Spinola brigade

Francis Barretto Spinola, organizer of the "Spinola Empire Brigade" in the American Civil War.

Francis B. Spinola was commissioner of New York Harbor when the American Civil War erupted. Spinola joined the volunteer army in a New York regiment and was commissioned as an officer. He was appointed brigadier general of Volunteers on October 2, 1862. He commanded two relief efforts to lift the Confederate siege of Washington, North Carolina. In July/October 1862 he recruited and organized a brigade of four regiments, known as Spinola's Empire Brigade.^[1] The regiments did not serve together in the field as a brigade.

The four regiments of Spinola's brigade included:

• First, 158th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment;
• Second, 132nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment;
• Third, 163rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment; and
• Fourth (incomplete), 164th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (later transferred to the Corcoran Legion).

Spinola later assumed command of the Excelsior Brigade after the Battle of Gettysburg, but this was not the same organization.

See also

• List of New York Civil War regiments
• New York in the Civil War

References

1. "THE NEW CALL FOR TROOPS. - RECRUITING IN THE CITY. THE UNITED STATES MUSTERING OFFICE. THE QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE. FILLING UP THE OLD REGIMENTS. THE HALLECK GUARD. THE STATON LEGION. THE METROPOLITAN GUARD. THE SPINOLA BRIGADE. THE FIFTH NEW-YORK ZOUAVES.". The New York Times. July 22, 1862. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 May 2011.

External links

• New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center Spinola's or Empire Brigade