Today’s throwback Thursday photograph comes from the Library of Congress and shows a young soldier from the 137th New York Infantry Regiment posing for the camera. The Library of Congress officially lists him as “unidentified,” but according to its notes, the young man is most likely Charles Hallett of Company K.
The 137th was organized in Binghamton, NY and mustered into service in 1862. While recruits came primarily from Broome, Tioga and Tompkins Counties there were also enlistees from other parts of Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. The regiment was led by Col. David Ireland and saw action at a number of important battles, most notably Gettysburg and Lookout Mountain.The 137th was just one of many regiments filled with soldiers from the area who fought in the Civil War. In all, over 400,000 men from New York State joined the war effort - including more than 4,000 free blacks. This was more than any other Union state during the war.If you’re interested in Civil War history, check out PBS’s new show Mercy Street. The series brings to life the chaotic world of Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia, and the Mansion House Hospital in the early years of the Civil War and airs Sundays on WSKG-TV at 10PM. Image Credit: Library of Congress