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At the outbreak of the Civil War, the controversial Sickles desired to repair his public image, which had been marred by the shooting death of his wife's paramour, Philip Barton Key. Sickles was active in raising thousands of recruits from around New York City for service in the United States volunteers in May 1861 under the authority of the War Department. The first of Sickles' regiments mustered into service on June 20, 1861. Subsequently, he was appointed as the colonel of one of the four full regiments he organized. Later, Sickles was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers in September 1861, taking command of the brigade.
The four regiments raised by Sickles that comprised the first Excelsior Brigade were the 70th, 72nd, 73rd, and 74th New York Infantry.
In October 1861, the 71st New York, along with the 70th through the 74th Regiments and 10 Companies of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry, formed the Second Excelsior Brigade under General Sickles. The brigade was placed under the overall divisional command of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker in October. Its initial tasks included assisting in the building of defences around Washington and stopping resupply of the Confederates from Southern Maryland.
In March 1862, Sickles was forced to relinquish command when Congress refused to confirm his commission, but he worked diligently to lobby among his Washington political contacts and reclaimed both his rank and his command on May 24, 1862, in time to rejoin the Army in the Peninsula Campaign. Because of this interruption, he missed his brigade's significant actions at the Battle of Williamsburg. Sickles was back in charge in time for the Battle of Seven Pines and the Seven Days Battles.
On the morning of June 25 at the Battle of Oak Grove, Sickles's New Yorkers encountered difficulties moving through their abatis, then through the upper portions of an impeding swamp, and finally met stiff Confederate resistance, all of which threw the Federal line out of alignment.
Sickles was again absent for the Second Battle of Bull Run, having used his political influences to obtain leave to go to New York City to recruit new troops. Col. Nelson Taylor instead led the brigade.
The Excelsior Brigade, still under Colonel Taylor as Sickles had been promoted to divisional command, missed the Battle of Antietam in September because the III Corps was stationed on the lower Potomac River, protecting the capital.
The brigade's strength had been augmented by the addition of the 120th New York. In the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Excelsior's were led by Col. George B. Hall.
Brig. Gen. Joseph W. Revere commanded the Excelsior Brigade during the Battle of Chancellorsville in early May 1863. With the rest of Hooker's old division, it was held in reserve in some woods near the Chancellor House, guarding a road that led to the important United States ford over the Rappahannock River. |
 | | Following the Battle of Chancellorsville, Col. William R. Brewster of the 73rd New York assumed command of the Excelsior Brigade, which was then in the division of Brig. Gen Andrew A. Humphreys. Brewster led the brigade during the Gettysburg Campaign in June and July 1863. On July 2, the brigade was advanced to an area near the Peach Orchard. It was flanked out of that position by the Confederate division of Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws. The remains of the brigade took part in a counterattack late in the afternoon that recaptured some abandoned Union guns. Brewster reported that the brigade lost 778 of 1,837 engaged. | |  |
Brewster fell ill after the battle, and Brig. Gen. Francis Barretto Spinola assumed command during the pursuit of the Confederate army into Virginia. Spinola's brigade led the Union troops on July 23 at the Battle of Wapping Heights in Linden, Virginia, suffering 18 men killed, including two officers. Spinola was badly wounded in the fighting, along with dozens of his men.
Col. J. Egbert Farnum of the 70th New York then commanded the brigade until Brewster returned to active duty for the autumn campaigns of 1863. Brewster inspired his men by rising from his “sick bed” to lead the Excelsiors in the Mine Run Campaign.
to fight the Army of Northern Virginia.
When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized in the spring of 1864 for the Overland Campaign of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Brewster retained brigade command. The Excelsior Brigade, augmented with the 11th Massachusetts and the 84th Pennsylvania, served in the Battle of the Wilderness in the Fourth Division, II Corps under Brig. Gen. Gershom Mott. When the remnants of the division became part of the Third Division of Maj. Gen. David B. Birney during the Battle of Spotsylvania, Brewster’s brigade became the division’s Fourth Brigade. He led these men at the Battle of Cold Harbor and in the initial operations of the Siege of Petersburg. Then the brigade was abolished. Most of the Excelsiors were moved to the First Brigade, Third Division.
The individual regiments mustered out of the army during the summer of 1864, and the men returned home to New York. |
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On January 16th, 2021, Captain Stryker authorized the official formation of the 39th New York Volunteers, nicknamed the Garibaldi Guard. With a loyal and dedicated regimental base from the RSL, 20th, and various other groups in the NW and North and South communities as well as holdfast, the 39thNY has a primary goal to ensure the mistakes of previous regimental games shall not become prominent in this game by providing stability within the community. Outside of BCOF, the 39thNY will often play other games and hang out within our regimental discord. We pride ourselves on professionalism and experience within the ranks as well as creating a new home for many newer players. We primarily play as line infantry in events and we do have a competitive "guard company" which consists of the best players of the 39thNY.
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 | 4th United States Light Artillery Regiment "Nulli Vestigia Retrorsum"
On April 30th, 2021, Major General/Brigadier General Stryker authorized the official formation of the 4th New York Light Artillery lead by Captain PK_27, also known as the Empire Artillery. With a loyal and dedicated regimental base from the HRE, 39thNY, and other NW veterans, the 4thUS will be the main artillery regiment within the newly found Excelsior Brigade. Before BCOF, this regiment started from the famed 26thNC in North and South which would eventually become Wurttemburg of the HRE. Eventually, this group would merge into the RSL and would continue to stay with Stryker since then.
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 | 11th New York Infantry "Fire Zouaves"
Founded by long-time veterans of the genre and piloted by dedicated members who want nothing more than to have good fun and enjoy an environment fueled by a desire for competition, the 11thNY is an ideal place for gamers who want to hone their skills in a lively and active community. Utilizing tried and proven tactics and techniques and founded on a bedrock of solid fighters and able officers, the 58NY is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. We pride ourselves on putting significant focus on group tactics, especially in melee. Our regiment is upheld by a sound and pragmatic regime that gives every rank explicit responsibilities and purpose. If you choose to become an NCO or an officer, you choose to take on more responsibility in our regiment, and you will be held to higher standards than the rest of the regiment. Though we place immense importance on competitive skill and getting ourselves hard-earned victory, we have not forgotten that the end goal here is to enjoy ourselves. You will not be shouted down at and treated like you are suffering in a real army. There is no PTS in our regiment, and there are no senseless punishments either. We will call for silence intense moments such as during a group fight or when we are under stress, but at any other time, you are free to speak as you like. If the specifications above are to your liking, this is the regiment for you to join and begin or continue your regimental career in Battle Cry of Freedom.
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 | 2nd United States Sharpshooters
On January 16th, 2021, Captain Stryker authorized the official formation of the 39th New York Volunteers, nicknamed the Garibaldi Guard. With a loyal and dedicated regimental base from the RSL, 20th, and various other groups in the NW and North and South communities as well as holdfast, the 39thNY has a primary goal to ensure the mistakes of previous regimental games shall not become prominent in this game by providing stability within the community. Upon Dipington taking over the regiment it was voted upon to change the name to the 2nd United States Sharpshooters. Outside of BCOF, the 2ndUSSS will often play other games and hang out within our regimental discord. We pride ourselves on professionalism and experience within the ranks as well as creating a new home for many newer players.
The Guard Company Chose to remain as the 39th under a new command.
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 | 1st Missouri Home Guard/Provisional Army
The 1st Missouri Home Guard/Provisional Army is a new unit that isn't based in historical fact, to give us more freedom when it comes to structure and uniforms and general fun.
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 | 79th New York Highlanders
This regiment was originally formed as the spritual successor to the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot, a very successful semi-competitive regiment which managed to capture the North American Premier League's championship in its first iteration while maintaining casual members and events.
With BCoF being available to the public our regiment and this game is starting to see life, there is now much more to look forward to than ever before. We will strive to grow our rank and compete in both competitive and casual events, bringing our experience and former success from the old module to a newly polished game and providing a rich experience for the newer and more experienced players alike. We are a regiment dedicated to professionalism and maturity and most importantly just having a good time.
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We reserve the right to still retain the Excelsior Brigade name. |
