The Polish Legion

58th New York Infantry, "The Polish Legion"

Although known as the "Polish Legion", Ella Lonn notes that half of the regiment were Germans. The regiment's most famous member was its colonel Wladimir Krzyzanowski, born in Poland, who eventually rose to a Brvt. Brigadier General and was on of the more well known non-German foreign leaders in the XI Corps. The regiment was brigaded with Blenker's Division early on, and later became part of the XI Corps.

Organization and affiliations-

  • Organized at New York City August to November, 1861.
  • Left State for Washington, D.C., November 7, 1861.
  • Attached to Bohlen's Brigade, Blenker's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862.
  • 2nd Brigade, Blenker's 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1862.
  • 2nd Brigade, Blenker's Division, Dept. of the Mountains, to June, 1862.
  • 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Pope's Army of Virginia, to September, 1862.
  • 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862
  • 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland to April, 1864.
  • Unattached, 4th Division, 20th Army Corps, Dept. of the Cumberland, to July, 1864.
  • 3rd Brigade, Defences of Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, Dept. of the Cumberland, to February, 1865.
  • Stevenson, Ala., District of North Alabama, Dept. of the Cumberland, to July, 1865.
  • District of Nashville, Tenn., Dept. of the Cumberland, to October, 1865.
Service
  • Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till April, 1862.
  • Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10.
  • Movement to Winchester, Va., April 5-18.
  • Operations in the Shenandoah Valley till June.
  • Battle of Cross Keys June 8.
  • Duty at Sperryville July 7 to August 8.
  • Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2.
    • Fords of the Rappahannock August 20-23.
    • Battles of Groveton August 29
    • Bull Run August 30.
  • Duty in the Defences of Washington, D.C., till November 1.
  • Movement to Centreville, Va., November 1-18.
  • March to Fredericksburg, Va., December 9-16.
  • "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863.
  • At Stafford Court House, Va., till April 27.
  • Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
    • Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5.
  • Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24.
    • Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3.
  • Duty along Orange & Alexandria Railroad till September.
  • Movement to Bridgeport, Ala., September 24-October 3.
  • Operations in Lookout Valley, Tenn., October 19-27.
  • Reopening Tennessee River October 26-29.
  • Battle of Wauhatchie, Tenn., October 28-29.
  • Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27.
  • Orchard Knob November 23.
  • Tunnel Hill November 24-25.
  • Mission Ridge November 25.
  • March to relief of Knoxville November 28-December 17.
  • Garrison duty at Bridgeport, Ala., and guard duty along Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad till February, 1865.
  • Garrison and guard duty at Stevenson, Ala., and Nashville, Tenn., till October, 1865.
  • Mustered out October 1, 1865.
Regimental Losses during service
  • 4 officers and 28 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded.
  • 3 Officers and 60 Enlisted men by disease.
  • Total 95.