123rd Infantry Regiment

Nickname: Washington County Regiment

Mustered in: September 4, 1862
Mustered out: June 8, 1865

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912. 
Colonel Archibald L. McDougall received authority, July 23, 1862, to recruit this regiment; it was organized at Salem, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years September 4, 1862. December 23, 1863, part of the 145th Infantry was transferred to it. June 8, 1865, the men not to be mustered out with the regiment were transferred to the 60th Infantry.
The companies were recruited principally: A at Greenwich; B at Kingsbury; C at Whitehall; D at Fort Ann, Putnam and Dresden; E at Hartford and Hebron; F at Argyle and Greenwich; G at White Creek, Jackson, Greenwich and Salem; H at Salem, Shushan, Greenwich, Hartford and Hebron; I at Easton, Cambridge, Hartford and Hebron, and K at Granville and Hampton.
The regiment left the State September 5, 1862; it served in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps, from September, 1862; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps, from May, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Corps, from April, 1864; and, commanded by Col. James C. Rogers, it was honorably discharged and mustered out June 8, 1865, near Washington, D. C.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 2 officers, 40 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 4 officers, 28 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 95 enlisted men; total, 6 officers, 163 enlisted men; aggregate, 169; of whom 4 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. 
One Hundred and Twenty-third Infantry.—Cols., Archibald L. McDougall, Ambrose Stevens, James C. Rogers; Lieut.-Cols., Franklin Norton, James C. Rogers, Adolph H. Tanner; Majs., James C. Rogers, A. H. Tanner, Henry Gray. This regiment, recruited in the county of Washington, rendezvoused at Salem and was there mustered into the U. S. service on Sept. 4, 1862, for three years. In Dec., 1863 a portion of the 145th N. Y. was transferred to it. The regiment left the state on Sept. 5, 1862, and was assigned to Williams' (1st) division, 12th corps, with which it served throughout its term. It fought its first battle at Chancellorsyille, where the 12th corps was heavily engaged, the regiment losing 148 killed, wounded and missing, Lieut.-Col. Norton being among the mortally wounded. The 123d was only slightly engaged at Gettysburg, where it lost 14. It joined in the pursuit of Lee into Virginia, fought without loss at Fair Play and Williamsport, Md., and at Robertson's ford, Va. On Sept. 23, 1863, it was ordered with its corps to Tennessee to reinforce Gen. Rosecrans and performed guard and picket duty for several months along the railroad between Murffeesboro and Bridgeport. When the 12th corps was changed to the 20th in April, 1864, Williams' division was allowed to retain its distinctive badge, the red star. It started on the Atlanta campaign with Sherman's army early in May and was active during the battles of Resaca, Cassville and Dallas, where it lost 23 killed and wounded, among the mortally wounded being Col, McDougall. Its losses at Kennesaw mountain aggregated 63 killed, wounded and missing, and at Peachtree creek, 53. From July 21 to Aug. 26, it was engaged in the siege of Atlanta, and on Nov. 15, it moved with Sherman's army on the march to the sea, taking part in the final campaign of the Carolinas the following year. During this campaign it was engaged at Chesterfield, Averasboro, Bentonville, Aiken, Smithfield, Raleigh and Bennett's house, with a total loss of 21 killed, wounded • and missing. After Gen. Johnston's surrender it marched to Washington with the army, participated in the grand review, and was finally mustered out, under command of Col. Rogers, June 8, 1865, when the members of the regiment not entitled to be mustered out were transferred to the 145th N. Y. The 123d lost during its term of service 6 officers and 68 enlisted men, killed and fatally wounded; 95 enlisted men died of disease and other causes; total deaths, 169.

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123rd Regiment NY Volunteer Infantry | National Color | Civil War

The 123rd New York Volunteers, recruited in Washington County, New York, mustered into service on September 4, 1862, at Camp Washington, Salem, New…

Other Resources

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 ng.ny.nyarng.list.historians@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.

"123rd New York Volunteer Infantry." 2005. The 28th Georgia / 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry. 17 February 2005.

"123rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment Collection." Hamilton College Library. Available online at: https://cwl.dhinitiative.org/islandora/search/123rd?type=dismax (Link opens new window)

Beveridge, Alexander. Papers, 1862
A group of 14 manuscript letters that tells the brief, but moving, story of Alexander Beveridge, from the beginning of his military service in August 1862 to his death in December 1862. Most of the items were addressed to his sister, Mary, in Hebron, New York detail his journey to New York to muster into service and then to the battlefields of Virginia. In his letter of August 23, he writes dramatically to his sister, his instructions regarding his estate should he fall in battle. The letter of September 23 a hand drawn map of the camp in Virginia. Also includes three letters written by officers and fellow soldiers regarding the circumstances of his death. 
1 box (0.25 cubic ft.). 
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Bull, Rice C. and K. Jack Bauer. Soldiering: The civil War Diary of Rice C. Bull. San Rafael, CA: Presidio Press, 1977.

Bull, Rice C. HCWRTColl 
(Sgt's reminiscences, Apr 20-Jun 3, 1863; Letter, Sep 8, 1863)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Carey, Seth C. BrakeColl 
(2d Lt's letter, Jul 5, 1863.)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Civil War Collection, 1861-1892.
Photocopies. Letters and military papers of local men who served in the 123rd Regiment; includes copies of five letters from Captain Norman F. Weer to his father David Weer, 1863; letter from David Weer to his sons Norman and Sidney, 1863; military visiting permits issued to David Weer, 1862-65; copies of eight letters from N.F. Eldridge to his cousins and parents, 1861-64; forty-six letters from John McClarty to his parents relating camp experiences in Elmira, his stay in hospitals, and raiding farms and homes in the South, 1862-65; ten letters to John McClarty Sr., from other Civil War soldiers and friends concerning war and family news, 1861-65; discharge papers, 1865, and pension papers, 1892, of John McClarty.
80 items
Located at the Hartford Historical Group, Main Street, Hartford, New York 12838, Repository surveyed July 1982.

Civil war letters of veterans from the village of Shushan and the towns of Jackson and Salem addressed to William Law, chairman of the Soldiers Aid Committee, Shushan, NY. [Cambridge, N.Y.? : Old Cambridge Archive & Record Center?, 1991-2005? v. : facsims. ; 29 cm. 
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Cone, Alanson B. Personal Narrative. 1864. 
This is an unpublished personal narrative of Cone's wartime observations and experiences. It contains a detailed description of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (Ga.) and other action during the Atlanta Campaign. 1 v.
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Cruikshank, Robert. Robert Cruikshank Letters, 1862-63 : 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry.
Obtained from http://www.soldierstudies.org/

Cutter, John. John Cutter letters and photographs,1861-1865, 1899
Letters (1861-1865) and photographs (1861) related to the Civil War experiences of a Union soldier who served with three New York regiments and participated in the capture of Roanoke Island (N.C.) (1862) and Sherman's March to the Sea. Cutter's letters to his family discuss personal affairs, camp life and duties, rations, troop movements and engagements, his company and regimental officers, sicknesses and deaths in camp, and general war news and rumors. Two photographs of Cutter are also included. The collection also includes a reel of positive microfilm containing typescript copies of the letters (1861-1865, 1899). The typescript copies are variant versions, edited by the donor. 
1 folder. transcripts: 1 microfilm reel. 
Located at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Danforth, Henry. Letters,1862-1864
Correspondents include Henry Danforth, his cousin William, and William's brother Aaron. Letters from Henry start at Kelley's Ford, Rappahannock River, Va., August 28th, 1862. All the letters in this collection are mostly of a personal nature; some discuss the death of William and Aaron's brother Lambert, who died in service. 
6 items. 
Located at Duke University.

Diaries M - O, 1854-1939.
Diaries were kept by Creswell MacLaughlin of Cornwall, a newspaper editor, 1897-1939; Alonzo T. Mason, diary/scrapbook kept while student at University of Rochester, Captain in 123rd N.Y. Volunteers, Civil War, and principal at Rural Seminary, East Pembroke; the Merriam family of Lyons Falls, 1874-1931; Francis and Mary Moore of Orange County, 1863-82; Frank E. Neal, journal of voyage to Hawaii with 1st Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, 1898; Louise Nethaway, Schoharie County, 1865; Henry B. Noyes, tobacco farmer near Big Flats, 1854-61; and Harriet Olcott of Cherry Valley, 1875.
80 items
Located at the New York State Historical Association, Library, Cooperstown, New York 13326

Dillon, E. Gordon. E. Gordon Dillon collection,1794-1891 (bulk 1862-1891)
Items relating to the history of the Town of Salem, N.Y. include: assessment rolls and tax lists, 1795-1805; account of town finances, 1794; and summonses and notices to collect on judgements, 1794-1805. The bulk of the collection consists of material relating to the Civil War. Reports written by Col. James Selfridge detail the operations of the 46th Regiment (Pennsylvania) during the 1865 campaign from Savannah to Goldsboro, and of the 123rd and 141st New York Volunteers during the occupation of Atlanta and the capture of Savannah, 1864. Remaining items concern Lt. Robert C. Cruickshank, who is mentioned in Selfridge's reports, and include his commissions and promotions, muster rolls and provision reports, receipts, and two letters, 1862-91. 
1.0 cubic ft. 
Located at the Washington County Historian's Department, 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, N.Y. 12828.

Dobbin, Alexander. Alexander Dobbin diary,1864
The collection consists of a single diary kept by Alexander Dobbin from January 1, 1864 to December 31, 1864. Diary entries recount the weather and troop movements as Dobbin traveled with his company in the United States Army from Tennessee through Georgia as a part of William Tecumseh Sherman's march to the sea. The day-by-day account mentions the Battles of New Hope Church and Peachtree Creek, the siege of Atlanta, and the Army's entry into Savannah. A few entries record some details on Confederate prisoners, camp life, particularly during the two month encampment in Atlanta, and the wounding and death of Colonel A.L. McDougall, an officer in the 123rd New York Infantry Regiment. An appendix in the diary contains an incomplete and sporadic account of Dobbin's salary and expenditures during 1864. 
.25 linear ft. (1 box). 
Located at Emory University.

Eaton Family, (Levi). Papers (1849-1875)
Includes letters written by Levi Eaton regarding his involvement in the Battle of Gettysburg, the Atlanta campaign and Sherman's march to the sea. Finding aid available. 
1 box (.25 cu. ft.). 
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Gourlie, John C. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection 
(Enlisted man's letters, Aug 26, 1862-May 2, 1865).
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Hamilton, Herbert Noel. The damned deserter of the Bloody Stars : John R. Hamilton's lifelong torment, 1847-1922. [S.l.] : H.N. Hamilton, 2005. 609 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 29 cm.

Hewitt, Smith. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection 
(Enlisted man's letter, Nov 18, 1862; Letter from friend, Oct 19, 1862).
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Hill, Noah G. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection
(Pvt's letter, Nov 5, 1862).
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Hall, Orrin S. Letters, May 1863.
16 leaves and 7 pages. 
Letters, May 1863, from Orrin S. Hall (1816-1904) of Company I, 123rd New York Infantry, to Anson Ingraham (1811-1894) of Washington County, New York, consisting of letter, 5 May 1863, describing the battle of Chancellorsville focusing on the fighting in which the 123rd New York participated and including the casualties suffered by Hall’s company; and letter, 26 May 1863, again discussing the battle of Chancellorsville including comments on Union General Joseph Hooker, and Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, also commenting on the men of the regiment, and possible promotion. There are typescript copies of these letters. Collection also includes biographical sketch and obituary of Hall, copy of Hall’s portrait, and information on the 123rd New York infantry gathered by the donor from various published sources and websites.
Accession 38880. Located at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.
Thank you to Ed Worman for pointing out this resource.

Hills, W.R. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection
(Enlisted man's letter, Apr 26, 1863).
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Hutton, William. William Hutton letters,1859-1865. Saint Paul : Minnesota Historical Society, 1859-1865. 
Hutton's letters (31 items) to his father, brother, and sister in Putnam, New York, discussing his school life in New Wilmington, [Penn.?] (1859) and at Union College, Schenectady, New York (1861-1862), and his Civil War service (1862-1865) in Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia with the 123rd New York Infantry, with comments on army life, officers, and the progress of the war. 
1 microfilm reel.
Available for sale or interlibrary loan from the Minnesota Historical Society

Jones, Jeffrey H. Marching to Save a NationThe 123rd New York Infantry. Infinity Pub, 2007.

Kalinowski, Frank, Ph. D. "A Yankee Pistol in Atlanta" The Gun Report Volume 43, Number 8 (January 1998).

Marshall, John Law. Correspondence, 1862 Sep.-1865 Apr. 
Thirty-one letters, 1862 Sep.-1865 Apr., written by Private John Law Marshall, Company G, 123rd Regiment Infantry N.Y.S.V., to his family and minister in North White Creek, Washington County, New York. Letters are written from the field in Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina, and are addressed to his pastor and various family members, including his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marshall, his sister Mary S. Marshall, and his cousin Sam Law. In them Marshall writes of friends and acquaintances at home and in the army; family news and private matters; incidents, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities at camp; engagements with the enemy and progress of military campaigns; daily life and conditions in the army; and his general duties and activities as a soldier. Marshall additionally writes of his religous convictions and faith in the moral righteousness of the Union cause. 
1 box (31 items).
Located at the New York Historical Society, New York, NY.

Mathews, Horace P. (Horace Persons), 1841-1904. "We are in a fight today" : the Civil War diaries of Horace P. Mathews & King S. Hammond. Bowie, Md. Heritage Books, 2000.

McDougall, Archibald. Correspondence (1862-1863)
Group of official letters concerning various administrative matters such as marching orders, promotions, and casualties. The letter of June 7, 1863 contains a detailed account of the battle of Chancellorsville. 
22 items. 
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

McGan, Mason. Discharge papers, Pension Papers, Surgeon papers
New York State Military Museum, Verticle Files.

McLean family, et al. Papers, 1789-1944, bulk 1861-1865.
5 boxes (1.5 cu. ft.)
The bulk of these papers consist of letters (originals and transcripts) and diaries (transcripts) related to William C. McLean's military service during the Civil War. The letters contain good descriptions of the battles at Gettysburg and Kenessaw Mountain (Ga.), and the Union army invasion of Atlanta. In addition, McLean described the pillaging and burning of towns en route to Savannah under the command of General Sherman; and subsequent march through the Carolinas where Union forces skirmished frequently with Confederate troops under the command of General Johnston. The diaries compliment the letters by providing a brief summary of daily activities. These papers also include letters, estate records, land titles, and ephemera that are valuable primarily for genealogical and historical information on the McLean and allied families that had originally settled in the vicinity of Cambridge, New York. The most significant items include two letters written by Albert Eldridge, 1849 and 1850, concerning his life and experiences in California's Mother Lode county during the heyday of the Gold Rush. There are also two letters, ca. 1940's, signed by former U.S. Senator and Congressman, James W. Wadsworth of Geneseo, New York.
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections. 
Finding aid available at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc20811.htm

"A monument raised in North Carolina recalls the service of men from our county." The Greenwich Journal and Salem Press. 3 March 2011. 1.

Morhous, Henry C. Reminiscences of the 123d Regiment, N.Y.S.V. : giving a complete history of its three years service in the war. Fort Edward, N.Y. Washington County Historical Society, 1995, 1879.

New York Volunteers. 123rd Regiment, Company H. 123rd Regiment, Company H records,1862-1865
Records consist of muster rolls; monthly reports of clothing, camp, and garrison equipage; accounts of pay and clothing; reports of ordnance stores; transportation records, mostly for men on furlough; letters reducing soldiers' rank; and correspondence and reports received from military hospitals, including reports of men who died in the hospitals. Most of the reports were signed by Robert Cruikshank, First Lieutenant. Muster rolls of Company H list names of soldiers, when joined service, date last paid, and remarks about promotions, illnesses, wounds, deaths. Each muster roll covered a period of two months. Also included are inventories of articles of clothing received from soldiers, 1864-1865 (3 large mss.); and muster-out rolls, 1863-1864.
(4 items). 1 cubic ft. ( 3 boxes). 
Located at the Washington County Historian's Department, 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, N.Y. 12828.

Robinson, George. Papers, 1862-1876
Letters to his wife from Robinson. Most letters date from the Civil War period with only two of the letters dating from after the war. The collection also contains two letters that Robinson picked up from a captured Confederate soldier; Robinson's commission as a first lieutenant; and a return for clothing and equipment from Company A.
Located at the New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections.

Robinson, Edward C. and Tim Tefft. A Year in the Life of a Civil War Soldier - Lieutenant George Robinson's 1863. Greenwich, NY: Greenwich Journal & Salem Press.
The book can be purchased by contacting co-author Tim Tefft at PO Box 79, Greenwich, NY 12834. The price is $12, plus $2 postage.

Ross, Daniel. Civil War Miscellaneous Collection
(Short hist of unit at Gettysburg)
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

Ross, D. Reid. Lincoln's veteran volunteers win the war : the Hudson Valley's Ross brothers and the Union's fight for emancipation. Albany: Excelsior Editions, 2008.

Shaffer, Josh. "A new salute to Civil War Troops." The Herald. 13 April 2011. 7A.

Stahl, Joseph. "Private's thoughts turn to home during the holiday." Washington Times. December 25, 2004.

Tooley Brothers(William A. & Horace H.). Civil War Miscellaneous Collection l 
(Enlisted men's letters, Sep 13, 1862-Mar 12, 1865).
Located at the Military History Institute in Carlisle, PA.

United States.; Army.; New York Infantry Regiment, 123rd (1862-1865). Report of the monument committee of the One Hundred and Twenty-Third Regiment New York Infantry Volunteers. Salem, N.Y. : Salem Axiom Print, 1891. 21 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.
Large file size: 1.7MB

Washington County Veterans Association (N.Y.). Washington County Veterans Association minute book, 1879-1916.
he Washington County Veterans Association was founded in 1879 to bring together veterans of the Civil War residing in Washington County. Its purposes were patriotic, keeping friendships, and holding an annual muster or gathering in Washington County. The idea of such an association came from an 1879 reunion of Company F, 123rd Regiment, New York Volunteers. Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic in Washington County paid annual dues to the Association. For many years, H. C. Morhous of Greenwich served as Secretary.
This volume mainly contains minutes of annual meetings of the Washington County Veterans Association. Most of the minutes in the volume are not in manuscript form but from published versions in newspapers pasted in the volume. Also included are by-laws (1883) and some correspondence. For some meetings a complete list of those in attendance is provided.
1 v.
Located at the Washington County Historian's Department, 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, N.Y. 12828.

Welch, Henry. Letters of Henry Welch.
This is a collection of 67 letters written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Infantry Regiment.
Available online at: http://elib.hamilton.edu/hc/hc-main.php?id=col_spe-civ-wel&c=civ_wel
Henry Welch enlisted at Granville, New York on August 11, 1862, at the age of 18. He mustered in as a private in Company K on September 4, 1862, and was promoted to corporal in June 1864. He was wounded in action on July 20, 1864 at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek, Georgia. A photo of him taken in Virginia in September 1863 can be seen on the Web site of the The 28th Georgia / 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry (http://www.28thga.org/123ny_pictures_k.html accessed April 9, 2008).

Wier, N. F. Letter, 18 September 1862.
3 pages. 
Letter, 18 September 1862, from Captain N. F. Wier (Weer) (1836-1863) of Company E, 123rd New York Infantry, to Judson Maynard (1831-1909) of Washington County, New York, detailing the 123rd's move through Washington DC to its campsite at Camp Chase in Virginia, and describing the landscape.
Accession 50671. Located at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.
Thank you to Ed Worman for pointing out this resource.

 

Items in the museum collection are in bold.