Jacob Eugene Duryée

In 1860 he was 21 years old, lived with his parents, and was a merchant, probably in his father's lumber business in New York City. He enlisted as a Private in Company F, 7th New York Militia on 17 April 1861 in New York City and served with them in garrison at Washington, DC. He was appointed First Lieutenant, Company G, 5th New York Infantry (his father Abram's unit) on 9 May 1861 and was promoted to Captain on 8 September 1861. He resigned effective 24 September 1861 to accept appointment on that date as Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Maryland Infantry.

He led the Regiment in assault on the Rohrbach (Burnside) Bridge on 17 September 1862 at Antietam as senior officer present.

After a series of conflict with Maryland Governor Bradford and some of the offices of the regiment, he resigned his commission on 22 September 1862. He was honored by brevets to Colonel and Brigadier General, USV on 13 March 1865 for gallant and meritorious service.

By 1880 and to at least 1890 he was again a lumber merchant and lived in New York City at #49 West 50th Street. After his death in 1918 at age 79, he was buried under a large and conspicuous monument in Antietam National Cemetery.

Service information from Phisterer1 and Wilmer.2 He's sometimes seen as J. Eugene Duryea. Personal details from family genealogists, the US Census of 1860 and 1880, and the NY Veteran Census of 1890. His gravesite is on Findagrave; source also of a fine c. 1897 photograph of Jacob with his mother, son Harvey, and Grandson Harvey, Jr. His wartime photograph from one of unknown provenance from Uriguen.3

He married Lillie Hoag (1847-1942) in June 1870 and they had a son Harvey Hoag Duryee (1871-1942).

See an excellent post about Duryée and his time with the Second Maryland Infantry from Tim Orr on his Tales from the Army of the Potomac.

03/07/1839; New York City, NY

05/25/1918; Los Angeles, CA; burial in Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, MD