103rd Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 103rd Regiment, New York Infantry, also known as "Seward Infantry", was oganized at New York City from November, 1861, to March, 1862. The duty of this regiment was in the Department of Virginia until December, 1865. They were mustered out at New York City on December 7, 1865 under Colonel William Heine.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 103rd Regiment Infantry "Seward Infantry", (accessed 10 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museumwebsite has a unit history project page for the 103rd Infantry Regiment, also known as Seward Infantry.

The Civil War in the Eastwebsite gives a timeline for the involvement of 103rd New York Infantry Regiment in the war.

A photograph of some of the soldiers and officers from the 103rd new York infantry can be seen at the Unit History Project page on the New York State Military Museum website.

An overview of the involvement of this regiment in the Antietam Campaign can be seen on the "Antietam on the Web" website.

Here is a copy of a letterof Secretary SEWARD, accompanying the presentation of a stand of colors to the Seward Infantry, as found in the New York Times, April 9th, 1862.

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 Grenadiers in New York City

Company B - principally recruited from "Corps d'Elite"

Company C - principally recruited from "Corps d'Elite"

Company D - principally recruited from the "3rd German Rifles"

Company E - principally recruited from the "3rd German Rifles"

Company F - principally recruited from the "3rd German Rifles"

Company G - principally recruited from Baker's Rifles and New York Battery, at Elmira, Chemung County

Company H - principally recruited from Baker's Rifles and New York Battery, at Elmira, Chemung County

Company I - principally recruited from Baker's Rifles and New York Battery, at Elmira, Chemung County

Company K - principally recruited from Baker's Rifles and New York Battery, at Elmira, Chemung County

Regimental History and Roster

 * History and Personal Sketches of Company I, 103 N.Y.S.V., 1862-1864. By Orval Samuel Kimball. Elmira, NY: The Facts Printing Co, 1900. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive

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.


 * Kimball, Orville Samuel. History and Personal Sketches of Company I, 103 N. Y. S. V., 1862-1864. Elmira, N. Y. : Facts Print. Co., 1900. A copy can be found at Internet Archives, FS Library microfiche 6083796 (3 fiche)


 * Phisterer, Frederick. New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865. Albany, N.Y. : 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