The regiment was raised in July 1862, and was finally organized at East New York by consolidating with the Thurlow Weed Guards as part of the Spinola Brigade, and nearly all the men recruited for the 53d N. Y.

The companies were recruited principally: The regiment left the state and served at and near Washington from September, 1862; at Norfolk, Virginia, then Suffolk, Virginia, from October, 1862; in the 1st Spinola Brigade, 5th Division, 18th Corps, from December, 1862; in the 2d Brigade, 5th Division, 18th Corps, from March, 1863; unattached, on outpost duty, near New Bern, North Carolina, from May, 1863; in Palmer's Brigade, Peck's Division, 18th Corps, from January, 1864; in Department of Virginia and North Carolina, from April, 1864; in the Provisional Corps, North Carolina, from March I, 1865; in the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 23d Corps, from April 2, 1865; at Salisbury, North Carolina, from May, 1865; and was honorably discharged and mustered out, June 29, 1865, at Salisbury.

[1] The regiment spent nearly its entire term of service in North Carolina, engaged in outpost and garrison duty.

The regiment took part in engagements at various locations in the state, and in the Carolinas Campaign at Wise's Forks, Snow Hill, and Bennett's House.

The regiment sustained its worst losses at the battle of New Bern in February, 1864, when it lost 91 killed, wounded and missing.