• Miles of uncrowded white sandy beaches extend to the horizon, separating the clear blue ocean and undulating grass-covered dunes.

    Fire Island

    National Seashore New York

There are park alerts in effect.
show Alerts »

  • More Park Facilities Reopen During May 2013

    Watch Hill and Sailors Haven marinas open May 10. Limited ferry service from Sayville to Sailors Haven resumes May 13 and ferries from Patchogue to Watch Hill start on May 18. Remaining park facilities to reopen by May 25, 2013. More »

Fire Island During the Civil War

CSS Tallahassee

The CSS Tallahassee

A Fire Island Connection

During the raid of the CSS Tallahasse in August 1864, a pleasure boat from Fire Island's Surf Hotel took on passengers from a schooner that had escaped destruction. Learn more.
 
John G Floyd Jr in Civil War uniform about 1863.

John Gelston Floyd, Jr. in September 1862, shortly after Floyd had enlisted at New Dorp, Staten Island, New York. 

Fire Island National Seashore
William Floyd Estate
John Gelston Floyd, Jr.
(May 10, 1841 - Nov. 27, 1903)
in the Civil War
(Sept. 11, 1862 - Jan. 6, 1864)

On April 12, 1861, the opening shots on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina changed the world and lives of almost everyone. For the next four years, the bloodiest war in United States history was fought. In September of 1862, the war reached the William Floyd Estate. At that time the Old Mastic House was the home of William Floyd's great-grandson, John Gelston Floyd, Sr., and his wife Sarah. Their fourth child, John G. Floyd, Jr., enlisted and joined the Union army at Staten Island along with 27 other Long Island men, some from the Town of Brookhaven that John himself had recruited.

John G. Floyd, Jr. served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 145th New York Volunteer Regiment, Company G, which was organized at Staten Island, New York, and mustered in September 11, 1862.

 
John G Floyd Jr - Letter to Mother on 10-01-1862

After a period of outfitting and training, the 145th New York Regiment was prepared to deploy into battle. (See more 145th Regiment details.)

John G. Floyd, Jr. wrote home to his mother:

Oct. 1, 1862

Dear Mother,

We have arrived here at last- all right. The regiment left Staten Island on Saturday. We went through Philadelphia that night and reached Baltimore on Tuesday, Washington Sunday night and stayed there until Monday night. We marched up to see Stantons departure and were received by the president in person, a rare honor. President Lincoln has a ... look, rather care worn.

In March 1863, John was detailed into Battery F of the 4th U. S. Artillery, where his commanding officer, Captain Franklin B. Cosby, was also his 2nd cousin.

You can follow the experiences of John G. Floyd, Jr. during these troubling times through his correspondence with family back home at Old Mastic. Check back as additional letters are transcribed throughout the year in 2013:

May 7, 1863

June 1863

July 4, 1863

November 1863

On January 6, 1864 Floyd was mustered out with an honorable discharge from the service, thus ending his military career.

 
Civil War uniform of John G Floyd Jr in 145th Regiment
145th Regiment, New York Infantry
  • September 11, 1862 - Organized at Staten Island, New York; mustered in
  • September 27, 1862 - Left for Washington, D. C., and Harper's Ferry, West Virginia
  • through October 1862 - Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
  • October 1862 to May 1863 - Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac
    • Duty at Bolivar Heights, Md., until December, 1862
    • Expedition to Winchester and skirmishes at Charlestown and Berryville, December 2-6
    • March to Fairfax Station, Va., December 10-14; duty there until January 19, 1863
    • Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24
      • In March 1863, John G. Floyd was detailed into Battery F, 4th U. S. Artillery

 
NPS website: The Civil War

Learn More about the Civil War sites and stories preserved and interpreted in the National Park Service.

  • William Floyd Estate William Floyd Estate

    Old Mastic House is open during summer, but special grounds tours are offered throughout the year. Read More

Did You Know?

Close-up view of roots and sand grains beneath golden stems.

Tiny rootlets of the American beach grass (Ammophila breviligulata) and mycorrhyzal fungi hold together the grains of sand that make up sand dunes on Fire Island. You can help protect the dunes by not walking or driving over the beach grass. More...