History of the 159th Regiment, N.Y.S.V.

A regimental narrative compiled from a lieutenant's diary traces organization, training, marches, river transports, and combat operations of a New York volunteer regiment during the Civil War. It recounts embarkation from the North, arrival in the Gulf, garrison duty and drill at Baton Rouge, maneuvers around Port Hudson to distract Confederate forces, and amphibious movements through Bayou Lafourche and Grand Lake. Detailed skirmish accounts describe advances under fire, tactical withdrawals, officer casualties, and the logistics of campaigning. Recurring themes include period discipline, officer leadership, troop acclimation to arms, and the daily hardships faced by volunteer soldiers.