Upton's Regulars: The 121st New York Infantry in the Civil War

Description

From Cooperstown and its surrounding region, upstate New Yorkers responded to President Lincoln's call to service by volunteering in droves to defend an imperiled Union. Drawn from the farms and towns of Otsego and Herkimer counties, the 121st New York State Volunteer Infantry Regiment served with the Sixth Corps in the Army of the Potomac throughout the Civil War. In the first comprehensive history of the regiment in nearly ninety years, Salvatore Cilella chronicles the epic story of this heroic "band of brothers."

Led for much of the war by the legendary Emory Upton, the 121st deployed nearly 1,900 men into battle, from over 1,000 at call-up to the 330 who were finally mustered out of its war-depleted unit. Its soldiers participated in 25 major engagements, from Antietam to Sailor's Creek, won six Medals of Honor, took several battle flags, led the charge at Spotsylvania, and captured Custis Lee at Sailor's Creek. Cilella now tells their story, viewing the war through upstate New Yorkers' eyes not only to depict three grueling years of fighting but also to reveal their distinctive attitudes regarding slavery, war goals, politics, and the families they left behind.

Cilella mines the letters, diaries, memoirs, and speeches of more than 120 soldiers and officers to weave a compelling narrative that traces the 121st from enlistment through the horrors of battle and back to civilian life. Their words vividly recount the experience of combat, but also rail against Washington bureaucrats and commanding generals. Many were upset with those who suggested that Emancipation was the war's primary cause, declaring their fight to be for the Union rather than freed slaves, but they also scorned any Northerners who sympathized with the South.

Cilella also features compelling portraits of the regiment's three commanders: original recruiter Richard Franchot; West Pointer Upton, by whose name the 121st came to be known; and Otsego County native Egbert Olcott. Readers will especially gain new insights into the charismatic Upton, who took command at the age of 23, was a fearless leader on the field of battle, and became one of the army's most admired regimental leaders, clearly marking him out for future accomplishments.

As dire as the war became, especially in the summer of 1864, Upton's Regulars repeatedly told their families they would do it all again and would sooner die in battle than shirk their responsibility to the Union. This regimental history stands as a testament to that dedication-and as an unvarnished look at the harsh realities of war.

Get the book

Amazon.com

Search the book

eBay.com

Search the book

Similar books

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: 1873

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  Inaugurated for a second term on March 4, 1873, Ulysses S. Grant gave an address that was both inspiring and curiously bitter.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: 1875

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  This is my ground, and I am sitting on it.” In May, Sioux leaders traveled to the capital, where Grant renewed efforts to persuade them to relocate to Indian Territory, “south of where you now live, where the climate is very much better ...

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: January 1-October 31, 1876

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  After whites massacred black militia in South Carolina, Grant warned that unchecked persecution would lead to "bloody revolution." As violence spread, Grant struggled to position limited forces where they could do the most good.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: November 16, 1864-February 20, 1865

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  During the winter of 1864–65, the end of the Civil War neared as Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant maintained pressure against the dying Confederacy.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: June 1, 1871-January 31, 1872

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  In his third annual message to the nation, Ulysses S. Grant stated the obvious: "The condition of the Southern States is, unhappily, not such as all true patriotic citizens would like to see.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: October 1, 1880-December 31, 1882

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  Initial enthusiasm soon gave way to rancor, as factions split over where to place the fair. Grant favored Central Park, but public sentiment intervened, and funding evaporated. By March, Grant resigned.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: October 1, 1867-June 30, 1868

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  In spite of his public silence, Grant was caught in the dispute between Congress and President Andrew Johnson. His position became intolerable after Johnson publicly accused Grant of dishonesty.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: February 1-December 31, 1872

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  Notified of his nomination for a second term in June 1872, Ulysses S. Grant accepted, promising "the same zeal and devotion to the good of the whole people for the future of my official life, as shown in the past.

• 

  The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: January 1-May 31, 1864

  By Ulysses Simpson Grant

  January 1-May 31, 1864 Ulysses S. Grant John Y. Simon. ( Continued from front flap ) Major General William T. Sherman . He established an effective partnership with Abraham Lincoln , most notably through a letter of May 1 thanking the ...

• 

  Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A - C.

  By Jeanne T. Heidler, David S. Heidler

  LINCOLN , MARY TODD War ( 1995 ) ; and Wilkes Booth Came to Washington by Larry Starkey ( 1976 ) . According to this theory , Lincoln was considered a war target and fair game for assassination . Papers found on the body of Ulric ...