This regiment, Col. Rush C. Hawkins, was organized in New York city, and there mustered in the service of the United States for two years, May 4, 1861; it was accepted by the State, and received its numerical designation, May 13, 1861. One company was formed of members of the 18th Regiment, State Militia, and Company K was equipped as an artillery company, and served as such until November 10, 1862.
The regiment was recruited principally in New York city; but some of its members were enrolled at Albany, Brooklyn, Hyde Park, Green Point, Mamaroneck, Mt. Vernon, Newburgh, Staten Island, Sing Sing and Williamsburgh; in Connecticut, New Jersey and Canada.
It left the State, June 6, 1861; served at Newport News, Va., from June 8, 1861; Companies C, G and H at Hatteras, N. C., from August 27, 1861; the regiment from September 10, 1861; in the 3d Brigade, Burnside's Expeditionary force, from January, 1862; at Roanoke, N. C, from February 3, 1862; in 4th Brigade, Hawkins' Coast Division (3d), 9th Corps, from March, 1862; in the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Corps, from July, 1862. May 6, 1863 the three years' men of the regiment, which latter had left for New York city, May 3, 1863, were assigned to the 3d Infantry, and May 20, 1863, the regiment, under Colonel Hawkins, was honorably discharged and mustered out at New York city.
In April or May, 1863, the War Department authorized Capt. R. H. Morris of this regiment to organize a battery of members of his regiment, whose term of service had not expired. It was to consist of 110 men, but failed to complete its existence; 44 of the men assigned to the proposed battery deserted, the remainder were assigned to the 3d Infantry.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 2 officers, 53 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 16 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 2 officers, 27 enlisted men; total, 4 officers, 96 enlisted men; aggregate, 100; and it, or portions of it, took part in the following engagements.