9th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment


The 9th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment, U.S. Volunteers was a regiment in the American Civil War. It was one of the nine Heavy Artillery regiments to suffer over 200 killed. It is also mentioned as one of Fox's 300 Fighting Regiments.

History

Formation and Defences of Washington, D.C.

The regiment was originally mustered in on September 8, 1862, as the 138th New York Infantry Regiment, was quickly taken to Washington D.C. to be used in the defenses of the nation's capital. On December 19, 1862, it was redesignated as the 9th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment. On February 5, 1863, an additional Company M was created within the regiment with the transfer of the 22d N.Y. Volunteer Battery. Company L was organized in Albany between November 4 and December 9, 1863.
Amongst the regimental commanders, William H. Seward Jr. stands out as he is the son of then-Secretary of State William H. Seward. Due to this, William H. Seward visited the regiment often, and as a consequence, it gained the nickname, "Seward's Pets."
The Regiment was divided into three battalions. After the formation of the regiment, its duties were the protection of the capital. While there, it built and garrisoned Fort Mansfield, Fort Bayard, Fort Gaines, and Fort Foote until spring, 1864. A letter to the editor of the Dem. Press gives the condition of the regiment on March 11, 1864, about two months before the 9th began combat operations. The letter is taken from the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center.

Combat Operations

Overland Campaign

In May 1864, Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant took command of the Union Army, embarking on an aggressive campaign, called the Overland Campaign, against the south. Due to heavy casualties suffered by Union Army, more troops were needed to embark on the campaign. To achieve this, General Grant ordered most of the troops defending the capital, including the 9th New York Heavy Artillery, to the front to increase troop numbers. They would now be Heavy Artillery in name only, donning their rifles and assuming the duties of infantrymen. Two battalions, 1st and 2nd, of the 9th joined the VI Corps and the Army of the Potomac as infantry, while one, the 3rd battalion, joined the Artillery Brigade. They numbered 1,944 men on May 26, 1864, as reported by Maj. Charles Burgess, before commencement of combat operations.
Battle of Cold Harbor
The 9th New York Heavy Artillery joined the VI Corps on the banks of North Anna River on May 26, 1864, and then marched to the Pamunkey during the nights of May 27 and 28. From there, it departed for Cold Harbor on May 29, guarding the wagon train along the way, where it saw its first offensive action on June 1, 1864, at the Battle of Cold Harbor, where the brigade they were part of charged at 6 pm and captured several hundred prisoners, and also managed to hold against several counterattacks on June 2. It also participated in the major attack on June 3, being placed second and third in the line of battle in Keifer's Brigade in the 3rd Division, where they were ordered at 6 am to proceeded to advance 200 yards, where upon they entrenched under heavy fire. Over the course of the Battle of Cold Harbor the 9th numbered 43 killed and mortally wounded, 99 wounded, and 6 missing, for a total of 148.

Timeline

Defense of Washington D.C.
May 18, 1864: Joines the Army of the Potomac, begins to march torwards it
Overland Campaign
Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864
Siege of Petersburg , 15 killed
Appomattox Campaign
2 men died on picket in Virginia and 2 at an unknown location. 41 died as Prisoners of War.

Total Regimental Losses and Calculated Percentages

Regiment losses included 6 Officers and 198 men killed or mortally wounded. 3 Officers and 254 Enlisted men died by disease. The total deaths were 461.

Post War

After the war, the soldiers of the Regiment not eligible for discharge from service were transferred to the 2nd New York Heavy Artillery Regiment. They formed four companies, I, K, L and M.

Notable Members

This list of notable members is based on bios given in Alfred Seelye Roe's book, "The Ninth New York heavy artillery, a history of its organization, services in the defenses of Washington, marches, camps, battles, and muster-out, with accounts of life in a Rebel prison, personal experiences, names and addresses of surviving members, personal sketches, and a complete roster of the Regiment".