The 65th New York Infantry Regiment (or 1st United States Chasseurs) 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 ...

. The regiment wore distinctive

chasseur ''Chasseur'' ( , ), a French term for "hunter", is the designation given to certain regiments of French and Belgian light infantry () or light cavalry () to denote troops trained for rapid action. History This branch of the French Army o ...

styled uniforms. Its members were recruited primarily from New York, but included recruits from

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

, and

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

Organization

The 65th New York Infantry was organized at the Fort at Willets Point,

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 * ...

and mustered in for three years service beginning in July 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 ...

John Cochrane. The regiment was attached to Defenses of Washington to October 1861. Graham's Brigade, Buell'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 March 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division,

IV Corps 4 Corps, 4th Corps, Fourth Corps, or IV Corps may refer to: France * 4th Army Corps (France) * IV Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * IV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperi ...

, Army of the Potomac, to July 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, to September 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division,

VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army dur ...

, to October 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, VI Corps, to April, 1864. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps, to June 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, and Army of the Shenandoah, to July 1865.

Service

The regiment left New York for Washington, D.C., on August 27, 1861. Duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C., until March 1862. Reconnaissance to Lewinsville October 10–11, 1861. Marched to Prospect Hill, Va., March 10–15, 1862. Ordered to the Peninsula March 25. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Chickahominy River May 21–22. Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks May 31-June 1. Seven Days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Malvern Hill July 1. Duty at Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to Alexandria August 16-September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6–22. Battle of Antietam, September 16–17. Duty in Maryland until October 20. Movement to Stafford Court House, Va., October 20-November 18, and to Belle Plains December 5. Battle of Fredericksburg, December 12–15. At Falmouth until April 27. "Mud March" January 20–24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations about Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3–4. Banks' Ford May 4. Battle of Gettysburg, July 2–4. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5–24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7–8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty at Brandy Station until January 1864, and at Johnson's Island, Lake Erie, Ohio, until March. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5–7. Spotsylvania May 8–12. Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. "Bloody Angle" May 12. North Anna River May 23–26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 28–31. Cold Harbor June 1–12. Before Petersburg June 17–18. Siege of Petersburg June 17-July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, June 22–23. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9–11. Repulse of Early's attack on Fort Stevens and the northern defenses of Washington July 11–12. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 6-November 28. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until December. Moved to Petersburg, Va., December 9–12. Siege of Petersburg December 12, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5–7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3–9. Sailor's Creek April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Farmville and Burkesville until April 23. March to Danville April 23–27, and duty there until May 24. Marched to Richmond, Va., then to Washington, D.C., May 24-June 3. Corps Review June 8. The 65th New York Infantry mustered out of service July 17, 1865. The regiment lost a total of 206 men during service; 5 officers and 112 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 88 enlisted men died of disease.

Uniform

The regiment's wore a distinctive short chasseur jacket with extensive sky blue trim. They wore gray wool militia trousers over gray canvas gaiters. They wore the

Hardee hat The Hardee hat, also known as the Model 1858 Dress Hat and sometimes nicknamed the " Jeff Davis", was the regulation dress hat for enlisted men in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The Hardee hat was also worn by Confederate soldier ...

Commanders

* Colonel John Cochrane * Colonel

Alexander Shaler Alexander Shaler (March 19, 1827 – December 28, 1911) was a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg. A ...

* Colonel Joseph E. Hamblin * Lieutenant Colonel William Higginbotham * Colonel Henry C. Fiske

Notable members

* Charles L. Hodges, who enlisted as a private in 1861 when he was 14, and attained the rank of regimental sergeant major. He remained in the army, and retired as a major general in 1911.

References

Citations

Sources

* Barry, Christopher, ''No Flinching From Fire: The 65th New York Volunteers in the Civil War'' (independently published), 2019 * * * * * * * * {{refend

External links

Regimental flag of the 65th New York Infantry

65th New York Infantry Monument at Gettysburg
Military units and formations established in 1861 1861 establishments in New York (state) Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Infantry 065