1st Lieutenant David G. McNaughton, 161st New York Infantry

NEW YORK ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIRST INFANTRY (Three Years)

One Hundred and Sixty-first Infantry.-Cols., Gabriel P. Harrower, Henry G. Harrower; Lieut.-Cols., Marvin D. Stillwell, William B. Kinsey;  Majs., Charles Straun, Willis E. Craig.

This regiment was recruited by Col. Gabriel P. Harrower in the fall of 1862 in the counties of Chemung, Steuben, Schuyler, Chenango and Broome.  It was organized at Elmira and was there mustered into the U. S. service for three years, Oct. 27, 1862.

It left the state on Dec. 4, for the Department of the Gulf, where it was first assigned to Grover's division, and soon after, to the 3d brigade, 1st (Augur's) division, 19th corps, with which it fought at Clinton plank road, Plains store, and in the long siege of Port Hudson.

Its loss during the siege was 17 killed, wounded and missing.  In July it was heavily engaged at Donaldsonville, La., with a loss of 7 killed, 39 wounded and 7 missing, and in September it formed part of Franklin's unsuccessful Sabine Pass expedition to Texas, sustaining a loss of 30 killed, wounded and missing.

As a part of Emory's (1st) division, 19th corps, it participated in Banks' Red River campaign in the spring of 1864, during which it fought at Sabine cross-roads, Pleasant Hill, Cane river crossing and Mansura.  The regiment was very heavily engaged at Sabine cross-roads under command of Lieut.-Col. Kinsey, losing 13 killed, 64 wounded and 30 missing.

When the first two divisions of the 19th corps were ordered to Virginia in July, 1864, the 161st remained in the Department of the Gulf and was stationed successively at Columbus, Ky., Memphis, Tenn., and in western Mississippi.  In the spring of 1865, as part of the 3d brigade, 1st division, 13th corps, it took part in Gen. Canby's operations against Fort Blakely, Spanish Fort and Mobile, Ala., after which it was ordered to Florida and was finally mustered out at Tallahassee on Nov. 12, 1865.

Those whose terms were about to expire had been previously mustered out, under command of Maj. Craig, Sept. 10, 1865, at Fort Jefferson, Fla., after which the regiment was consolidated into a battalion of two companies.  During its term of service, the 161st lost by death, 1 officer (2nd Lieut. Lewis E. Fitch, killed at Sabine cross-roads) and 55 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; 250 enlisted men died of disease and other causes, a total of 306.

New York ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIRST REGIMENT OF INFANTRY. (Three Years)

Colonel Gabriel T. Harrower was authorized, September 6,1862, to recruit this regiment in the then 27th Senatorial District of the State; it was organized at Elmira, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years October 27, 1862.  Commanded by Maj. Willis E. Craig, the regiment-that is, those men whose term of service was about to expire-was mustered out September 20, 1865, at Fort Jefferson, Fla.; the men not then discharged were formed into a battalion of two companies, A and B; the men of Companies A, C, E, H, K and F forming Company A, and those of B, D, G and I Company B, and continued in service.

The companies were recruited principally: A at Urbana, Pultney, Prattsburg and Wheeler; B at Elmira, Watkins, Tyrone, Reading, Hector and Dix; C at Elmira; D at Bath; E at Hornellsville, Chenango, Hector, Binghamton, Catharine, Colesville, Montour and Hampton; F at Bath and Howard; G at Corning, Watkins, Reynoldsville and Binghamton; H at Woodhull, Jasper, Greenwood and Troupsburg; I at Cohocton and Avoca; and K at Norwich, Columbus, Guilford, Sherburne and Cazenovia.

The regiment left the State December 4, 1862; it served in Grover's Division, Department of the Gulf, from December, 1862; in 2d Brigade, Augur's Division, from December 31, 1862; in the 3d Brigade, Augur's Division, 19th Corps, from January 21, 1863; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, from March, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Corps, from August 15, 1863; in the Engineer Brigade, Department of the Gulf, from June, 1864; with the 17th Corps from August 14, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, Reserve, 19th Corps, from August 17, 1864; at Columbus, Ky., from October, 26, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 2d Division, Reserve, 19th Corps, at Memphis, Tenn., from November 20, 1864; in the 4th Brigade, Reserve, Military Division of Western Mississippi, from December 4, 1864; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Corps, from February, 1865; in the District of Florida in June, 1865; in the Department of Florida from July, 1865, and it was honorably discharged and mustered out November 12, 1865, at Tallahassee, Fla.

Reports of Maj. Willis E. Craig, One hundred and sixty-first New York Infantry, of operations March 17-April 12.

HDQRS. 161ST NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,

Mobile, Ala., April 13, 1865.

SIR: In compliance with orders from headquarters Third Brigade, First Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this command in the siege of Spanish Fort:

The One hundred and sixty-first New York Volunteers pitched tents in the vicinity of Spanish Fort, Ala., on the evening of the 26th of March, 1865. At 8 p.m. I was ordered to move my regiment out to the support of the picket-line, and four companies (A, D, B, and G) were sent to complete the connection of the line. On the morning of the 27th the enemy made a dash on the picket-line, but was repulsed. Companies A and D were engaged in the skirmish. The regiment was moved up in support of the picket-line, which was advanced as skirmishers. In the afternoon I rejoined the brigade, which was moved forward and joined Gen. Slack's brigade (First), on the right and directly in front of Spanish Fort, distant 1,000 yards, this regiment on the right of the brigade. The four companies alluded to above remained in the skirmish line until dark. The casualties were two men wounded, one of whom was erroneously killed. At night a working party was sent from the regiment to dig rifle-pits, composed of one officer and sixty men. On the 28th the regiment went to Bolivar [D'Olive's] Creek to build a bridge, after which it was ordered by Maj.-Gen. Canby to report to Brig.-Gen. Bailey, at Starke's Wharf, for duty, where it remained until April 10, 1865, taking no further part in the siege of Spanish Fort.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIS E. CRAIG, Maj., Cmdg. the Regt.

Capt. S. A. WALLING, Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

HDQRS. 161ST REGT. NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,

Mobile, Ala., April 13, 1865.

SIR: In compliance with orders from headquarters Third Brigade, First Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to report that this regiment was on duty at Starke's Wharf, Ala., by order of Maj.-Gen. Canby, during the siege of Blakely, and took no part therein.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIS E. CRAIG, Maj., Cmdg. the Regt.

Capt. S. A. WALLING, Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

ADDENDA.

Journal of the march of the One hundred and sixty-first Regt. New York Volunteers, commanded by Maj. Willis E. Craig, from Dauphin Island, Ala., to Mobile, Ala.

HDQRS. 161ST REGT. NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, Mobile, Ala., April 13, 1865.

March 17.--Started from Dauphin Island at dark; landed at Navy Cove and remained at that point during the night.

March 18.--Marched five miles up the beach on the east side of Mobile Point and went into bivouac.

March 19.--Marched about fifteen miles.

March 20.--Came up with the rear of Gen. Benton's division, which was crossing a swamp, and went into bivouac.

March 21.--Remained in bivouac to build corduroy roads and bridges across the swamp.

March 22.--Marched at 5 a.m. This regiment detailed to lift the wagon train and artillery through the swamp. Marched about three miles.

March 23.--A detachment] detailed from this regiment to build roads.

March 24.--Marched to Fish River and crossed on pontoons. Bivouacked two miles from the crossing. Roads good.

March 25.--Marched at 2 p.m. and went into bivouac at dark. Furnished 3 officers and 200 men for picket.

March 26.--Marched to within a mile and a half of Spanish Fort and found the division in line of battle. At night the regiment was ordered to move out to the support of the picket-line and four companies (A, D, B, and G) sent to complete the connection of the line.

March 27.--The enemy made a dash on the picket-line at 7 a. m., but was repulsed. Companies A and D were engaged in the skirmish. The regiment was moved up in support of the picket-line, which was advanced as skirmishers. In the afternoon I rejoined the brigade, which was moved forward and joined Gen. Slack's brigade (First) on the right and directly in front of Spanish Fort. The four companies alluded to above remained in the skirmish line until dark.

The casualties were two men wounded, one of whom was erroneously [reported] killed. At [night] a working party was sent from the regiment of one officer and sixty men.

March 28.--The regiment was sent to the rear to build a bridge across Bolivar [D'Olive's] Creek.

March 29.--Finished the bridge, and was then ordered by Maj.-Gen. Canby to report to Brig.-Gen. Bailey, at Starke's Wharf, for duty, where we remained doing picket and provost duty until April 10, 1865.

April 10.--Broke camp at 8 a.m. Marched sixteen miles and joined the brigade near Blakely at 4 p.m.

April 11.--Broke camp at dark and marched with the brigade to Starke's Wharf.

April 12.--Embarked on steamer Col. Cowles at daybreak.  Disembarked at Catfish Point, on the west side of Mobile Bay, at 2p.m., and marched six miles, entering the city of Mobile at dark.

WILLIS E. CRAIG,  Maj., Cmdg. the Regt

Inventory Number: CDV 242