64th Infantry Regiment

Nickname: First Cattaraugus Regiment

Mustered in: December 1861
Mustered out: July 14, 1865

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

This regiment, Col. Thomas J. Parker, was organized by the State November 13, 1861, at Elmira, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years, in December, 1861. The 64th State Militia formed the nucleus of the regiment. At the expiration of its term of service, the men entitled thereto were discharged in September and October, 1864, and the regiment retained in service, but at the same time consolidated into a battalion of six companies, A, B, D, E, G and H.
The companies were recruited principally: A at Gowanda; B at Randolph; C at Otto; D at Rushford; E at Ithaca; F at Little Valley; G at Wellsville; H at Owego; I at Olean, and K at Leon.
The regiment left the State December 10, 1861; served in the Provisional Brigade, Casey's Division, Army of the Potomac, from January, 1862; in Howard's, 1st, Brigade, Richardson's, 1st, Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March 13, 1862; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from June, 1862; in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, from September, 1862; in the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from February, 1863; and it was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Col. William Glenny, July 14, 1865, near Washington, D. C.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 10 officers, 109 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 3 officers, 50 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 5 officers, 124 enlisted men; total, 18 officers, 283 enlisted men; aggregate, 301; of whom 1 officer and 31 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. volume II. 

Sixty-fourth Infantry.—Cols., Thomas J. Parker, Daniel C. Bing-ham, Leman W. Bradley, William Glenny; Lieut-Cols., Daniel G. Bing-ham, Enos C. Brooks, Leman W. Bradley, William Glenny, Theodore Tyrer; Majs., Enos C. Brooks, Leman W. Bradley, William Glenny, Lewis H. Fassett, Horatio N. Hunt, Theodore Tyrer, Albert F. Peterson. The 64th, the Cattaraugus regiment, was the outgrowth of the 64th militia and was recruited at Gowanda, Randolph, Otto, Rushford, Ithaca, Little Valley, Wellsville, Owego, Olean and Leon. It was mustered into the U. S. service at Elmira, in Dec., 1861, for three years; left the state for Washington on Dec. 10; was quartered near the capitol; in Jan., 1862, was assigned to the provisional brigade of Casey's division; on March 13, it became a part of the 1st brigade, 1st division, 2nd corps, Army of the Potomac, and proceeded to the Peninsula with the general advance under McClellan. The regiment was present during the siege of Yorktown, but received its first real test at Fair Oaks, where it behaved with great steadiness under a fire which killed or wounded 173 of its members. It was active in the Seven Days' battles; then went into camp at Harrison's landing; arrived at Manassas too late to participate in that battle; took a prominent part in the battle of Antietam, where Gen. Richardson was killed and Gen. Hancock succeeded to the command of the division. At Fredericksburg, in the famous assault of Hancock's division on Marye's heights, the loss of the regiment was 72 in killed and wounded and immediately afterward it went into camp near Falmouth. At Chancellorsville in May, 1863, the 64th was placed on the skirmish line under Col. Nelson A. Miles and shared in the stubborn defense made by the regiments under his command, for which they won the highest commendation. The regiment moved in June to Gettysburg, where the division, under Caldwell, fought brilliantly on July 2 in the celebrated wheat-field and on the 3d defended its position stubbornly against Pickett's assault. It lost at Gettysburg 98 killed, wounded or missing out of 205 engaged. The 2nd corps fought in October at Auburn and Bristoe Station, where the 64th suffered severe loss. It participated in the Mine Run movement and established winter quarters near Brandy Station. During the winter of 1863-64 a sufficient number of the regiment reenlisted to secure its continuance in the field as a veteran organization, but after the original members not reenlisted were mustered out in the autumn of 1864 it was necessary to consolidate it into a battalion of six companies. It served through the Wilderness campaign, throughout the siege of Petersburg and in the pursuit of Lee's Army to Appomattox, losing 16 in killed and wounded at Farmville. Out of a total enrollment of 1,313, the regiment lost during service .182 by death from wounds and 129 from other causes. The division in which it served saw the hardest service and suffered the most heavy losses of any in the army and the 64th was one of the finest fighting regiments in the war. It bore without flinching the severest trials and won fame and glory for itself and the state. It was mustered out at Washington, July 14, 1865.

64thInfNat02.127.jpg

64th Regiment NY Volunteer Infantry | National Color | Civil War

The Board of Supervisors of Cattaraugus County presented the 64th Regiment with their Regimental Color and allegedly with this national color as well.…

NYSMM Online Resources

Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (pdf)
Battles and Casualties from Phisterer (spreadsheet)

Muster Roll

Unit Roster

Newspaper Clippings

Monument at Gettysburg

Search the Museum catalog for this unit

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Other Resources

This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to ng.ny.nyarng.list.historians@army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Begner, Orton. "A Death in the Rose Woods." [2nd Lt. Henry V. Fuller, Co F]. Military Images Magazine. (May/Jun 1987) 11.
Donated by Joe Stahl.

Bingham, Daniel G. BrakeColl 
(Capt's history of regiment at Gettysburg, 1879)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Brown, Charles D. Charles D. Brown diary, 1862.
Original held  by North Dakota Historic Documents (NDSU)

Carlile, Rick; Coddington, Ronald S.; DiMasi, Guy; Harris, Thomas; Huntington, Tom; Isenberg, Britt C.; Kelbaugh, Ross J.; Kowalis, Jeff; Loane, C. Paul; Marchetti, August; Russinoff, Paul; Schwab, Dan; Sundstrom, Karl; Taylor, Daniel. "Three Days in July." Military Images. 38 :3 (213) Summer 2020. 24-39.

Carr, Levi L. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection
(Enlisted man's letter, Dec 26, 1862)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Civil War Collection, 1861-1960
Description: 4.0 cubic ft.
Abstract: Military documents, letters, diaries, and narratives of local soldiers and regiments include twenty-eight notebooks listing Civil War soldiers and their military records by township; narrative account of Cattaraugus soldiers by Bill Snyder; correspondence and financial records of G.D. Bayard Post No. 222 of G.A.R., 1894-1921; notebook on G.A.R. posts in the county; narrative account of 64th New York Volunteer Infantry with diary entries, 1861-64, by Martin Sigman; two volumes on service records of Cattaraugus County Civil War veterans; manuscript copies of letters to Mary S. Matteson Daily from Elisha C. and Daniel M. Matteson, 1861-65; typed copies of letters of Kimball Pearson, 1862-64. Also original letters and typed copies of Edward F. Pratt to his brothers Truman and Albert and his sister Charlotte Pratt, 1861-64; record of soldiers and sailors from Town of Allegany, prepared by Nathan Allen Dye, 1865; scrapbook on Civil War with military documents of 44th Regiment, 1861-65; diary of George D. Reed of 44th Regiment, 1864; diary of H.H. Adsit, 44th Regiment, 1864; military papers of Col. Eugene A. Nash, 1861-64, including one letter requesting permission to raise and command a regiment of colored troops; diaries of Col. Nash, 1861-64; and two letters relating to Nash's history of the 44th Regiment, 1909.
Located at the Cattaraugus County Memorial and Historical Building, Court and Seventh Streets, Little Valley, New York 14755.

Crowley, Rodney. Letters, 1855-1891.
Description: ca. 25 items
Abstract: Letters to his family in Randolph written during service in the 64th New York Volunteers; later letters to his sister Julia Sheldon of Rockford, Illinois; and to his children. Also a few letters of Rufus Crowley, his father, and a subscription list for donations to James Williams of Randolph, whose house had burned, 1866.
Located at the Fenton Historical Society, 67 Washington Street, Jamestown, New York 14701.

Dains, Arnold P. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection
(Enlisted man's letters, Apr 28, 1858-Aug 23, 1886)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Dunkelman, Mark. "The Shippy Brothers." : A New York Family at War." Military Images. 12 :2 September-October 1990. 24-27.

Henry, William W. "Fredericksburg, my first battle." Blue and Gray V (1895) 99-101.

Historic Blenheim and the Civil War Interpretive Center. Identified Union soldier signatures on the Blenheim Attic and House Walls.
Name: MAY, Francis M., Cpl., Co. I
For more information please visit their web site.

Hunt, H. N. - LeighColl Bk l6: 13 
(Enlisted man's letters, Oct 17, 1863 & June 24, 1864)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Hutchinson, Matthew W. "Bringing Home a Fallen Son: The Story of Lt. Willis G. Babcock, 64th New York Volunteer Infantry." Gettysburg Magazine 30 (January 2004) 63-73.

Levy, George (Historian) His terrible swift sword : Elmira, New York in the Civil War. Springfield, Illinois: White Oak Press, Inc, 2012.

"Ling Kubser fought in the Federal Army." Washington Times. Wednesday, January 25, 1905.

Lyman, A. S. "Army Life: Sketch of the Army Life of James Buchanan, late sergeant of Co. G, 64th Regt. N.Y.V.." : Prepared and read by Com A. S. Lyman, April 24, 1888, at Campfire of A. W. Estes, Post 125, G. A. R., Oswego, PA.." Potter County Journal. May 1888.

Military Collection – Civil War Diaries, 1861-1865.
Description: 17 items (ca.)
Abstract:
 Diaries of Corp. Newell Burch, 154th New York Volunteers (battles of Fredericksburg and Gettysburg); James G. Derrickson, 66th Volunteers (imprisoned at Andersonville and elsewhere); Capt. George Harrison, 62nd Volunteers; Orin W. Monroe, 185th Volunteers; Dean A. Pierce, 121st Volunteers; Joel W. Rogers, 64th Volunteers; Sgt. George Smith, 93rd Volunteers; Edward Wales, 121st Volunteers; Daniel M. Holt, Ass't Surgeon, 121st Volunteers (also letters); John L. Hoster, 148th Volunteers (also company roll book); F. Wunderlen, 33rd Volunteers; and John Wright, 2nd Volunteers.
Located at the New York State Historical Association, Library, Cooperstown, New York 13326.

Muhlbauer, Laura, ed. "Chauncey Pond Joslin, Civil War Soldier Diary, 1862." Located at www.cpjoslincivilwar.org/. [link opens new window]

Parker, Thomas J. and Matilda M. Sloan. Thomas J. Parker letters: to Matilda M. Sloan, Buffalo, NY, 1896-1897,1901.
Description: 1 folder (7 items) ; 27 cm. (0.1 linear ft.).
Abstract: Letters concern his daily life in Cattaraugus County, N.Y., Civil War service with the 64th New York Volunteers, attendance at the 1897 G.A.R. Encampment in Buffalo, N.Y., and his gift to Miss Sloan of three buttons he wore during the Civil War, and a button worn by his father during service on the Niagara Frontier during the War of 1812. The last letter, dated 21 Jan. 1901, was written when he was nearly totally blind.
Notes: Bio/History: Born 17 Aug. 1813 in Junius, Seneca County, N.Y. Moved with his parents in 1823 to Hamburg, N.Y., and then in 1830 to Gowanda, N.Y. Worked as a tailor until 1861, when he was commissioned colonel of the 64th Regiment, New York Volunteers. Served as justice of the peace for the Town of Persia, 1852-1882, and as deputy county clerk, 1871-1874. Died in Gowanda 27 May 1908.
Located at teh Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Archives.

Pettit, James M. Correspondence, 1816-1903, 1861-1863 (bulk).
Description: .6 cubic ft.
Abstract: Primarily Civil War correspondence from Pettit to his family and friends describing daily life in the Union Army, as well as battles (including Bull Run, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg), troop movements, his experiences in the field hospital at Fredericksburg after he was wounded at Gettysburg, and political developments both at home and abroad. Letters are sent from camps in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Also included are a few letters, 1880-1882, on the stationery of the Thomas Asylum for Orphan and Destitute Indian Children in Versailles, New York, describing conditions there.
Notes: Bio/History: Civil War Officer.
General Info: Inventory includes biographical note and description with excerpts from letters
Located at Brooklyn College. Special Collections, Brooklyn, NY.

Pittenger, J. S. Letters, 1861-1886 (bulk 1861-1864).
Description:.25 cubic ft. (1 box)
Abstract: Collection consists of letters sent by Pittenger to his wife Sarah from 1861-1864 and 1886. The letters provide a detailed account of volunteer army life, including troop movements, daily provisions, company drilling, construction of roads and buildings, illnesses, desertions, the Battles of Bull Run, Gettysburg and smaller skirmishes, and Sarah's loneliness and trouble in running the family business in Wellsville, New York.
Notes: Bio/History: Joshua S. Pittenger of Wellsville, New York, served as Captain of the 64th Regiment of the New York State Volunteers and witnessed the Battles of Bull Run and Gettysburg during his service in the Civil War from 1861-1864.
Additional information:
http://rmoa.unm.edu/docviewer.php?docId=wyu-ah07237.xml#id1164249696988
Located at the University of Wyoming.

Preston, Samuel E. Papers, 1899-1927
Description: 10 items.
Abstract: 
These papers consist primarily of a narrative letter, 22 January 1899 to Captain R.D. Parker regarding Preston's experiences of being taken prisoner, being confined at Andersonville and other prisons, and escaping. The papers also include copies of his official service record from the military pension bureau.
Notes: Bio/History: Civil War soldier; served in Company F or the 64th New York Infantry Regiment, 1861-1864; wounded at Gettysburg; captain at Spotsylvania, May 1864; confinement at Andersonville and other prisons until he escaped in November, 1864. Moved west after the war where he engaged in various business ventures.
General Info: Preferred citation: Samuel E. Preston Papers
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Raus, Edmund J. Where Duty Called Them: The Story of the Samuel Babcock Family of Homer, New York in the Civil War. Daleville, VA: Schroeder Publications, 2001.

Report of fourth annual reunion of the 64th N.Y. regimental association at Salamanca, New York, June 29 and 30, 1893. Historical sketches, letters, roster of survivors. [Randolph: Randolph pub. co., 1893].

Report of seventh annual reunion of the 64th N.Y. regimental association at Salamanca, New York, August 21 and 22, 1895. Historical sketches, letters, roster of survivors. [Salamanca?: Randolph pub. co., 1895].

Report of eight annual reunion of the 64th N.Y. regimental association at Franklinville, New York, August 19 and 20, 1896. Randolph: Enterprise Press, [1896].

Report of tenth annual reunion of the 64th N.Y. regimental association... at Chautauqua, New York, August 19 and 20, 1898.

Rogers, Stephen. "The fight for the Rose Woods." Military Images. VIII :6 May-June, 1887. 12-13.
Donated by Joe Stahl.

Short History of 64th N.Y.
Description: 8 p.;23 cm.
Located at Duke University Library.

Stahl, Joseph. "Dishonorable end for soldier." : Combat more than N.Y. private could bear." Washington Times. April 9, 2009.

Van Vlack, Henry G., Henry G. Van Vlack and H. Earl Close [comp.]. The Van Vlack Letters : 1855 to 1868. 2001.

 

Unit bibliograhy from the Army Heritage Center

Items in the museum collection are in bold.