72nd Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 72nd Regiment, New York Infantry was organized under authority of the War Department at Camp Scott, Staten Island, N. Y., as 3rd Regiment, Sickles' Brigade. It left State for Washington, D. C., July 24, 1861. The regiment was assigned at various times to various places and commands. Eight Companies mustered out June 20, 1864 (Cos. "A," "B," "D," "E." "F," "I" and "K"). Companies "C," "G" and "H" attached to 120th Regiment, New York Infantry. Company "C" mustered out July 20, Company "G" July 2 and Company "H" October 31, 1864. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 120th Regiment New York Infantry.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 72nd Regiment Infantry "3rd Excelsior", (accessed 9 August 2012).

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.

Company A - principally recruited at New York City

Company B - principally recruited at (Jamestown), Chautauqua County

Company C - principally recruited in Vermont

Company D - principally recruited at (Dunkirk), Chautauqua County

Company E - principally recruited at (Dunkirk), Chautauqua County

Company F - principally recruited at Newark County, New Jersey

Company G - principally recruited at (Westfield), Chautauqua County

Company H - principally recruited in (Dunkirk), Chautauqua County and New York City

Company I - principally recruited at (Delhi), Delaware County and New Jersey

Company K - principally recruited in New York City

Company L - principally recruited in New Jersey, Massachusetts, (Delhi), Delaware County Delaware County, (Sinclairville), Chautauqua County, and (Plattsburg), Clinton County

Other Sources

 * 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.


 * Brown, Henri Le Fevre. History of the Third Regiment, Excelsior Brigade, 72d New York Volunteer Infantry, 1861-1865. (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).


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


 * Hall, James. The young patriot : a memorial of James Hall. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * 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).


 * Parker, David Bigelow; Parker, Torrance. A Chautauqua boy in '61 and afterward : reminiscences. (Ann Arbor, Michigan : University Microfilms, 1987) and (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * 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,


 * 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,