71st New York Infantry Regiment: Difference between revisions
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===American Civil War=== |
===American Civil War=== |
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| ⚫ | In the fall 1861, the 71st, along with the 70th through the 74th New York Volunteer Regiments and ten battalions of the Third Indiana Cavalry, formed the Excelsior Brigade under Brigadier General [[Daniel E. Sickles]], which was placed under the command of Major General [[Joseph Hooker]] in October. Its tasks included assisting in the building of defenses around Washington and stopping resupply of the Confederates from Southern Maryland. <ref>Major-General Joseph Hooker and the Troops from the Army of the Potomac. Address by Major General Daniel Butterfield, 18 September 1885. Located at http://books.google.com/books?id=_zSYV9nJWpgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=joseph+hooker#PPA11,M1, accessed 26 Dec 2007.</ref> |
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On July 21, 1861, the 71st Infanty took part in the First Battle of Bull Run. Archaelogical research on the battlefield at Manassas shows the 71st, along with the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island Infanty, faced the Tiger Rifles of Major Chatham Wheat’s Louisiana Battalion, the only known unit engaged in fighting outfitted with .54-caliber muskets. The 71st supported the advance of the 2nd Rhode Island against Wheat's battalion.<ref>Historical Archaeology, 2004, 38(4):114–147. "Review of Dropped and Fired: Archaeological Patterns of Militaria from Two Civil War Battles, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, Virginia, Occasional Report,No. 15." Matthew B. Reeves. http://sha.org/documents/publications/book_reviews/BookReviews_38(4)_2004.pdf, accessed 1-14-2008.</ref> |
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| ⚫ | In the fall of 1861, the 71st, along with the 70th through the 74th New York Volunteer Regiments and ten battalions of the Third Indiana Cavalry, formed the Excelsior Brigade under Brigadier General [[Daniel E. Sickles]], which was placed under the command of Major General [[Joseph Hooker]] in October. Its tasks included assisting in the building of defenses around Washington and stopping resupply of the Confederates from Southern Maryland. <ref>Major-General Joseph Hooker and the Troops from the Army of the Potomac. Address by Major General Daniel Butterfield, 18 September 1885. Located at http://books.google.com/books?id=_zSYV9nJWpgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=joseph+hooker#PPA11,M1, accessed 26 Dec 2007.</ref> |
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In the Civil War, the 71st was called to service and served at the [[Battle of Gettysburg]], then was recalled to New York City to help suppress the 1864 draft riots. The regiment was merged with the 120th New York in 1864. |
In the Civil War, the 71st was called to service and served at the [[Battle of Gettysburg]], then was recalled to New York City to help suppress the 1864 draft riots. The regiment was merged with the 120th New York in 1864. |
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Revision as of 15:41, 14 January 2008
The 71st Infantry Regiment is an organization of the New York State Guard.
History
The regiment was founded in 1854 in New York City as "The American Guard" and had political links to the Know-Nothing Party. Its first commander was Colonel Martin.
American Civil War
On July 21, 1861, the 71st Infanty took part in the First Battle of Bull Run. Archaelogical research on the battlefield at Manassas shows the 71st, along with the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island Infanty, faced the Tiger Rifles of Major Chatham Wheat’s Louisiana Battalion, the only known unit engaged in fighting outfitted with .54-caliber muskets. The 71st supported the advance of the 2nd Rhode Island against Wheat's battalion.[1]
In the fall of 1861, the 71st, along with the 70th through the 74th New York Volunteer Regiments and ten battalions of the Third Indiana Cavalry, formed the Excelsior Brigade under Brigadier General Daniel E. Sickles, which was placed under the command of Major General Joseph Hooker in October. Its tasks included assisting in the building of defenses around Washington and stopping resupply of the Confederates from Southern Maryland. [2]
In the Civil War, the 71st was called to service and served at the Battle of Gettysburg, then was recalled to New York City to help suppress the 1864 draft riots. The regiment was merged with the 120th New York in 1864.
Spanish-American War
In the Spanish-American War, the 71st Regiment, New York Volunteers, entrained to Tampa, where they then shipped to Cuba. The 71st was bivouaced along with the 1st U.S. Volunteers, the "Rough Riders", in Tampa, who then stole a march on the 71st to steal their transport on the Tampa.
The Battle of Santiago
The regiment took part in the Battle of Santiago, though not in the attack itself. Many of the members of the regiment were ill with malaria,[3] and the 71st was pinned down by accurate Spanish rifle fire, preventing its moving forward. Several commentators of the day, including Lieutenant Colonel Philip reade, Inspector General for divisional commander General Kent, made disparaging remarks about the 71st's apparent lack of courage (though the malaria and heat were key factors). The regimental commander, Colonel Wallace A. Downs, testified later that he had received no orders to advance and held his force in reserve. Colonel Reade testified that he had to "shove" the 71st into the fight, though F Company Commander Captain Malcolm Rafferty and 3rd Battalion Commander Major Keck responded immediately to the call to move forward.[4]
One lieutenant noted there were reports the regiment would be moved to Montauk Point, Long Island, to recuperate from the climate, [5] and many men from the 71st were sent there to recover on the hospital ship Shinnecock. [6]
Following the war, a Board of Inquiry was held on the conduct of the senior officers of the Regiment, including Lieutenant Colonel Clinton H. Smith. The testimony of witnesses was favorable to Lt. Col. Smith, noting he was present on the battlefield.[7]
World War I
In 1916, before the U.S. entry into World War I, the 71st was mobilized as part of the U.S. Army force serving on the Mexican border. In the First World War, the 71st was called to service as the 167th Infantry Regiment and was part of the 42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division. Several of the officers of the Regiment were transferred to the 185th Infantry.[8] The Regiment returned to New York in May 1919.[9]
Between the World Wars
Between the World Wars, the 71st was brigaded with the 174th Infantry Regiment and performed a number of civil and ceremonial duties as well as annual training at Camp Smith in Peekskill, New York. Its regimental armory served as a homeless shelter in 1934. [10] The 1940 and 1941 annual training took place at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
World War II
In World War II, the 71st was part of the 44th Infantry Division, which assembled at Fort Lewis, Washington. Headquarters Company was detached to take part in the retaking of Attu Island in the Aleutian campaign. The 71st was thus the only regiment to have units fighting in the Pacific and European theaters at the same time.
Sergeant Charles A. MacGillivary of the 71st won the Medal of Honor during the German Ardennes offensive of December 1944 near Woelfling, France, near the German border. On December 17, Sergeant MacGillvary was serving as company commander because of casualties among the officers. Ammunition was low and the company was pinned down. MacGillivary set out on his own to destroy the German machine guns menacing his company. He carried a sub-machine guns and grenades; when his submachine gun ran out of ammo, he picked up a discarded weapon and continued the attack. MacGillivary he wiped out the German positions and killed or wounded the defenders, at the cost of his left arm.[11]
After World War II
The 71st was not called to active duty in either the Korean War or the Vietnam War. It was called to state active duty in 1979 to serve as prison guards during a correctional officer's strike.
The Regiment's original armory was located at Park Avenue and 34th Street in Manhattan. It later moved to 125th West 14th Street.
In 1984, the Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, proposed disbanding the 71st and 106th Infantry to use their armory spaces for civilian purposes. The 71st Infantry Veterans' Association, sued the State in court, stating charged that such a realignment would violate state affirmative action guidelines since the 71st Infantry is predominantly black. The 71st received a favorable ruling.[12]
The First Battalion became a State Guard unit, serving with the 14th Infantry Brigade. However, a Third Battalion was activated with the 10th Mountain Division and served in Afghanistan in 2006. [13]
Symbols and Traditions
The regimental motto is "The American Guard."
The regimental crest is a blue shield, charged with a gold fasces with the ax head pointing to the left, supported by two gold crescents.
The commanding officer of the Regiment wore as his sidearm a Colt revolver which was originally Colonel Martin's pistol.
Bibliography
Post, Charles Johnson. The Little War of Private Post: The Spanish-American War Seen Up Close. 1999, U of Nebraska Press. 352 pages. ISBN 0803287577
- ^ Historical Archaeology, 2004, 38(4):114–147. "Review of Dropped and Fired: Archaeological Patterns of Militaria from Two Civil War Battles, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, Virginia, Occasional Report,No. 15." Matthew B. Reeves. http://sha.org/documents/publications/book_reviews/BookReviews_38(4)_2004.pdf, accessed 1-14-2008.
- ^ Major-General Joseph Hooker and the Troops from the Army of the Potomac. Address by Major General Daniel Butterfield, 18 September 1885. Located at http://books.google.com/books?id=_zSYV9nJWpgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=joseph+hooker#PPA11,M1, accessed 26 Dec 2007.
- ^ Bates, William Graves (Colonel). "A Summary of the History of the 71st Infantry, N.G.N.Y." In Sutliffe, Robert Stewart, Seventy-first New York in the World War, 1922, J.J. Little and Ives, Co. p 516. Accessed through Google Books.
- ^ “71ST REGIMENT INQUIRY; Several Witnesses Testify in Favor of Lieut. Col. Smith. TESTIMONY OF ONE EXPUNGED Lieut. Col. Reade's Report on the Conduct of the Command at Santiago Forwarded.” New York Times, January 15, 1899. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=950DE4D7163DE433A25756C1A9679C94689ED7CF
- ^ Jensen, Joyce. “Word for Word/Letters Home; The Myriad Ways in Which War Has Been Hell” New York Times, November 12, 2000. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04E0D71538F931A25752C1A9669C8B63
- ^ "More Sick from Montauk" New York Times, September 17, 1898
- ^ New York Times, January 15, 1899, op. cit.
- ^ "Lieut. H.H. Street Wounded; Served on Mexican Border with Old 71st", New York Times, August 14, 1918.
- ^ “Dozen Ships on Way With More Troops.” New York Times - May 27, 1919
- ^ “Armory Is Opened To Homeless Men 71st And Two Others Will Be Used As Day-Time Shelter.” New York Times, December 18, 1934
- ^ Goldstein, Richard. “C. A. MacGillivary, 83, Dies; Won Medal of Honor “ New York Times, June 30, 2000. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E3DB1639F933A05755C0A9669C8B63
- ^ "Court Order Rescues Historic Guard Unit," New York Times, February 2, 1984
- ^ Garwood, Paul. (Associated Press) "U.S. Forces Repel Raid on Afghan Base." Washington Post, August 9, 2006. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/09/AR2006080900262_pf.html, accessed 1-14-2008.
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