121st Regiment, New York Infantry

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Brief History
The 121st Infantry Regiment was organized at Herkimer, Herkimer County and mustered in August 13, 1862. This unit was also known as the Otsego and Herkimer Regiment (nicknamed "Onesters"). The regiment marched to Washington, D. C., May 24-June 3, 1865. They were mustered out June 25, 1865 at Hall's Hill, Virginia under Colonel Olcott and Lieutenant-Colonel Kidder. The veterans and recruits were transferred to the 65th New York Infantry.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 121st Regiment Infantry "Orange and Herkimer Regiment", (accessed 16 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museum website has a unit history project page for the 121st Infantry Regiment.This page also has a link to an historical sketch for the regiment.

The Civil War in the East website gives a timeline for the involvement of 121st New York Infantry Regiment 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.

121th New York Infantryarticle on Wikipedia gives a brief history of the unit, including places served, battles fought, and commanders.

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 Manheim, Little Falls, Salisbury and Danube, all of Herkimer County

Company B - principally recruited from Plainfield,Otsego County; Winfield,Litchfield, German Flats, Columbia and Stark, all of Herkimer County

Company C - principally recruited from Fairfield, Russia, Herkimer and Newport, all of Herkimer County

Company D - principally recruited from Frankfort, Warren, Manheim, Schuyler, Columbia and Salisbury, all of Herkimer County

Company E - principally recruited from Middlefield, Milford, Cherry Valley, Hartwick, Springfield, Otego and Roseboom, all of Otsego County

Company F - principally recruited from Edmeston, Exeter, Unadilla, Otego and Maryland, all of Otsego County

Company G - principally recruited from Herkimer, Herkimer County; Cherry Valley, Roseboom, Decatur, Middlefield, Westford, and Worcester, all of Otsego County

Company H - principally recruited from Little Falls and Salisbury of Herkimer County;  Richfield and Otego of Otsego County

Company I - principally recruited from German Flats, Herkimer County; Milford, Laurens, Morris, Worcester, Pittsfield, and Hartwick, all of Otsego County

Company K - principally recruited from Laurens, New Lisbon, Oneonta, Burlington, Otego, Butternuts, Pittsfield and Plainfield, all of Otsego 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.


 * 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, FHL book 974.7 M2p, FHL 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, FHL book 973 M2ua


 * Best, Isaac O. and United States. Army. History of the 121st New York State Infantry, Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1992, (originally published: Chicago, IL.: J. H. Smith, 1921). Google Books, Internet Archives , FHL fiches 6083815 (3 fiche)


 * Adams, John R. and United States. Army. Memorial and letters of Rev. John R. Adams : D. D., chaplain of the Fifth Maine and the One Hundred and Twenty-First New York regiments during the war of the rebellion, serving from the beginning to its close, Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America,1992,(originally published: Cambridge, MA.: University Press, 1890). Other libraries with this book, FHL fiche 6083814 (3 fiche)


 * Morse, F. W. and United States. Army. Personal experiences in the war of the great rebellion, from December, 1862, to July, 1865, Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, 1992, (originally published:Albany, N.Y. : Munsell, 1866). Internet Archives,  FHL fiche 6083816 (2 fiche)


 * Cilella, Salvatore G., Jr. and United States. Army. Upton's Regulars: the 121st New York Infantry in the Civil War, Lawrence, KS : University Press of Kansas, 2009. Other libraries with this book, FHL 974.7 M2cs


 * Best, Isaac O.History of the 121st New York State Infantry. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)