Soldier's Escutcheon
54th and 109th New York Infantry
Charles R. Holbrook
Wounded at the Battle of Spottsylvania
Taken as a Prisoner of War & Confined to Libby Prison
Frame measures 22 inches x 29 inches.
Charles Holbrook:
Enlisted on 7/14/1863 as a Private.
On 8/3/1863 he mustered into "H" Co. NY 109th
He was transferred out on 6/3/1865
On 6/3/1865 he transferred into "G" Co. NY 51st Infantry
He was discharged for wounds on 11/25/1865 at DeCamp Hospl, David's Isl., NY
He was listed as:
* POW 5/12/1864 Spotsylvania Court House, VA
* Wounded 5/12/1864 Spotsylvania Court House, VA (Severely wounded in left leg, amputated)
NEW YORK ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH INFANTRY (Three Years)
One Hundred and Ninth Infantry.-Cols., Benjamin F. Tracy, Isaac S. Catlin; Lieut.-Cols., Isaac S. Catlin, Philo B. Stilson; Majs., Philo B. Stilson, George W. Dunn, Zelotus G. Gordon.
This regiment was organized at Binghamton, where it was mustered into the U. S. service Aug. 28, 1862, for three years. The companies were recruited in the counties of Tomkins, Tioga and Broome-the 24th senatorial district. The regiment gained a splendid reputation for hard fighting, discipline and efficiency, and is ranked by Col. Fox among the three hundred fighting regiments of the war.
He says: "The regiment left Binghamton promptly, proceeding to Annapolis Junction, Md., where it was placed on guard duty along the line of railroad to Washington, a few of the companies being stationed at Laurel, Md. It remained there the rest of the year and during all of 1863.
In the spring of 1864, the regiment was ordered to join the 9th corps then assembling at Annapolis, and it accordingly took the field in the ranks of that battle-tried command. It was assigned to Hartranft's (1st) brigade, Willcox's (3d) division,-afterwards Harriman's brigade of Willcox's (1st) division.
Col. Tracy resigned May 20, 1864, and Col. Catlin, a gallant and meritorious officer, succeeded to the command. The corps left Annapolis, April 23, 1864, and crossing the Rapidan on May 5th, the 109th was engaged the next day at the Wilderness, in its first battle, where it lost 11 killed, 64 wounded, and 1 missing
In the charge of the 9th corps at Spottsylvania, the regiment lost 25 killed, 86 wounded, and 29 missing; in the assault on Petersburg, June 17, 1864, 26 killed, 81 wounded, and 20 missing; at the mine explosion, July 30, 1864, 11 killed, 24 wounded, and 18 missing; and at the Weldon railroad, Aug. 19, 1864, 7 killed, 12 wounded, and 1 missing.
The regiment was under fire at the battle on the Boydton road, Oct. 27, 1864, with a slight loss in wounded and missing but none killed. It suffered severely while in the trenches before Petersburg, where for several weeks it lost men daily, either killed or wounded.
During its eleven months in the field the hard fighting cost the regiment 614 men in killed and wounded, aside from the missing or prisoners." Its loss by death during service was 5 officers and 160 men; by disease and other causes, 164 men-total deaths, 329. The percentage of killed, 165, to the total enrollment, 1,353, was 12.1. It was mustered out of service June 4, 1865, at Delaney house, D. C.
*To purchase this item directly with a credit card, please click on this link.