Sable, NY). July 25, 1919, p. 2 col. 1-5: “About this time (October 15) we moved to the right of the captured fort, and the name was changed to Fort Burnham, and a battery of fieldpieces and one Whitworth gun occupied the fort….A first lieutenant, acting adjutant, got rather full of “tanglefoot,” and, as is generally the case under such influence, became very patriotic.  …He was taken to the lieutenant-colonel, who had command of the regiment at the time, and he was reprimanded for his conduct…”: Major Levi S. Dominy was a brevet Lieutenant Colonel in October 1864, and it is he to whom the article is referring. ↩
  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 466: “Organization of the Union Forces” (October 31, 1864)” ↩
  29. “In Front of Richmond.” Adirondack Record (Au Sable, NY). July 25, 1919, p. 2 col. 1-5: “We had about 250 men that morning and all that could be found that night were twenty-five and those were remaining with the colors, which were a little in the rear, being on the reserve.  Of course there were a few who straggled and were not in the fight.  This came near wiping out of existence the 118th Regiment, but not quite, for we did exist to the end of the war.  The whole command was defeated and fell back to their old position for the winter.  This was called the second battle of Fair Oaks.  I suppose there were 25,000 men engaged at Seven Pines and Fair Oaks on October 28, 1864.” ↩
  30. “In Front of Richmond.” Adirondack Record (Au Sable, NY). July 25, 1919, p. 2 col. 1-5 ↩
  31.  A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩
  32. 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 1125: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864) ↩
  33. 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 1125: “Organization of the Union Forces” (December 31, 1864): This is one of those rare occasions where the Official Records is incorrect.  If you look at the roster for the 118th New York at the New York State Military Museum site, it clearly shows the man’s middle initial was L rather than S. ↩
  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 335: “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 749: “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 2 (Serial Number 96), page 335: “Organization of the Union Forces” (January 31, 1865) ↩
  37. 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 749: “Organization of the Union Forces” (February 28, 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 578: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 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 595: “Return of casualties in the Union Forces commanded by Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, March 29-April 9, 1865” ↩
  40. 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 578: “Organization of the Union Forces” (March 31, 1865) ↩
  41. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer (Part 3) ↩

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