Booknotes: The 18th New York Infantry in the Civil War

New Arrival:
• The 18th New York Infantry in the Civil War: A History and Roster
by Ryan A. Conklin (McFarland, 2016).

"Responding to President Lincoln's initial call for troops, the 18th New York Infantry emerged as one of the Excelsior State's first regiments and mustered many of its earliest volunteers. Formed of companies from across the state, the unit saw combat early, suffering the first casualties of the Bull Run campaign when they were ambushed on the march four days before the battle. As part of the Army of the Potomac, they fought at Gaines's Mill, Crampton's Gap, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Drawing on numerous sources including several unpublished letters and diaries, this book gives the complete history of the 18th--from the first enlistee to the last surviving veteran (who died in 1938)--with an emphasis on the experiences of individual soldiers."

A large 7 x 10 volume with nearly 400 pages of narrative, Conklin's book is a very detailed account of the 18th's participation in the eastern theater campaigns.  An organizational and command history is also explored at length in the early chapters. With its vast array of manuscript and newspaper resources listed, Conklin's bibliography impresses at first glance. The roster is based on 1899's adjutant-general report for New York, with corroboration and correction from numerous other public and private sources.