Greetings, brand new to this site. I'm hoping to get find some guidance, tips or info to help me complete my documentation on the military career of a distant relative. 30 years ago I inherited a collection of original items once owned and carried by 1st Lieutenant Orin Fitch (sometimes recorded as Owen) from Oswego County NY in the 81st New York Volunteer Infantry. He served from October 1861 and actively participated in the Peninsular Campaign up through the Battle of Fair Oaks and The Seven Days. He contracted malaria while on the Peninsular and was discharged in late 1862. Consequently his artifacts are in remarkably pristine condition.
Over the last 10 years I've been able to assemble a lot of information and records about Orin and his kit and are now writing up his story and assembling his artifacts into a display that I will pass on to my children.
Any info about the 81st New York, photos, stories of other vets, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
You probably already have this but here it is anyway,just in case:
https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UNY0081RI
81st Regiment, New York Infantry
OVERVIEW:
Organized at Albany, N. Y., December 20, 1861, to February 20, 1862. Left State for Washington, D. C., March 5, 1862. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, to December, 1862. Naglee's Brigade, Dept. of North Carolina, to January, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1863. District of Beaufort, N. C., 18th Army Corps, to October, 1863. Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to January, 1864. District of the Currituck, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, Heckman's Division, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, Army of the James, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 24th Army Corps, to July, 1865. 1st Independent Brigade, 24th Army Corps, to August, 1865.
SERVICE:
Duty at Kalorama Heights, Defences of Washington, D. C., March 7-13, 1862. Moved to the Peninsula, Va., March 28. Siege of
Yorktown April 5-May 4. Reconnoissance toward Lee's Mills April 29. Battle of
Williamsburg May 5. Battle of
Seven Pines or Fair Oaks May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1.
White Oak Swamp June 30.
Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe August 16-22, and duty there till September 18. Duty at Yorktown, Norfolk and Portsmouth till December. Moved to Morehead City, N. C., December 28, 1862-January 1, 1863; thence to Port Royal, S. C., January 28-31, 1863. At St. Helena Island, S. C., till April. Expedition against Charleston, S. C., April 3-11. Moved to New Berne, N. C., April 12-15. Expedition to relief of Little Washington April 17-21. Expedition to Trenton July 4-8. Action at Quaker Bridge July 6. Duty in District of Beaufort, N. C., till October. Moved to Newport News, Va., October 16-18, and duty there till January, 1864. Moved to Portsmouth, Va., January 22, and duty there and in the District of the Currituck till April, 1864. Moved to Yorktown, Va., April 26. Butler's operations on south side of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Occupation of Bermuda Hundred and City Point May 5.
Swift Creek or Arrowfield Church May 9-10. Operations against
Fort Darling May 12-16. Battle of Drury's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred May 16-28. Moved to White House Landing, thence to Cold Harbor May 27-31. Battles about
Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before
Petersburg June 15-18. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Reserve). Battle of
Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30. Battle of
Fair Oaks October 27-28. Duty in trenches before Richmond till April, 1865. Occupation of Richmond April 3. Pursuit of Lee April 4-9.
Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Duty in the Department of Virginia till August Mustered out August 31, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 13 Officers and 129 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 98 Enlisted men by disease. Total 239.
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