66th New York Volunteer Infantry

The 66th New York Volunteer Infantry (or National Guard Rifles) was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Service
The 66th New York Infantry was organized at New York City, New York and mustered in for three years service on November 4, 1861 under the command of Colonel Joseph C. Pinckney.

The regiment was attached to Graham's Brigade, Buell's Division, Army of the Potomac, to January 1862. French's Brigade, Sumner's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, to March 1864. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, to May 1865. Fort Richardson, New York, to August 1865.

The 66th New York Infantry mustered out of service August 30, 1865.

Detailed service
Left New York for Washington, D.C., November 16, 1861. Duty in the defenses of Washington, D.C., until March 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10. Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula, March 1862. Siege of Yorktown April 16-May 4. Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks May 31-June 1. Seven Days Battles before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Gaines' Mill June 27. Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, then to Alexandria and Centreville August 16-30. Cover retreat of Pope's army to Washington, D.C., August 31-September 1. Battle of Antietam, September 16-17. Duty at Harpers Ferry, Va., September 22 to October 29. Reconnaissance to Charlestown October 16-17, Movement up Loudoun Valley and to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Duty at Falmouth, Va., until April 27, 1863. "Mud March" January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-4. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until October. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty at and near Stevensburg, Va., until May 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spotsylvania May 8-12. Po River May 10. Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient or "Bloody Angle" May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad, June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration on the north side of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Demonstration on north side of the James August 13-20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Ream's Station August 25. Reconnaissance to Hatcher's Run December 9-10. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkins' House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Boydton and White Oak Roads March 29-31. Sutherland Station and fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. High Bridge and Farmville April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D. C, May 2-12. Grand Review of the Armies May 23. Moved to New York and duty at Fort Richardson, New York Harbor, until August.

Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 221 men during service; 9 officers and 88 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 4 officers and 120 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

 * Colonel Joseph C. Pinckney
 * Colonel Orlando H. Morris - wounded in action at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2; killed in action at the Battle of Cold Harbor while leading 4th Brigade, First Division, II Corps
 * Colonel John S. Hammell - commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg as lieutenant colonel after Col Morris was wounded; also wounded on July 2
 * Major Peter A. Nelson - commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg after Ltc Hammell was wounded
 * Captain Julius Wehle - commanded at the Battle of Antietam
 * Captain Nathaniel P. Lane - commanded at the First Battle of Deep Bottom