Battles of Manassas • Tour the Battlefield • Monuments • Facts • The Armies
The 20th New York State Militia trailside marker is on the Deep Cut loop trail at Stop 7 of the Manassas Battlefield Driving Tour.
The regiment was commanded by Colonel George W. Pratt. It lost 1 officer and 30 men killed, 3 officers and 18 men mortally wounded, 6 officers and 138 men wounded, and 2 officers and 73 men missing. Colonel Pratt was mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Theodore B. Gates took over command of the the regiment.
Text from the 20th New York State Militia trailside marker:
August 30, 1862
3:15 p.m.
3rd Brigade (Patrick), First Division (Hatch)
Third Corps (McDowell)
Army of Virginia (Pope), USA
20th New York State Militia
(80th New York Volunteers)
“Ulster Guard”
Col. George W. Pratt
“The order was given to advance, and the three lines moved slowly forward, receiving the enemy’s musketry and canister. The first and second lines melted away, and I found myself in the first line and under a murderous fire. The right of my line advanced to within a few yards of the railroad embankment behind which the enemy was posted, when, a large portion of officers and men being killed or wounded, the line fell back a few rods, closed up, and advanced again with the same result. For the third time the effort was repeated, but the fire was too heavy and my men had now become too few to give a hope of success.”
– Lt. Col. Theodore B. Gates
USA Second Battle of Manassas
