The 14th U.S. Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War: John Young Letters

Most Civil War-era soldiers were volunteers, the subjects of thousands of books and articles. It is time for recognition of the valor and service of the United States Regular Army. The 14th Infantry Regiment, part of Sykes’ Regulars, fought in major battles in the eastern theater of war and suffered heavy casualties as a result. Through the letters of Sergeant John M. Young of Elmira, New York, the reader can learn of the experiences of individual soldiers and the regiment itself.

Young joined the regiment in the field at Harrison’s Landing in 1862, fought at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and was attached to V Corps Headquarters at Gettysburg. During the ill-fated attack across Sanders Field during the Wilderness campaign, he fell wounded and died as a prisoner of war. During his years of service, Sergeant Young wrote many letters home to his wife and three daughters, allowing them to learn about day-to-day life in camp, the shock and chaos of battle, and the ways a soldier copes with separation from his loved ones. Young’s perspective on Civil War triumphs and tragedies gives an often overlooked viewpoint of the United States Regulars.