57th Infantry Regiment
Civil War
National Guard Rifles; Clinton Rifles; United States Voltigeurs; Zook's Voltigeurs.

History

Mustered in: August 12 to November 19, 1861
Mustered out: July 14 to October 15,1864

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.
This regiment received its numerical designation October 19, 1861; was organized and mustered in the service of the United States at New York City for three years between August 12 and November 19, 1861. It was formed by the consolidation of several organizations recruited under special authority from the War Department. The National Guard Rifles or Zook's Voltigeurs, Col. Samuel K. Zook, formed Companies A, B, C, D and E; the Clinton Rifles, Col. J. A. Page, became Companies F, G and H (A and E = F and G; D, F and G=H); the United States Voltigeurs or Volunteers (Companies B and C), Col. Albert C. Ramsay, formed Companies I and K; and Samuel K. Zook was appointed Colonel of the regiment. Before this consolidation the Washington Zouaves, Col. James H. Remain, had been merged into the Voltigeurs, and the Manhattan Rifles, Col. George W. Vanderbilt, in the National Guard Rifles. During the summer of 1864 the companies, being small in numbers, were, for tactical purposes, consolidated, the company organization on paper remaining intact. Company C was mustered out July 14, 1864; Companies F, I and D August 11, 13 and 14, 1864, respectively; Companies K, A and B September 3, 10 and 23, respectively, and Company H October 15, 1864; the men not entitled to be discharged were transferred to Companies E and G; the last regimental commander was Capt. Orlando F. Middleton; honorably discharged September 24, 1864.
The companies were recruited principally: A, D, E, F and G in New York city; B in Utica; C in Kings county; and H, I and K in Dutchess county. The regiment left the State November 19, 1861; served in French's Brigade, Sumner's Division, Army of the Potomac, from November, 1861; in the same, 3d, Brigade, 1st, Richardson's, Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March 13, 1862; commanded by Zook, Caldwell and Hancock respectively, at Gettysburg; it was part of the Consolidated Brigade, same division and corps, from July to November, 1864; and the two companies remaining in the field, E and G, were, December 6, 1864, transferred to the 61st Infantry.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 5 officers, 60 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 3 officers, 35 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 90 enlisted men; total, 9 officers, 185 enlisted men; aggregate, 194; of whom 28 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.

The following is taken from 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. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. volume II.
Fifty-seventh Infantry.—Cols., Samuel K. Zook, Alford B. Chapman, James W. Britt; Lieut.-Cols., John A. Page, Philip J. Parisen, Alford B. Chapman, James W. Britt, Augustus M. Wright, George W. Jones, James C. Bronson; Majs., Philip J. Parisen, Alford B. Chapman, N. Garrow Throop, John H. Bell, William A. Kirk, George W. Jones, James C. Bronson, George Mitchell. The 57th, the "National Guard Rifles," contained companies from the National guard Rifles, the Clinton Rifles, the United States Voltigeurs, the Washington Zouaves and the Manhattan Rifles, and was mustered into the U. S. service at New York city, Aug. 12 to Nov, 19, 1861, for three years. It left for Washington on Nov. 19, was assigned to French's brigade, Sumner's division, Army of the Potomac, and passed the winter in the vicinity of Washington. In March, 1862, it was attached to the 3d brigade, 1st division, 2nd corps, and joined in the general advance to Manassas Junction. It then moved to the Peninsula, participated in the siege of Yorktown; was present at the battle of Fair Oaks; active in the Seven Days' battles, after which it proceeded to Harrison's landing. It went to the support of Gen. Pope at Bull Run and arrived just before the battle of Chantilly, but was not actively engaged. At Antietam the regiment lost 98 in killed and wounded and 3 missing. After the battle it moved to Halltown, Snicker's gap and Falmouth and suffered severely at Fredericksburg, where the division, under Gen. Hancock made a gallant but unsuccessful assault on Marye's heights. The regiment here lost 87 out of 192 engaged. The winter was passed near Falmouth and in the Chancel-lorsville campaign in the spring of 1863 the regiment was active. At Gettysburg the loss of the depleted command was 34 and then moving southward with the army, the 57th was active at Auburn, Bristoe Station and in the Mine Run campaign. Winter quarters were established near Brandy Station and occupied until the opening of the Wilderness campaign, during which the regiment was repeatedly in action. In the battle at the Wilderness the loss was 58, and in the assault on Petersburg, June 15, the action at the Weldon railroad, and at Reams' station the loss was 63. Co. C was mustered out on July 14, 1864; Cos. F, D and I in August; Cos. K, A and B in September; Co. H on Oct. 15; and the reenlisted men and recruits were transferred to the 61st N. Y. infantry on Dec. 6. The regiment during its term of service lost 103 by death from wounds and 91 from other causes.

Battles and Casualties Table from Phisterer

Civil War Newspaper Clippings

Report of the Operations of the 57th N.Y. Infantry, Col. Samuel K. Zook for the year ending December, 1862

Annual Return of Casualties of the 57th Regiment New York Vols for the year ending December 31st 1862.

Monument at Gettysburg

Unit Roster

Further Reading
This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to int-historians@ng.army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Burleigh, Hattie. The Hattie Burleigh papers, 1862-1865.
Description: 1 Box
Abstract: Contains the following type of materials: correspondence. Contains information pertaining to the following war and time period: Civil War -- Eastern Theater, Civil War -- Western Theater. Contains information pertaining to the following military units and organizations: 108th New York Infantry Regiment; 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, II Corps; 57th New York Infantry Regiment; Quartermaster, 1st United States Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment; 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment; 22nd United States (U.S.) Colored Infantry Regiment. General description of the collection: The Hattie Burleigh papers include a collection of letters sent to civilian Hattie Burleigh in Laconia and East Sanbornton, New Hampshire. Letters describe Petersburg; Grand Review in Washington, D.C. (1865); Lee's surrender; Lincoln's assassination; and personal letters to and from members of Burleigh family in Boston and New Hampshire. Correspondents are Army officers. Letters with Hattie are affectionate.
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Cole, Jacob Henry. Under five commanders; or, a boy's experience with the Army of the Potomac, by Jacob H. Cole of the First New York fire zouaves and the Fifty-seventh New York volunteers. Paterson, N. J.: News print, co., 1906.

Conde, Samuel L. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection
(Lt's correspondence& official papers, Mar 31, 1862- Dec 29, 1864)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Evans, Seth G. Papers, 1861-1876.
Description: 170 items.
Abstract: Letters and a journal written by Evans relating to his service in the 57th New York Infantry chiefly describing camp life and troop movement with brief mention of battles; together with military documents including a copy of his military promotion, furloughs, honorable discharge, and a post-war photograph showing Evans in uniform with his captain's bars.
Cite As: Seth Gilbert Evans Papers, 1861-1876, Pearce Civil War Collection, Navarro College, Corsicana, Texas./ Finding aid online at:.
http://www.pearcecollections.us/fa_ind.php?fid=252

Favill, Josiah Marshall. The diary of a young officer serving with the armies of the United States during the War of the rebellion, by Josiah Marshall Favill, Adjutant, Captain, and Brevet Major 57th New York infantry, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel U.S. volunteers. Chicago: R. R. Donnelley & Sons co., 1909. Reprinted in 2000.

Frederick, Gilbert. The story of a Regiment, being a record of the military services of the Fifty-seventh New York state volunteer infantry in the War of the rebellion, 1861-1865. Chicago: Published by the Fifty-seventh veteran association, 1895.

Frederick, Gilbert. "Dedication of Monument. 57th Regiment Infantry." New York at Gettysburg, 407-426. October 6, 1889.

Frederick, Gilbert. Brake Collection
(Capt's capsule hist of regt dated 1895)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Kirk, William A. Letters, 1864 May.
Description: 3 items
Abstract: Three holograph letters, all written to various sources in May 1864, regarding his promotion and command.
Preferred citation: Cite as: [Identification of item], William A. Kirk. Letters. Wyles SC 365, Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Moore, Cornelius L. Cornie: the Civil War letters of Lt. Cornelius L. Moore, Co. I, 57th Regiment, New York State Volunteers. [Chattanooga, TN] G.C. Moore, Jr. 1989.

Potter William W. One Surgeon’s Private War: Doctor William W. Potter of the 57th New York. Edited by John M. Priest. Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Pub.,1996.

Smith, Perry. CWTIColl
(Enlisted man's correspondence, Jan 29, 1862-Sep 18, 1864)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Items in the museum collection are in bold.

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