| Phillip Faulstick enlisted on August 19, 1862, in Eastchester-- probably on the Village Green-- in the 6th New York Heavy Artillery, and served through the duration of the war. The 6th drew recruits from nearly every town in Westchester County, and also included enlistees from Rockland and Putnam Counties. The regiment was raised in response to Lincoln's call for 300,000 additional troops. The Town of Eastchester provided his wife with support of $4 per month. Originally designed to garrison forts equipped with large artillery pieces, the 6th became, in essence, an infantry regiment for the Virginia campaign beginning in May 1864. Partly to help Lincoln gain re-election, the Union sought a conclusive victory over the South, and wanted to maximize the number of troops on the line. The 6th fought at the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Courthouse, two of the major battles of the Virginia campaign. They also saw action in the Shenendoah Valley in the fall of 1864, and helped General Phil Sheridan reverse an initial Confederate advance into the major Union victory at the Battle of Cedar Creek. |
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