Twenty-Fourth New York Independent Battery
Light Artillery
(Veteran)
George Birdsall
The following history is posted by Conrad Bush, 24th NY Independent Battery Historian for the Civil War Plymouth Pilgrims Descendants Society. He would certainly be interested in receiving copies of soldier's records, letters, diaries, photos or family information and grave location to create the most complete database on these soldiers. Any additions, corrections or comments concerning this homepage are certainly welcome.
Associated Links
The Civil War Letters of Private Lester M. Beers
24th NY Independent Battery History Republished
The 24th NY Battery history by Julian Wheaton Merrill has been republished by Conrad Bush. It is a digital reprint and came out much better than the original. All images and plates came out sharp and nice. It is in the original size, hardbound, and 4 items have been added which should be of interest to the reader.
1- letter from Julian Wheaton Merrill re his revisit to Andersonville in Dec 1870 which was published in the newspaper in Jan 1871.
2- 33 Days in the Mountains by Lt. George Hastings of the 24th Battery concerning his escape from the prison pens of the South. Published Dec 1864 in Mount Morris Union and Constitution newspaper. Those of you who have read Langworthy’s book will see that much of it came from Hastings.
3- picture of Hastings and his four comrades from Lanworthy’s book.
4- copy of the original flyer re publishing of Merrill’s history - only 500 were ever produced.
Only 150 copies and are available on a first come basis. Price is $30.00 plus $3.20 for priority postage. For those wishing to purchase send a check to:
B. Conrad Bush, 1940 Reading Road, West Falls, NY 14170
History Of the Battery
(Copies of Merrill's History of the 24th Battery can be obtained from Conrad Bush.)
The following information was taken from Phisterer's New York in The War of the Rebellion 1861-1865, Third Edition, 1909, published by J. B. Lyon Company, State Printers, 1912, Albany, NY, pgs 1612-1613:
This battery, originally Battery B, Rocket Battalion of Artillery, became the 24th Battery November 1, 1862; the order making the change was, however, not approved until February 11, 1863. It was recruited principally in the counties of Monroe and Wyoming, and at Perry; organized at Buffalo, its organization completed at Albany; and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years December 7, 1861. At the expiration of its term of service, the men entitled thereto were mustered out and the battery retained in service. It left the State December 9, 1861; under Capt. J. E. Lee, and served at Washington, D.C., from December, 1861; in North Carolina, from April 23, 1862; in the 3d Brigade, 5th Division, 18th Corps, from December, 1862; in the district of Albemarle, N.C. , from May, 1863; at Plymouth, N.C., from January, 1864; and in the district of North Carolina, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, from May, 1864; and March 8, 1865, it was transferred to the 3d Artillery as Battery L of the same, but did not join the regiment until may 28, 1865, when it war service had closed.
It lost by death, killed in action, 1 enlisted man; of wounds received in action 2 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 85 enlisted men; total 88; of whom 67 died in the hands of the enemy; and it, or portions of it, took part in the following engagements, etc.;
Dates & Casualties
1862
Near Young's Cross Roads, N.C. July 27
Expedition from New Berne to Goldsboro, N.C. Dec 11-20
Kinston 14
South West Creek 14
Whitehall Bridge 16 (1 enlisted man killed - Private Robert Turner)
Goldsboro 17
1863
New Berne, N.C. March 14
Williamston, N.C. July 27
Chowan, N.C. 28
1864
Plymouth, N.C. April 17-20 (2 enlisted men killed; 5 wounded; Missing In Action: 2 officers 113 enlisted - of this total 67 enlisted men died in Confederate prisons.)
Officers of the Battery:
Captains:
Jay E. Lee, from December 7, 1861, to June 13, 1863.
A. Lester Cady, from June 13, 1863, to January 13, 1865.
William W. Crooker, from January 28 to May 28, 1865.
First Lieutenants:
A. Lester Cady, from October 26, 1861, to June 13, 1863.
George S. Hastings, from September 4, 1862, to December 28, 1864.
Frederick E. Hastings, from June 13, 1863, to January 21, 1864.
William S. Camp, from February 6, to May 29, 1865.
Second Lieutenants:
A. Lester Cady, October 26, 1861.
George W. Graham, from December 7, 1861, to December 23, 1862.
Frederick E. Hastings, from June 2, 1862, to June 13, 1863.
Edward H. Dolbeer, from June 13, 1863, to January 21, 1864.
Lucius S. Newcomb, from January 28 to May 28, 1865.
Where The Men Came From:
The following locations were taken from enlistment locations, as provided by the New York State Adjutant General in his Regimental Register for the 24th New York Independent Battery. The actual community the man came from may not be represented as recruits tended to migrate to a recruiting area that had the highest bounty or provided a particular regiment they were interested in joining. The bulk of the men came from the New York counties of Wyoming, Monroe & Livingston.
New York State:
Albany County: Albany
Allegany County: Angelica, Wellsville
Brooklyn: Brooklyn
Columbia County: Copake, Hillsdale
Essex County: Crown Point, Ticonderoga
Erie County: Buffalo
Fulton County: Johnstown
Genesee County: LeRoy
Livingston County: Avon, Leicester, Mount Morris, West Sparta
Monroe County: Clarkson, Hamlin, Rochester
Montgomery County: Fort Plain
New York City: New York City
Niagara County: Royalton
Ontario County: East Bloomfield, Seneca
Oneida County: New Hartford
Orleans County: Albion
Warren County: Hague
Westchester: Tarrytown
Wyoming County: Castile, Gainesville, Perry, Warsaw, China (now Arcade, NY)
Out of state recruits from:
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina (colored cooks)
Washington, D.C.
Page Created & Updated by Edward Boots, President