The 118th N.Y., Volunteer Infantry mustered into service on August 18th-20th , 1862 @ Plattsburgh, N.Y., City Hall Barracks, comprising of 10 companies (approximately 1,020 men) from Essex, Warren & Clinton Counties from the Northern Adirondack Region of the state. Thus its nick-name “The Adirondack Regiment”. The companies were recruited principally: A @ Queensbury & Plattsburgh; B @ Chazy, Ellenburg & Saranac; C @ St. Armand, Jay, Keene, North Elba & Wilmington; D @ Horicon, Chester, Johnsburg & Luzerne; E @ Crown Point, Moriah, Newcombe, North Hudson, Schroon & Ticonderoga; F @ Essex, Elizabethtown, Moriah & Westport; G @ Luzerne, Bolton, Caldwell, Johnsburg, Stony creek & Warrensburg; H@ Plattsburgh; I @ Champlain, Chazy, Dannemora & Mooers; K @ Ausable, Black Brook & Peru.  

  The regiment departed for Washington, D.C. on September 3rd, 1862, leaving Plattsburgh to Whitehall & then boarding steamship & rail bound for New York City. Upon arrival in N.Y.C. the regiment was issued Enfield rifles. The regiment was commanded by Col. Samuel T. Richards. The regiment left N.Y.C. the following day using the Camden & Amboy railroad route, destined for Washington D.C.. The 118th N.Y.V served as a provisional brigade in defence of Washington D.C. until April of 1863, when it received orders to report to the Chesapeake Bay, VA. region,(near Suffolk, Va.) where it was assigned to the 7th Army Corps, 1st Brigade, Getty’s Division, & ordered to perform garrison & provisional duty @ Yorktown, Norfolk, Portsmouth & Newport News, Va.. The regiment remained with the 7th Army Corps, through 1863, seeing limited action in North-eastern VA. (Antioch Church, Baker’s Crossroads, Franklin & South Anna Bridge),with 11 reported killed, wounded & missing.

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    In April of 1864 the regiment was re-assigned to the 18th Army Corps, under Gen. James Butler, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. While with the 18th Army Corps the regiment saw the majority of their action during the war. The 118th N.Y.V. had the misfortune to take part in the dismal Bermuda Hundred Campaign, where the Army of the James was held in check repeatedly by a much smaller rebel force under the command of Gen. P.T. Beauregard. The regiments most notable (and most costly) engagement was at Drewry’s Bluff, where it lost 199 men in killed, wounded, missing & captured, but received commendations for holding their ground while the entire left flank of the army collapsed.

   The regiment’s other engagements during the campaign were: Port Walthall Junction, Chester Station, Swift Creek & Proctor’s Creek. Following engagements in 1864 included, Cold Harbor (32 killed & wounded), the first assault on Petersburg (21 killed & wounded), In the trenches around Petersburg (43 killed & wounded), Fort Harrison (67 killed & wounded) and continuous action on Darbytown Road on the advance to Richmond (111 killed & wounded). The 118th N.Y. was reportedly the first organized federal infantry regiment to enter Richmond after its fall in April of 1865. The regiment was briefly assigned to the 24th Army Corps, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division while in Richmond, VA. & the pursuit of Gen. Robert E. Lee & the Army of Northern VA.. The 118th N.Y. was present at the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee & the Army of Northern VA @ Appomattox Court House on April 9th, 1865. The regiment was then returned to Richmond to provide provost & garrison duty in the fallen city.

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   The 118th N.Y. Volunteer Infantry was mustered out of service @ Richmond, VA. on June 13th, 1865. The casualty report concerning the 118th N.Y. Vol. Inf. are as follows.

The total number of officers & men on the 118th N.Y. Vol. Inf. service roll, including recruits amounted to 1,325 (1862-1865).

Killed in action: 6 officers, 55 men. Wounded in action: 9 officers, 285 men, of whom the officers and men survived their wounds. Many of these were, however, discharged for disability caused by their wounds. Captured in action: 9 officers, 140 men; of these men 12 died in prison of their wounds and 33 of disease. The number of men never heard from after capture and supposed to have died in prison is not given. Total Casualties: Killed, wounded and missing, 504. Died of Disease: 179 men. The number discharged for disability from disease and wounds is not given; many of these died.

With killed, died from disease and wounds, discharged for disability,  continuing in hospitals at muster-out of Regiment and those turned over to the 96th N.Y. Vol. Inf., at Richmond, only 299 officers and men were left of all the 1,325 who served with the Regiment, to return home with the organization.