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New York 1 Engineering Regiment New York 1st Engineering Regiment Ransom C. Alford and his son, James W. Alford were both members of the NY 1st Engineering Regiment during the civil war. James joined in 1861 at the age of 18 and re-enlisted in February 1864. He died later that year as a prisoner of the confederacy. Ransom joined in January of 1864 and served until his Company was mustered out at Richmond, VA in June of 1665. It is not clear why Ransom enlisted. His youngest son was less than two years old at the time, and his oldest son, who he left to take care of the farm with his mother, was only 16. Perhaps he went in search of James, or perhaps James recruited him, we will never know. The New York 1st Engineering Regiment was formed in 1861 in response to a dire need in the Union Army for engineers to do the construction work associated with war. In 1860 the US Army Corp of Engineers consisted of just 44 officers and 100 men. On August 3, 1861 Congress passed a bill authorizing a massive increase in the Corp. The New York 1st was organized by Edward W. Serrell, who had served in the Mexican American war. He was a civil engineer. He obtained permission to begin recruiting an engineering regiment that became known as the New York 1st Engineering Regiment, or Serrell’s Engineers. The regiment was officially accepted by the State of New York on September 27, 1861. Edward Serrell was put in charge with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He was promoted to full colonel later that year. Volunteers were recruited across the state and surrounding areas by company: Company A: New York City Company B: New York City Company C: Athens, Hudson, Cooperstown, Newark, and Pennsylvania Company D: New York City Company E: Kingston, PA, Newark, Sing Sing, Poughkeepsie, and Ulster County Company F: New York City, Brooklyn, Rochester, Canandaigua, and Newark Company G: New York City, Canandaigua, and Otsego County Company H: New York City Company I: New York City, Newburgh, Schuyler's Falls, Mooers, Goshen, Saranac, Piermont, Plattsburgh, Centerville, and Ellenburgh Company K: New Jersey at Newton, Dover, Paterson, Morristown, Stanhope, and Rockaway Company L: New York City Company M: New York City, Brooklyn, Tompkinsville, Kingston, and Tarrytown James joined I Company in Centerville on November 16, 1861. Life was not easy for civil war solders, even during the formation period, and even before they went off to war. The following quote is from the archives of the New York Times: To the Editor of the New-York Times: A part of Col. SERRELL's Regiment of Volunteer Engineers is now quartered at Camp Washington, Staten Island, where, for several days past, the men have been suffering much from the cold, as no regular provision could be made for warming the barracks there. They have been relieved, to-day, by the following donations, for which the officers and men of the regiment beg to return their cordial thanks to the donors: SANFORD, TRUSLOW & Co., three stoves; J.L. MOTT, three stoves; THOMAS SOUTHARD & Co., stovepipe for two of the stoves. Please insert this acknowledgment, and oblige Yours, truly, H.N. HUDSON, Chaplain of the Regiment. There were also misunderstandings concerning the terms of their recruitment. The following is quoted from Wikipedia: “Upon formation, the volunteer engineers were promised pay wages one-third greater than that of the line. After the unit had been mustered, the Paymaster General refused to recognize the status of the newly formed regiment, and paid them the same rate as infantry. After protests to the War Department failed to rectify the situation, the men refused to take their reduced pay. Finally, after eight months of refusing to accept the lower wages, the order finally came through to increase the soldiers' pay to the agreed amount.” In 1861, most volunteer engineers were mustered in as privates (second class, laborer) and earned $13 a month, just as privates of other branches. However, many were promoted to the rank of artificer (first class, skilled mechanic or tradesman) and earned $17 a month. A corporal in a volunteer engineer regiment earned $20 a month as opposed to $13 a month for service in the artillery or infantry. An engineer sergeant earned $34 a month as opposed to the $17 monthly salary of a sergeant serving in the artillery, cavalry, or infantry. The soldiers’ pay was increased by an act of Congress, approved June 20, 1864 (13 Stat. 144), retroactive to May 1, 1864. Privates in all arms of service, including second-class engineer soldiers, began receiving $16 a month. Artificers’ pay increased to $18 a month. James W Alford was promoted to Artificer September 1, 1663. Ransom was also promoted to Artificer during his service, but the date is not shown on his military records. The regiment distinguished itself in numerous battles including the capture of Fort Pulaski in 1862 and had the honor of having their regimental flag chosen as the first to fly over the fort after it was captured. They constructed batteries for the battle and helped to capture the fort after 30 hours of sustained bombardment. The companies of the regiment did not all serve together, but rather were deployed in groups based on the needs of the army. For example after formation, companies A through E were sent to Annapolis MD on October 2, 1861. Companies G, I and K (which included James), were dispatched to Port Royal, SC, as part of General Thomas Sherman’s expedition, on December 14, 1861. Companies F and H were sent to join them in February of 1862. Company L, in which Ransom served was not formed until 1864. One roster shows James as transferred to Company L in 1864, so perhaps he did serve with his father. In April of 1862 the New York 1st Engineers were transferred to the command of the District of the South in Hilton Head, SC. On September 3rd of that year the War Dept. designated the Department of the South as the 10th Army. In October companies F and G went to Pocotaligo, SC and destroyed the railroads tracks and telegraph systems to deny their use to the confederacy. The 1st also served in the protection of retreating union troops and fought at Coosawhatie and at Colton’s and Frampton Plantation. In late 1962 the 1st was stationed primarily in the Hilton Head, SC area. They built powder magazines, repaired pontoons. Cut timber, built breakwaters, repaired steam engines, and performed many other construction tasks for the union forces. The engineers also engaged the enemy, and when a battle took place they often fought. They were engaged in battle at Fort Wagner, Fort Gregg, and Fort Sumter. When General Quincy Adams Gilmore wanted to attack the city of Charston with Greek Fire, Colonel Serrell and the New York 1st got the assignment. The following is quoted from Wikipedia: “The X Corps under Gen. Quincy Adams Gillmore turned their attention to the city of Charleston. Gillmore wanted to use Greek Fire in a battery specifically built to shell Charleston, so he instructed Serrell to explore the possibilities of constructing a battery in the marshes between James Island and Morris Island. Serrell gave the duty to a young engineer, who declared the project could not be done. Serrell told the doubting engineer that nothing was impossible, and to requisition any necessary materials. A short time later, Serrell received a request for twenty men eighteen feet tall. At the same time there was a request to the department's surgeon to splice three six-foot men together to make the needed eighteen footers. The request did not amuse Serrell, and he soon replaced the young officer. “After personally trudging through the marsh, Serrell developed the design that Gillmore approved. Construction began on August 10. Sheet pilings were driven into the marsh using a lever-operated driver. Thirteen thousand “sandbags were carried over a plank causeway four feet wide, and seventeen hundred yards long; a journey that took the men over an hour per trip. All this was done while under fire from Confederate battery located on James Island. “Finally, on August 17, 1863, the "Marsh Battery" was completed and ready for its armament. The "Swamp Angel," which was an 8-inch Parrott Rifle situated in the battery, was used to bombard the city of Charleston from August 22– 23 of 1863. “This famous artillery piece inspired a poem by Herman Melville, and factored into the eventual evacuation and capture of the city by Union forces on February 18, 1865.” The New York 1st served in many operations, including the construction of the pontoon bridge, shown above, and others like it. They served with great honor and distinction in both battle and construction work and made a major contribution to the winning of the war. Colonel Serrell was discharged February 15, 1865. The New York 1st Engineering Regiment was mustered out June 15th of the same year and all surviving members returned to civilian life. Unfortunately James W. Alford was not among the survivors. For more on his story see James W. Alford and the Civil War, available on our web site. New York Herald, published March 31, 1865 Farewell Order of Colonel Serrell References on the Internet http://www.1stnyengineers.com/index.html http://www.history-buff.org/serrell.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_New_York_Volunteer_Engineer_Regiment http://dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/other/1stEng/1stEngMain.htm http://www.nytimes.com/1861/11/17/news/col-serrell-s-engineers-an- acknowledgment-from-the-chaplain.html http://www.civilwararchive.com/unionny.htm .
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