102nd Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief Histories


The 102nd Regiment, also known as "Van Buren Light Infantry" was organized at New York City in 1862. The regiment left New York for Washington, D. C., March 10, 1862. The regiment's duty was at Washington, D. C. until July, 1865. They were mustered out on July 21, 1865 under Colonel Harvey S. Chatfield, Lieutenant Colonel Oscar J. Spalding and Major Robert H. Wilbur at Alexandria, Virginia.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 102nd Regiment Infantry "Van Buren Light Infantry", (accessed 10 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museumwebsite has a unit history project page for the 102nd Infantry Regiment, also known as the Van Buren Light Infantry and the Calcium Light Regiment. It includes an historical sketch.

The Civil War in the Eastwebsite gives a timeline for the involvement of 102nd New York Infantry Regiment "Van Buren Light Infantry" in the war.

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

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 the 12th Militia, Avery Rifles, Independence Guard in New York City Company B - principally recruited from Von Beck Rifles, at Rondout, Ulster County

Company C - principally recruited from Cold Spring Harbor, Suffolk County and New York City

Company D - principally recruited from Lima,Livingston County;Avoca, Steuben County and New York City

Company E - principally recruited from Calcium Light Sharpshooters, at New York City

Company F - principally recruited from "McClellan Light Infantry, at Brooklyn, Kings County and New York City

Company G - principally recruited from Von Beck Rifles, at Rondout, Ulster County

Company H - principally recruited from Von Beck Rifles, at New York City

Company I - principally recruited from 78th Cameron Rifle Highlanders, at Sharon Springs, Schoharie County

Company K - principally recruited from Cameron Rifle Highlanders, at New York City, Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County and Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey

Source Materials

 * 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.


 * Howe, T. H. (Thomas H.).Adventures of an escaped Union prisoner from Andersonville Prison in 1864. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * Frederick Henry Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, (Des Moines, Iowa: Dyer Publishing Co., 1908), as cited at Civil War Soldiers; Sailors System(database on-line)


 * New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. "Unit History Project : New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center citing Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912).


 * Hawks, Steve.The Civil War in the East.Database.


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


 * Seeley, N. B.Stories of the Civil War in prose and poem. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * 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, Wis.: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. Other libraries with this book, FHL book 973 M2ua