Fine Id’d Civil War Officer’s Grouping – Major Casper K. Abell – 72nd NY Infantry

Fine Id’d Civil War Officer’s Grouping – Major Casper K. Abell – 72^nd NY Infantry – This finely appointed grouping owned and used by Major Casper K. Abell of the 72^nd New York infantry, includes the following of Abell’s possessions: high end Model 1850 Foot Officers Sword and scabbard engraved with Abell’s name, regiment and rank on the upper scabbard belt mount and on the pommel; Sheffield bladed, New York stamped side knife and scabbard with patriotic motif, silvered grip pommel and guard; slouch hat (we are not sure this hat is Abell’s war time hat or one he wore just after the war, as a GAR officer) with Abell’s attached U.S. staff officer, bullion, embroidered insignia and third corps badge / insignia; Abell’s military pants (these may Abell’s late war pants, but could be his early, postwar, GAR pants – they have Civil War period characteristics and are constructed of period jean cloth); M1851, cast brass eagle belt plate with his name, regiment and rank engraved on the back; a second third corps badge of bullion and cloth with a U.S. staff officer coat button attached in its center, with a gilded flat button in the middle, also engraved with Abell’s name, regiment and rank. All aforementioned items are in very good condition, with the one of the knife pommels missing. The M1850 Foot Officers sword is stamped by Horstmann & Sons of Philadelphia and is engraved with period, U.S. military motifs. Abell had an impressive war career with the 72^nd NY, being present at the following battles: Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run and Petersburg. The military style pants are structurally sound, but only in fair condition, with some threadbare areas; someone tried to do some not highly executed repair work on the pants, from the interior. This is a fine, identified grouping of war period items owned and carried by a gallant officer.

Casper K. Abell

Abell, Caspar K., November 1827 born in New York; May 20, 1861 enlisted at Dunkirk, N. Y. as 1st lt., Co. D, 72nd N. Y. Infantry Rgt. June 25, 1861 capt. May 4, 1863 maj. June 19, 1864 mo at Petersburg, Va. 1880 and 1900 book seller at Dunkirk, N. Y. wife Jane E. Abell, c.1834 born in New York; Children: Daniel W. Abell, c.1851 born in New York; Ruth B. Abell, April 1856 born in New York; Charles C. Abell, October 1860 born in New York.
Source: New York: Report of the Adjutant-General; 1880 and 1900 U. S. Census

72nd Infantry Regiment
Civil War
Third Regiment, Excelsior, Or Sickles’, Brigade

History

Mustered in: July 24, 1861
Mustered out: June 19 to October 31, 1864

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.
This regiment, raised under special authority from the War Department, granted to Gen. D. E. Sickles, May 18, 1861, was organized, under Col. Nelson Taylor, at Camp Scott, Staten Island, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years in June, July, August, October and November, 1861. One company of the 68th Militia (Dunkirk) formed part of this regiment. Pursuant to the order of the Secretary of War, dated December 5, 1861, it received its State numerical designation December 11, 1861. Company L was transferred to Companies A, I and K February 25, 1862. The men not entitled to be mustered out with the regiment were formed into a detachment which, from June 20, 1864, served with the 120th Infantry, to which the remaining men were, in November, 1864, finally transferred.
The companies were recruited principally: A and K in New York city; B at Jamestown; C in Vermont; D and E at Dunkirk; F at Newark, N. J.; G at Westfield; H at Dunkirk and New York city, and I at Delhi. Company L was recruited principally in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delhi, Sinclairsville and Plattsburg.
The regiment, except Companies H and L, which joined October 25, 1861, left the State July 24, 1861; served at and near Washington, D. C, in a provisional brigade, from July, 1861; in Sickles’ Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac, from October 15, 1861; in same, 2d, Brigade, 2d Division, 3d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March, 1862 in 2d Brigade, 4th Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from April, 1864; in 4th Brigade 3D Division, 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac, from May 13, 1864; the companies remaining attached to the 120th N. Y. Volunteers, in the 3d Brigade, 3d Division 2d Corps Army of the Potomac, from July, 1864. Companies A, B, D, E, F, I and K, under command of Lieut Col. John Leonard, were honorably discharged and mustered out June 19 and 20, 1864, before Petersburg, Va.; Companies G, C and H, remaining, were mustered out July 2 and 20 and October 31, 1864, respectively.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 7 officers, 111 enlisted men of wounds received in action, 5 officers, 51 enlisted men; of disease .and other causes, 1 officer, 95 enlisted men; total, 13 officers, 257 enlisted men; aggregate, 270; of whom 10 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 — records of the regiments in the Union army — cyclopedia of battles — memoirs of commanders and soldiers. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. volume II.
Seventy-second Infantry.—Cols., Nelson Taylor, William O. Stevens, John S. Austin; Lieut.-Cols., Israel Moses, John S. Austin, John Leonard; Majs., William O. Stevens, John Leonard, Casper K. Abell. The 72nd, the 3d regiment of the Excelsior brigade, was composed mainly of members from New York city and Chau-tauqua county, and was mustered into the U. S. service at Camp Scott, Staten island, from June to Oct., 1861, for three years. It left there on July 24, 1861, for Washington, where it was joined by two of its companies late in October. After serving for a few months in the vicinity of Washington the regiment was assigned to Sickles’ Excelsior brigade, Hooker’s division, served along the Potomac in Maryland, near Stafford Court House, Va., and proceeded to the Peninsula in April, 1862, with the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, 3d corps. It suffered its first severe loss at Williamsburg, where the Excelsior brigade bore the heaviest burden of the battle, the loss of the 72nd being 195 killed, wounded or missing, 77 of whom were killed or mortally wounded. At Fair Oaks and in the Seven Days’ battles the regiment was active and was then withdrawn from the Peninsula to join in the campaign under Gen. Pope in Virginia, during which it lost 37 men. It was withdrawn with the brigade to the vicinity of Washington for much needed rest and reinforcement, and remained there through the Maryland campaign, leaving for Falmouth in November. It participated in the battle of Fredericksburg; went into winter quarters at Falmouth; broke camp late in April, 1863, for the Chancellorsville movement; took a prominent part in that battle, Col. Stevens and 4 other officers being killed, the total loss of the regiment being 101. At Gettysburg the regiment, which had by this time become noted for its fighting qualities, occupied an advanced position on the Emmitsburg road, which was valiantly defended by the brigade, although finally forced to yield it. The loss of the 72nd: here was 114, and the ranks, which later fought at Kelly’s ford, Bristoe Station and in the Mine Run campaign, were sadly thinned. The winter camp was established at Brandy Station and in April, 1864, the regiment was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 4th division, 2nd corps, with which it served in the Wilderness campaign until May 13, when it was transferred to the 4th brigade, 3d division. It was active in the campaign until June 19, when seven companies were mustered out before Petersburg. The remaining three com-panies were mustered out July 2 and 20 and Oct. 31, 1864, the veterans and recruits being transferred to the 120th N. Y. infantry. During its term of service the regiment lost 184 by death from wounds and 96 by death from other causes. It is ranked by Col. Fox as one of the “three hundred fighting regiments.”

72nd NY Infantry
( 3-years )

NEW YORK
SEVENTY-SECOND INFANTRY
(Three Years)