Howard County, MD in the Civil War

The 5th New York Heavy Artillery in Howard County

Service at Relay House, September 1862. Stationed at Relay House, 1/64-4/9/1864

Primary Sources
Archival and Secondary Sources

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

“Mustered in: April 1862. Mustered out: July 19, 1865.

Col. Samuel Graham, being so authorized, proceeded to recruit a regiment of heavy artillery — the 2d Regiment Jackson Artillery; Col. Edward Murray received authority from the State in November, 1861, to recruit the Jackson Heavy Artillery. These two organizations were consolidated March 6, 1862, Colonel Graham's men forming Companies A, B, C and D, and Colonel Murray's E, F, G and H of the new regiment, the two colonels being appointed Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel, respectively. The 70th Militia furnished a number of men to the regiment. The companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years, in New York harbor, in April, 1862. December 31, 1862, the 6th Battalion of Artillery—3d Battalion of Black River Artillery — was transferred to the regiment, forming its Companies I, K, L and M, and thereby completing the regimental organization. These companies had been mustered in the United States service for three years; I and K September 11; and L and M September 12, 1862, at Sackett's Harbor. At the expiration of the term of service of the original eight companies, the men entitled thereto were discharged, and the companies retained in service.

The companies were recruited principally: A and B at Brooklyn and New York city; C at New York city, Brooklyn, Monterey, Big Flats, Valhalla, Catskill, Horseheads, Elmira, Armonk and Quarrytonville; D at Brooklyn, New York city and Rondout; E at New York city, Afton and in Ohio; F at New York city, Liberty, Turin, Fort Edward, and in the counties of Dutchess and Sullivan; G in New York city and in New Jersey; H at New York city, Ancram, Poughkeepsie, Fremont Centre and Liberty, and in New Jersey; I at New Bremen, Martinsburg, Lowville and Greig; K at Turin, Leyden, Highmarket, Greig and Theresa; L at Lowville, Watson, Denmark, Martinsburg, Diana and Montague; and M at Denmark, Harrisburg, Pinckney, Montague, Champion, Croghan and Wilna.

The eight companies, then organized, served in New York harbor at Forts Hamilton, Lafayette, Wood, Gibson, Richmond and Schuyler, from March 11, 1862; at Baltimore, Md., and other points of the Middle Department, from May 28, 1862. Companies A and F served at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., from June 19, 1862, where they were surrendered in September, 1862; they rejoined the regiment after being paroled, at Baltimore, Md. The 3d Battalion served in the defenses of Washington north, and later south, of the Potomac, 22d Corps, from December, 1862, and at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., from November 24, 1863; the 1st and 2d Battalions were also ordered to Harper's Ferry, 8th Corps, April 19, 1864. The 1st Battalion, Companies A, B, C and D, served with the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of West Virginia, 8th Corps, in the field from May, 1864; it was relieved by the 2d Battalion, July 29, 1864, and returned to Harper's Ferry. The 2d Battalion, Companies E, F, G and H, served in the field in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of West Virginia, until October 28, 1864, when it returned to Harper's Ferry. The regiment served as infantry and heavy artillery.

June 24 and 25, 1863, Companies I, K, L and M were mustered out at Harper's Ferry, but at once reorganized of men transferred from Companies A, B, C and D, and July 19, 1865, the regiment, commanded by Colonel Graham, was honorably discharged and mustered out at Harper's Ferry, W. Va.

During its service, the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 66 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 32 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 293 enlisted men; total, 1 officer, 391 enlisted men; aggregate, 392; of whom 76 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.”