OVERVIEW:
Organized at Newburg, N. Y., and mustered in October 28, 1861. Left State for Washington, D. C., November 7, 1861. Attached to 1st Brigade, Casey's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, to December, 1862. Naglee's Brigade, Dept. of North Carolina, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1863. Stephenson's Brigade, Seabrook Island, S. C., 10th Army Corps. Dept. of the South, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Morris Island, S. C., 10th Army Corps, July, 1863. Davis' Brigade, Folly Island, S. C., 10th Army Corps, to August, 1863. Saxton's Division, District of Beaufort, S. C., 10th Army Corps, to April, 1864. District of Beaufort, S. C., Dept. of the South, Northern District, Dept. of the South, to November, 1864. 1st Brigade, Coast Division, Dept. of the South, to January, 1865. 1st Separate Brigade, Morris Island, S. C., Dept. of the South, to March, 1865. 4th Separate Brigade, Dept. of the South, to July, 1865. 2nd Sub-District, District of Western South Carolina, to September, 1865.
SERVICE:
Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Moved to Newport News, Va., March 28. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Operations about Bottom's Bridge May 20-23. Battle of Seven Pines (or Fair Oaks) May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battle of Gaines Mill June 27. Bottom's Bridge June 28-29. White Oak Swamp June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Moved to Fortreas Monroe, Va., August 16-22, thence to Yorktown, Va. Duty there and at Gloucester Point till December 26. Action at Lee's Mills September 16. Reconnolssance to Gloucester and Matthews Counties December 11-15. Moved to Morehead City, N. C., December 26-January 1, 1863; thence to Port Royal, S. C., January 28-31. At St. Helena Island, S. C., till March 27, and at Seabrook Island till July 6. Expedition to James Island July 9-16. Grimball's Landing, Secessionville, July 16. Siege of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, S. C., and operations against Fort Sumpter and Charleston till August. Duty in District of Beaufort, S. C., till September, 1864. Expedition to James Island, S. C., June 30-July 10, 1864. James Island July 4. John's Island July 9. Duty on Morris and Folly Islands, S. C., till November. Hatch's Expedition up Broad River November 28-30. Battle of Honey Hill November 30. Demonstration on Charleston and Savannah Railroad December 6-9. Deveaux's Neck December 6. Coosawhatchie December 9. Ordered to Morris Island January 18, 1865, and duty there till March 25. Potter's Expedition to Camden, S. C., April 5-25. Dingle's Mills April 9. Statesburg April 15. Occupation of Camden April 17. Boykin's Mills April 18. Denkin's Mills and Beech Creek, near Statesburg, April 19. Duty in Northern and Western Districts of South Carolina till September. Mustered out October 17, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 63 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 213 Enlisted men by disease. Total 280.
NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS
56th REGIMENT NATIONAL GUARD INFANTRY.
Mustered in for 30 days United States service June 18, 1863. Left State for Harrisburg, Pa., June 20. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Susquehanna. Mustered out July 24, 1863.
