72^nd New York State Volunteers

Image Gallery

Col. Nelson Taylor: Age 40 years; enrolled at Staten Island to serve three years, and mustered in as Colonel, July 23, 1861; discharged, September 9, 1862, for promotion to Brigadier-General, U.S. Volunteers.

Col. William O. Stevens: Age 32 years; enrolled May 20, 1861, at Dunkirk to serve three years; mustered in as Captain, Company D, June 21, 1861; promoted Major, June 25, 1861; mustered in as Colonel, September 8, 1862; killed in action, May 3, 1863, at Chancellorsville, Va.

Lt. Col. John Leonard: Age 28 years; enrolled April 15, 1861, at Newark, N.J., to serve three years; mustered in as Captain, Company F, June 21, 1861; as Major, September 8, 1862; as Lieutenant-Colonel, May 4, 1863; mustered out with regiment, June 19, 1864, near Petersburg, Va.; subsequent service in Veteran Reserve Corps.

Maj. Caspar K. Abell: Age 33 years; enrolled may 20, 1861, at Dunkirk to serve three years; mustered in as First Lieutenant, Company D, June 20, 1861; as Captain, June 25, 1861; as Major, May 4, 1863; mustered out with regiment, June 19, 1864, near Petersburg, Va.

Capt. Harmon J. Bliss: Age 30 years; enrolled May 28, 1861, at Westfield to serve three years; mustered in as Captain, Company G, July 23, 1861; wounded in action, May 3 1863, at Chancellorsville, Va.; died of his wounds, June 6, 1863. Bliss commanded the regiment in the absence of more senior officers at Second Bull Run, August 29-30, 1862.

Capt. James M. Brown: Age 34 years; enrolled May 28, 1861, at Jamestown to serve three years; mustered in as Captain, Company B, June 20, 1861; discharged, November 5, 1861 to assume colonelcy of 100^th New York. Killed in action on May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks).

1^st. Lt. James Cormack Jr.: Age 31 years; enrolled October 23, 1861, at Delhi to serve three years; mustered in as First Lieutenant, Company L, November 14, 1861; mustered out, February 7, 1862, at Camp Wool Md.; not commissioned. Served as regimental sutler following release from service.

2^nd. Lt. David B. Parker: Age 18 years; enlisted June 20, 1861 into Company D. Promoted to 2^nd Lt. on June 6, 1863. Served on detached service to divisional staff ultimately serving as Acting Assistant Quartermaster for the Army of the Potomac responsible for mail delivery.

Pvt. Emerson F. Merrell : Age 19 years. Enlisted Aug. 8, 1861 into Company I at Delhi, N.Y. Born on February 27, 1842 in Delaware County, N.Y.  Killed at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, his body was never recovered.

Pvt. Hugh McManus: Age 27 years. Enlisted July 23, 1861 into Company G. Discharged on October 10, 1862 at New York City. Born January 4, 1824 in Dublin City, Ireland. Immigrated to New York City in 1839. Shown here with wife Sarah around 1859.

Pvt. Jesse Lockwood: Age 19 years. Enlisting May 28, 1861 at Dunkirk N.Y., into Company E. Promoted to corporal on March 9, 1863. Wounded at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863. Mustered out with company on June 19, 1864 near Petersburg.

Pvt. Gordon B. Swift: Age 18 years. Enlisting May 28, 1861 at Jamestown, N.Y., into Company B. Transferred to 120^th N.Y.S.V. on June 23, 1864. Mustered out of service on July 17, 1865 at New York City.

Sgt. William H. Marsh: Age 18 years. Enlisted June 16, 1861 at Paterson, New Jersey. Mustered into Company C on July 21, 1861. Reenlisted on March 1, 1864 and promoted to corporal. Promoted to sergeant on March 1, 1864. Transferred to 120^th N.Y.S.V. on July 23, 1864 and was eventually transferred to the 73^rd N.Y.S.V. Mustered out of the service on June 29, 1865.

Pvt. George W. Wood: Enlisted July 21, 1861 into Company C. Discharged for wounds received at Williamsburg (5/5/62) on January 27, 1863.

Pvt. Peter Ostrye: Age 20 years. Muster into Company H on September 2, 1862. Born in Sucba Bydgoszcz, Poland. Wounded in the ankle during the fighting in the Wilderness. His leg was later amputated due to gangrene eventually leading to his death on June 1, 1864.

Cpl. George Tate:  Age 21 years old.  Enlisted on May 28, 1861 to serve three years. Mustered into Company D of the 72^nd New York State Volunteers on June 20, 1861 at Dunkirk, New York. Six weeks later, Tate was promoted to corporal.  During the fighting at Chancellorsville, Virginia on May 3, 1863, Tate was wounded and then captured. After a period in enemy hands, Tate was paroled and made sergeant upon his return to the regiment.  With his enlistment expiring, Tate re-enlisted as a veteran on December 20, 1863. When the 72^nd N.Y. was broken up on June 20, 1864, Tate was transferred to Co. G of the 120^th N.Y.

Cpl. Horatio S. Springer:  Age 19 years old.  Enlisted at Dunkirk, New York on May 28, 1861 to serve three years. Springer mustered into Company E of the 72^nd New York on June 20, 1861. He was promoted to second lieutenant of Company C on January 19, 1863 but was soon returned to the ranks as a private and then made corporal on February 23, 1863. A year later on Feb. 23, 1864, Springer was transferred to Co. E. On June 29, 1864, he was discharged.

Sgt. John F. Snowble:  Age 29 years old.  Enlisted on September 23, 1861 at Dunkirk in western New York to serve three years. He was mustered into service as a corporal in Company H of the 72^nd New York State Volunteers on October 31, 1861.  In action during the Peninsula Campaign, Snowble was captured during the battle at Williamsburg, Virginia on May 5, 1862. Snowble was later paroled by the Confederates and promoted to sergeant on September 15, 1862. On July 24, 1863, during the fighting at Manassas Gap, Virginia as the Federal army’s pursued of Lee from Gettysburg, Snowble was wounded. Two days later he was discharged because of his wounds at Judiciary Square Hospital in Washington.

Back to Homepage