124th New York Infantry Regiment "The Orange Blossoms"

Organized at Goshen

September 5, 1862

Mustered in under Colonel A. Van Horne Ellis, Lt. Colonel Francis M. Cummins and Major James Cromwell

September 6

Left State for Washington, D.C.

September

Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C. attached to Piatt's Brigade, Whipple's Division, 3rd Army Corps

October 18-19

Moved to Point of Rocks, then to Pleasant Valley, Md. attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

October 24-November 16

Movement toward Warrenton, Va.

November 5-6

Reconnaissance to Manassas Gap

November 18-24

Movement to Falmouth, Va.,

December 12-15

Battle of Fredericksburg

Four enlisted men captured or missing

December 16

Duty near Falmouth

January 20-24, 1863

"Mud March"

February-April

Duty near Falmouth

April 27-May 6

Chancellorsville Campaign

May 1-5

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost Lieutenant Henry Gowdy, 1 other oficer and 55 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Captains David Christ, Henry Murray and Charles Weygant, Lieutenants William Brownson, Thomas Quick, Theodore Roberson, Daniel Sayer, Lewis Wisner and 135 enlisted men wounded, and 6 enlisted men missing or captured

June 9

Beverly Ford and Brandy Station

The regiment losr 2 enlisted men killed, Lieutenant John Houston and 11 enlisted men wounded, and 14 missing or captured.

June 11-July 24

Gettysburg Campaign. Assigned to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps

July 1-3

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Augustus Van Horne Ellis, whose figure tops the monument. In the thick of the fighting by the Devil's Den, Colonel Ellis ordered the staff's horses brought up and he, Major James Cromwell and Adjutant Henry Ramsdell mounted. When a captain protested that they were making targets of themselves Major Cromwell replied, "the men must see us today." Both he and Colonel Ellis were killed, but the 124th bought an hour's time for the south flank of the Army of the Potomac.

Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Cummins took over command of the regiment despite also being wounded.

The 124th brought 279 men to the field and lost 28 killed, 57 wounded and 5 missing.

From the monument:

"The Orange Blossoms went into action on this spot with 18 officers and 220 men. Lost in killed and wounded 7 officers and 85 men.

Killed

July 5-24

Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va.

July 23

Wapping Heights, Va.

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed and 1 wounded

August - October

Duty on line of the Rappahannock and the Rapidan

September 16

Captain Charles Weygant of Company C promoted to major with rank from July 2

October 6

Major Wegant promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Henry S. Murray of Company B promoted to major

October 9-22

Bristoe Campaign

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

November 28-30

Mine Run

The regiment lost 2 enlisted men mortally wounded and 14 wounded.

December

Duty near Brandy Station

February 6-7, 1864

Demonstration on the Rapidan

February 11

Lt. Colonel Cummins promoted to colonel

March

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

May 3-June 15

Campaign from the Rapidan to the James

May 5-7

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Colonel Cummins and 48 enlisted men wounded and 1 enlisted man missing or captured

May 8

Laurel Hill

May 8-12

Spottsylvania

May 10

Po River

May 12-21

Spottsylvania Court House

The regiment lost 1 officer killed, 19 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Lt. Colonel Wegant and 6 enlisted men wounded, and Lieutenant Charles Stewart and 6 enlisted men missing or captured.

May 12

Assault on the Salient "Bloody Angle"

Captain James Benedict and Lieutenants Edward Carmick, John Houston, William Mapes and Charles Wood wounded

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

Captain David Crist was killed

June 1-12

Cold Harbor

The regiment lost 1 officer and 2 enlisted men wounded

June 16-18

Before Petersburg

The regiment lost 1 officer and 2 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 16 enlisted men wounded, and 1 man missing

June 16

Siege of Petersburg begins

Lieutenant William Benjamin is wounded.

June 18

Captain William Jackson killed at Petersburg

June 22-23

Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad

July 14

Lieutenant Charles Cressy died of fever in the hospital at Daavids Island, New YOrk

July 27-29

Demonstration north of the James

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 Captain William Mapes and 2 enlisted men wounded

September 19

Colonel Cummins discharged for his wound at the Wilderness

September 29-
October 2

Poplar Springs Church

October 22

Lieutenant Jonathan Birdsall killed in camp

October 27-28

Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run

The regiment lost Lieutenant James Finnigan and 3 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Lt. Colonel Weygant, Captain Edward Carmick, Lieutenants Thomas Bradley and Ebenezer Holbert and 7 enlisted men wounded and 2 men missing

December 9-10

Raid on Weldon Railroad

January 11, 1865

Lt. Colonel Weygant promoted to colonel, Major Murray, in Confederate prison, promoted to lieutenant colonel with rank from September 19, 1864 and Captain James Benedict of Company D promoted to major, but none mustered

February 5-7

Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run

March 25

Watkins' House

March 28-April 9

Appomattox Campaign

The regiment lost Captain Edward Carmick and 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, Lieutenant John King and 20 enlisted men wounded and 2 men missing

March 29-31

Boydton and White Oak Roads

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.

April

At Burkesville

May 2-12

Moved to Washington, D.C.

May 23

Grand Review

June 3, 1865

Mustered out under Colonel Weygant, Lieutenant Colonel Murray. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 93rd New York Infantry.