162nd Regiment, New York Infantry

United States     U.S. Military      New York      New York Military      New York in the Civil War      162nd Regiment, New York Infantry

Brief History
The 162nd regiment organized in New York City, at Riker's Island, New York harbor, August 22 to October 18, 1862, under Colonel Lewis Benedict. It was authorized as one of the regiments of the Metropolitan Brigade and was known as the 3rd Regiment, Metropolitan Guard.

The regiment moved to Savannah, Georgia, June 30-July 7, 1865 and was mustered out October 12, 1865 under Colonel Blanchard, Lt. Colonel Van den Berg and Major Huxford.

For more information on the history of this unit, see:


 * The Civil War Archive section, 162nd Regiment Infantry "3rd Metropolitan Guard", (accessed 22 August 2012).

The New York State Military Museumwebsite has a unit history project page for the 162nd Infantry Regiment.

The Civil War in the Eastwebsite gives a timeline for the involvement of 162nd New York Infantry Regiment in the war.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles,companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

See the Regiment Roster, for listing of individuals, their company and their involvement.

Company A - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City

Company B - principally organized October 14th, 1862 in New York City

Company C - principally organized October 14th, 1862 in New York City

Company D - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City 

Company E - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City

Company F - principally organized August 22nd, 1862 in New York City [Companies D and K, 53d Infantry, second organization, were assigned to the regiment as Company F]

Company G - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City

Company H - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City

Company I - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City

Company K - principally organized October 18th, 1862 in New York City

Source Material
Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘New York in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).

National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.

New York in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for New York, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.

United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.

Phisterer, Frederick. ''New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865. ''Albany, New York : J.B. Lyon, 1912. Google Books, other libraries with this book,


 * United States. Adjutant General's Office. Alphabetical index of the 162d New York Volunteer Infantry : being an abstract of the field and staff and company rolls. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992)


 * United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 162nd. An historical sketch of the 162d Regiment N.Y. Vol. Infantry, (3d Metropolitan Guard), 19th Army Corps, 1862-1865. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1992) and (Washington [District of Columbia] : Library of Congress, Photo duplication Service, 1988)

The Union Army : a History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65, Records of the Regiments in the Union Army, Cyclopedia of Battles, Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers, Reprint of original published: Madison, WI.: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. Other libraries with this book,

"The Rikers: Their Island, Homes, Cemetery and Early Genealogy in Queens County, NY" by Edgar Alan Nutt, gives 8 pages of the book describing the island's use during the Civil War, particularly for the 162nd Regiment, New York Infantry.