MEASURES 10 1/2" height

 One Hundred and Twenty-first Infantry.-Cols., Richard Franchot, 
Emory Upton, Egbert Olcott; Lieut.-Cols., Charles H. Clark, 
Egbert Olcott, Henry M. Galpin, James W. Cronkhite, John S. 
Kidder; Majs., Egbert Olcott, Andrew E. Mather, Henry M. Galpin, 
James W. Cronkhite, John S. Kidder.

This regiment, recruited in the counties of Otsego and Herkimer, 
rendezvoused at Herkimer and was there mustered into the U. S. 
service for three years on Aug. 23, 1862, and in May, 1863, the 
three years men of the 18th, 27th, 31st, 16th and 32nd N. Y. 
infantry were transferred to it.

The regiment left the state Sept. 2, 1862, and was immediately 
assigned to the 2nd (Bartlett's) brigade, 1st (Brooks') division, 
6th corps, with which command it continued during its entire term 
of service.  It joined McClellan's army in Maryland and was 
present but not active at the battle of Crampton's gap.

The 6th corps was only partially engaged at the battle of 
Fredericksburg, though the 121st lost a few killed and wounded by 
the artillery fire to which it was exposed.  The regiment fought 
with great gallantry and was exposed to a deadly musketry fire at 
Salem Church Va., where it lost 48 killed, 173 wounded and 55 
missing, out of 453 officially reported as present.

All except 23 of those reported missing were killed, and the loss 
was the greatest sustained by any regiment in the battle.  Col. 
Franchot resigned in Sept., 1862, and under his successor Col. 
Upton, an unusually efficient officer, the excellent material of 
the regiment was molded into a finely disciplined organization.

Col. Upton was promoted to Bvt. brigadier-general in Oct., 1864, 
and achieved an enviable reputation in the war.  The regiment was 
in reserve at Gettysburg and was not again engaged with loss 
until the 6th corps returned to Virginia, when it lost 25 killed 
and wounded at the battle of Rappahannock Station in Nov., 1863.

It was not heavily engaged during the Mine Run campaign, at the 
close of which it went into winter quarters at Brandy Station.  
In May, 1864, the regiment moved on the bloody campaign of Gen. 
Grant, crossing the Rapidan on the 5th, and plunging into the 
sanguinary struggle of the Wilderness, where it lost 73 in 
killed, wounded and missing.

In the battle of Spottsylvania Col. Upton commanded and led in 
person an assaulting column of twelve picked regiments belonging 
to the 6th corps, the 121st being placed in the advance, an honor 
which cost it dear.  The losses of the regiment at Spottsylvania 
amounted to 49 Killed,, 106 wounded.

In the magnificent charge of Upton's storming party, the strong 
works of the enemy were carried after a hand-to-hand struggle.  
Said Gen. Upton in a private letter:  "Bayonet wounds and sabre 
cuts are very rare.  But at Spottsylvania there were plenty of 
bayonet wounds, and no picture could give too exalted an idea of 
the gallantry of the 121st N. Y., 5th Me., and 96th Pa., as they 
led the assaulting column of twelve picked regiments over the 
formidable intrenchments which confronted them."

The regiment was successively engaged at North Anna, Totopotomy, 
Cold Harbor, the first assaults on Petersburg, and the Weldon 
railroad.  When Early menaced Washington in July, the veterans of 
the 6th corps were ordered there to confront him, and the 121st 
was engaged at Fort Stevens with a loss of 26 in killed, wounded 
and missing.

It followed with the corps in pursuit of Early through Maryland, 
into Virginia, and up the Shenandoah Valley, fighting at 
Charlestown, the Opequan, Fisher's hill, and Cedar creek, its 
loss in the last named battle amounting to 10 killed, 42 wounded 
and 5 missing.

The 1st division was commanded by Gen. Wright at the Wilderness; 
by Gen. Russell at the Opequan; and by Gen. Wheaton at Cedar 
creek.  In Dec., 1864, the regiment returned to the Petersburg 
trenches and established winter quarters near the Weldon 
railroad.  It took a prominent part in the final assault on the 
fortifications of Petersburg, April 2, 1865, and in the hot 
pursuit of Lee's army, during which it lost 34 killed and 
wounded, and fought its last battle at Sailor's creek.

The regiment captured 4 flags at Rappahannock Station and 2 at 
Sailor's creek.  It was mustered out at Hall's hill, Va., under 
Col. Olcott, June 25, 1865.  It took part in 25 great battles, 
and gloriously earned its title as an efficient and dashing 
fighting regiment.

Its total enrollment during service was 1,897, of whom 14 
officers and 212 enlisted men were killed and mortally wounded; 4 
officers and 117 enlisted men, died of disease and other causes.  
Its total of 226 killed is 11.9 per cent. of its membership, and 
its total of 839 killed and wounded was one of the largest 
sustained by any regiment.