98th New York Volunteers

IV Corps, Army of the Potomac
XVIII and XXIV Corps, Army of the James

History

Colonels:  William Dutton, Charles Durkee, Frederick M. Wead, William Kreutzer

Lieut.-Cols.:  Charles Durkee, Frederick M. Wead, William Kreutzer, William H. Rogers

Majors:  Albon Mann, George H. Clark, William Hunt Rogers, Albert C. Wells.

        The 98th, the Wayne county regiment, was recruited mainly in Wayne county and mustered into the U. S. service at Malone and Lyons in Feb., 1862, for a three years' term.  It left for Washington on March 8; was assigned to the 3d Brigade; 3d Division, 4th Corps, with which it embarked for the Peninsula; was present at the siege of Yorktown and the Battles of Williamsburg and SaVAge Station, but was not closely engaged until the battle of Fair Oaks, where the total loss of the regiment was 71 killed, wounded or missing.

        It was held in reserve during the Seven Days' Battles and stationed at Yorktown at the time of the second Battle of Bull Run.  Assigned to the Department of North Carolina in Dec., 1862, it became a part of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Corps in Jan., 1863, and served until the following October at VArious posts held by that Corps.

        Returning to Virginia, it served until April, 1864, at Newport News, Portsmouth and in the Currituck district, and was then attached to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps, until the organization of the 24th Corps in December, when it became a part of the 3d Division of that Corps, with which it remained during the war.

        It was engaged at Swift Creek and Proctor's Creek, Drewry's Bluff and Bermuda Hundred, in May, 1864; joined the Army of the Potomac before Cold Harbor and there lost 114 in killed, wounded and missing; was active in the Battles at Fort Harrison, Fair Oaks, and in the final assault on the Petersburg works, April 2, 1865.

        The regiment was mustered out on Aug. 31, 1865, at Richmond, having lost 102 by death from wounds and 136 by death from accident, imprisonment or disease.  From June 19, 1865, the 139th N. Y. served with the 98th.

The Union Army, Vol. 2, pg. 120


Malone and Lyons Regiment; Wayne County Regiment; Franklin's Own. (Three Years)

         This regiment, Col. William Dutton, was organized at Albany, February 5, 1862, by the consolidation of two incomplete, the Lyons and the Malone, regiments.  The eight companies of the latter were consolidated into seven, and formed Companies A, B, C, D, E, G and H; the five of the former, consolidated into three, formed Companies F, I and K of the new regiment.  The companies of the Malone Regiment were mustered in the service of the United States for three years, at Malone, February 6, 1862; those of the Lyons Regiment at Lyons, February 1, 1862.  At the expiration of its term of
enlistment, the men entitled thereto were discharged and the regiment retained in service.  June 19, 1865, the men of the 139th Infantry, not discharged with it, were assigned to this regiment.

         The companies were recruited principally: A, B, C and E at Malone; D and G at Bangor; H at Fort Covington; F, K and I at Lyons.  The 34th Militia formed the nucleus of the regiment, which contained, also, a few St. Regis Indians.

         The regiment left the State March 8, 1862; served in Palmer's, 3d, Brigade, Casey's, 3d, Division, 4th Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March, 1862; in 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 4th Corps, from June, 1862; in 1st, Naglee's, Brigade, Peck's Division, 4th Corps, from July, 1862; at Yorktown, VA., from August, 1862; in Naglee's Brigade, 1st Division, Department of North Carolina, from December, 1862; in 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 18th Corps, in South Carolina, from January 11, 1863; in the District of Beaufort, N. C., from May, 1863; at Newport News, VA., from October, 1863; at Portsmouth, VA., from November, 1863; in the District of Currituck, VA., from December, 1863; in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James, from April, 1864; in New York harbor, in November, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 24th Corps, from December, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 24th Corps, from June, 1865; and it was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Col. William Kreutzer, August 31, 1865, at Richmond, VA.

New York in the War of the Rebellion, pg. 3,127

Command and Staff at end of Service

Colonel.............................Frederick F. Wead
Lieutenant-Colonel..............William Kreutzer
Major................................William H. Rogers
Quartermaster.................Ferdinand C. Shaw
Adjutant...........................Jacob K.R. Oakley
Chaplain......................Charles H. Richardson
Surgeon..............................James D. Benton
Assistant Surgeon..............Hiram D. Howland

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Organization

        Organized at Albany, NY, February 5, 1862, by the consolidation of two incomplete regiments, the Lyons and the Malone regiments. Companies were recruited as follows:

Colonel Frederick Wead	Colonel William Dutton	Capt Egbert M. Copps Cos. A, C, D	Lt George H. Benton Co. I	Pvt Isaac C. Decker Co. K Courtesy of Paul Russinoff

Pvt Evert C. Bastian Co. C Courtesy of Claudia Alden Case

 

In memory of George's Great-grandfather Corporal John Geer Company I, 98th New York Volunteers Commander, John B. Burrud Post, GAR Marion, NY

Unless otherwise noted, photographs are from author's collection & USAMHI.  Additional photos of the men can be found here.

Itinerary 

        Departed NY, March 8, 1862; 3d Brigade, 3d Division, IV Corps, Army of the Potomac 
        Siege of Yorktown, April 16 - May 4, 1862 
        Battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862 
        Bottoms Bridge, May 21 - 22, 1862 
        SaVAge Station, May 24, 1862 * Fair Oaks, June 24 - 25, 1862 
        1st Brigade, 2d Division, IV Corps, from June, 1862 
        Seven Days Retreat, June 25 - July 2 * 1st Brigade, Peck's Division, IV Corps, from July, 1862 
        At Yorktown, from August, 1862 
        Naglee's Brigade, 1st Division, Department of North Carolina, from December, 1862 
        1st Brigade, 2d Division XVIII Corps, in Dept. of South Carolina, from January, 1863 
        District of Beaufort. North Carolina, from May 1863 
        Newport News, Virginia, from October, 1863 
        Portsmouth, Virginia, from November, 1863 
        District of Currituck, Virginia, from December, 1863 
        1st Brigade, 1st Division, XVIII Corps, Army of the James, from April, 1864 
        Operations against Petersburg and Richmond, May 5 - 31, 1864
        Battle of Cold Harbor, June 1 - 3, 1864 
        Assault on Petersburg, June 15, 1864 
        Before Chaffin's Farm, September 19 - October 1 
        2d Fair Oaks, October 27 - 19, 1864 
        In New York Harbor, November, 1864 
        1st Brigade, 3d Division, XXIV Corps, from December, 1864 
        Fall of Petersburg, April 2, 1865 
        2d Brigade, 3d Division, XXIV Corps, from June, 1865 
        Honorably discharged under Lieutenant Col. William Kreutzer, August 31, 1865, at Richmond, Virginia

Battles - Casualties

Total Number of Men in the Regiment:  1,340

Place	Date	KIA	WIA	MIA
Siege of Yorktown, VA	4/16-5/4/62
Bottom's Bridge, VA	5/21-22/62
Savage Station, VA	5/24/62	1
Fair Oaks, VA	6/1/62	4	41	26
Seven Days Battles, VA	6/25-7/2/62
Ops Against Petersburg, VA Swift Creek Drewery's Bluff	5/5-31/64 5/9-10 5/14-16	15	60 7	12
Cold Harbor Campaign, VA First Assault Cold Harbor Second Assault	6/1-12/64 6/1 6/2 6/3	5 6 9	2 3 79 7	3
Incidental Ops Before Petersburg & Richmond, VA	6/15/64-4/2/65	11	44
Petersburg Assault	6/15-19/64	1	16	30
Chaffin's Farm, VA	9/29-10/1/64	11	54	1
2d Fair Oaks, VA	10/27-29/64		3
Fall of Petersburg, VA	4/2/65

KIA:    Officers: 2  *  Enlisted: 61
Died of Wounds:   Officers: 3  *  Enlisted: 36
Died of Disease:   Officers: 4  *  Enlisted: 105
Accidental Deaths:  Officers: 0  *  Enlisted: 1
Drowned:  Officers: 0  *  Enlisted: 2
Total Number of Men taken Prisoner:  73

Total Aggregate Deaths:  566

(From Frederick Phisterer's New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3d Edition, 1909)

In his history of the regiment, 98th New York Volunteers,
Colonel William Kreutzer of Sodus, Wayne County,
claims the 98th was the first regiment to actually enter Richmond.
He was assigned as Provost Marshal over the city from the day of its fall to August, 1865.

I'm always looking for letters, diaries and photos of the men, either originals or copies,
and am most happy to reimburse all copying and mailing expenses for copies.

E-mail me by clicking here: George.

If you're looking for 98th NY soldiers from Franklin & Malone Cos.: John Austin

Copyright 2006, George W. Contant. All rights reserved.