▁Al v ord ▁on ▁the ▁ 5 3 rd ▁ball ot . ▁ ▁Van ▁Val ken burgh ▁was ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁rec ruit ing ▁dep ot ▁in ▁El mi ra ▁and ▁organized ▁sevent een ▁reg iments ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 7 th ▁and ▁ 3 8 th ▁United ▁States ▁Congress es , ▁holding ▁office ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁While ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁he ▁was ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Milit ia ▁( 3 7 th ▁and ▁ 3 8 th ▁Congress es ). ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁colon el ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 7 th ▁New ▁York ▁Vol unte er ▁Infantry , ▁and ▁was ▁its ▁commander ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Anti et am . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁was ▁Act ing ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Indian ▁Affairs ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁Res ident ▁to ▁Japan ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁and ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁post ▁until ▁November ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁It ▁was ▁in ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁Minister ▁Res ident ▁in ▁Japan ▁that ▁Van ▁Val ken burgh ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁delivery ▁of ▁the ▁CSS ▁Stone wall ▁to ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Tok ug awa ▁cl an ▁during ▁the ▁Bos hin ▁War . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁return ▁from ▁Japan , ▁Van