Robert Bruce van Valkenburgh

(1821 - 1888)
Home State: New York
Command Billet: Commanding Regiment
Branch of Service: Infantry
Unit: 107th New York Infantry

see his Battle Report

Before the Antietam Campaign:
He studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Bath, N.Y. He was a member of the NY State assembly in 1852 and again in 1857 and 1858. At the start of the War he was in command of the recruiting depot in Elmira, N.Y., and organized seventeen regiments for the Civil War. In 1861 he was elected Republican U.S. Congressman from New York.

He enrolled in the 107th New York at age 40 at Elmira and mustered in as Colonel, 13 August 1862.

In the Antietam Campaign:
He was Commanding Officer for the Regiment's first action, at Antietam.

The remainder of the War:
He was discharged 9 October 1862, returning to his House seat, which he kept until 1865.

After the War:
From 1866 - 69 he was US Minister to Japan, and from 1875 until his death, Associate Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

References, Sources, and other notes:
Sources: US Congressional Biography; and 1903 New York State Adjutant-General Report, scanned, posted on the 107th NY site; and
The 1885 Pensacola City Directory, hosted online by RootsWeb.

The photograph here is from an original (c. 1861-65) in the Brady-Handy Photograph Collection at the Library of Congress.

Birth Date: 9/4/1821 Place of Birth: Prattsburg, NY
Death Date: 8/1/1888 Death Place: Suwanee Springs, FL Burial Place: Old St. Nicholas Cemetery, near Jacksonville, FL

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