Identified Union Soldier Ambrotype William E. Griffiths 23rd New York Infantry (“Southern Tier Regiment”) / SOLD

Description

Identified Union Soldier Ambrotype

William E. Griffiths

23rd New York Infantry (“Southern Tier Regiment”)

 

A fine identified Civil War ambrotype of William E. Griffiths, who served in the 23rd New York Infantry and later the 156th New York Infantry.

It appears that there was an injury at the Battle of Gettysburg, he was discharged July 4th 1863 due to disability.

The image shows Griffiths standing in full early-war uniform, wearing a dark frock coat with shoulder scales and accoutrements, holding a musket at his side. His cap displays a regimental numeral, and he presents the confident bearing typical of 1861 volunteers.

Accompanying handwritten notes identify him as:

Enlisted May 1861 at Elmira, New York / Served in the 23rd New York Infantry (Southern Tier Regiment) / Discharged for disability July 4, 1863

The 23rd New York was an early-war regiment organized in Elmira and saw active service before mustering out in 1863.

The ambrotype is housed in its original case with ornate gilt oval mat and preserver.

 

William E. Griffiths enlisted at Elmira, New York, on May 6, 1861, just weeks after the firing on Fort Sumter, joining the rush of volunteers responding to President Lincoln’s first call for troops. At only twenty-one years of age, he mustered into Company K of the 23rd New York Infantry on May 16, 1861, becoming part of one of the state’s early two-year regiments.

 

The 23rd New York Infantry was organized at Elmira in May 1861 and initially served in the defenses of Washington, D.C. That summer the regiment moved into active campaigning in Northern Virginia. Griffiths would have experienced his first combat at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) on July 21, 1861, where the regiment saw hard fighting during the Union army’s first major engagement of the war. The chaotic retreat back toward Washington marked a sobering introduction to combat for the young soldiers.

 

During 1862 the 23rd New York served in the Shenandoah Valley and northern Virginia. The regiment participated in operations against Stonewall Jackson during the Valley Campaign and later was engaged at the Second Battle of Bull Run (August 1862), where Union forces again met heavy Confederate resistance. The regiment also took part in the Maryland Campaign, including the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862. Though not heavily engaged at Antietam itself, the regiment endured the exhausting marches and maneuvers that defined that critical campaign.

 

In December 1862, the 23rd New York fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg, where Union assaults against entrenched Confederate positions resulted in severe casualties. The regiment continued its service into 1863, participating in the Chancellorsville Campaign in the spring. Although its term of enlistment was nearing expiration, the men remained in the field during the Gettysburg Campaign. The 23rd New York was present for duty during the opening movements of that campaign, though its period of service was about to conclude.

 

Griffiths’ two-year enlistment expired shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg, and he was mustered out with his regiment on July 4, 1863, at Washington, D.C. His service spanned nearly the full arc of the Army of the Potomac’s early war struggles—from Bull Run through Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville—marking him as a veteran of some of the most significant and hard-fought campaigns in the Eastern Theater during the first half of the Civil War.

A desirable identified New York volunteer image with solid service documentation — an excellent addition to any Empire State or early-war Union collection.

 

Comes housed in 12 inch x 8 inch riker display case with red velvet backing and descriptive card.

 

Inventory Number: HAR 247