OldReliable1862
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2017
- Location
- Georgia
In addition to my ideas for Confederate soldier novels, I've also been looking into the possibility of doing something with the Armies of the Potomac and the Cumberland. I want to include most of the major battles, and I've found eight regiments that have caught my interest:
20th Indiana: As a III Corps unit, this regiment missed Antietam, which is a pity, but it was present for most of the others.
20th Massachusetts: In reading about the Harvard Regiment, I've just started to like them.
24th New York: This regiment's origin in Oswego is helpful for the background I had intended for my main character (mine/factory/shipping business). They mustered out in 1863, but their three years-men transferred to the 76th New York and continued to serve.
61st New York: I don't know of any published histories or memoirs of this regiment, but it was present for many battles.
84th New York (14th Brooklyn): The Red-Legged Devils are always popular, and for good reason - Lincoln seems to have had a fondness for them. They mustered out after Spotsylvania, which is a shame, as I did want to include Petersburg.
I had also looked at the 21st New York and the 80th New York, but the 21st mustered out in 1863 with no three-years men, and the 80th served as a Provost Guard unit after 1863, missing the Overland and Petersburg campaigns, so neither were ideal.
11th Pennsylvania: While Sallie Ann Jarrett is obviously a good reason to pick, the 11th was present at many battles, frequently at the center of heavy action. The lack of a regimental history is somewhat annoying, however.
40th Pennsylvania (11th Pennsylvania Reserves): The regiment "worth its weight in gold" has a published history, along with the books on the Reserves as a whole, which is greatly helpful. Like the rest of the Reserves they mustered out after Spotsylvania.
42nd Pennsylvania (13th Pennsylvania Reserves): Osmund Thomson's history of the Bucktails is old, but still valuable. The Bucktails require little explanation of their actions, of course.
20th Indiana: As a III Corps unit, this regiment missed Antietam, which is a pity, but it was present for most of the others.
20th Massachusetts: In reading about the Harvard Regiment, I've just started to like them.
24th New York: This regiment's origin in Oswego is helpful for the background I had intended for my main character (mine/factory/shipping business). They mustered out in 1863, but their three years-men transferred to the 76th New York and continued to serve.
61st New York: I don't know of any published histories or memoirs of this regiment, but it was present for many battles.
84th New York (14th Brooklyn): The Red-Legged Devils are always popular, and for good reason - Lincoln seems to have had a fondness for them. They mustered out after Spotsylvania, which is a shame, as I did want to include Petersburg.
I had also looked at the 21st New York and the 80th New York, but the 21st mustered out in 1863 with no three-years men, and the 80th served as a Provost Guard unit after 1863, missing the Overland and Petersburg campaigns, so neither were ideal.
11th Pennsylvania: While Sallie Ann Jarrett is obviously a good reason to pick, the 11th was present at many battles, frequently at the center of heavy action. The lack of a regimental history is somewhat annoying, however.
40th Pennsylvania (11th Pennsylvania Reserves): The regiment "worth its weight in gold" has a published history, along with the books on the Reserves as a whole, which is greatly helpful. Like the rest of the Reserves they mustered out after Spotsylvania.
42nd Pennsylvania (13th Pennsylvania Reserves): Osmund Thomson's history of the Bucktails is old, but still valuable. The Bucktails require little explanation of their actions, of course.