188th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment The One Hundred and Eighty - Eighth New York Volunteer Infantry was an American Civil War infantry regiment from New York that served from October 1864 through July 1865 in the Union Army . " Colonel James R . Chamberlain , succeeded by Col . John McMahon , received authority , September 14 , 1864 , to recruit this regiment , with headquarters at Rochester , where it was organized and mustered in the service of the United States for one year , October 4 , 5 , 7 , 10 and 22 , 1864 ; except Company A , originally Company C , 183d Infantry , which was mustered in at Elmira September 24 , 1864 . " Formation . The regiment was formed in upstate New York , drawing men from Monroe , Ontario , Livingston , Yates , and Steuben counties for one year of service . Company A of the 188th New York was mustered in at Elmira , Chemung County , New York on September 24 , 1864 . Company A was originally Company C of the 183rd New York Infantry . Companies B through J were mustered into federal service on October 4 , 1864 at Rochester , Monroe County , New York . Company K did not join the regiment until November . " The companies were recruited principally : A at Villenova , Allegany , Madison , Yorkshire , Freedom and Mansfield ; B at Rochester , Avon , Phelps , Victor , Italy , Penn Yan , Naples and Geneseo ; C at Italy , Jerusalem , Rochester , Milo , Avon , Middlesex and Springtwater ; D at Springwater , York , Sparta , Avon , Potter , Portage , North Dansville , Geneseo , Leicester and Mt . Morris ; E at Livonia , Potter , Portage , Richmond , Avon , Farmington , Jerusalem , Springwater , Seneca , York and Leicester ; F at Rochester , Corning , Canandaigua , Hornby and Tuscarora ; G at Springwater , Avon , Gorham , Mt . Morris , Canandaigua , Sparta , Middlesex , Leicester , Italy and Barrington ; H at Rochester , Sparta , Avon , Dansville and Springwater ; I at Avon , Nunda , Rochester , Dansville , Livonia , Groveland , Conesus , Mt . Morris , Phelps and York ; and K at Rochester , North Dansville , Conesus , Groveland , Torry , Milo , Avon and Middlesex . " Federal service . The 188th New York left the state to join the Army of the Potomac on October 13 , 1864 . Initially , only seven companies left the state but company K followed in November . The army was before Petersburg , Virginia at that time . The regiment was placed in 2nd Brigade , 1st Division , V Corps then under Major General Gouverneur Warren . The 188th New York remained in this assignment for its entire federal service . On October 27 , less than a month after first muster , the regiment went into battle at Hatcher ' s Run near the Weldon Railroad . The regiment suffered 7 dead and between 39 and 46 wounded ( depending on reports ) . On December 8 , 1864 the regiment participated on a raid to Hicksford , Virginia where two soldiers were taken prisoner . February 6 and 7 , 1865 saw the regiment at Hatcher ' s Run again . During this battle the regiment suffered 5 dead , 21 wounded , and 3 missing . The Appomattox campaign saw the regiment fight with its corps at White Oak ridge , Gravelly Run and Five Forks , when its casualties aggregated 45 killed and wounded . The 188th New York also participated in the final assault on Petersburg and was present at Appomattox Station on April 9 when General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia . According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle , it reported that the 188th was the regiment that " busted up the confederacy . " They were given the honor of posting guard duty around the court house while Lee surrendered the confederacy to Grant . Deactivation . The regiment was mustered out of federal service on July 1 , 1865 at Washington , DC with less than the planned one year of service .