Draw the Sword

Wadsworth Guards

Location: Robinson Avenue, Oak Ridge

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

Number Engaged: 309; 11 killed, 91 wounded, 92 missing

Commander: Col. Gilbert G. Prey (1822-1903)

Raised: Livingston and Rensselaer counties.

Monument Specifications: Tapered shaft with a rough-hewn pedestal stands on a tiered, smooth and rough-hewn base. The faces of the shaft are polished. The monument is topped with a Corps disk insignia. There is a round State Seal relief affixed to the front of the pedestal. On the plinth, below the Seal is a relief of crossed sabers and laurel branches with a cartridge box in the center.

Dedication Date: September 4, 1888.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: Frederick & Field, fabricator.

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Col. Gilbert G. Prey (will open a pop up window).

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

Organized at Genesee, N.Y., October, 1861, to March, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., March 22, 1862. Attached to Wadsworth’s Command, Military District of Washington, to May, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Pope’s Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, to June, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to September, 1864. Provost Guard, 5th Army Corps, to May, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until May, 1862. Expedition to Front Royal, Va., to intercept Jackson, May 28-June 1. Picket duty on the Shenandoah and at Front Royal until June 10. Duty at Catlett’s Station, Warrenton and Waterloo, Va., until August. Battle of Cedar Creek August 9. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23. Thoroughfare Gap August 28. Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battles of South Mountain September 14; Antietam September 16-17. Duty near Sharpsburg until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth and Belle Plains until April 27, 1863. “Mud March” January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Fitzhugh’s Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. White Oak Swamp June 13. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Reserve). Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Reconnaissance toward Dinwiddie Court House September 15. Warren’s Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Lewis Farm, near Gravelly Run, March 29. White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D.C., May 1-12. Grand Review May 23. Duty at Washington until July. Mustered out July 17, 1865. Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 81 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 145 Enlisted men by disease. Total 233.