HORACE
JENKINS
173rd New York Volunteers
Corporal, Company H
Yaphank
Horace Jenkins
173rd New York Volunteers
Corporal, Company H
Yaphank
Horace Jenkins grew up in Yaphank with his parents, David
and Pricilla. He was one of three children. His brother,
David, was a member of the 47th New York State Militia.
It seemed natural for Horace to enlist, so he joined the
173rd New York Volunteers for three years on September 2,
1862. He was eighteen years old at the time, stood five
feet five inches tall, and had blue eyes and dark hair.
Colonel C.B. Morton organized the 173rd
regiment at Rikers Island in New York on November 10,
1862. After a brief training period, the regiment was
sent to Louisiana on the transport Cumberland.
The regiment, assigned to an army
commanded by General Nathaniel Banks, was stationed at
Indian Village, Louisiana, for January and February of
1863. The military plan was for Banks to attack the
Confederate stronghold at Port Hudson, while General
Ulysses S. Grant would attack Vicksburg to the north.
Capturing these two cities would open the Mississippi
River to Union gunboats, essentially cutting the
Confederacy in two.
Soldier's barracks just outside of
Port Hudson.
The 173rd NY saw action for the first
time at Fort Bisland. This was part of the first Bayou
Teche Campaign, during which they suffered seven
casualties. The regiment then focused on its main
objective, Port Hudson. On May 27 and 28, the 173rd was
part of a force that attacked the outer trenches held by
the Confederates. The attack failed and the 173rd dug in
for a siege that lasted forty-eight days. On June 14,
1863, the Union forces again tried to assault the
Confederates at Port Hudson. In some of the fiercest
fighting of the war, they were forced back into their
rifle pits. The unburied bodies of their comrades
sheltered them from enemy fire. Here they stayed for
twenty days, unable to bury the dead as no truce with the
Confederates could be reached.
Confederate positions after the failed Union attack of
May 27th.
On July 1, 1863, Jenkins was promoted to
Corporal. Seven days later, Corporal Jenkins and his
regiment once again took part in the assault of Port
Hudson. Word reached the Confederates that night that
Vicksburg had surrendered to Grant. Realizing their
situation was hopeless, the Confederates surrendered on
July 9, 1863.
In the fall of 1863, the regiment
participated in the second Teche Campaign and was
involved in a number of actions. In January, Jenkins was
detached from the regiment to guard ammunition at the
town of Franklin.
Jenkins rejoined the regiment in time to
take part in the Red River Campaign, designed to invade
and defeat Confederate forces in Texas. The Union
expedition had advanced 150 miles up the Red River when
Confederate forces attacked them. On April 9, the Battle
of Pleasant Hill took place. The 173rd was assigned to
the left flank, which was overrun by Confederate forces.
Union forces rallied and defeated the Confederates. In
the meantime, however, 50 men died and 150 were captured
from the 173rd. Banks, not liking his position, decided
to retreat down the Red River. Confederate forces
followed. On May 16, 1864, an artillery battle began with
Union forces, driving the Confederates from the field.
After this defeat, the Confederates no longer posed a
threat.
In July, the regiment was sent to Boliver
Heights in West Virginia and was attached to the Army of
the Shenendoah. They served as part of the defenses at
Washington until the war ended. On June 25, 1865, they
embarked on the steamship Northern Light and
finished the war as occupying troops in Savannah,
Georgia.
Horace Jenkins was mustered out on
October 18, 1865, in Savannah, Georgia.
Union assault against Port Hudson on
May 27, 1863.