The 54th New York Infantry Regiment (aka "Schwarze Yaeger" or "Hiram Barney Rifles") was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Service

The 54th New York Infantry was organized in

Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudson Rodrigues dos Santos, Brazilian f ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

beginning August 30, 1861 and mustered in September 5, 1861 through October 16, 1861 under the command of

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Eugene A. Kozlay. The regiment was attached to Provisional Brigade, Casey's Division,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

, to December 1861. Steinwehr's Brigade, Blenker's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March 1862. Steinwehr's 2nd Brigade, Blenker's 2nd Division, II Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April 1862. 2nd Brigade, Blenker's Division, Department of the Mountains, to June 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, I Corps,

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...

, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division,

XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to: * 11th Army Corps (France) * XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...

, Army of the Potomac, to November 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, XI Corps, to August 1863. 1st Brigade, Gordon's Division, Folly Island, South Carolina,

X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...

Department of the South The Department of the South was a military department of the United States Army that existed in several iterations in the 19th century during and after the American Civil War. 1862–65 After the first 11 months of the American Civil War, startin ...

, to April 1864. Folly Island, South Carolina, Northern District, Department of the South, to October 1864. 1st Separate Brigade, Morris Island, South Carolina, Department of the South, to July 1865. 3rd Sub-District, Department of the South, to August 1865. 1st Brigade, Department of the South, to April 1866. The 54th New York Infantry ceased to exist on December 21, 1862 when it was consolidated with the 38th New York Infantry as Companies G, H, I, and K.

Detailed service

Left New York for Washington, D.C., October 29. 1861. Duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C., until April 1862. Movement to Winchester, Va., April 5–18. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley until June. Battle of Cross Keys June 8. At Sperryville July 7 to August 8. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9. Pope's Campaign in northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 20–23. Sulphur Springs August 26–27. Battle of Groveton August 29. Second Battle of Bull Run August 30. Duty in the defenses of Washington. D.C., until November. Movement to Centreville November 1–19. Waterloo Bridge November 7. Reconnaissance to Snicker's Ferry and Berryville November 28–30. Movement to Fredericksburg December 9–15. "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863. At Stafford Court House until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1–5. Gettysburg Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1–3. Ordered to the Department of the South August 1. Siege of Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island, and operations against Fort Sumter and Charleston August 9-September 7. Operations against Charleston and duty on Folly and Morris Islands, S.C., until June 1865. Expedition to John's and Islands February 6–14, 1864. James Island and October 24, 1864. Santee River February, serving duty in the District of South Carolina, Department of the South, until April 1866.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 142 men during service; 2 officers and 38 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 101 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Eugene A. Kozlay * Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ashby - commanded at the Second Battle of Bull Run and at the Battle of Chancellorsville where he was captured *

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

Stephen Kovacs - commanded at the Battle of Chancellorsville after Ltc Ashby was captured; commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg where he was captured on July 1 * Lieutenant Ernst Both - commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg after Maj Kovacs was captured

References

* ''A Brief History of the 54th Regiment N.Y. Vet. Vol. Infantry (Hiram Barney Rifles)'' (New York: A. H. Kellogg), 1888. * Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links