149th Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 149th regiment was organized by Colonel Henry A. Barnum at Syracuse, Onondaga County and was mustered in under Lieutenant Colonel John Strong and Major Abel G. Cook on September 18, 1862. The regiment marched to Washington, D. C.,April 29-May 19, 1865 and was mustered out there on June 12, 1865 under Colonel Nicholas Grumbach, who had been promoted on June 7. The Veterans and Recruits were transferred to 102nd New York Infantry.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 149th Regiment Infantry "4th Onondagas", (accessed 17 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museumwebsite has a unit history project page for the 149th Infantry Regiment. This site also contains an historical sketch.

The Civil War in the Eastwebsite gives a timeline for the involvement of 149th New York Infantry Regiment in the war.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles,companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

See the Regiment Roster, for listing of individuals, their company and their involvement.

Company A - principally recruited from Syracuse, Onondaga County

Company B - principally recruited from Syracuse, Onondaga County

Company C - principally recruited from Syracuse, Onondaga County

Company D - principally recruited from Syracuse, Onondaga County

Company E - principally recruited from Syracuse, Pompey, Onondaga and Geddes, all in Onondaga County

Company F - principally recruited from Manlius, DeWitt and Fabius, all in Onondaga County

Company G - principally recruited from Syracuse, Skaneateles, Van Buren, Lysander, Elbridge and Manlius, all in Onondaga County

Company H - principally recruited from Syracuse, Brewerton, Cicero, all in Onondaga County; and Centerville, Oswego County

Company I - principally recruited from Syracuse, Otisco and Fabius, all in Onondaga County

Company K - principally recruited from Syracuse, Baldwinsville and Tully, all in Onondaga County

Regimental History and Roster

 * Memories of the 149th Regt. N. Y. Vol. Inft., 3d Brig., 2 Div., 12th and 20th A. C, George K Collins, Syracuse, N. Y., Pub. by the author, 1891, Online at:

Source Material

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘New York in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * New York in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for New York, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Collins, George Knapp. An abbreviated account of certain men of Onondaga County who did service in the war of 1861-65, in the 149th New York volunteer regiment infantry. Syracuse, New York : [s.n.], 1928.  Other libraries with this book,  and Memoirs of the 149th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, 3rd brigade, 2nd division, 12th and 20th A.C. Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1988 (originally published: Syracuse, N.Y. : G.K. Collins, 1891)


 * Murray, R. L. Letters from the front : Onondaga County troops in the Civil War. (Wolcott, New York : Benedum Books, c2002),


 * Phisterer, Frederick. New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865. Albany, New York : J.B. Lyon, 1912. Google Books, other libraries with this book, FS Library book 974.7 M2p, FS Library film 1486494-1486496


 * The Union Army : a History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65, Records of the Regiments in the Union Army, Cyclopedia of Battles, Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers, Reprint of original published: Madison, WI.: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. Other libraries with this book, FS Library book 973 M2ua


 * The homepage for the 149th New York State Volunteer Infantryhas several links to related materials and information concerning this regiment.