61st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 61st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment , the " Clinton Guards " , also the " Astor Regiment " or " Astor Rifles " , was an infantry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War . Service . The regiment was organized in New York City on October 25 , 1861 and was mustered in for a three year enlistment in October , November , and December , 1861 ; the regiment was formed by consolidation of the Astor Rifles ( or Regiment ) with the Clinton Guards . At the expiration of its term of service , the men entitled thereto were discharged and the regiment retained in service , but at the same time consolidating Companies G and K into the other companies ; on December 20 , 1864 , the men of the 54th New York not mustered out with their regiment were transferred , forming the new Companies G and K . The companies were all recruited principally in New York City , except Company C at Madison ( now Colgate ) University , Hamilton , and the second Company I , recruited in Albany and vicinity . The regiment left the State November 9 , 1861 ; served at Washington , D . C . , from November 10 , 1861 ; in Howard ' s Brigade , Sumner ' s Division , Army of the Potomac , from November 27 , 1861 ; in Howard ' s , 1st , Brigade , Richardson ' s , 1st , Division , 2d Corps , Army of the Potomac , from March 13 , 1862 - ; in 3d Brigade , 1st Division , 2d Corps , from July , 1862 - in 1st Brigade 1st Division , 2d Corps , from September , 1862 ; in 2d Brigade , 1st Division 2d Corps , from October , 1862 ; in 1st Brigade , 1st Division , 2d Corps , from November , 1862 ; and it was mustered out and honorably discharged July 14 , 1865 , at Alexandria , Virginia . This regiment , was stationed for a short time at Washington , but moved on to Manassas on Nov . 28 . It moved on to the Peninsula early in the spring , took part in the operations of the siege of Yorktown and was first closely engaged in the battle of Fair Oaks ( Also called Seven Pines ) , in which 106 were killed or wounded and 4 reported missing , out of 432 who went into action . There Lieut . Col . Massett and many other gallant men lost their lives . The loss in the Seven Days ' battles was still greater , and the ranks that gathered at Harrison ' s landing after the battle of Malvern hill were sadly depleted . At Antietam the regiment was in the thick of the fight - led by Colonel John Barlow , the 61st NY , with the 64th NY , flanked the ' sunken road ' which was holding up the advance , and delivered enfilade fire on the confederates in the road , and at Fredericksburg it served in Hancock ' s division in the charge on Marye ' s heights and lost 36 in killed , wounded and missing . At Chancellorsville in May , 1863 . the troops under Col . Miles made a gallant defense of the retreating union army which won them high praise , and at Gettysburg the loss was once more severe , participating on the II Corps ' advance in the ' Wheatfield ' , where the regiment was exposed to heavy enemy fire , losing more than half its strength . There was little rest for the worn regiment during the autumn . At Auburn , Bristoe Station ( where the II Corps shattered an attack by Confederate general AP Hill ) , Rappahannock Station and in the Mine Run campaign , it was active , and it was mid - winter when it finally established permanent quarters near Brandy Station . In December and January a large number of men reenlisted and received veteran furlough . The regiment was reunited in the spring of 1864 and served with honor through the severe fighting which led up to Cold Harbor and Petersburg , suffering most severely in the bloody angle at Spotsylvania . It joined in the first assault on Petersburg , June 15 ; was engaged at Deep Bottom , Strawberry Plains , Reams ' station and Hatcher ' s Run . It was present at the Fall of Petersburg , joined in the pursuit to Appomattox , and was engaged at Sailor ' s creek and Farmville . Its record is a long and glorious one and it bravely earned its right to rank among the most gallant organizations of the Union army . Total strength and casualties . The total enrollment of the command was 1 , 526 members ; during its service the regiment lost by death , killed in action , 11 officers , 113 enlisted men of wounds received in action , 5 officers , 67 enlisted men ; of disease and other causes , 2 officers 134 enlisted men ; total , 18 officers , 314 enlisted men ; aggregate , 332 ; of whom 46 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy .