The Civil War in the East

73rd New York Infantry Regiment
"4th Excelsior" "2nd Fire Zouaves"

The 73rd Regiment lost 18 officers and 138 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 76 enlisted men to disease, a total of 233.

 

It is honored by a monument at Gettysburg, as well as on the Excelsior Brigade monument there, with its sister regiments from the brigade, the 70th, 71st, 72nd and 74th New York Infantry.

thumbnail for the monument to the 73rd New York Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg thumbnail for the monument to New York's  Excelsior Brigade at Gettysburg

1861

July to October

Organized under authority of the War Department, at Camp Scott, Staten Island, N.Y., as 4th Regiment, Sickles' Brigade, principally from members of the fire department

October 8

Left State for Washington, D.C. under Colonel William R. Brewster, Lieutenant Colonel William McCanley and Major John Moriarity

October

Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C. attached to Sickles' Brigade, Division of the Potomac, then attached to Sickles' Brigade, Hooker's Division, Army of the Potomac

November 9

Expedition to Matthias Point

December 11

Designated 73rd New York Infantry

1862

March

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

March 10

Advance on Manassas, Va.

March 18

Expedition from Dumfries to Fredericksburg and capture of stores

April 4

Reconnaissance from Liverpool Point to Stafford Court House and action at Stafford Court House

April

Ordered to the Peninsula

April 10-May 4

Siege of Yorktown

May 5

Battle of Williamsburg

Lieutenants Benjamin Beach and John Glass and 20 enlisted men were killed, Captain John Feeney and 4 enlisted men were mortally wounded, 1 officer and 61 men were wounded and 15 men missing.

May 31-June 1

Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks

June 12

The regiment lost 5 enlisted men wounded and 2 missing at Fair Oaks

June 15

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed, 6 wounded and 9 missing at Fair Oaks

June 25-July 1

Seven days before Richmond

The regiment lost 8 men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 22 men wounded and 1 officer and 3 enlisted men missing

June 25

Battle of Oak Grove

June 29

Peach Orchard and Savage Station

June 30

White Oak Swamp and Glendale

July 1

Malvern Hill

July 7

Major Moriarity discharged

August 5

Malvern Hill

August

At Harrison's Landing. Captain William Fisk captured.

August 16-26

Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Centreville

August 26-
September 2

Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia

August 27

Action at Bristoe Station or Kettle Run

Commanded by Captain Michael Burns, the regiment lost Lieutenants Henry Lewis and John McAllister and 8 enlisted men killed, Captain Alfred Donald and 4 enlisted men mortally wounded and Captain John Short, 2 other officers and 32 men wounded out of 8 officers and 99 men engaged.

August 29

Battle of Groveton

August 30

Bull Run

The regiment lost 3 men wounded and Lieutenant Henry Tremain captured

September

Duty in the Defenses of Washington. Colonel Brewster rejoined the regiment on September 2

November

At Fairfax Station Va.

November 1

Captain Michael Burns of Company A promoted to major and Captain William McCauley of Company H to lieutenant colonel

November 10-12

Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad

December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man wounded

December

At Falmouth

January 11

Lt. Colonel McCauley discharged

Janury 16

Major Burns promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain John Lawrence of Company H to major

1863

January 20-24

"Mud March"

Company G was consolidated with Company E, and 375 men transferred in from the 163rd New York Infantry

February 5-7

Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church

April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

Lieutenant Thomas Dennan and 4enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 27 enlisted men wounded, and 4 men missing.

June 11 - July 24

Gettysburg Campaign

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

Colonel Brewster commanded the Excelsior Brigade, while the regiment was commanded by Major Burns. Captain Eugene Shine and Lieutenants George Dennin and James Marksman and 47 enlisted men were killed, Lieutenant Martin Higgins and 9 enlisted men were mortally wounded, 11 officers and 92 enlisted men were wounded, and 8 men missing or captured

 

From the Excelsior Brigade monument: "At 5:30 p.m. July 2, 1863, this regiment was detached to support General Graham's Brigade at the Peach Orchard which was heavily attacked by McLaws' Division of the Confederate Army. On July 3rd, supported the left centre of the army."

July 5-24

Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va

July 23

Wapping Heights, Va.

August

Duty on line of the Rappahannock

September 1

Lieutenant Charles Near died of sunstroke in Virginia

October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and Captain John Short wounded

November 7-8

Advance to line of the Rappahannock

November 7

Kelly's Ford

November 26-December 2

Mine Run Campaign

November 27

Payne's Farm

December-May

Duty near Brandy Station, Va.,

1864

February 6-7

Demonstration on the Rapidan

March

Attached to 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps

May

Attached to 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps

May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 6 men killed, 3 officers and 51 men wounded, and Captain William Fisk and 5 men captured

May 8 - 21

Spottsylvania

Captains James McDermott, Michael Purtell and George Le Fort, Lieutenants John Phelan and Benedict Leonard and 3 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded, 20 enlisted men were wounded and 3 men missing

 

Three men won the Medal of Honor at Spotsylvania. First Sergeant William Jones of Company A captured the flag of the 65th Vigrinia Infantry; he was killed on the 12th and the medal was awarded posthumously; Private Philip Schlachter of Company F captured the flag of the 15th Louisiana; and Private Christopher Wilson of Company E "took the flag from the wounded color bearer and carried it in the charge over the Confederate works, in which charge he also captured the colors of the 56th Virginia (C.S.A.) bringing off both flags in safety."

May 10

Po River

May 12

Assault on the Salient or "Bloody Angle"

May 19

Harris Farm or Fredericksburg Road

May 23-26

North Anna River

May 26-28

On line of the Pamunkey

May 28-31

Totopotomoy

The regiment lost 3 men killed or mortally wounded, and 1 officer and 10 men wounded

June 1-12

Cold Harbor

June 16-18

Before Petersburg

The regiment lost 3 men killed or mortally wounded, and 1 officer and 21 men wounded

June 18

Siege of Petersburg

The regiment lost 8 men killed or mortally wounded, and 1 officer and 4 men wounded in the nine months of the siege exclusive of th ebattles listed below

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad

July

Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps

July 27-29

Demonstration on North side of the James

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 1 officer and 1 enlisted men wounded

July 27-28

Deep Bottom

August 13-20

Demonstration on North side of the James

August 14-18

Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men killed and Captain Thomas Manning and 2 enlisted men wounded

August 25

Ream's Station

September 29-
October 2

Poplar Springs Church

September 29

Major Lawrence musters out

October 24

Colonel Bretster musters out

October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed, Captain Henry Bell and 3 enlisted men wounded, and Captain Samuel Greenwalt, Lieutenant Charles Porer and 26 men captured or missing

December 7

Lt. Colonel Burns promoted to colonel, but not mustered

December 9-10

Reconnaissance to Hatcher's Run

December 22

Captain James McKenna of Company G promoted to lieutenant colonel but not mustered

1865

February 5-7

Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run

March 25

Watkins' House

The regiment lost 3 enlisted men wounded

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

The regiment lost enlisted 6 men wounded.

March 29-31

Boydton Road and White Oak Ridge

March 31

Crow's House

April 2

Fall of Petersburg

April 6

Sailor's Creek

April 7

High Bridge and Farmville

April 9

Appomattox Court House. Surrender of Lee and his army.

May 2-12

Moved to Washington, D.C.

May 23

Grand Review

June 1

Men not mustered out from the 120th New York transferred in

June 29

Mustered out at Washington, D.C. under Colonel Michael Burns, Lt. Colonel McKenna