70th Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 70th Regiment, New York Infantry was organized under authority of the War Department as 1st Regiment, Sickles' Brigade, at Camp Scott, Staten Island, N. Y., and mustered in June 20, 1861. It was assigned at various times to various places and commands. The regiment mustered out July 7, 1864.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 70th Regiment Infantry "1st Excelsior", (accessed 9 August 2012).
 * The Wikipedia article, 70th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (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 - recruited in part in New York City, and in part (Paterson), Passaic County, New Jersey

Company B - half principally recruited in New York City, the other half from New Jersey

Company C - principally recruited in (Paw Paw), Van Buren County, Michigan

Company D - half principally recruited in New York City and the other half in New Jersey

Company E - principally recruited in (Pittsburg), Allegheny, Pennsylvania

Company F - principally recruited in (Port Jervis), Orange County and New Jersey

Company G - half principally recruited in New York City and the other half in New Jersey

Company H - principally recruited in (Boston), Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Company I - principally recruited in (Paterson), Passaic County, New Jersey

Company K - principally recruited in (Newark), Essex County, New Jersey

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.


 * 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.


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


 * 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,


 * Swinton, William.History of the Seventh Regiment, National Guard, State of New York, during the war of the rebellion : with a preliminary chapter on the origin and early history of the regiment, a summary of its history since the war, and a roll of honor, comprising brief sketches of the services rendered by members of the regiment in the Army and Navy of the United States. (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, WI.: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. Other libraries with this book,


 * United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 70th (1861-1864) and O'Reilly, Henry Brooks.A Brief memento of Captain Henry Brooks O'Rielly, of the First Excelsior Regiment : who fell in the battle of Williamsburg, the first battle of the Army of the Potomac on its march from Yorktown to Richmond, May 5, 1862. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)