The 16th New York Infantry regiment consisted of 1247 men from three counties in Northern New York State. These included companies A, B, F, G, H, and K from St. Lawrence County, C, D, and E from Clinton County, and I from Franklin County. This collection includes correspondence, clippings, records and photographs from the members of the 16th New York Infantry Regiment.
16th NYS Volunteers
Collection Overview
On May 10, 1861, Thomas A. Davies was assigned as the colonel of the 16th New York Infantry. Davies was chosen because he had a military education, being a graduate of West Point and was a native of St. Lawrence County. He served as colonel of the 16th from May 15, 1861, to March 7, 1862, when he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and went on to command the 1st and 2nd divisions of the west Tennessee army. Following Davies, Joseph Howland was promoted to commanding colonel of the 16th and served as colonel until September 28, 1862, when he resigned because of wounds received in the battle of Gaines’s Mill. He was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. The final colonel to command the 16th was Joel J. Seaver who commanded from September 29, 1862–May 22, 1863, when he was mustered out. The majority of the 16th infantry was mustered out on May 14, 1863. One hundred and twenty-six members of the regiment were assigned to the 121st New York Regiment to complete their service.