Draw the Sword

Clinton Guards or the Astor Regiment

A Fighting 300 Regiment

Location: The Wheatfield

Order of Battle: 2nd Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade

Number Engaged: 148; 6 killed, 56 wounded

Commander: Lt. Col. Knut Oscar Broady (1832-1922).

Raised: New York City and from Madison County

Monument Specifications: Four rough hewn granite blocks decorated with bronze New York State Seal and Corps trefoil. The monument marks the position of the 61st New York Infantry on the afternoon of July 2, 1863.

Dedication Date: July 1, 1889.

Main Inscription: ON THE AFTERNOON OF/JULY 2ND. 1863./CASUALTIES/KILLED 6 WOUNDED 56/TOTAL LOSS 62.

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Lieut. Col. K. Oscar Broady (will open a pop up window).

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at New York City October 25, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., November 9, 1861. Attached to Howard’s Brigade, Sumner’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Howard’s 1st Brigade, Richardson’s 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty at Bladensburg, Defenses of Washington, D.C., until November 27, 1861. Expedition to Lower Maryland November 3-11. At Camp California, near Alexandria, Va., until March 10, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Reconnaissance to Gainesville March 20. Operations on Orange & Alexandria Railroad March 28-31. Ordered to the Peninsula, Va. Siege of Yorktown April 16-May 4. Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Peach Orchard, Allen’s Farm and Savage Station June 29; White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30; Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Alexandria and Centreville August 16-30. Cover Pope’s retreat to Washington August 31-September 2. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Duty at Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., September 22 to October 29. Reconnaissance to Charlestown October 16-17. Advance up Loudoun Valley and movement to Falmouth October 29-November 17. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Duty at Falmouth until April, 1863. “Mud March” January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-4. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas, Va., July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until October. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty at Stevensburg until May, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Corbin’s Bridge May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Po River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient or “Bloody Angle” May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration on north side of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-29. Demonstration north of the James August 13-20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Ream’s Station August 25. Reconnaissance to Hatcher’s Run December 9-10. Hatcher’s Run December 9. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkins’ House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. On line of Hatcher’s and Gravelly Runs March 29-30. Hatcher’s Run or Boydton Road March 31. White Oak Road March 31. Sutherland Station and Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor’s Creek April 6. High Bridge and Farmville April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Burkesville until May 2. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out July 14, 1865. Regiment lost during service 16 Officers and 177 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 121 Enlisted men by disease. Total 316.