144th New York Volunteer Infantry The 144th New York Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War . Service . The regiment was organized at Delhi , N . Y . , and mustered in September 27 , 1862 . Left State for Washington , D . C . , October 11 , 1862 . Attached to 3rd Brigade , Abercrombie ' s Division , Defenses of Washington , to February , 1863 . 3rd Brigade , Abercrombie ' s Division , 22nd Army Corps , Dept . of Washington , to April , 1863 . 2nd Brigade , 3rd Division , 7th Army Corps , Dept . of Virginia , to May , 1863 . 1st Brigade , 2nd Division , 4th Army Corps , to July , 1863 . 2nd Brigade , 1st Division , 11th Army Corps , Army of the Potomac , to August , 1863 . 2nd Brigade , Gordon ' s Division , Folly Island , S . C . , 10th Army Corps , Dept . of the South , to February , 1864 . 1st Brigade , Ames ' Division , District of Florida , to April , 1864 . District of Florida , Dept . of the South , to June , 1864 . District of Hilton Head , S . C . , Dept . of the South , to October , 1864 . 3rd Separate Brigade , Dept . of the South , to November , 1864 . 1st Brigade , Coast Division , Dept . of the South , to January , 1865 . 3rd Separate Brigade , District of Hilton Head , S . C . , Dept . of the South , to May , 1865 . Port Royal , Dept . of the South , to June , 1865 . Detailed service . The regiment first saw duty in the Defenses of Washington , D . C . , until April , 1863 . it was ordered to Suffolk , Va . on April 18 . The regiment was besieged at Suffolk April 20 - May 4 by Longstreet . Providence Church Road May 3 . Siege of Suffolk raised May 4 . Dix ' s Peninsula Campaign June 24 - July 7 . Ordered to Washington , D . C . , July 10 . Pursuit of Lee to Berlin , Md . , July 13 – 22 . Moved to Folly Island , S . C . , near Charleston , S . C . , harbor August 1 – 10 . During the fall and winter of 1863 the regiment was engaged at Folly and Morris islands , participating with Gillmore ' s forces in the siege of Fort Wagner and the bombardment of Fort Sumter and Charleston . Siege of Forts Wagner and Gregg , Morris Island , S . C . , and operations against Fort Sumter and Charleston August 11 - September 7 . Bombardment of Fort Sumter and Charleston August 17 – 23 . Capture of Forts Wagner and Gregg September 7 . Operations against Charleston and duty on Folly Island , S . C . , until December 31 . Bombardment of Fort Sumter October 27 - November 9 . Moved to Hilton Head , S . C . , January , 1864 . Ordered to Jacksonville , Fla . , February , and duty there until June . Expedition from Jacksonville to Camp Milton May 31 - June 3 . Moved to Hilton Head , S . C . , June . Expedition to Johns and James Islands against Charleston July 2 – 10 . Operations against Battery Pringle , Johns Island , July 9 . Duty in District of Hilton Head , S . C . , until November . Hatch ' s Expedition up Broad River November 28 – 30 . Battle of Honey Hill , S . C . , November 30 . Demonstration on Charleston & Savannah Railroad December 6 – 9 . Deveaux ' s Neck December 6 . Tullifinney River December 9 . Moved to Hilton Head , S . C . , and duty in that district until June , 1865 . Mustered out June 25 , 1864 . Veterans and Recruits transferred to 1st New York Engineers . Folly Island . The greatest numbers of casualties incurred by the regiment was during its service on Folly Island during the siege of Charleston , South Carolina . Contaminated drinking water caused severe illnesses amongst almost the entire regiment . So many men became ill with diarrhea that a board of surgeons was appointed to determine which men would be eligible for furloughs so that they could recover from the sickness . A convalescent camp was established at St . Augustine , Florida where many of the men spent their illness - caused furloughs . Casualties . The regiment lost 217 men during service : 2 officers and 37 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 officers and 174 enlisted men by disease . The most frequent causes of death listed for the many members of the Regiment who died of disease included typhoid fever and chronic diarrhoea .