139th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 139th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
of Union Army
in the early years of the American Civil War
. The regiment was organized in 1861 in Ulster County, New York
. Volunteers were recruited from the more affluent families of the County.
On their way to Washington, DC they stopped over at the barracks in Central Park
. During their stay, Washington ordered them home because there was no more need for three-months regiments. The men appealed to acting Assistant Quartermaster
Chester Arthur, who went to Albany
to consult with Governor Edwin D. Morgan
. Morgan granted permission to send the men into battle. When Arthur arrived back with the news, the men were so elated they renamed their quarters Camp Arthur.
Later, annual reunions were held to commemorate the delivery of Arthur's news.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in the early years of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The regiment was organized in 1861 in Ulster County, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Volunteers were recruited from the more affluent families of the County.
On their way to Washington, DC they stopped over at the barracks in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. During their stay, Washington ordered them home because there was no more need for three-months regiments. The men appealed to acting Assistant Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
Chester Arthur, who went to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
to consult with Governor Edwin D. Morgan
Edwin D. Morgan
Edwin Denison Morgan was the 21st Governor of New York from 1859 to 1862 and served in the United States Senate from 1863 to 1869. He was the first and longest-serving chairman of the Republican National Committee...
. Morgan granted permission to send the men into battle. When Arthur arrived back with the news, the men were so elated they renamed their quarters Camp Arthur.
Later, annual reunions were held to commemorate the delivery of Arthur's news.