Perry's Saints

In Short

This regimental history tracks the 48th New York State Volunteers from their 1861 organization in Brooklyn to their muster-out after the Union victory. Formed by a West Point-trained clergyman, the unit earns a reputation for strict discipline and fierce combat capability. Through coastal bombardments in South Carolina, the disastrous assault on Fort Wagner, and the grueling siege lines of Virginia, the narrative chronicles how ordinary citizen-soldiers face disease, incompetent command, and heavy casualties. It stands as a vital record because it balances meticulous tactical memory with an unvarnished, human accounting of war’s psychological and physical toll.

The Story

The narrative begins in the summer of 1861 with the formation of the 48th New York State Volunteers at Camp Wyman. Led by Colonel James H. Perry—a West Point graduate turned Methodist minister—the regiment gathers nearly one thousand men driven by patriotic duty. After brief preparation and a festive farewell event, the troops embark for the Southern coast, weathering a severe Atlantic storm before participating in the naval reduction and capture of Forts Walker and Beauregard at Port Royal, South Carolina.

Established along the coastal islands, the regiment endures tedious garrison labor, building battery emplacements and establishing blockades near Savannah. From their vantage on Dawfuskie Island, they watch the bombardment and eventual surrender of Fort Pulaski. Tragedies quickly mount off the battlefield: a wrecked sutler’s vessel introduces alcohol to the camp, causing severe demoralization that deeply grieves Colonel Perry shortly before he dies suddenly at his desk. Under new leadership, the regiment faces mismanaged tactical expeditions, such as a disastrous trap at Coosawhatchie and an outbreak of yellow fever that claims key officers.

The conflict intensifies when the 48th joins the amphibious operations against Charleston. In July 1863, alongside the 54th Massachusetts, the regiment executes a harrowing night assault on Fort Wagner. Wading through sea water and scaling parapets under ruthless cannon fire, the unit suffers devastating losses, with whole companies mowed down in the dark.

Surviving veterans re-enlist and transfer to the Virginia theater in 1864 under General Butler’s Army of the James. The regiment enters a relentless cycle of combat, fighting at Chester Heights, Drury's Bluff, and the bloody struggle of Cold Harbor, where extreme heat and choking dust exhaust the troops to the point of collapse. They endure months in the trenches at Petersburg, witnessing the historic mine explosion while suffering high casualties from enemy fire and malarial sickness. Though the author is forced to resign due to chronic illness late in 1864, the regiment presses on to capture Wilmington, North Carolina, ultimately welcoming thousands of starving Union prisoners before the war draws to its close.

How It Unfolds

The regiment forms Reverend James H. Perry answers the call to arms, assembling 964 men in Brooklyn to establish the 48th New York. Following a poignant farewell gathering with loved ones, the troops break camp on September 17, 1861, to embark for the seat of war.

Victory at Port Royal After surviving a violent storm at sea, the fleet arrives off South Carolina. The soldiers watch from transports as Union gunboats circle and shell Forts Walker and Beauregard into surrender.

Loss on the coast While garrisoning the Georgia sea islands and assisting in the siege of Fort Pulaski, the regiment suffers a morale breakdown when stranded liquor washes ashore. Amidst this distress, Colonel Perry dies suddenly at his desk in June 1862.

Carnage at Fort Wagner Ordered to charge the Confederate stronghold on Morris Island in July 1863, the soldiers advance through surf and heavy fire. They scale the parapet in total darkness, sustaining hundreds of casualties in a horrific, failed assault.

The Virginia campaign Transferred north in 1864, the unit joins the drive toward Richmond. They endure punishing forced marches through blinding dust to fight at Cold Harbor and enter the prolonged trench warfare around Petersburg.

Final operations and relief The regiment helps capture Wilmington, North Carolina, in early 1865. Sharply pursuing retreating Confederate forces, they secure the release of nearly ten thousand emaciated Union prisoners before ending their service.

The People

• Colonel James H. Perry: The regiment’s founder and initial commander. A former West Point cadet and practicing minister, he commands absolute respect through his composure and booming drill voice. He seeks to maintain high moral standards among his men, but the stress of military friction and regimental demoralization precedes his sudden death.
• General Alfred H. Terry: A trusted brigade and division commander. Patient, composed, and deeply attentive to the welfare of his soldiers, he earns the enduring affection of the regiment by consistently stepping in to supply and rescue them during perilous operations.
• Lieutenant-Colonel Green: A popular officer known for his sunny temperament, humor, and practical jokes during garrison duty. Beneath his playful exterior lies a dedicated soldier who performs dangerous duties with total commitment before sacrificing his life in battle.
• Lieutenant J.A. Barrett: An officer in Company H who participates in the bloody charge on Fort Wagner. Despite suffering a severe thigh wound, he gathers remaining soldiers, directs their fire using ammunition stripped from the dead, and hobbles back to camp after being left in the parapet's carnage.
• James M. Nichols: The author and line officer who rises through the ranks while managing logistics and troop safety. He constantly struggles against administrative blunders and debilitating malaria, which eventually forces his resignation late in the war.

In Its Own Voice

"Many a last good-by was said, as the early hours of morning bid the guests depart. Never again did Colonel Perry look on the face of wife or children left behind."

The author reflects on the haunting finality of the regiment’s festive departure from their Brooklyn training grounds.

"It was a trying hour, our ranks thinning at every step. For much of the way the right of our column was obliged to wade in the water."

Lieutenant Barrett describes the nightmarish physical environment during the initial advance toward Fort Wagner.

"When the command to halt was given, the regiment seemed to melt away, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the march could be resumed."

The text details the sheer physical exhaustion of soldiers marching toward Cold Harbor under scorching heat and thick dust.

What It's Really About

Beneath the tactical movements and battle chronologies, the book examines the stark collision between romantic idealism and the brutal realities of industrialized warfare. It explores how civilian soldiers maintain their moral identity while surrounded by systemic chaos, incompetence, and violent destruction. Perry’s death illustrates the psychological weight carried by officers trying to preserve their men's integrity in degrading environments.

The text also highlights the contrast between high-level command decisions and the lived experience of the ranks. Higher officers frequently issue poorly planned orders, forcing common soldiers to absorb the consequences through sheer endurance and brotherhood. Ultimately, it argues that a regiment’s true strength rests not in grand strategy, but in personal loyalty and quiet resilience.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the human dimension of the American Civil War will find this volume exceptionally grounded. Unlike romanticized post-war memoirs, it offers a candid view of life in the ranks, detailing the mundane struggles of supply failures, disease, and bad weather alongside famous military engagements. The prose is clear, dignified, and refreshingly free of artificial melodrama, relying instead on straightforward observations to convey the conflict's gravity.

The narrative demands some patience. It contains extensive military registries, precise geographic details, and period-specific military terminology that can slow the pace for general readers. However, these details ground the memoir's emotional peaks, such as the haunting account of the assault on Fort Wagner or the quiet loss of beloved officers. What stays with the reader is the deep affection the author holds for his comrades and his refusal to hide the strategic blunders that cost so many lives. It serves as an authentic honor to the men who served.