Regiment:
118th Infantry Regiment New York
Date of Organization:
18 Aug 1862
Muster Date:
13 Jun 1865
Regiment State:
New York
Regiment Type:
Infantry
Regiment Number:
118th
Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded:
6
Officers Died of Disease or Accident:
0
Enlisted Killed or Mortally Wounded:
93
Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident:
188
Regimental Soldiers and History:
List of Soldiers

Regimental History
NEW YORK
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEENTH INFANTRY
(Three Years)


One Hundred and Eighteenth Infantry.-Cols., Samuel T. Richards,
Oliver Keese, Jr., George F. Nichols; Lieut.-Cols., Oliver Keese,
Jr., George F. Nichols, Levi S. Dominey; Majs., George F.
Nichols, Charles E. Pruyn, Levi S. Dominey, John S. Cunningham.

The 118th, the "Adirondack Regiment," was recruited in the
counties of Clinton, Essex and Warren, organized at Plattsburg,
and there mustered into the U. S. service Aug. 18-20, 1862, for
three years. It was composed of excellent material and left the
state 1,040 strong on Sept. 3.

It served in the defenses of Washington until April, 1863, when
it was ordered to Suffolk, Va., in the reserve brigade, 7th
corps. In the 1st brigade, Getty's division, same corps, it was
present at Antioch Church and Baker's cross-roads; in Wistar's
brigade, 4th corps, at Franklin; and in the provisional brigade,
7th corps, it was engaged at South Anna bridge, losing 11 killed,
wounded and missing.

It then performed garrison and guard duty for several months at
Yorktown, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News, Va. As part of
the 2nd brigade, 1st division, 18th corps, it took part in the
campaign against Richmond with Gen. Butler's Army of the James,
being engaged at Port Walthall Junction, Chester Station, Swift
creek, Proctor's creek, and Drewry's bluff.

In the last named battle, it lost 199 in killed, wounded and
missing. It fought gallantly at Cold Harbor in June, when it
lost 32 in killed and wounded. In the first assaults on
Petersburg it lost 21 killed and wounded. It was next severely
engaged at Fort Harrison, where it lost 67 killed and wounded,
and during the advance on Richmond by the Darbytown road in
October its ranks were once more fearfully depleted, 111 being
killed, wounded and missing.

Then attached to the 2nd brigade, 3d division, 24th corps, it was
engaged without loss at the fall of Petersburg, April 2, 1865.
During the long period it was in the trenches before Petersburg
it met with losses amounting to 43 in killed and wounded. It was
on the skirmish line of the 3d division when Richmond was finally
occupied, and claims to have been the first organized Federal
infantry in that city.

It was mustered out at Richmond, under Col. Nichols, June 13,
1865, having lost by death during service, 6 officers and 98
enlisted men, killed and mortally wounded; 188 enlisted men by
disease and other causes, a total of 292; of whom 45 died in
Confederate prisons.

Source: The Union Army, Vol. 2, p. 135


NEW YORK
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY.
Adirondack Regiment.
(Three Years)

Colonel Samuel T. Richards received, July 7, 1862,
authority to recruit this regiment in the counties of Clinton,
Essex and Warren; it was organized at Plattsburg and there
mustered in the service of the United States for three years
August 18 to 20, 1862. The members of the regiment not to be
discharged with it were transferred to the 96th Infantry June
13, 1865.

The companies were recruited principally: A at Queensbury
and Plattsburg; B at Chazy, Ellenburg and Saranac; C at St.
Armand, Jay, Keene, North Elba and Wilmington; D at Horicon,
Chester, Johnsburg and Luzerne; E at Crown Point, Moriah,
Newcomb, North Hudson, Schroon and Ticonderoga; F at Essex,
Elizabethtown, Moriah and Westport; G at Luzerne, Bolton,
Caldwell, Johnsburg, Stony Creek and Warrensburg; H at
Plattsburg; I at Champlain, Chazy, Dannemora and Mooers, and K
at Au Sable, Black Brook and Peru.

The regiment left the State September 3, 1862; served in
the Middle Department, 8th Corps, from September 4, 1862; in
the defenses and Department of Washington, later in Provisional
Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, 22d Corps, from October 24,
1862; in the District of Washington, from February, 1863; at
Suffolk, Va., in Reserve Brigade, 7th Corps, Department of
Virginia, from April 22, 1863; in 1st Brigade, Getty's
Division, 7th Corps, from May, 1863; in Wistar's Brigade, 4th
Corps, from June, 1863; in Provisional Brigade, 7th Corps, from
July, 1863; at Yorktown, Va., from August, 1863; at Norfolk and
Portsmouth, Department of Virginia, from October, 1863; at
Norfolk, Va., from November, 1863; at Newport News, Va., from
December, 1863; in Wistar's Division, 18th Corps, from January,
1864; in Heckman's Division, 18th Corps, from February, 1864;
in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James,
from April, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 24th Corps,
from December, 1864, and it was honorably discharged and
mustered out, under Col. George F. Nichols, June 13, 1865, at
Richmond, Va.


Source: Phisterer, p. 3,384

Battles Fought
Fought on 29 Aug 1862.
Fought on 4 Jul 1863 at South Anna Bridge, VA.
Fought on 27 Oct 1863.
Fought on 12 May 1864 at On Richmond & Petersburg Pike..
Fought on 14 May 1864 at Proctor's Creek, VA.
Fought on 16 May 1864 at Fort Darling, VA.
Fought on 16 May 1864 at Drewry's Bluff, VA.
Fought on 27 May 1864.
Fought on 2 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 3 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 4 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 5 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 7 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 8 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 11 Jun 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 12 Jun 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA.
Fought on 15 Jun 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 20 Jun 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 30 Jun 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 8 Jul 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 9 Jul 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 30 Jul 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 9 Aug 1864 at Petersburg, VA.
Fought on 20 Sep 1864 at Fort Harrison, VA.
Fought on 28 Sep 1864 at Fort Harrison, VA.
Fought on 29 Sep 1864 at Chaffin's Farm, VA.
Fought on 30 Sep 1864 at Chaffin's Farm, VA.
Fought on 1 Oct 1864 at Chaffin's Farm, VA.
Fought on 27 Oct 1864 at Fair Oaks, VA.
Fought on 28 Oct 1864 at Fair Oaks, VA.

Daniel Charles Brown was born March 12, 1818 in Montreal, in the mostly French Canadian, Province of Lower Canada, (later Canada East and then Quebec) a colony of Britain. He was the son of John Brown and Olive Underwood. On December 16, 1849, at the age of 31, he was married to Lucy Ann Wolf, age 17, by Reuben Wescott, Minister of the Gospel, in Saranac, Clinton Co., New York. Saranac is located in the northeast corner of the State. Twenty-five miles from Vermont and thirty-five miles from the Canadian border, Saranac is only seventy-five miles from Daniel's birthplace.
The Brown's had four children, all born in Saranac. They are Charles W. (July 10, 1851), Alvira (later Elvira) Elizabeth (May 28, 1854), Caroline Olive (November 23, 1857), and Orin L. Brown (April 1, 1859).
Daniel was a teamster by trade. A teamster was a person who drove a team of draft or pack animals. They hauled heavy loads, usually by a wagon drawn by oxen, horses, or mules.
On April 12, 1861, one month after President Lincoln's administration took office, the newly formed Confederate States of America organized an attack on a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Lincoln responded by asking that each State form a volunteer army to recapture the seized federal property. A four year, bloody war began.
The counties of Clinton, Warren, and Essex were asked to raise volunteers to form a local regiment for the Union Army. The regiment was named the "Adirondack Regiment", after the mountain range that runs through the counties. When organized and accepted by the State, this regiment became the 118th Regiment of New York Volunteers, Infantry. There were many pessimists that believed that the call for enlistment would not be met by volunteers. They greatly underestimated the patriotic spirit of New Yorkers. Daniel C. Brown was one of those patriotic volunteers from Clinton County. He was an able-bodied, 5'5" man in his early forties. He had dark or black hair, gray eyes, and a dark complexion. He was enlisted by Joseph M. Tenney on August 4 (or August 2), 1862. Like the others in his regiment, he enlisted for 3 years. The regiment's companies were lettered from A to K (omitting J) in the order of completion of enlistment and organization, thus establishing the company's rank. Of the ten companies formed, Daniel's company, composed of men from his part of the county, was the second to organize. They were assigned the rank of Company B. The first from their county (H, I, and K were also from Clinton Co.), Company B represented Clinton County. When in formation of the regiment for battle, Company B had the left, Company C (color company) was at center, and Company A was to the right.
Daniel C. Brown was assigned the rank of Private. He also served as the company's cook. He was first mustered in on August 13th and then again on August 29, 1862 in Plattsburgh.
Marching orders were received, and on the night of September 1, the men began marching in a drizzling rain through Plattsburgh. Onlookers and loved ones sobbed as they shouted their good-byes. The men then boarded their steamer, and at about 9:00 PM, began their journey south.
The vessel traveled throughout the night, until it reached Whitehall on the morning of September 2. In Whitehall, the men were to load a train. It consisted of a few old passenger coaches, but mostly box and platform cars. Many men were loaded into the boxcars like freight, before the train departed. The train, belonging to the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad was headed for Albany. It stopped at the station at Saratoga Springs, where a crowd, filled with many young ladies, was waiting to greet them. They gave the soldiers flowers, fruit, and confections. Some even exchanged kisses for buttons off of the men's uniforms. Some left with ladies' handkerchiefs, gloves, addresses, and buttonless jackets. The men boarded and reached Albany by noon. After a luncheon, they crossed the Hudson River to Greenbush (presently Rensselaer) and boarded a second train for New York City. Most of the cars provided were dirty cattle cars with little reminders left behind from their previous passengers. Late that night, upon arrival at 30th Street Station in New York City, they marched to City Hall Park beneath a moonlit sky. In the park were arranged temporary barracks with bunks to sleep on. The men slept.
In the morning, September 3, lined up outside the iron fence were hucksters intent on selling items to the soldiers. They offered things such as, cast iron knives, cheap pistols, and food. At the southwest corner of the park, at the corner of Ann and Broadway, was P.T. Barnum's famous Barnum's American Museum. At about 1:00 PM, Barnum's band appeared on the balcony and began to play. That got the attention of much of the regiment. Soon after, Tom Thumb's coach and ponies paraded along the east side of the park and towards the museum. A crowd of soldiers followed it directly to the southwest end of the park. In a frenzy, they overwhelmed the guard there and headed across the street to the museum. Some left to see other sights around the city, while about only twenty percent of the men stayed behind. They were to begin marching at 4:00 PM, and by 5:00PM the bugles and drums had to sound the "assembly" for the men to return and get into formation. They then marched south on Broadway to the Battery, where at 7:00 PM, they boarded a steamer for Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
At Perth Amboy, they entrained for Camden, arriving in the morning (September 4). They crossed the Delaware River, into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here they had breakfast at the famous Cooper Shop. After breakfast they marched on to entrain for Baltimore, Maryland. On this trip, due to the shortage of passenger cars and boxcars, they rode mostly on flat, platform cars. They kept a watchful eye, incase a careless man should fall off. They passed through Wilmington, Delaware, with little demonstration by its people, except for a few black folks shouting their blessings. By dark, Baltimore was reached, and they marched down the streets to the Baltimore & Ohio Station. During the march, they were met with some support, but many would lean out of their windows and shout insults. Upon arriving, they met with General Wool, who ordered they entrain for Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). The men still hadn't received their arms or their equipment. Waiting for their train, the men laid down on the sidewalks to sleep.
September 5, in the morning the train still hadn't arrived, but by noon they finally received their supplies. They were presented with tents, camp equipment, and Enfield rifles.
The Enfield rifles were most likely the British manufactured Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket. This gun was 55 inches in length and weighed nearly ten pounds. When the bayonet was attached it stood about 6 feet tall (7 inches taller than Daniel C. Brown). A trained user could fire about three .577 caliber Minie balls per minute.
After receiving supplies, to their good fortune, the orders were changed and they no longer were required to go to Harper's Ferry. Later, the Union forces that were in Harper's Ferry surrendered, and Harper's Ferry was taken by the Rebels. The "Adirondack Regiment", instead, was taken to Relay House near Baltimore, where they established "Camp Wool". Their duty there was to guard the Thomas Viaduct and Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This was the only railroad line running from the North into the Nation's Capital. The regiment was part of the Provisional Brigade, Abercrombie's Division. Their assignment for the rest of the year was provost duty and to guard and defend Washington. In February 1863, while continuing their duty in the capital, the regiment was assigned to the XXII Corps. In April 1863, they were sent to Suffolk, Virginia and attached to the Reserve Brigade, 3rd Division, VII Corps. They were under the command of Brig. General George W. Getty, and finally got to see action at the Siege of Suffolk. In May, they moved on to Portsmouth, Virginia. Much of their time was spent in reconnaissance and skirmishing. In June, they participated in Dix's Peninsula Campaign. July 4, 1863, they fought at the South Anna Bridge and suffered 11 casualties. In late July, was an expedition to Gloucester Court House. They then were called to duty at Yorktown and vicinity until October 2, when they were sent to Norfolk. In November, Company B (along with A, D, and F) went into the "Intrenched Camp" about two miles from Norfolk, while the other 6 companies were detached to Portsmouth. In December 1863, the entire regiment was together in Newport News, Virginia. January through early February 1864 was spent in skirmishes and expeditions near Williamsburgh. In March, the men were camped near Getty's Station. Company B (along with H and K) were detached at Magnolia Station. In April, from the camp at Bower's Hill, Virginia, many raids and expeditions were made. The regiment was then assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, XVIII Corps, Army of the James.
Over the next week-and-a-half, the Adirondack Regiment would see more action than it would the entire war.
May 4-5, they were loaded up on Rear Admiral S.P. Lee's fleet of five armored vessels and formed a convoy. They traveled up the James River following General Graham's flotilla of small gunboats. They stopped at City Point, taking possession, before crossing to the other side of the mouth of the Appomattox River. They anchored off at Bermuda Hundred. Nets were stretched to stop any floating torpedoes that might come their way.
May 6, the regiment began hiking along the bank of the Appomattox, stopping temporarily to eat. They had hardtack and salt pork and drank coffee from the tin cup in which it was boiled. They continued up the bank and began an upward ascent until they reached the Point of Rocks plantation. A beautiful mansion sat on a bluff point, surrounded by clover and blossoming trees. A great view could be had here. They received orders to sleep with their rifles and rested until morning.
May 7, The men's brigade, under the command of General Burnham or "Old Grizzly" as they called him, are asked by General Brooks to take the advance. They engaged the enemy near Port Walthall, commanding their attention while another New York regiment raced to the railroad and tore up some track.
May 8, Sabbath Day was observed.
May 9, the 118th regiment had a good portion of the skirmish line today. Johnson's Confederate division was driven back at Swift Creek. A line of battle was formed by the brigade at sundown in sight of the enemy.
May 10, they were under fire the entire day and advanced as far as Port Walthall. They destroyed a portion of the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad and then withdrew to their old position.
May 11, the men rest in entrenchment's near Point of Rocks and receive long awaited letters from home.
May 12, the weather is hot and rainy. Warebottom Church is captured. General Burnham's brigade is ordered to push through the swamp, moving towards Drury's Bluff. They moved down the slopes and through the prickly vine and pest infested bogs. They advance to within sight of the enemy's outer works. They lay down without the warmth of a fire and sleep in their chilly, rain-soaked uniforms.
May 13, it becomes evident that the enemy's forces have been collecting and preparing for the Union attack.
May 14, The enemy's outer line of works is charged and captured.
May 15, General Brooks directed his brigade to string telegraph wire in front of the line this night to tangle any advancing troops. Heckman's brigade to the right did not do the same.
May 16, 1864, is a day that will remain in the minds of every soldier in the Adirondack Regiment and the entire XVIII Corps. Today they would battle to try and capture Fort Darling on Drewry's Bluff. The men stood to arms at 3:00 AM. A heavy fog filled the air and formed a curtain over Proctor Creek and surrounding area. This limited the view to not more than several feet away. It was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. At daybreak, they began to see movement in the fog. Some of the approaching Confederates stumbled over the telegraph wires, laid out during the night, breaking their ranks. They were captured and taken prisoner. The 118th regiment continued to hold their lines. They, and the rest of Brooks 1st Division, were located at the right of the Union line, with Heckman's Brigade to their extreme right. General Ransom's Rebel forces began to attack the right flank of the Union line. Heckman's men, losing direction in the haze began to fall back, disoriented and demoralized. Eventually, the 8th Connecticut regiment, the last remaining protection to the men's right, began to fall back company by company. Now the Adirondack Regiment was exposed on three sides and began taking fire from the rear. The Rebel forces closed in, and hand-to-hand encounters took place. Bayonets replaced rifle-fire. The 118th regiment continued to hold their ground until each man was finally directed to act for himself. The wounded begged to not be left behind. Overall, the 118th regiment alone, suffered a loss of 55 men killed, 97 wounded, and 46 missing.
Daniel C. Brown was one of the men captured by Rebel forces this day. He then was taken to Richmond, the Confederate capital, about 10 miles to the northwest. A week later, May 23, 1864, he was transported south to Andersonville, Georgia. There the men sadly moved towards the stockade walls of the prison camp a quarter mile from the railroad. Officially known as Camp Sumter, but to many as Andersonville Prison, its walls were constructed of squared posts protruding more than 15 feet from the ground. The men were divided into detachments, squads, and then into mess groups for the purpose of receiving food rations. They entered through the North Gates into the area known as the "stockade". Inside they were not provided with shelter. Some built crude shelters, called "shebangs", out of blankets or shirts sewn together. Most were constantly exposed to the elements. Circling the stockade was a thin, wooden rail at about waist height. This was referred to as the "deadline". Men were prohibited from getting within 20 feet of the walls, which would have required crossing the line. Along the top edges of the wall were guards in "pigeon roosts". They were ordered to shoot, on the spot, anyone who crossed the deadline.
During June and July 1864, it rained for 21 consecutive days. The rainfall covered the ground. Nobody could keep from getting soaked, especially those without a blanket over their heads. On a good day, the men were rationed a two inch piece of cornbread made from meal ground from the cob and all, a few beans, and a couple of ounces of pork. Much of the time, meat was not even available and the food uncooked. Initially, the only source of water at the prison was from a stream running through the middle of camp. In it was stagnant, rancid water that was used for drinking, bathing, and as a sewer. Absurdly it was named Sweet Water Branch.
A group of rogue soldiers held prisoner at Andersonville, were known as the "Raiders". These soldiers terrorized their fellow prisoners, robbing and beating or even murdering them if they protested. They were lead by six men. Eventually a police force of other prisoners was formed, called the "Regulators". On June 22 1864, the Raiders were captured, put into stocks, and set to await trial. With the permission of Confederate Captain Wirz, the men were put on trial by their fellow prisoners. Many were forced to run a gauntlet formed by fellow prisoners with clubs, hitting them from both sides. The six ringleaders, were sentenced to hang by their necks for all to see on July 11, 1864. They were buried dishonorably in plots separate from the rest of the soldiers.
In July, the prison originally built to accommodate up to 10,000 captured soldiers was crammed with over 32,000. Due to the horrible overcrowding body lice became so overwhelming that they would crawl out of the hot sand and cover men's clothing by the hundreds. Because of overcrowding, lack of shelter, deplorable meals, putrid water, vermin, and the hot Georgia sun, by August 1864, men were dying at an average rate of 99 per day. On August 31, Daniel C. Brown was taken to the prison hospital. He died on September 1, from starvation and "Diarrhea C". Fellow inmates would have then stripped him from his clothing, tied a tag to his toe with his name and military unit, and placed his body with the others to be buried. His body was taken to the cemetery a quarter mile away. He was laid in a ditch grave, shoulder to shoulder with other dead soldiers. His name, rank, and cause of death were written on a list, kept by fellow prisoner, Dorence Atwater. The location of his body was marked with a wooden stake labeled "7501", before being covered by the prisoner burial crew. In all, 12,853, of the more than 42,000 men held there, died and were carried to their graves. Four days after Daniel's death a long awaited mass transfer of Union prisoners began, moving prisoners to camps with better conditions throughout Georgia and South Carolina.
Daniel C. Brown was given an honorable discharge. He had last been paid by Paymaster Major Holmes to include service through February 29, 1864 (six months before his death). As private in the Union Army, he was receiving $13 per month until about 2 months before his death, when pay was increased to $16 per month. After the United States deducted $30.94 for the clothing he was buried in, his family received a total of $75 in wages for his remaining six months of service.
Daniel's grave, number 7501, can still be visited at Andersonville National Historic Site. His name is also honored on a Civil War monument, dedicated to the brave defenders of the Union, at Independence Cemetery in his hometown of Saranac, New York.



1. New York State Archives,  Albany, New York;  Town Clerks´ Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War, ca 1861-1865; Collection Number: (N-Ar)13774; Box Number: 12; Roll Number: 8.
2. John Lovell Cunningham, Three Years with the Adirondack Regiment, The Plimpton Press, Norwood, Mass, USA, 1920.
3. “118th New York Infantry Regiment "Adirondack Regiment",” http://www.civilwarintheeast.com/USA/NY/NY118.php, viewed on 17 Apr 2011.
4. George Skoch, “Inside Andersonville: An Eyewitness Account of the Civil War’s Most Infamous Prison,” http://www.historynet.com/inside-andersonville-an-...-infamous-prison.htm, Published, 5 Sep 2007.
5. “Timeline: Record of Activity - Camp Sumter,” http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/Andersonvilleprison/diary.html, Accessed 17 Apr 2011.
6. “Memorandum from Prisoner of War Records, Daniel C Brown,” 1 Sep 1864, Andersonville Prison, Georgia, #10258, Grave 7501, Part of Compiled Military Service File (NATF 86), National Archives, Washington D.C., USA.