War Date Document Signed concerning an officer of the 136th New York Infantry

(1831-78) Graduated in the West Point class of 1853. Military service: 2nd lieutenant, 4th U.S. Artillery, July 1, 1853; promoted to 1st lieutenant, May 1, 1856; regimental adjutant, Dec. 14, 1857, to Apr. 24, 1861; promoted to captain, 15th U.S. Infantry, May 14, 1861; promoted to major, a.d.c., July 3, 1862; promoted to lieutenant colonel, a.a.g., Aug. 20, 1862; served on the staff of Generals' Nathaniel P. Banks and John A. Dix; he was cited for gallantry at the battle of Cedar Mountain, Va., appointed brevet brigadier general, March 13, 1865, for valuable, distinguished and meritorious service in the field during the Civil War. Buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

War Date Document Signed: 7 3/4 x 10 1/4, imprinted form, filled out in ink.

War Department,
Washington City, July 7th, 1864

Sir:

I am directed by the Secretary of War to inform you that you have been reported to this Department by the Second Comptroller as having failed to render your accounts for the month of April 1864 within the period prescribed by the act of July 17, 1862, a copy of which is hereto annexed. [the order referenced is printed below the signature of General Pelouze].

You are therefore instructed, immediately upon receipt of this communication, to forward your accounts to the proper office, and submit to this Department such explanation as you may desire to make in order to relieve yourself from the penalty of the act above cited.

Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Louis H. Pelouze
Asst. Adjt. Genl.

[to]: Orange Sackett, Jr., Capt. 136th N.Y. Vols., A.C.S.

Below this is the "Act" referenced in the body of the document:

"AN ACT to provide for the more prompt settlement of the accounts of Disbursing Officers," approved July 17, 1862. [Please click on the enlargement to read the entire contents of this "Act."

Very fine.

Orange Sackett, Jr., was 27 years old when he enlisted at Portage, New York, as a 1st lieutenant, and was commissioned into Co. G, 136th New York Infantry. He was promoted to captain, on March 18, 1863; and mustered out of the service on June 13, 1865, at Washington, D.C.

136th New York Infantry

The 136th New York Volunteer Infantry were known as the "Ironclads," and the regiment was recruited in the counties of
Allegany, Livingston and Wyoming and they rendezvoused at Portage, New York, where it was mustered into the U.S. service for three years on Sept. 25-26, 1862. It left the state on Oct. 3; was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd (Steinwehr's) division, 11th corps; went into winter quarters with the corps at Stafford, Va.; fought its first battle at Chancellorsville, Va., losing a few men killed, wounded and missing; and was heavily engaged at Gettysburg on the first two days of the battle, losing 109 men in killed, wounded and missing.

In Sept., 1863, it was ordered to Tennessee with the 11th and 12th corps and was engaged the following month at the midnight battle of Wauhatchie, Tenn., losing 6 killed and wounded. It was active at Missionary Ridge in the Chattanooga-Ringgold campaign, losing 11 killed and wounded. When the 20th corps was formed in April, 1864, it was attached to the 3d brigade, 3d (Butterfield's) division of that corps, moving on into the Atlanta campaign early in May.

It was active at the battles of Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Cassville, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain and in the siege of Atlanta. Its heaviest loss was incurred at Resaca, where the casualties were 13 killed, 68 wounded and 1 missing.

After the fall of Atlanta it remained there until November, when it marched with Sherman to the sea, engaged in siege of Savannah, and closed its active service with the Carolinas campaign, in which it was engaged at Fayetteville, Averasboro, Bentonville, Raleigh and at the Bennett's House, losing 45 men in killed and wounded in the battles of Averasboro and Bentonville.

After the close of the war it marched with its corps to Washington, D.C., where it took part in the grand review, and was mustered out on June 13, 1865.

The regiment lost by death during its Civil War service, 2 officers and 74 men, killed and mortally wounded; 1 officer and 91 men, died of disease and other causes, a total deaths of 168.

Source: The Union Army, Vol. 2