National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Antietam National BattlefieldSnowy Bloody Lane
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Antietam National Battlefield
34th New York Infantry Monument

Dedicated: September 17, 1902
Location: Confederate Avenue behind (West) of the Dunker Church
Map Number: 40
•Go to .pdf version of the Monument Map
•Adopt-a-Monument

 
34th New York Infantry Monument

NPS Photo

34th New York Infantry Monument

Monument Text:
THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT N.Y.S.V.
Col. James A. Suiter
Commanding
Enlisted under President Lincoln's Call, issued April 15, 1861, for 75,000 men, to serve two years. Mustered into the State service May 1, 1861 Mustered into the United States service June 15, 1861 Mustered out June 30, 1863 First Brigade Second Division Second Corps The surviving members of the Regiment, aided by the County of Herkimer, and the State of New York, have erected this monument, to the memory of the gallant men who fell on this and other Historic fields. The dead on this field were 43 and the wounded 74.

 

At 7:30 on the morning of September 17, 1862, the Thirty-fourth Regiment left camp near Keedysville, crossed the Antietam Creek and marched westward into the East Woods, now extinct. Facing Westward being on the extreme left of Brigade line it emerged from the East Woods and soon became heavily engaged with the Confederate forces in its front. Crossing the open field and the Hagerstown Pike, it entered the West Woods, now also extinct, the line extending North and South of the Dunkard Church. The left of the Regiment being unprotected was in danger of being enveloped by the enemy, and a hasty retreat became necessary; the Regiment reforming near the East Woods with its organization intact. In a very brief time 43 men had been killed and 74 wounded, the killed being 13 percent of all engaged.

Composition of the Regiment at the time of this Battle
Colonel
James A. Suiter
Lieutenant Colonel
Byron Laflin
Major
John Beverly
Adjutant
George W. Thompson
Quartermaster
Nathan Easterbrook, Jr.
Surgeon
Socretes N. Sherman
Asst. Surgeon
Edward S. Walker
Chaplain
John B. Van Petten

Co. Captain County
"A" Benjamin H. Warford Albany
"B" Wells Sponable Herkimer
"C" Thomas Corcoran Herkimer
"D" John A. Scott Clinton
"E" Henry Baldwin Steuben
"F" Charles Riley Herkimer
"G" Joy E. Johnson Herkimer
"H" Samuel P. Butler Essex
"I" William H. King Steuben
"K" Emerson S. Northrup Herkimer
Artillery at Antietam  

Did You Know?
Over 500 cannons particpated in the Battle of Antietam, firing over 50,000 rounds of ammunition. The cannonade was so severe that Confederate artillery commander Colonel S.D. Lee described the battle as "artillery hell."

Last Updated: July 25, 2006 at 00:29 EST