NEW YORK FIFTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY (Three Years)

Fifty-Eighth Infantry.-Col., Wladimir Kryzanowski; Lieut.-Cols., Frederick Gellman, August Otto, Adolphus Dobke; Majs., Theodore Lichtenstein, William Henkel, George N. Harvey, Adolph C. Warberg, Michael Esenbean. This regiment, known as the Morgan Rifles, was composed of the United States Rifles, Polish Legion, Gallatin Rifles, Morgan Rifles and Humboldt Yeagers, and was mustered into the U. S. service at New York city in Nov., 1861, for three years. It left the state for Washington, Nov. 7, 1861; was assigned to the 3d brigade, Blenker's division, Army of the Potomac, stationed near Washington until April, 1862, when it was ordered to join the Mountain Department and reached Gen. Fremont in time to participate in the battle of Cross Keys. On June 26, 1862, the regiment was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 3d division, 1st corps, Army of Virginia, which subsequently became the 11th corps, and with it served through Gen. Pope's campaign, being present at Fox's ford, Sulphur springs, Waterloo bridge, Groveton and the second Bull Run, losing in the campaign 57 in killed, wounded and missing. The regiment was not engaged at Fredericksburg, although stationed in the vicinity. Winter quarters were established at Stafford and the regiment was active in the Chancellorsville movement in May, 1863. From there it moved to Gettysburg, was active in the battle, then southward through Boonsboro and Funkstown, and was ordered west on Sept. 24. It arrived at Bridgeport, Ala., early in October, was present at Wauhatchie and in the Chattanooga and Rossville campaigns and in March, 1864, was attached to the 4th division, 20th corps. A large number of the regiment reenlisted in Dec., 1863, received veteran furlough and rejoined the regiment in Tennessee. The veteran regiment completed its service in the Department of the Cumberland, being stationed from June, 1864, to September, 1865, at Nashville, where it was mustered out on Oct. 1, 1865. During its term of service it lost 32 by death from wounds and 95 from other causes. Source: The Union Army, Vol. 2, p. 92 New York FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY (VETERAN). Morgan Rifles; United States Rifles; Polish Legion; Gallatin Rifles. (Three Years) Colonel Wladimir Kryzanowski received authority from the War Department August 20, 1861, to recruit a regiment of infantry, which he named the United States Rifles. Colonel Julian Allen had received authority, July 22, 1861, also from the War Department to recruit a regiment, which was known as the Polish Legion; under War Department authority of July 25, 1861, Col. Theodore Lichtenhein recruited the Gallatin Rifles; Col. Frederick Gellman the Morgan Rifles, and Col. Andrew Lutz, under authority from the same source, dated July 31, 1861, the Humboldt Yaegers. The latter, the Polish Legion and the Gallatin Rifles, were merged into the Morgan Rifles under Colonel Lutz. October 19, 1861, the 58th Regiment was organized in New York city by the State authorities by the consolidation of the incomplete Morgan and the United States Rifles. Companies A, B, C and D were formed of the corresponding companies, E of Companies E and G, and F of Companies F and H of the Morgan Rifles, and G, H, I and K of Companies A, B, C and D of the United States Rifles, and Wladimir Kryzanowski was appointed Colonel of the regiment. The companies were mustered in the service of the United States for three years from August 27 to November 5, 1861, and, composed of Danes, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Poles and Russians, were recruited principally in New York city. At the expiration of its term, the men entitled thereto were discharged and the regiment retained in the service. June 30, 1865, the 45th Infantry were transferred to it, company to corresponding company. The regiment left the State November 7, 1861 served in the 3d Brigade, Blenkers' Division, Army of the Potomac, from November, 1861; in same brigade and division, Mountain Department, from April, 1862; in 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 1st Corps, Army of Virginia, from June 26, 1862; in same brigade and division, 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac, from September 12, 1862; on veteran furlough from January, 1864; at Bridgeport, Ala., in 4th Division, 2oth Corps, from March, 1864; in 3d Brigade, defenses of N. & C. R.R., Department of Cumberland, from June, 1864; at Nashville, Tenn., Department of Cumberland, from September, 1865; where it was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Colonel Kryzanowski, October 1, 1865. Source: Phisterer, p. 2,502 Gettysburg after battle report: Report of Capt. Emil Koenig, Fifty-eighth New York Infantry, Second Brigade. ----, -----, 1863. Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Fifty-eighth New York Volunteers during the period from June 12 until July 19: On June 12, the Fifty-eighth Regt. New York Volunteers, then under command of Lieut.-Col. Otto, broke camp, and marched along with the rest of the brigade toward Hartwood Church, where it encamped for the night. After a very tedious march, we arrived at Centreville, in the vicinity of which we staid until the 17th, when we marched until near Goose Creek. Here we encamped until the 24th. This day we marched to Edwards Ferry, where we crossed the Potomac on the 25th, and marched to Jefferson, Md., where we arrived late in the evening. Next morning we marched to Middletown, where we staid till noon on the 28th, when we were ordered to proceed to Frederick, Md. Next morning we proceeded on our march to Emmitsburg, where the regiment staid until the morning of July 1. As for myself, I was ordered in the night from June 30 to July 1 to take 100 men, and make a reconnaissance in the direction of Creagerstown, where, as it was said, some of the enemy's cavalry had been seen. After marching about 5 miles, according to orders received, and not finding anything extraordinary, I rested my command, when I received a dispatch ordering me to start back at once, as the corps had already marched to Gettysburg, Pa. I arrived at the old camping place of the regiment about 9 a. m., where my command was joined by a squad of men of the regiment who had been on picket during the night. Rallying these men, with the greatest possible speed I started after the corps, which, however, I was unable to reach, as we had to march with the train, and as the rain, falling down in torrents, caused the roads to be brought into a very bad state. At the distance of about 4 miles from Gettysburg, I heard heavy cannonading in front, and hurried my men to greater speed. The rain now ceased, and we arrived at Gettysburg about 3.30 p. m. I was not able to find where our corps was at that time, but arrived on a hill on the left of Cemetery Hill, where our division had been stationed a short while ago. It was then occupied by a battery of the Second Corps, and a general of the same corps requested me to remain there to support it, as no other troops were in that vicinity. As I could not join the regiment then, I did as he requested me to do. A little later, Gen. Schurz arrived, and I reported to him. He ordered me to remain in the same position temporarily. The division was retreating at the same time, and took position near Cemetery Hill. As nearly the whole number of our regiment had been on picket duty and on the reconnaissance with me, and I had not been able to find the brigade, it could take but little part in the fight of July 1, but it had several wounded and 3 missing. Late in the evening, I was ordered to proceed with my command to the brigade, which was stationed behind a stone fence in front of Cemetery Hill, in two lines, of which we formed part of the second. As Lieut.-Col. Otto had been detached to act as chief of staff of Maj.-Gen. Schurz, I assumed command of the regiment, as senior officer present. Nothing remarkable happened during the night excepting that a patrol with some of our men, under command of Lieut. Ehrlich, Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania, went into town to ascertain the condition of our wounded. On entering the town, they were fired at by the enemy's pickets, of whom they killed and wounded several, after which they retired into our lines without loss. We remained in our position without any remarkable accident until 11 a. m. on the 2d, when we were ordered to detail some men to relieve the pickets in front of us. Two of our men were wounded while relieving the pickets. About 4 p. m. the rebels opened a murderous fire upon our division from three or four batteries in different positions, which was briskly responded to by the batteries of Capt. Wiedrich and Capt. Dilger on the right and left of the division. In consideration of the murderous fire which was kept up upon us without ceasing for about three hours, our escape was truly miraculous, as we lost only 1 officer and 1 man killed and several wounded. During all this time my men exhibited great courage and coolness. About 8 p. m. our regiment was ordered ahead and to the left of the brigade, behind a stone fence, where we were exposed to a severe artillery fire, which, however, did us no damage. Suddenly we were ordered to the right, where a column of the enemy, coming up under cover of the darkness, had tried to storm Capt. Wiedrich's battery, but was repulsed before we arrived. As another attack was expected, the regiment was ordered to stay there, and one company, under command of Lieut. Schwartz, sent ahead as skirmishers to ascertain whether the enemy was in front. He found nothing but dead and wounded, and, after being relieved by the Forty-first New York, we retired to our original position, where we rested during the night without any disturbance. On the morning of July 3, the firing commenced very early, ceasing at different intervals. At 6 o'clock in the morning, we were ordered to the right of the road leading to Gettysburg. We were posted behind a stone fence to the left of Capt. Wiedrich's battery. Lieut. Schwartz, with one company, was sent to take possession of the next houses of the town to the left of the road. The enemy's sharpshooters kept up a brisk fire at these houses, and killed a girl who was living in one of them. Our men escaped uninjured, although they had possession of the house until the end of the battle, and the house was completely pierced by bomb-shells and rifle-balls. The fire of these sharpshooters was very annoying to us, as we could not show our heads above the fence without being fired at; however, they did us no damage. We maintained our position until July 4, in the morning, when we were astonished not to hear any firing recommenced. Lieut. Schwartz therefore sent a patrol of 10 men into the town, to ascertain whether the enemy had retreated. The citizens gave them signs, and showed them the houses which were occupied by the enemy. Our men entered them, and took most of the sharpshooters prisoners while asleep. Shortly afterward, Lieut. Lauber, with 20 men of this regiment, was also sent into town, and these two squads took about 200 prisoners. Later in the morning, the regiment was moved about 200 yards to the right again, where it staid until the 5th, in the evening, when it marched to ward Emmitsburg. In this place we arrived on the 6th, about noon. On the 7th, we started to Middletown, where we arrived about 10 o'clock that night. On the 8th, in the afternoon, we were ordered to proceed to Boonsborough, to support Gen. Kilpatrick's cavalry division, which was engaged with the enemy's cavalry. We arrived at sunset, when the enemy fell back. On the 9th, we shifted camp, and marched toward Hagerstown, near which place we arrived and took position on the 11th, throwing up rifle-pits. After remaining in this position until the 14th, we marched through Hagerstown until near Williamsport, and returned to Middletown the next day. On the 15th, we marched through Jefferson to Berlin, Md., where we rested until the 19th. On this day we recrossed the Potomac, and ended our campaign in Maryland and Pennsylvania. I can but express the greatest satisfaction with the behavior of the officers and men under my command. With very few exceptions they were equally devoted during the long and exhausting marches as well as during the tremendous fire of the battle. It gives me special pleasure to thank me in my endeavors to follow the order of my superiors. Our loss was exceedingly small in proportion to the firing we had been exposed to. We have to mourn the loss of Adjt. Louis Deitrich, who was killed on July 2. Besides this, our loss consisted of 1 man killed, 14 wounded, and 3 missing.* EMIL KOENIG, Capt., Comdg. Fifty-eighth Regt. New York Vols. Col. W. Krzyzanowski, Comdg. Second Brig., Third Div., Eleventh Corps. Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43

New York 58th Infantry (Union)

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