The 59th fought with the Army of the Potomac through Grant's Overland Campaign, seeing significant action at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. Near Petersburg, on June 22, 1864, a large number of the regiment was taken prisoner. These great losses were offset by conscripts and volunteers from New York, and from men of the 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Redesignated as 59th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry, it served until the end of the war at Appomattox and was mustered out under Colonel William A. Olmsted on June 30, 1865.