157th Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 157th regiment was organized at Hamilton, Madison County under Colonel Philip P. Brown, Jr., Lieutenant Colonel George Arrowsmith and Major James C. Carmichael and mustered in September 19, 1862. The unit was also known as the "Madison and Cortland Regiment". They performed their duty at Georgetown and Charleston, South Carolina, until July, 1865. The unit was mustered out July 10, 1865 under Colonel James C. Carmichael, Lt. Colonel Frank Place and Major Leonard Briggs. The Veterans and Recruits were transferred to 54th New York Infantry.

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


 * The Civil War Archive section, 157th Regiment Infantry, (accessed 17 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museumwebsite has a unit history project page for the 157th Infantry Regiment. The site also has an historical sketchof the regiment.

The Civil War in the Eastwebsite gives a timeline for the involvement of 157th New York Infantry Regiment in the war.

The 157th Regiment, 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 Georgetown, Hamilton, Madison, all in Madison County; and Sherburne, Chenango County

Company B - principally recruited from Oneida, Madison County

Company C - principally recruited from Willet, Taylor, Solon, Freetown, Hamilton, Marathon, Cuyler and Cincinnatus, Cortland County; and Pitcher, Chenango County

Company D - principally recruited from Scott, Preble and Homer, all in Cortland County

Company E - principally recruited from Cortland, Virgil, Harford and Cortlandville, all in Cortland County

Company F - principally recruited from Smyrna, Chenango County; Smithfield, Dutchess County; Lebanon, Georgetown, Hamilton, Eaton and Madison, all in Madison County

Company G - principally recruited from Canastota, Lennox, Clockville, Wampsville, Oneida and Hamilton, all in Madison County

Company H - principally recruited from Homer, Truxton and Cortlandville, all in Cortland County

Company I - principally recruited from Sullivan and Hamilton in Madison County; and Smithfield, Dutchess County

Company K - principally recruited from Cortlandville, Marathon, Harford, Freetown and Virgil, all in Cortland 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.


 * Applegate, John Stilwell. Reminiscences and letters of George Arrowsmith of New Jersey : late Lieutenant-Colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Regiment, New York State Volunteers. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * Bracy, Isabel, compiler. 157th New York Volunteer (Infantry) Regiment : 1862-1865, Madison and Cortland Counties, New York. Interlaken, N.Y.: Heart of The Lakes Publishing,1991. Other libraries with this book,


 * Barlow, Albert Rowe. Company G : a record of the services of one company of the 157th N. Y. Vols. in the war of the rebellion, from Sept. 19, 1862 to July 10, 1865, including the roster of the company. Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America,1992 (originally published: Syracuse, N. Y. : A. W. Hall, 1899). Internet Archives,


 * 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, FS Library book 974.7 M2p, FS Library 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, FS Library book 973 M2ua


 * United States. Army. Sketch and roster of the 157th Regiment New York Volunteers. Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America,1992 (originally published:New York? : s.n., 1895?). Other libraries with this book,