165th Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 165th regiment was organized at New York City November, 1862 under Lieutenant Colonel Abel Smith and Major Governeur Carr. They were known as Second Battalion Duryea's Zouaves and Smith's Zouaves. They served their duty at Savannah, Georgia, and at Charleston, S. C., from July until September, 1865. They were mustered out there September 1, 1865.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 165th Regiment Infantry "2nd Duryea's Zouaves", (accessed 22 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museumwebsite has a unit history project page for the 165th Infantry Regiment.

The Civil War in the Eastwebsite gives a timeline for the involvement of 165th 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 New York City

Company B - principally recruited from New York City and Jamaica, Queens County

Company C - principally recruited from New York City

Company D - principally recruited from New York City

Company E - principally recruited from New York City

Company F - principally recruited from New York City and Brooklyn, Kings County

Company G - principally recruited from New York City and Long Island City, Queens County

Company H - principally recruited from New York City and Long Island City, Queens County

Company I - principally recruited from New York City and Long Island City, Queens County

Company K - principally recruited from New York City and Long Island City, Queens County

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.


 * Hoey, George. The 165th New York Volunteers. (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,


 * United States. Army. Album of the Second Battalion Duryee Zouaves, One Hundred and Sixty-Fifth Regt., New York Volunteer Infantry. Bethesda, Md.: University Publications of America,1992 ( originally published: [New York? ; s.n.], 1904). Google Books and Internet Archive - free.


 * United States. Army. History of the second battalion : Duryee : Zouaves : one hundred and sixty-fifth regt. New York Volunteer Infantry mustered in the United States service at Camp Washington, Staten Island, N.Y., November twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two. (Washington [District of Columbia] : Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service, 1988 (originally published: [New York?] : [s.n.], 1905). Google Books


 * United States. Army. Roster 165th Regiment, N. Y. Vols. 2d Duryee Zouaves, September, 1862-September, 1865. Bethesda, Md. : University Publications of America,1992 (original published: [New York? : s.n., 1903?]).