[
198]
Fifty-First New York Infantry--“Shepard Rifles.”
Ferrero's Brigade —
Sturgis's Division--Ninth Corps.
| Losses. | Officers. | En.
Men. | Total. |
| Killed and mortally wounded | 9 | 193 | 202 |
| Died of disease, accidents, etc. | 2 | 105 | 107 |
| Died in Confederate prisons | | 69 | 69 |
| | | | |
| Totals | 11 | 367 | 378 |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| Battles. | Killed. | Wounded.1 | Missing.2 | Total. |
| Roanoke Island, N. C. | 3 | 11 | 9 | 23 |
| New Berne, N. C. | 11 | 60 | | 71 |
| Manassas, Va. | 10 | 49 | 17 | 76 |
| Chantilly, Va. | | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| South Mountain, Md. | 4 | 12 | | 16 |
| Antietam, Md. | 19 | 68 | | 87 |
| Fredericksburg, Va. | 10 | 61 | 2 | 73 |
| Jackson, Miss | | 1 | | 1 |
| Knoxville, Tenn | | 1 | | 1 |
| Wilderness, Va. | 20 | 54 | 5 | 79 |
| Spotsylvania, Va. | 11 | 32 | | 43 |
| North Anna, Va. | | 1 | | 1 |
| Bethesda Church, Va. | 3 | 8 | 6 | 17 |
| Petersburg Mine, Va. | 10 | 21 | 2 | 33 |
| Weldon Railroad, Va. | | 1 | | 1 |
| Peebles's Farm, Va. | 2 | 10 | 332 | 344 |
| Siege of Petersburg, Va. | 21 | 73 | 4 | 98 |
| | | | | |
| Totals | 124 | 471 | 382 | 977 |
Present, also, at
Blue Springs, Tenn.;
Campbell's Station, Tenn.;
Siege of Vicksburg,
Miss.; Cold Harbor, Va.;
Hatcher's Run;
Fort Stedman, Va.; Fall of
Petersburg, Va.
notes.--Recruited in New York City, and formed by uniting the “Scott Rifles,” two companies, and the “Union Rifles,” two companies, with the Shepard Rifles.
It was mustered in by companies from July 27 to October 23, 1861.
In January, 1862, it embarked at
Annapolis on the
Burnside Expedition, having been assigned to
Reno's Brigade.
At the
battle of New Berne it encountered the brunt of the fighting, and sustained the severest loss of any regiment in that action.
During its subsequent service it was in the Second Division which was commanded, successively, by
Reno,
Sturgis, and
Potter.
The Fifty-first distinguished itself particularly at
Antietam, where, under
Colonel Potter, it supported the Fifty-first Pennsylvania, of the same brigade, in their desperate charge across the stone bridge, an action which forms one of the most brilliant episodes of the war. Following the fortunes of the Ninth Corps it served under
Burnside on the
Carolina coast, took part in
Pope's Virginia campaign, fought under
McClellan in
Maryland, was present at the
Siege of Vicksburg, participated in the fighting in
East Tennessee, in the gallant defense of
Knoxville, and then returned to
Virginia in time to take part in
Grant's campaigns of 1864 and the final triumphs of the following year.
The regiment reenlisted in December, 1863, and in the following winter was recruited anew nearly to its maximum.
During the campaigns of 1862-63 the regiment served in
Ferrero's Brigade; in the battles of 1864-65 it was in
Curtin's (1st) Brigade,
Potter's (2d) Division.
The graves of the Fifty-first are scattered far and wide.
Few regiments saw a more active service, and none left a more honorable record.
