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Historical Sketch
of the 94th
by Adjt. Charles H. Sprague*
History
Taken from Final Report on the Battlefield of Gettysburg (New York at Gettysburg) by the New York Monuments Commission for the Battlefields of Gettysburg and Chattanooga. Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon Company, 1902.
The Ninety-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteers, was raised in Jefferson County. Company enlistments began in October, 1861, the regimental organization being completed in January, 1862.
Its rendezvous was at Sacket's Harbor, N. Y., where it was fully equipped, armed with the Enfield rifle, and mustered into the United States service for three years, with the following named field officers: Henry K. Viele, Colonel; Calvin Littlefield, Lieutenant Colonel; William R. Hanford, Major.
The regiment left Sacket's Harbor, March 14, 1862, with about 800 men, accompanied by its own brass band and drum corps. On the following day it suffered its first loss of life, by an accident near Tivoli, on the Hudson River Railroad, where by the breaking of a rail five cars filled with men were precipitated into the river. One car was turned over, and the entire train derailed. Four members of Company G, and one unknown recruit were instantly killed, and a large number wounded. The instruments of the band were destroyed, and most of the equipments ruined.
Much depressed by this ill fortune the regiment reached New York the next day, and at the Park Barracks was supplied with new equipments. It left on March I9th, by rail, for Washington, D. C., proceeding thence to Alexandria, Va., where it was assigned to permanent garrison duty at Fort Lyon, and Colonel Viele was appointed Military Governor of Alexandria.
On May 2d, Colonel Viele unexpectedly resigned and Lieut. Col. Adrian R. Root, of the Twenty-first Regiment New York Volunteers, serving in the Army of the Potomac, was ordered by the War Department to report at Alexandria and take command as colonel. He accepted the position on condition that the Ninety-fourth should enter active service, and was ordered to join McDowell's column at Fredericksburg, then enroute to Hanover Court House to join McClellan's army.
On May 13th, the regiment left by steamer with 750 men, and arrived at Aquia Creek in a heavy rain, where Colonel Root was notified by an army quartermaster that the Ninety-fourth would remain there to unload coal from barges, relieving a regiment which would go to the front, written orders to be given in the morning. Colonel Root at once formed the regiment, and starting through the rain and mud, marched that night ten miles beyond Brooke's Station and bivouacked. May 14th, it marched to Fredericksburg, reported to General McDowell for duty, and was brigaded with the Twenty-sixth New York, Col. William H. Christian; Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania, Col. George P. McLean; Ninetieth Pennsylvania, Col. Peter Lyle, as the Second Brigade, Second Division, McDowell's Corps, Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts, commanding the division.
On May 25th, while awaiting marching orders for Hanover Court House |
