9th Regiment, Infantry
New York Volunteers

Spanish American War

Unit History

Pre Spanish American War

    The actual date when the regiment was organized, is not disclosed by the records. Evidence is found that it existed as far back as the period of the War of 1812. In 1845, it appears to have been re-organized, but the present organization really dates from June, 1859. It entered the United States service for three years, being known in such service as the 9th New York State Militia, and also as the 83rd New York Volunteers. The regiment was mustered in at Washington, D. C. June 8,1861 and mustered out at New York City, June 23, 1864. It rendered the state service in the Orange riot, July 12, 1871; in the Railroad riots, in July, 1877; at the Switchmen's strike at Buffalo, in August, 1892, and during the Brooklyn Motormen's strike, in January, 1895. 

The regiment received authority to place silver rings on the lances of its colors, engraved as follows:

On the national color: Harper's Ferry, Va., July 4, 1861; Warrenton Junction, Va., April 6, 1862; Warrenton Junction, Va., April 16, 1862; North Fork River, Va., April 18, 1862; Rappahan­nock River, Va., May 5, 1862; Cedar Mountain, Va., August 9, 1862; Rappahannock River, Va., August 22,1862; Rappahannock Station, Va., August 23,1862; Thoroughfare Gap, Va., August 28, 1862; Bull Run, Va., August 30,1862; Chantilly, Va., September 1,1862; South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862; Antietam, Md., September 17, 1862; Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862; Pollock's Mill Creek, Va., April 29, 1863; Chancellorsville, Va., May 2 and 3,1863; Gettysburg, Pa., July 1 to 4,1863; Hagerstown, Md., July 12 and 13, 1863; Liberty, Va., November 21,1863; Mine Run, Va., November 26 to December 2, 1863; Wilderness, Va., May 5 to 7, 1864; Spotsylvania Court House, Va., May 8, 1864; Piney Branch Church, Va., May 8, 1864; Laurel Hill, Va., May 10, 1864; Spotsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864; North Anna, Va., May 22, 1864; Totopotomoy, Va., May 27 to 31, 1864; Cold Harbor, Va., June 1 to 7, 1864.

    On the state color: Abolition riot, January 11 and 12, 1835; Great Fire, December 17,1835; Orange riot, July 12, 1871; West Albany, July, 1877; Buffalo, August, 1892; Brooklyn, January, 1895.

Spanish American War

The ninth regiment, national guard, having volunteered its services, was one of the regiments selected in general orders, No. 8, general headquarters, State of New York, dated Adjutant General's Office, Albany, April 27, 1898, to enter the service of the United States as a volunteer regiment.

The regiment at that time consisted of ten companies, and at once commenced recruiting to fill its companies and to organize two additional ones.

Special orders, No. 72, Adjutant  Generals Office, May 1, 1898, ordered the regiment to report at the foot of 22nd street, North river, New York City, at noon of the 2nd of May; there to embark for the camp of Instruction, near Peekskill, and on arrival at the camp to report to Brigadier-General Peter C. Doyle, national guard, commanding the camp. The order was fully carried out.

Under the provisions of general orders, No. 11, Adjutant  Generals Office, Albany, May 3, 1898, the regiment was at the camp fully, organized as a twelve company regiment, and was mustered in the United States service as follows: companies A, D and M, May 17th; C, I and K, May 19th; B, E, G, H and L, May 20th; the field and staff, and company F, May 25th; the whole as the "Ninth Regiment, Infantry, New York Volunteers."

Under orders of the war department the regiment left Camp Townsend (Camp of Instruction heretofore), at 10 a. m., of May 24th; embarked on the steamer "Glen Island" for New York City, and after a short parade in the latter city it was transferred by ferry to Jersey City, N. J., where it embarked and left on trains of the Pennsylvania railroad for Camp George H. Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Georgia., the same day. It arrived at the park in the forenoon of the 26th of May, and was assigned to the 3rd army corps.

The passenger steamship Glen Island, built in 1890, wood construction, 238' length, 328 tonnage.

May 29th, it was assigned to the 1st brigade, 2nd division of the 3rd army corps; the brigade consisting of the 1st Regiment, Arkansas; 2nd Regiment, Kentucky, and 9th Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry.

The regiment while at the park performed the usual camp routine of drills, rifle practice and guard duties. The regiment returned to its home station via Cincinnati and Buffalo, leaving camp, September 13th, and arriving at New York City, September 16th, where it was quartered at the armory of the 9th regiment, national guard; receiving a furlough for thirty days, and where it was mustered out of the service of the United States, November 15, 1898.

9th Regiment Armory, 125 West Fourteenth Street, New York City. (circa 1909)