156th NY CDV Album 

A composite album containing 26 military cartes including 15 views of mostly ink signed 156th New York officers with 2 enlisted men, plus 5 other identified officers associated with the Department of the Gulf, and a CDV of General Banks. The cartes are imprinted with both New York and New Orleans back marks. Three of the 156th NY officers are duplicate yet different views.

The regiment's officers are: Col. Jacob Sharp (Major 9/3/61, Lt. Col. 9/17/62, Col. 4/1/63, WIA 9/1/9/64 at Winchester, Bvt. Brig. Gen. 3/1/3/65, m/o 10/23/65), Lt. Col. Alfred Neafie (Enlisted as Capt. 8/19/62, Lt. Col. 1/9/64, Bvt. Col. 3/13/65, Bvt. Brig. Gen. 3/13/65, m/o 10/23/65), Major Matthias S. Euen-two different views (Enlisted as Capt. 8/20/62, WIA 6/14/63 @ Port Hudson, Major 4/1/64, m/o 1023.65), Major Louis Schaffner (Enlisted as Capt. 11/12/62, Major 11/13/62, Discharged 1/31/63), Capt. Orville D. Jewett, Co. I. (Enlisted as 1st Lt. 8/20/62, Capt. 11/1/4/62, Discharged 3/26/64), Capt. Charles W. Kennedy, Co. F. & I. (Enlisted 8/23/62, WIA 6/14/63 at Port Hudson, Capt. 3/27/64, Discharged 6/10/65), Capt. James J. Hoyt, Co. K. (Enlisted 9/2/62, Capt. 2/1/63, WIA Cedar Creek 10/19/64, Discharged for disability 12/22/64), Capt. Alfred Cooley, Co. E. (Enlisted 9/9/62, Capt. 1/26/64, m/o 10/23/65), Capt. William Seaton, Co. K. & E. (Enlisted 9/19/62, WIA 10/19/64 at Cedar Creek, Capt. 3/2/65, m/o 10/23/65), Capt. Isaac L. Signer-two different views, Co. F. & A. (Enlisted 8/20/62, Capt. 8/11/63, m/o 7/8/65), 1st Lt. & Adjutant Jon Snyder (1st Lt. 12/24/64, m/o 10/23/65), 1st Lt. Albert Carpenter, Co. K. (Enlisted 8/21/62, 1st Lt. 11/4/64, m/o 10/23/65), and 1st Lt. Mathew Hasbrouck-two different views, Co. I. (Enlisted 11/17/62, 1st Lt. 3/9/64, m/o 10/23/65). One of the enlisted men is Corp. Albert F. Heal, Co. I. (m/o 6/25/65), the other appears to be Pvt. Joseph Colbert, Co. I. (not found). The other associated officers are: "Major E. McDonnell/"Surgeon U.S. Vols/Medical Director/District of Baton Rouge/La." 2nd Lt. Edward N. Pomeroy, 81st USCT (Resigned 6/2/65), Capt. Thomas R. Rodman, Co. H., 38th Mass. (m/o7/11/65), Capt. John Maguire, Co .C., 175th NY (Enlisted 12/27/62, Capt. 5/18/63, listed alternatively as "Killed by Guerillas" 4/14/65 at Goldsboro, NC and POW 4/14/65), and 1st Lt. Geo. T. Wilbor, Co. A., 128th NY (Enlisted 8/9/62, 1st Lt. 9/6/63, Discharged 6/17/65).

The 156th NY was organized at Kingston, NY in November 1862. It shipped out immediately for New Orleans where it was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 19th Corps, Department of the Gulf, commanded by General Banks. The regiment saw first blood at Fort Bisland loosing 22 men killed and wounded. It earned a second battle honor for Port Hudson where it participated in the siege and charged in the second grand assault of June 14, 1863 suffering 30 casualties. The 157th played a minor role in the Red River Expedition but was engaged at Pleasant Hill.

The 19th Corps transferred back to the eastern theater in July 1864 and the regiment saw non-stop action in the Shenandoah Valley against Jubal Early's army. Casualties at the battle of Opequan amounted to 20 killed and 91 wounded while Colonel Sharp was brevetted to brigadier general for "gallantry." The 157th then fought at Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek where the regiment lost 92 men in the chaos of the see-saw battle. During the morning fighting on October 19th the entire color guard was shot down and Captain Alfred Cooley "saved the regimental flag from capture by stripping the colors from the staff and bringing them safely off the field." The regiment ended the war in the North Carolina temporarily attached to the 10th Corps and was mustered out at Augusta, Georgia on October 23, 1865. 

The Ed Steers Lincolniana & Civil War Collection

The CDVs are generally G+., some with heavy wear and soiling. Several cartes are trimmed or clipped and many show old adhesive residue on the back from having once been affixed to another surface. Leather album is worn but intact and functional.