Major W. S. Rowland received, October 10, 1862, authority from the War Department to recruit a regiment of sharpshooters in the States of New York and Pennsylvania; the regimental organization failed and only a battalion was recruited, which as finally organized consisted of four companies, the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th; another company, the 10th, was contemplated, but not completed. (The first five companies of sharpshooters, organized as such prior to this date, were then Companies A, B, C and D, 93rd Infantry Regiment, and Company L, 56th New York Volunteers.
Five additional companies were later formed and known as the U.S. 1st Sharpsooters.
The 1st New York Battalion Sharpshooters lost 23 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 38 enlisted men to disease
OFFICERS:
Major:
W. S. Rowland
Joseph H. Arnold
ASSIGNMENTS:
Served at Washington, D. C., from the time of their departure; at Suffolk, Va., in Terry's Brigade, Peck's Division, 7th Corps, from March, 1863; on the Peninsula, Va., in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Corps, from June, 1863; in the defenses of Washington, D. C., 22d Corps, from July, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac, from July, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac, from April, 1864; in the 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 5th Corps, from August, 1864; in the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 5th Corps, from September, 1864; and, unattached, in the 3d Division, 5th Corps, from November, 1864.
SERVICE:
ROSTERS:
The composite rosters of this unit contains the names of 444 men.
6th Company, Flank Company, L 108 N. Y. Volunteers: Captain Abijah C. Gray - Rochester - Mustered for three years on September 13, 1862
7th Company, Company L, 112th N. Y. Volunteers: Captain Joseph S. Arnold, Captain Clinton Perry - Elicottt, Kian-tone, Busti, Ellington, Ellery, Carroll and Jamestown[4]
8th Company: Captain Edward G. Robinson - Buffalo, Hudson and Chatham
9th Company: Captain Thomas S. Bradley - Albany, Hudson, Canaan, Hinsdale and New Lebanon
10th Company - Capt. Charles M. White - organized January 13, 1863; was originally intended for a service of nine months, on April 21, 1863 the term of service was changed to three years; the company was not completed and the enlisted men were transferred
HISTORICAL NOTES: