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.

*             North Anna River, Virginia May 23

                            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 (Cos. A, B, D, E, F, I, and K) mustered out June 21, 1864

                    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 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%