61st Infantry
61st Infantry Clinton Guards
Mustered in: September to October 1861 Mustered out: July 14, 1865
This regiment, known as the Clinton Guards, contained one company from Madison University, Hamilton, one company from the vicinity of Albany, and the remainder from New York city.
The regiment was stationed for a short time at Washington, but moved on Nov. 28, to Manassas. It took part in the operations of the siege of Yorktown and was first closely engaged in the battle of Fair Oaks. In September of 1862, Co. I from Albany, joined the. At Antietam the regiment was in the thick of the fight, and at Fredericksburg it served in Hancock's division in the charge on Marye's heights. At Chancellorsville in May, 1863, made a gallant defense which won them high praise, and at Gettysburg the loss was once more severe. There was little rest for the worn regiment during the autumn. At Auburn, Bristoe Station, Rappahannock Station and in the Mine Run campaign, it was active, and it was mid-winter when it finally established permanent quarters near Brandy Station. The regiment was reunited in the spring of 1864 and served with honor through the severe fighting which led up to Cold Harbor and Petersburg, suffering most severely in the bloody angle at Spottsylvania. It joined in the first assault on Petersburg, June 15; was engaged at Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains, Reams' station and Hatcher's run. It was present at the fall of Petersburg, joined in the pursuit to Appomattox, and was engaged at Sailor's creek and Farmville.
On July 14, 1865, the 61st was mustered out at Alexandria, having lost 193 by death from wounds and 123 from other causes, of whom 46 died in prison. The total enrollment of the command was 1,526 members. Its record is a long and glorious one and it bravely earned its right to rank among the most gallant organizations of the Union army.
Gettysburg, PA
Killed in action:
- Leonard Cornwell of Berne was a 22 year old Private of Company I who was killed in action on July 2, 1863.
Wounded
- Josiah W. Barber a native of Berne was 25 years old and a Private in Company I when he was wounded in action on July 2, 1863. He was returned to service with the Veterans Reserve Corps and discharged on June 5, 1865 at Alexandria, VA.
- Fritz Calfrient of Westerlo was a 19 year old Private of Company I when he was wounded on July 2, 1863. He was discharged on June 5, 1865 from the Hospital at Alexandria, VA.
- Edward A. Calhoun of Westerlo was a 42 year old Private of Company I when he was wounded in action in July of 1863. He was transferred to a Veterans Reserve Corps on December 4, 1863 and was reported as having died at a hospital in Annapolis, MD.
- Gabriel Henry Secor was a native of Knox and an 18 year old Private in Company D in his first enlistment when he was discharged for disability on April 7, 1862. He re-enlisted in Company I and on July 2, 1863 he was wounded in action and transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. On August 19, 1865 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and discharged on the same day.
- William Adam Shultes a native of Berne was a 47 year old Private in Company I when he was wounded in the shoulder at Gettysburg, PA and again at Petersburgh, VA on March 25, 1865 when he was wounded in the hip. He was discharged for his disability in May or June of 1865
Battle of the Wilderness
- Levi Concupont of Westerlo was a 38 year old unmarried Native American who was killed at the Battle of the Wilderness,VA. No records of his service exist and it was unusual that a Native American would have knowingly been allowed to serve with “whites”.
Fredericksburg
- Addison B. Miller a native of Berne was a 21 year old Private of Company D when he was killed in action on December 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg, VA and is buried there.
- William Showers of Rensselaerville was a 21 year old Private of Company I when he was killed in action on October 1 , 1862 at Fredericksburg, VA.
- Marshall Weaver of Westerlo was 19 years old and a Private in Company I when he was killed in action on December 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg, VA.
Wounded and disabled:
- Jacob S. Irons from Berne was 31 year old Private of Company I when he was wounded in the right leg which was amputated above the knee at Fredericksburgh, VA on December 13, 1862 He was discharged for his wounds on July 6, 1863 at Stanton Hospital, Washington, DC. He had a wife and 11 children at home.
Spotsylvania
Killed in action:
- George Riter of Knox was 23 years old and a Private in Company I when he was killed in action on May 10, 1864 at Po River (Spotslyvania), VA
Petersburg
Killed in action
- Hiram Wilday of Berne was a 45 year old Private of Company I when he was mortally wounded in action on June 24, 1864 at Petersburg, VA. He died the following day at City Point, VA and is buried there. He left behind a widow and 4 young children.
Cold Harbor:
Wounded
- Elias Miner Shafer of Berne was a 19 year old Private of Company I when he was wounded and taken prisoner at Cold Harbor, VA on June 3, 1863. He was paroled and mustered out in September of 1863 and re-enlisted on December 28, 1863.
Among those disabled:
- James B. Avery of Rensselaerville was a 24 year old Corporal of Company I who was wounded in a non-combat accident on November of 1862 at Warrenton, VA. He was discharged for those injuries on December 22, 1862 at New York, NY.
- Joseph B. Davis Knox was a 25 year old Private of Company I when he was discharged for his disability on May 1, 1863 at Washington, DC.
- Miner Ecker of Knox was an 18 year old Private of Company I when he was discharged for his disability on December 31, 1862 at Washington, DC. He died on August 8, 1864 at Knox.
- Harrison Kniskern was a native of Knox and a 25 year old Sergeant of Company I when he was discharged for disability on February 26, 1863 at the General Hospital in Baltimore, MD
- Peter Secor a native of Knox was 36 years old and a Private of Company I when he was discharged for disability (hernia) on February 4, 1863 at Washington, DC. He had a wife and 4 young children.
- John West 1836 of Berne was a 23 year old Private of Company F who was discharged for disability on February 3, 1863 at Convalescent Camp, VA.
Among those who died of disease:
- John Lyon was a native of Berne and a 21year old Private of Company I when he died of typhoid fever on December 12, 1862 at Falmouth, VA and was buried there.
- William J. Peck of Westerlo was an 18 year old Private in Company H when he died of disease on October 26, 1864 at Fort McGilvery, VA
- John Stalker of Knox was a 23 year old Private of Company I who died of disease on April 19, 1865 at General Hospital in Philadelphia, PA
- William H. Stalker of Berne was a 26 year old Private of Company I when he died of disease on May 3, 1864 at Washington, DC and was buried there.
Accidental deaths:
- Timothy McCarty of Berne was a 21 year old Private of Company I who drowned, shortly after enlisting, on September 21, 1862 at West Troy, NY.
- Joseph B. Northrup of Berne was a 21 year old Private of Company I when he drowned on September 21, 1862 at West Troy, NY, shortly after enlisting. He was buried in Berne.
