The 97th New York Infantry Regiment ("Conkling 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 ...

. It was led by Colonel Charles Wheelock who helped organize it.

Service

The 97th New York Infantry was organized at Boonville,

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 on February 18, 1862 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 ...

Charles Wheelock. The regiment was attached to Wadsworth's Command, Military District of Washington, to May 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Department of the Rappahannock, to June 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division,

III Corps III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * I ...

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. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps,

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 1862. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps, to May 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps, to March 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division,

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Arm ...

, to May 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps, May 9–30, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, V Corps, to June 6, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps, to July, 1865. The 97th New York Infantry mustered out of service on July 18, 1865.

Detailed service

Left State for Washington, D.C., March 12, 1862. Duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C., until May 1862. Expedition to Front Royal, Va., to intercept Jackson, May 28-June 1. Picket duty on the Shenandoah River and at Front Royal to June 10. Duty at Catlett's Station, Warrenton and Waterloo, Va., until August. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9. Pope's Campaign in northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 21–23. Thoroughfare Gap August 28. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6–22. Battles of South Mountain September 14; Antietam September 16–17. Duty near Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. At Brooks' Station until December 10. Battle of Fredericksburg, December 12–15. At Falmouth and Belle Plains until April 27, 1863. "Mud March" January 20–24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations about Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2–5. Gettysburg Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1–3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5–24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9–22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7–8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6–7, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5–7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spotsylvania May 8–12; Spotsylvania Court House May 12–21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23–26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26–28. Totopotomoy May 28–31. Cold Harbor June 1–12. Bethesda Church June 1–3. White Oak Swamp June 13. Before Petersburg June 16–18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (reserve). Weldon Railroad August 18–21. Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie Court House September 15. Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7–12. Sussex Court House December 10, Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5–7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Lewis Farm, near Gravelly Run, March 29. White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3–9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D.C., May 1–12.

Grand Review of the Armies The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in the national capital city of Washington, D.C., on May 23–24, 1865, following the Union victory in the American Civil War (1861–1865). Elements of the Union Army in th ...

May 23. Duty at Washington until July.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 338 men during service; 12 officers and 169 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 156 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel Charles Wheelock * Colonel John Pembroke Spoffordhttps://books.google.com/books?id=-V0vAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA180&dq=john+pembroke+spofford&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEj5Gkvd-NAxXqSTABHe1BB8sQ6AF6BAgIEAM * Lieutenant Colonel Rouse S. Egelston - commanded at the Third Battle of Petersburg where he was wounded in action *

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 ...

Charles B. Northrup - commanded at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

after Col. Wheelock was wounded and captured on July 1 *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Delos E. Hall - commanded at the

Battle of Globe Tavern The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the siege of Petersbur ...

after Col. Wheelock was promoted to brigade command

Notable members

* Sergeant Thomas Burk, Company H -

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient for action at the Battle of the Wilderness

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. * Hall, Isaac. ''History of the Ninety-Seventh Regiment, New York Volunteers: ("Conkling Rifles") in the War for the Union'' (Utica, NY: Press of L. C. Childs and Son), 1890. eprinted in 1991* Hough, Franklin B. ''History of Duryée's Brigade, During the Campaign in Virginia Under Gen. Pope, and in Maryland Under Gen. McClellan, in the Summer and Autumn of 1862'' (Albany, NY: J. Munsell), 1864. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links

95th New York Infantry monument at Gettysburg
Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Infantry 097 1862 establishments in New York (state)