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COFXBiGHr DEPOSm
THE
MILITARY HISTORY
YATES COUNTY, N.Y.,
COMPRISING A RECORD OF THE SERVICES RENDERED BY CITIZENS
OE THIS COUNTY IN THE ARMY AND NAVY, FROM THE
FOUNDATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
TO THE PRE.SENT TIME.
BY
WALTER WOLCOTT,
A MEMBER OF THE YATES COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
PENN VAN, N. v.
EXPRESS BOOK AND JOB PRINTING HOUSE, 1895.
. V "t vv
Copyright, 1895, by WALTER WOLCOTT.
TO THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF THE LATE WAR
NOW RESIDING IN YATES COUNTY, THIS TESTIMONY TO THE
GRICAT SERVICE THEY RENDERED THE NATION
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
PREFACE.
THE following pages contain facts which are a part of the annals of Yates County, and, as such, are of interest to all intelligent residents, particularly to those who are veter- ans of the Civil War. To the young and rising generation, also, the facts herein related will be found valuable, both for instruction and for reference.
It has been the object of the writer to produce a con- densed history of certain military events in which citizens of Yates County have been concerned. This county has, in a military sense, a record alike grand and creditable. Many of the early settlers were soldiers of the Revolution, and not a few of the inhabitants of the region now included in our county took an active part in the War of 1812. Among the volunteers of the Mexican War, Yates County was to some extent represented, and to a large extent among the soldiers who fought in the War of 1861-'65 for the preservation of the Union.
The enemy, to whom our soldiers in the last war were op- posed, have been designated in contemporary histories and newspapers as "rebels" — and so they were. Public opinion, however, at the present day, seems to favor the designation of "Federals" and "Confederates" as proper names for the respective forces of the North and South. Such are they called in American histories that have in late years appeared, and as "Confederates" are the Southern troops mentioned in this volume.
VI PREFACE.
In the preparation of this work various authorities have been consulted, and it will be observed that quotations have been made from a number of publications, to which, in most instances, credit has been given. It is not claimed that the work is entirely exempt from those imperfections to which works of this kind are liable. But the reading public will, it is hoped, make some allowances for any shortcomings that may appear in this the writer's first effort, in book form, in historical composition.
Penn Yan, November, 1895.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I.
The Seaecas, a war-like tribe of the Six Nations— Red Jacket— Sir William Johnson— Massacres at Wyoming and at Cherry Valley- Invasion by the American Forces under General John Sullivan — The Battle of Newtown— Destruction of an Indian Village within the present limits of the town of Benton— Effects of the Invasion on the Indians— Jemima Wilkinson, the " Universal Friend " — The Friend's House in the town of Jerusalem used at the close of the Civil War as a Soldiers' Home— James Parker and General William Wall— Soldiers of the Revolution who settled in Yates County .
CHAPTER II.
Close of the Revolution- The Phelps and Gorham Purchase— Captain Charles Williamson— The Genesee Country One Hundred Years Ago— British Insolence— The War of 1812— Citizens of Yates County Who Fought in this War— Organization of Yates County— The War with Mexico— Soldiers of the War from Yates County— Re- sults of the Mexican War
PART SECOND. CHAPTER I.
Sentiment in Yates County before and during the War for the Union
16
CHAPTER II. The Thirty-third Regiment of Infantry 35
CHAPTER III.
The First Regiment United States Sharpshooters— The Third, Twenty- third, and Thirty-fourth Regiments, Infantry 47
CHAPTER IV. The Forty-fourth Regiment of Infantry 51
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
The Seventy-sixth, Eighty-fifth, Ninety-seventh, One Hnndred and Second, and One Hundred and Fifth Regiments, Infantry .... 57
CHAPTER VI.
The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment of Infantry .... 63
CHAPTER VII.
The Eighth, Twentieth, and Twenty-second Regiments, Cavalry — The Norfolk Brigade Baud— The Fifteenth and Fiftieth Regiments, En- gineers 78
CHAPTER VIII. The One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment of Infantry 88
CHAPTER IX.
The First Independent Battery —Battery B (Third Light Artillery)— The Fourteenth and Sixteenth Heavy Artillery 97
CHAPTER X.
The One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Regiment of Infantry .... 105
CHAPTER XI.
The One Hundred and Eighty-eighth and One Hundred and Ninety- fourth Regiments, Infantry — Grand Review at Washington at the end of the War 114
CHAPTER XIL
Citizens of Yates County in Other Commands — Colored Soldiers — The Confederate Service — The United States Navy 121
CHAPTER XIII.
Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic in Yates County— J. Barnet Sloan Post, No. 93, at Penn Yan — Decoration Day Observances at Penn Yan in 1869 and 1870 — Memorial Volume Presentation — Wil- liam H. Long Post, No. 486, at Penn Yan — Edwin and Foster P. Cook Post, No. 71, at Dundee — Hays Post, No. 115, at Potter — Scott Post, No. 319, at Rushville— The Woman's Relief Corps— The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic 126
CHAPTER XIV. Militia Organizations— The First Separate Company, N. G. S. N. Y. 142
TI-I
MILITARY HISTORY
OF YATES COUNTY, N. Y.
The Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican
War.
CHAPTER L
The Seuecas, a war-like tribe of the Six Nations — Red Jacket — Sir William Johnson — Massacres at Wyoming and at Cherry Valley — Invasion by the American Forces under General John Sullivan — The Battle of New- town— Destruction of an Indian Village within the present limits of the town of Benton — Effects of the Invasion on the Indians^emima Wilkinson, the " Universal Friend" — The Friend's House in the town of Jerusalem used at the close of the Civil War as a Soldiers' Home — James Parker and General William Wall — Soldiers of the Revolution, who settled in Yates County.
WHEN the Thirteen Colonies became in 1776 free and independent States, the extent of land now included in Yates County was as yet a wilderness, occupied as a part of their hunting ground by the Senecas, a war-like tribe belonging to the powerful Iroquois Confederacy, other- wise knovvu as the Six Nations, from the number of tribes or nations of which it was composed. The tribes that with the Senecas united in forming this league of Ked Men were the Oneidas, the Onondagas, the Mohawks, the Cayugas, and the Tuscaroras.
The Iroquois exceeded in war-like prowess all neighbor- ing Indian nations. In the years that they held sway, op-
2 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
posing tribes were brought under subjection, and the French, during the Old Regime in Canada, having on several occa- sions experienced their potency as warriors, learned to re- gard them with respect as a formidable foe. The extensive domain occupied by the Six Nations was called by them the Long House, of which the Mohawks kept the eastern door and the Senecas the western.
Concerning the Senecas there exist certain facts which are of a local interest. The members of this tribe claimed to have originated at Bare Hill in the north-western part of the town of Middlesex, and the Big Elm of Italy Hollow was used by them as a council-tree. Within the present county of Yates also was born the celebrated chief, Sagoye- loatka, or, as he is commonly known, Red Jacket.* Great and important changes have been brought about by the long era of civilized settlement which succeeded the occupancy of our county by what has been considered the most blood- thirsty and ferocious of the Six Nations. The feelings of terror and hatred which they once excited have long since vanished with the objects which gave them rise. A few yearly decreasing mounds, some traces of nearly obliterated trails, an occasionally found implement of hunting or war-
* Red Jacket, the distinguished native orator, who figured as a chief of the Senecas during the later and more disastrous years of the Indian oc- cupation, was born on the shores of the west branch of Lake Keuka, and probaVjly within the boundaries of Jerusalem. For this statement we have the authority of Red Jacket himself. On a journey with other chiefs to Washington, not far from the period of General Jackson's first inauguration to the Presidency, Red Jacket addressed a public meeting called to give him a reception at Geneva. In that speech he stated that his birthplace was near the west arm of the Keuka, so called from its re- semblance to a bended elbow. He further stated that he lived there with his parents till he was about twelve years old, when they removed to the Old Castle near Kanadasaga, and several years later to Conewagus. A sketch of that speech was reported by Roderick N. Morrison, for the Penn Yan Democrat, and Alfred Reed, tlien an apprentice in that office, was the printer who put it in type. These corroborating facts are given because it is alleged by Colonel William L- Stone, in his Life of Red Jack- et, that his birthplace was Canoga, on the west bank of Cayuga Lake; a statement rendered improbable, not only b}' the facts already stated, but by the further fact that Canoga was on the territory of the Cayugas. — Cleveland's History of Yates County, Vol. i.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 6
fare, or for domestic use, and a few lialf-remembered names of bill and lake and river, are all that is tangibly left us of the primeval lords of the forest and the plain. Even these are vanishing before the onward march of cultivation, and the echoes of his speech are lost in the tramp of coming gen- erations.^'
For a number of years previous to the Revolution, the In- dian agent for the Crown among the Six Nations was Sir William Johnson, an Irishman possessed of remarkable shrewdness. He resided at Johnson Hall, (in the present county of Fulton,) and dying a few months before the com- mencement of hostilities with the Mother Country, left his authority and estates to his son, Sir John Johnson, and to his son-in-law, Colonel Guy Johnson. The two Johnsons, his suc- cessors, being allied to the Crown both by interest and edu- cation, and having personal wrongs of their own to resent, took advantage of their influence with the Iroquois to insti- gate them to take up arms in behalf of the cause of the King of England against the American colonists. During the greater part of the struggle for independence, while the pa- triots were contending, often with varied success, against the armed hosts of Britain, the warriors of the Six Nations, (with the exception of the Oneidas and a part of the Tusca- roras) carried on a most distressing predatory warfare against the border settlements. Houses were burned, stock destroyed, and the inhabitants either driven from their homes, murdered, or carried into captivity. At Wyoming and at Cherry Valley in 1778 massacres were perpetrated under circumstances of great cruelty.
General Washington, in retaliation for these oiitrages, dis- patched an invading force into the Indian country in the summer of 1779. The command of this army was given to General John Sullivan, an officer whose armed resistance to British authority antedated the battle of Lexington. Sulli- van's army marched through the Wyoming Valley to Tioga Point, and was there joined by a detachment under General James Clinton, which had advanced from Albany by way of
*Address delivered by the Hon. Johu L. Lewis before the Yates Couuty Historical Society, February 4, 1S60.
4 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
the Mohawk aud Susqiieharina rivers. The forces now united amounted to five thousand men. In subordinate command were several officers of tried abihty, notably Gen- erals Poor, Maxwell, and Hand, and Colonels Gansevoort, Butler, and Durbin.
The Iroquois, with their Tory allies, in expectation of an attack, had strongly fortified themselves at Newtown, (near the site of the present city of Elmira.) They were com- manded by Joseph Brant, the famous Indian chieftain ; also in command were Sir John Johnson, Colonel Guy Johnson, Colonel John Butler, (a Connecticut Tory,) and his son. Ma- jor Walter Butler. On the 29th of August was fought the Battle of Newtown, which resulted in the total defeat of the Indians. General Sullivan began to engage them by firing his field-pieces at their breastworks, which he continued while he detached General Poor to the right, around the mountain, to fall u])on their left flank. Poor had to march a mile and a half in full view of the Indians and their asso- ciates, who penetrated his design. They waited, however, for his approach, but observing (that when his firing an- nounced his being engaged) other movements were made to- wards them, they quitted their works and betook themselves to a sudden and precipitate flight."
The loss of the Continentals in this action amounted to seven killed and fourteen wounded; that of the enemy was never ascertained. The second day after the battle General Sullivan advanced to Catharine's Town. This place stood on the site of Havana, t and was so called from being then the residence of the noted Indian queen, Catharine Montour. Catharine's Town was set on fire by the troops and reduced to ashes. The Indians were so dispirited by their defeat at Newtown that they made no further eft'ective resistance to the progress of the army, under Sullivan, which destroyed the Indian villages and corn-fields and cut down the fruit trees along the line of march.
* Gordon's Historj- of the American Revolution, Vol. 3, New York, 1794.
tTlie name of this village has been lately changed from Havana to Montour Falls.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 5
From Kanadesaga, (on the site of Geneva,) which the army reached by marching northward along the east side of Sene- ca Lake, General Sullivan sent detachments in various direc- tions, which burned all the Indian towns to which they came, and laid waste the country. One of these detachments con- sisting of four hundred riflemen, advanced on the 9th of September to Kashong creek, within the present boundaries of Yates County, and there destroyed a large Indian village with extensive fields of corn and great numbers of apple trees. The wigwams and all means of subsistence on the part of the Indians were completely annihilated. A portion of the apple trees only remained." General Sullivan, in his oflicial report, mentions this village as " Gothesewnqnean,'' while in a diary of the expedition kept by one of his officers (Captain Fowler) the vihage is referred to as '' Kashanvu- sa/t." W. L. Stone, in his "Life of Brant," says : "A detach- ment of 400 men was sent down on the west side of the lake to destroy ' Goiheseimtjuean,'' and the plantations in the neighborhood." The site of the village destroyed is well un- derstood to be near the north line of the town of Benton and on a farm recently owned by W. W. Coe. As in previous instances, the inhabitants had fled before the aj)proach of the troops, so that when the riflemen arrived at the village they found it abandoned.
The objects of the campaign having been accomplished, General Sullivan returned to Easton in Pennsylvania, which he reached October 15th, on his return to join the main ar- my. The expedition was more disastrous to the Indians than at first might appear. They returned to their black- ened homes and wasted corn-fields and looked with despair upon the waste and ruin before them. They now began to feel the iron they had so ruthlessly thrust into the bosom of others. Mary Jemison (the White Woman) says there was nothing left, not enough to keep a child. Again the}^ wended their way to Niagara, where huts were built for them around the fort. The winter following was the coldest ever known and prevented the Indians going on their winter hunt. Cooped up in their little huts and obHged to subsist
*Cleveland's Histor}- of Yates County, Vol. i.
6 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
OH salted provisions, the scurvy broke out among tliem and hundreds of them died. Those the sword had spared, the pestilence destroyed."
The year that witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence is memorable for another, though less import- ant, event. In that year, Jemima Wilkinson, a young wom- an residing in Cumberland, Rhode Island, experienced, dur- ing a tit of sickness, an apparent suspension of life. After her recovery she professed to have been raised from the dead and to have been invested with divine attributes and authority to instruct mankind in religion. She called her- self the Public Universal Friend, and during her ministry succeeded in gaining many adherents, not only in her native State, but also in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and in Penn- sylvania, particularly in the vicinity of Philadelphia. She settled with her followers in 1790 on the west side of Seneca Lake at City Hill, (in the now town of Torrey.) The resi- dence which she first occupied yet stands and is about two miles from Dresden. Subsequently she moved within the present limits of the town of Jerusalem, where she died July 1, 1819. Her final residence is yet standing on an elevation about three miles from Branchport.
It is here proper to state that the final residence of the Friend (as she called herself) has also the distinction of hav- ing been used at the close of the Civil War as a Soldiers' Home. The domicile was purchased at that time by John Alcooke, who claimed to be an English Quaker. He col- lected a considerable number of disabled soldiers and made them a comfortable abode in the old residence of the Friend. By appeals to the charity of the people, aid from the Sani- tar}' Commission, and other contributions, he was supporting his crippled veterans and paying for their home when he suddenl}' died June '29, ISGG.i" His remains were first de- posited in the vault on the place, but were subsequently re- moved to the Lake View Cemetery at Penn Yan, where a fine monument stands to his memory. Alcooke was a man of
* Historical Address of the Rev. David Craft, delivered on the comple- tion of the Battle Monument near Elmira, August 29. 1879. t Cleveland's History of Yates County, Vol. i.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 7
imposing presence, and the Friend's place while under his control was a model of neatness and order.^^"
One of the most prominent among the followers of the Friend, and one of the first to join her society, was James Parker, a native of South Kingston, Ehode Island. His pa- rents were from England. His younger brother was Sir Peter Parker, of the British Navy, and with the rank of Ad- miral commanded the fleet which attacked Charleston with- out success early in the Ptevolutionary War. While he was earning his advancement among the English nobility in the service of the Crown, his brother, James Parker, was Captain of a military company in Khode Island, employed in the cause of Colonial Independence. t Although James Parker was among the first of the Friend's followers, he afterward became one of her bitterest opponents. Another of her dis- ciples at an early date was General William Wall, who at- tempted to found a village at the foot of Crooked Lake, , which village was to be known as Summersite. The personal history of General Wall is not knoAvn to any extent, but he was probably a militia ofiicer during the Ee volution.
Among those who first settled in what is now Yates Coun- ty were the following Kevolutionary soldiers : Samuel Ab- bey, Alexander Anderson, Isaac Andrews, (who was private secretary and aid-de-camp to General Washington,) Elisha Benedict, Elnathan Botsford, Elisha Brown, Daniel Brown, Samuel Buell and his son Cyrus Buell, Augustus Chidsey, John Cole, Achilles Comstock, William Corn well, Sr., Stephen Corwin, Ephraim Dains, Castle Dains, Joseph Finton, Captain Henry Green, John Greenman, James Harrington, Grifiin B. Hazard, Richard Henderson, Rev. William Ho- bart, (who was a chaplain in the army,) Eliphalet Hull, (who assisted in placing the great chain across the Hudson below West Point,) his brother Seth Hull, (who was a soldier un- der General Montgomery at the siege of Quebec,) Samuel
* Charles St. John Nichols, who lost a leg at tlie taking of the Welden Railroad and who died in Washington in 1884, was for a time an inmate of this Home. He is remembered as having for a number of years kept a news stand in Penn Yan.
t Cleveland's History of Yates County, Vol. i.
8 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Jayue, Sr., Stephen Kiuney, James Kuapp, (who took part in Sullivan's invasion,) William Lamport, Captain Thomas Lee, John Purely, Bryan Remer, John Remer, Nathaniel Riisco, Jacob Slinman, (who was at first a Hessian soldier, but afterwards served in the American army,) Captain TriT- man Spencer, Tewalt Swarts, James Taylor, Captain Nathan Teall, Captain William Thrall, Captain Lawrence Townseud, (who was at the surrender of Burgoyne,) Enos Tubbs, Major, (afterwards General) Moses Van Campen, Captain Amos C. West. Many citizens in our county can claim the distinction of being descended from the sturd}^ patriots who effectually aided the cause of Independence on the battle-fields of the Revolution, from Lexington to Yorktown.
CHAPTER II.
Close of the Revolution— The Phelps and Gorhani Purchase— Captain Charles Williamson — The Genesee Country One Hundred Years Ago — British Insolence— The War of 1812— Citizens of Yates County Who Fought in this War— Organization of Yates County — The War With Mexico— Soldiers of the War From Yates County — Results of the Mex- ican War.
THE War of the Eevolutiou closed in 1783, the iiidepen- deuce of the United States of America being that year rehictantly acknowledged by their ancient parent and recent enemy, England. Yielding only to force of circnmstances, the British Government chose, for several years afterward, to consider the treaty of peace as hardly more than an ar- mistice, and only waited a more favorable opportunity to bring the revolted colonies again under subjection.
Peace having been proclaimed, the new States speedily settled their respective boundaries. Satisfactory treaties were also made with the Indian tribes. The State of Mas- sachusetts at that time claimed, however, under the grant made in her colonial charter, all the territory embraced within her boundaries, north and south, and extending west to the Pacific Ocean. The charter, which had been granted to the colony (afterward State) of New York, conflicted and interfered with these claims, and they were finally adjusted by commissioners assembled at Hartford, Conn., December 16, 1786. Here it was agreed that Massachusetts, in return for the right of preemption of the soil from the Indians, should cede to New York the sovereignty of all that tract of land in the latter State lying west of what is now known as the Old Preemption Line. The following year the State of Massachusetts sold to a land company, of which Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorliam were the principal members, the whole of this tract, which has since been known as the "Phelps and Gorhani Purchase." The south part of this tract was subsequently sold by Phelps and Gorham to Robert Morris (one of the signers of the Declaration of
10 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Independence), wlio, througb liis agent, William Temple Franklin, a grandson of Benjamin Franklin, re-sold this part to three capitalists in London, namely: Sir William Pulte- ney, John Hornby, and Patrick Colquhoun. In 1792 Cap- tain Charles Williamson came over as agent for these capi- talists, and became a naturalized citizen for the purpose of holding a title to that tract of land in which they were in- terested. This enterprising man gave a new impetus to the development of the region, and under his direction and en- couragement many new settlements were established. A cir- cumstance, which occurred in 1794, may be mentioned in this connection. The British agents on the frontier still dreamed of repossessing the country, and, in defiance of the treaty, had kept possession of the Western posts. General John G. Simcoe, the Governor of Upper Canada (now Ontario), sent, in the summer of that year. Lieutenant (afterwards General) Roger H. Sheaft'e (a renegade American), bearing a protest to Captain Williamson against the estal)lishment of a settle- ment at Sodus, on Lake Ontario. It was claimed in this protest that the settlement named was on lands belonging to certain Indians, who were yet under the protection of the Crown. The protest, however, was treated by Captain Williamson with the contempt it deserved.*
That part of the State in which our county is now in- cluded was known one hundred years ago as "The Genesee Country," and the work of transforming a wilderness into a prosperous and productive section had then only com- menced. At Geneva (then called Kanadesaga) there was a cluster of buildings occupied by Indian-traders and a fe\v settlers. Jemima Wilkinson, with her small colony, was, upon her first location, upon the west bank of Seneca Lake, upon the Indian trail through the valley of the Susque- hanna, and across Western New York to Upper Canada, the primitive highway of all this region. One or two white families had settled at Catharine's Town, at the head of Seneca Lake. A wide region of wilderness separated the most northern and western settlements of l^ennsjdvania from all this region. Within the Genesee Countrj^ other than the
* Turner's History of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 11
small settlements at Geneva and the Friends' settlement, there were two or three Indian traders upon the Genesee River, a few white families who were squatters upon the flats, one or two white families at Lewiston, one at Schlosser, a negro, with a squaw wife, at Tonawanda, an Indian inter- preter and two or three traders at the mouth of Buftalo Creek, and a negro and an Indian trader at the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek. Fort Niagara was a British garrison. All else was Seneca Indian occupanc3^^^
England, since the successful termination of the revolt of her colonies, had persistently maintained a hostile attitude, and under a pretended right of search (which was no more than a right of the strongest), had forcibly taken many Amer- ican sailors from ships belonging to our own country, and compelled them to serve on British ships of war. Against these high-handed outrages Washington, Adams, and Jeffer- son had remonstrated in vain. The more than outi'ageous attack on the Chesapeake, during the administration of the latter President, aroused the public indignation to an exces- sive degree, and after the accession of Madison to the Presi- dency, a greater part of the people began to see that only by an appeal to arms was the National honor to be pre- served. There was, it is true, a strong anti-administration party, principally in the Eastern States, who, even after the commencement of hostilities, acted in a manner most unfav- orable to the American Government, and refused to believe otherwise than that the differences between the two coun- tries might have been amicably adjusted. Patience, how- ever, at least so far as the more patriotic Americans were concerned, had ceased to be a virtue, and war was declared.
The declaration of war by America in June, 1812, seemed an act of sheer madness. The American navy consisted of a few frigates and sloops ; her army was a mass of half- drilled and half-armed recruits ; the States themselves were divided on the question of war ; and Connecticut, with Massachusetts, refused to send either money or meu.t Under such disadvantages did America contend for nearly
* Turner's History of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. t Green's Short History of the English People.
12 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
three years afrainst a great and powerful nation, winning many victories, and effectuall}' Inimbling Britain's boasted superiority on the seas. With only a handful of ships to offer against superior force, our commanders, nevertheless, stood boldly out to sea and flung their flags of defiance to the breeze. The war on land was prosecuted with equal success.
The engagements at Fort George, Fort Erie, Chippewa, and Lundy's Lane, may not have added territory to the posses- sions of the United States, but they were, next to Bunker Hill or Monmouth, some of the most important battles this country ever had. Old England also learned from these battles what kind of men she was fighting over here.
The residents of Ontario County (then including Yates) were not backward in offering their services to their country at that time. A testimony to that effect is thus given by a late distinguished jurist: "During the late war with Great Britain, the territory now embraced in our county furnished a larger portion of officers and soldiers, who were in actual service, than any other portion of the State, except those immediately upon the frontiers."* Hardly an 3' record, however, has been preserved from which can be learned the services they performed or of the battles in which they par- ticipated. The names, so far as known, are here given of those soldiers of the War of 1812 who resided in what is now Yates County: Samuel J. Ackley, Jeremiah B. An- drews (assistant surgeon), Daniel Baldwin, Jeremiah Bar- ber, Jr., Captain Thomas Barden, Dr. Enos Barnes (entered as a substitute,!' and was promoted to regimental surgeon), Dauiel Barton, Peter Bellis, William Bennett, James Blair, Cyrenius Blodgett, Cornelius Bogart, Robert McDowell Boyd, William Clark, Asa Cole, Gamaliel D. Conklin (a reg- ular). Dr. William Cornwell (surgeon's mate), Caleb Cowing, Niram Crane, Philip Culp, John Decker, Pierpont Dj-er, Adolplms Eaton, Azariah Finch, Alanson Foster, Samuel
* Address delivered by the Hon. John L. Lewis before the Yates County Historical Society, Februaiy 4, 1S60.
fThe United States Government in 1814 deemed it necessar)- to draft 100,000 men to end the war. As in the war of i86i-'65, several persons who were drafted furnished substitutes.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 13
Furman, Edward Genuug, Isaac Gullcy, Amasa Holden (brigade tife iiiajor), Amasa Holdeu, Jr., Abel M. Hammond, Jedediab Haskell (served in the Fifteenth Horse Artillery), James Hazard, Elijah Higley, David Hill, Eliphalet Hull, Jr., Captain (afterwards General) Timothy Hnrd, William John- sou, Dr. Joshua Lee (surgeon in Colonel Avery Smith's reg- iment, and in that capacity was present at the battle of Queenston," and was one of the first to cross the Niagara River in the discharge of his duties), Thomas Lee, Jr., Sher- man Lee, Peter Lamereaux, Isaac Lanning, Anthony H. Lewis, Robert Lyon, Cornelius Masten, John Moore, John Norcott, Janna Osgood, Zeldon Parrish, John Patterson, William L. Priest, John Pruner, Isaac S. Purdy, Abijah Purdy, Red Jacket, Aaron Remer, William Reynolds, Henry Rogers, Asahel Russell, Nathan Sayre, Cornelius Sawyer, Robert Shearman, Morris F. Sheppard, Jonathan Sissou, Colonel Avery Smith, Ashler C. Thompson, Amos Tiibbs, Henry Vrooman, Nathan AValton, George Wells, John W. Williams (who was for several mouths a prisoner in the hands of the enemy), William Wilson, Luther Winants, Dr. Walter Wolcottt (surgeon's mate). Captain (afterwards Gen- eral) Abner Woodworth.
Yates County was . organized February 5, 1823, and was named in honor of Joseph C. Yates, then Governor of the State of New York. The towns of Barrington and Starkey were added to the couuty in 1820, and the town of Torrey was organized in 1851. Twenty-three years after the organ- ization of our county, war was declared by the United States against Mexico. The principal military operations in that war were the invasion of Northern Mexico by the American forces under General Taylor, aud the landing at Vera Cruz
*Tlie Battle of Oueeustou was fought October 13, 1S12. lu this eu- gagement Lieuteuant-Coloiiel Wiiifield Scott and Captaiu John E. Wool (afterwards famous generals), first distinguished themselves. General Brock, the commander of the British forces, was killed in this battle by a shot fired by an American soldier named Robert Wolcott, who died only a few years ago at a very advanced age.
J Roger Wolcott (an elder brother of Dr. Wolcott) was born in Connecti- cut, and settled in Canada previous to the War of 1812. During that war he commanded a company of Canadian militia. He afterwards removed to St. Charles, 111., where he died at the age of 90 in 1S63.
14 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
and the march to, and capture of, the city of Mexico by an army of ten thousand men commanded by General Scott.
Among the vohmteers who served in the Mexican War were the following from Yates County : John V. Masten, James Miller, John Moore, and Henry B. Cornwell."^' The last-named soldier was a son of Dr. William Cornwell, and was .wounded at the taking of the castle of Chapultepec, September 13, 1817, and died at Puebla of his wounds.
The castle of Chapultepec stood on a high and precipitous hill, very steep and rocky on the south side, towards the Americans. On the west the slope was more gradual, but covered with dense woods and rough with rocks. Here, shielded by these, was a large force of Mexicans.
At the earliest dawn the whole force of the American can- non was concentrated upon the walls of the castle, and at the west side storming parties were waiting anxiously for a breach to be made, by which they might carry it by assault. They groped their way from tree to tree and rock to rock, driving the Mexicans before them, when suddenly, on the crest of the hill, the whole force came out on the open space in the presence of ramparts frowning with cannon and mus- ketry. They continued to advance, returning only a few shots, but still drawing nearer and nearer. Presently an ensign, bearing the standard of his regiment, rushed forward to the rampart, a shout arose, and a few followed with lad- ders, placed them against the wall, and, with a cheer, bounded over. The Mexicans, taken by surprise, stood but a few minutes, then scrambled over the sides and down the precipitous rocks out of danger.
The castle was a mass of ruins; so effectual had been the shots and shells that it was battered to pieces. The follow- ing morning General Scott entered the city of Mexico, drew up his army on the Grand Plaza, and' hoisted the Stars and Stripes over the National Palace.
The war between the United States and Mexico forms an
* William A. Cornwell, a brother of Henry B. Coruwell, also enlisted in 1849, with the rank of Lieutenant, in a regiment raised in New York and designed as part of the army of occupation in California. L,ieutenant Cornwell sailed with his regiment around Cape Horn to California, and afterwards became a permanent resident of that State.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 15
interesting epocli iu Aiuericau history, resulting, as it did, in the former country being hugely increased in territorial ex- tent and in the establishment of our supremacy on the Pa- cific coast. In this conflict, also, several subalterns, who were destined to afterward win enduring fame, took their first lessons in the art of war, lessons that were probably put to practical use in the greater conflict which was to follow.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
The War Between the States. CHAPTER L
Sentiment in Yates County before and during the War for the Union.
IT seems proper, before entering upon a detailed account of the niilitar}' operations participated in by tliose regi- ments in which Yates County was represented, to make some reference to certain events bearing on the anti-slavery sentiment, which sentiment prevailed to a greater or less ex- tent in this county from the time of its organization till the close of the Civil War in 1865. At the period, however, in which Yates was set off from Ontario County, slavery existed North as well as South, although gradual emancipation in the Northern States had already begun. Some few persons in Benton and vicinity then kept slaves in their families, but the slaves there owned were few in number. The town book of Benton contains the following record of the birth of a slave : " This will certify that Harriet, an infant slave, belonging to me at this time, was born the 20th of Sept., one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two. Certified by Matthew Cole. Benton, 18th March, 1823."
The inhabitants of this part of the State at that time, as a rule, regarded slavery, if not witli favor, at least with a passive indifference, but there were some among them whose idea in this respect was that slavery was a great evil, which should be abolished. The number holding this extreme view were small, but they were very outspoken and active in expressing tlieir opinion. Among these, Henry Bradle}'^, of Penn Yan, a merchant in high standing in the commun- ity, was the most prominent. He was a thorough opponent
THE MILITARY HISTORY OP YATES COUNTY. 17
of that " peculiar institution," and many a fugitive slave by his aid reached safety and freedom. He lived to see human slavery legally abolished throughout the laud.
An exciting circumstance, which occurred in this county in 1830, is here related as a reminiscence of the first encounter between our citizens and the slave power. In the summer of that year, the little village of Eddytown* was thrown into a state of wild excitement by an occurrence that happened in this wise : Several men were seen on horseback passing through the place on a full gallop. The people who saw them wondered and began to institute an inquiry as to their business. At length the astounding truth was reached. They were a couple of slaveholders from Virginia, with their aids, in pursuit of some seven runaway slaves. The men who were in company with the owners of those slaves, and who had escorted them to find their where- abouts, were certain residents of this neighborhood, who cared more for their pecuniary benefit than for the claims of humanit} . It was very common for people who had little reverence for the Golden Rule in those days to think they were doing God service to restore a colored man to bondage, especially if they were well paid for doing so. The slave- holders and their assistants had been informed that three of the fugitives had been employed by Zenas P. Kelsey to work in the harvest field a short distance south of the village, and a fourth was employed up near the Red Mill, known as the Carmichael Mill. Thither they hastened. Isaac Lanning, Patrick Quinn, and Elder Abner Chase, all strong anti- slavery men, saw them pass and hastened to the spot, hoping to foil their attempts at seizure. But they were too late. The slaveholders had the fugitives caught and hand-cuffed. Though the poor fellows looked with appealing e^^es, they were powerless to aid. Yet if there was a loop hole any- where they were bound to find it. Lanning stepped up to the Virginians and demanded in a tone of authority what the}^ were going to do with those colored men. "We are going to take them back where they belong, sir," the}' re- plied, to which Lanning said : "You won't take them back."
* In the town of Starkey.
18 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
These words, so defiantly spoken, put a new spirit in Mr, Kelsey, the employer of the slaves, and he pulled off his coat instantl}'. At this one of the slaveholders, with sword and pistol by his side, drew his sword from the sheath as if ready for a combat, but Lanning, not at all intimidated, said: " You had better put up your sword, for they are not going to be .taken back till you show your authority. There has been kidnapping enough in the State of New York already." After talking awhile over the matter on all sides, the Virgin- ians consented to come back to the village and spend the night, and the next morning have the matter investigated. They dispatched two of their assistants to catch the one up by the mill, while the remainder, with their human property, returned to the hotel. Lanning, Quinn, and Chase returned also. The latter men knew that the remaining three fugitives were at work in Milo at the place of Silas Spink. The own- ers did not know where they were. Lanning immediately took his horse (a mare well known as "Old Black," noted for swiftness), and directed John Ro^'ce, son of his neighbor, Matthew Koyce, to ride her to Milo and tell the slaves to flee if they valued their liberty. John led the horse to Dr. Walter Wolcott's barn, where he saddled the animal, then mounted, and, to avert suspicion, leisurely passed directly by the hotel where the slaveholders, with their booty, were just stopping. But no sooner was he out of sight, than he sped like the wind "for Spink's farm. He reached the place and found the colored men mowing by the roadside. Hardly had they heard the ill-fated tidings than one of them leaped the fence at a bound. He told them to flee to Penn Y'^an, inquire for Mr. Bradley, and he would tell them what to do. Having accomplished his errand, he re- turned. In the meantime the matter of the capture of the fugitive slaves had been noised around, and when night, with its murky folds, had fallen over the village, nearly two hnndred people were assembled about the tavern. Many sympathized with the poor creatures, who had been cap- tured, and would have saved them had they dared. But the tine was heav}^ and the law* severe. Others took part
*The old Fugitive Slave Act, passed in 1793.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 19
with the property-owners, and said : " Good enough for the niggers." "They ought to be taken back." "It was the place for them." What did they know about Freedom ? " "They could not take care of themselves," etc.
The four slaves (the one at the Ked Mill having been brought back ) were locked in a private room at the hotel and securely guarded. Lawyer Taylor,* then a resident of the village, was sent for. He came., and as he saw the multi- tude standing about, he inquired in aloud tone, "What is this mob doing here ? " Reuben Royce immediately an- swered, in a similar tone, " What is that you say, sir ? Call your neighbors a mob ? You will take that back or there will be trouble." Mr. Taylor at once modified his speech so as to make it satisfactory to Mr. Royce. The people, hear- ing that the matter was to be examined legally the next day, returned to their homes, many of them with feelings of in- dignation and shame that such laws had ever been enacted — laws that made it possible to buy and sell humanity — laws that were in exact contradiction to the law of God, which says, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
The morning came, and although it was in the basy har- vest time, a large number gathered to see that no foul play was used. The matter being legally investigated before Isaac P. Seymour, a Justice of the Peace, it was shown by papers in their possession that the Southerners were the rightful owners of these unfortunate persons, and had a right, according to law, to take them back and treat them like dogs, if they wished. The slaveholders then made a diligent search for the remaining three who were on their way to freedom and safety. The slaveholders and their aids were guided, some in one direction, and some in another on pur- pose to mislead and confuse them. Two of their assistants were sent to Rochester on receiving a report, which proved to be false, that these three fugitives were at that place. The Virginians also commenced a suit against Mr. Spink, laying
*James Taylor, a prominent lawyer, was born in Connecticut and re- sided for a number of years in Starkey, and also in Penn Yan. He moved in 1857 to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he died in 1869, aged eighty years.
20 THE MILITAEY HI8T0EY OF YATES COUNTY,
heavy damages, and after waiting nearly a week, they left for the South. But one of the masters and one of the cap- tured slaves sickened and died in Elmira. So one slave- holder, with three slaves, returned to Virginia. The suit against Mr. Spink was never tried, and was finally dropped. Thus ends the account of an event out of hundreds that might be chronicled that transpired during the terrible reign of slavery.
Besides the anti-slavery men mentioned in connection with the above incident, there were then in this part of the State several others" who held to the same idea, and as years passed on the opponents of slavery gradually grew in number. In 1841 1 the difference of opinion in regard to slavery had risen to such a height in Penn Yan as to effect a division in the Presbyterian and in the Methodist congrega- tions. A majority of the members of the Presb3'terian Church withdrew and organized themselves into a societ}' called the Congregationalists, under the counsel and direc- tion of their pastor, the Rev. Ovid Miner, who was an Abol- itionist of the most pronounced type. A portion of the Methodists likewise seceded, and formed themselves into what was known as the Wesleyan Society. These two dis- senting societies each remained a number of years in organ- ization.
The bitter political contests, arising from the encroach- ments of the slave power, and which continued for so many years, were regarded b}^ the people of Yates County with a certain degree of interest, and at length a feeling hostile to slavery became quite general among them. This feeling was intensified, when, in 1854, the passage of the Kansas- Nebraska act caused great excitement throughout the North. The residents of this county joined heartily in denouncing the measure. On the 5th of August of that 3'ear, in response to a call signed b}' over two hundred persons, a mass meet-
*Pron]inent among the anti-slavery men at this period were Morris F. Sheppard, his sou, Charles C. Sheppard, M3-ron Hamlin, Samuel F. Cur- tis, and Joseph Elmendorf.
tjohu Thomas, a well-known colored man, escaped from slavery, and came that year to Penn Yan, where he has since resided.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 21
ing" was held iu Penn Yau, at which resohitions iu opposi- tiou to the enactment were adopted. The adherents of the new party, styled the Republican, had by this time become so stron<4 in number in this vicinity as to elect their county ticket in the fall of the year followiug.t The brutal and wanton attack made iu May, 1856, by Preston S. Brooks upon Charles Sumner, in his seat in the Senate, caused a high feeling of anger and resentment throughout the county. An indignation meeting was held June Gth at the Court House iu Penn^an, at which resolutions were adopted con- demning the outrage, and several well-timed speeches were made.:}: At the Presidential election held that fall the vote cast in Yates County for Fremont was 2,9*J0. AVheu John Brown in 1859 made his raid into Virginia, which resulted iu his capture, trial, and execution, words of sympathy were expressed in all parts of the county for the unfortunate old hero. James M. Westcott, a local preacher residing in the town of Barrington, contributed to the Yates County Chron- icle an ode of sixteen verses commemorating the event.§
The Presidential election of 1860 II is well remembered as having been one of the most exciting in our country's his-
*The meeting was addressed by Hon. Henry W. Taylor, of Cauandai- gua. Letters were read from Hon. B. F. Butler and Hon. Andrew Oliver, who were unable to attend, and the following delegates were appointed to attend the Saratoga Convention, held August iSth: Richard H. Wil- liams, General A. F. Whitaker, D. J. McMaster, Charles C. Sheppard, and Oliver Stark.
tWilliam S. Briggs, County Judge; Lewis B. Graham, County Clerk ; Daniel Lanning, Sheriff; Henry H. Gage, Member of Assembly; Wy- nans Bush, Coroner ; John J. Johnson, Justice of Sessions.
t Edward J. Fowle was chairman of this meeting, and the speakers were Samuel H. Welles, Hon. Andrew Oliver, David W. Adams, and Henry M. Stewart.
§Iu his ode. Elder Westcott, referring to the overwhelming force that come out against John Brown, wrote as follows:
Now Maryland sends forth her troops —
"Old Buck" sends the marines; Virginia, too, from out their coops Called forth some queer machines.
"Old Buck " was the nickname of President Buchanan.
II Charles C. Sheppard, of Yates County, was one of the delegates to the Republican National Convention that had that fall nominated Lincoln for the Presidency.
22 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
tory. The people of Yates County shared to a coDsiderable extent in the general animation. Wide- Awake Clubs were organized all over the county, and grand mass meetings were held. In this county 3,015 votes were cast that fall for Abraham Lincoln. The secession of South Carolina and of six other States came about soon after his election ; a South- ern Confederacy was established in the following February, and hostilities were commenced by the Secessionists by the attack on Fort Sumter in April, 1861. This act of war against the Nation electrified the loyal No^h, and the de- termination there expressed to uphold the government was promptly evinced by a movement, in which Yates County took no small part, known as the Great Northern Uprising. Immediately after the news of the President's proclama- tion, dated April loth and calling for 75,000 men, reached Penn Yan, a war meeting was called in AVashington Hall. General Alexander F. Whitaker presided, and George K. Cornwell was secretary. Several addresses were made, and the session continued till a late hour. A roll was presented and thirty-four names were obtained. A much larger gath- ering was held on the evening of April 25th, with bands of music parading the streets and playing National airs. Resolutions were adopted to raise a company of volunteers, and recruits came forward freely. The Republican and Democratic Central Committees combined in a call for a county mass meeting and union assembly, which took place in the Court House Park on Saturday, April 27th. A proces- sion was formed, under the direction of General A. F. Whit- aker, aided by General George Wagener, and led by martial and brass bands.* In this parade, preceded by veterans of
*The names are here given of the musicians whose soul-inspiring music was heard in Penn Yan and vicinity in war time. During this period the membership of the Brass Band was more than once changed liy some musicians enlisting and others removing. Those who played in this band were as follows: George Fletcher Hopkins, leader, first E flat cornet; Edwin Amsbury, second E flat cornet; Albert Brigden, B flat cornet; George Norris, B flat cornet; A. Oliver Lewis, alto; Elislia Dur- fee, alto; Edward G. Hopkins, tenor ; George Baxter, tenor; George Ketchum, tuba; Damon Morse, baritone ; John Knapp, piccolo; Rufus F. vScofield, base drum and cymbals, afterward tuba; William H. Glad- ding, snare drum, also tuba; Alonzo T. Lyon, snare drum; Thomas
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 23
the War of 1812, marched the new recruits, under command of Mr. Corn well, who had been appointed Lieutenant. Morris Brown, Esq., was president of the day, and over five thousand persons were in attendance on this occasion. Stirring addresses were delivered by Hon. Darius A. Ogden, Hon. Henry 8pence, General A. F. Whitaker, and Abraham V. Harpending, Esq. At that meeting was appointed a finance committee, consisting of Messrs. Farley Holmes, Ebenezer B. Jones, Darius A. Ogden, and Charles C. Shep- pard, who circulated a subscription to raise funds to provide for the families of volunteers : The following vigilance com- mittee was also appointed : Moses W. Eastman, Farley Holmes, John L. Lewis, Jr., Nathaniel II. Long, Daniel Morris, and John Wilkinson.
The military company now recruited, and which at this time was known as the "Keuka Rifies," assembled on the 9th of May in Washington Hall, and was there inspected by Major John E. Bean, of Geneva, and mustered into the State service. An election was held for officers on the same day, resulting in the choice of James M. Letts as Captain. Mr. Corn well, who had been active in raising this company, waived his claim for preference as an officer in favor of Ed- ward E. Boot, the head clerk in his employ, who was elected First Lieutenant and William H. Long Second Lieutenant. The company continued to drill under its officers until orders were received to go into camp at Elmira on the 19th of May. On that day the company departed, and was escorted to the railroad depot by the Penn Yan firemen in uniform and a vast crowd of citizens. The company was presented
Emery, base drum, (also played in the martial band) ; William Wood, base drum and cymbals (last part of the war.) The martial band, which rendered effective service in drumming up recruits, was composed at dif- ferent times of some of tlie following named persons : Captain William Stewart Judd, leader; Amasa Holden, Charles Holden, Rowland North- rup, Loreu Swift, William VanNorman, Garrett Martin, George Caton, John Wheeler, fifers ; Freeman G. Wheeler, Homer M. Townsend, James A. Belknap, Jerry Hall, Edward G. Elliott, snare drummers; Wallace Betts, base drummer. The soldiers departing for the seat of war would usually march to the railroatl station to the tune of " Rally 'Round the Flag," changing soon to "The Girl I Left Behind Me," which the band would play as the train was pulling out.
24 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
by the ladies of Penu Yan with a beautiful flag, and was addressed on its departure by Hon. D. A. Ogden and E. B. Jones. A testament and a needle-case were also presented to each member. The men on their arrival at Elmira were quartered in the Ilev. Thomas K. Beecher's church, and on the 24th of May became Company I, of the Thirty-third New York Volunteers, and with the history of this regiment from that date the history of the company is identifled. Meanwhile other recruits volunteered, and, in squads con- taining a dozen or more men, left Penn Yan, some for Albany and some for Elmira, and there united with various com- mands. Letters soon began to come from the absent soldier boys, describing their experiences in the camp and on the battle-field. Throughout Yates County love of the old flag became a passion, the Stars and Stripes appeared waving over manufactories and private residences, and pole-raisings were of almost daily occurence. At Penn Yan a hearty and gratifying welcome was given to Colonel R. F. Taylor, of the Thirty-third Regiment, on the occasion of his visit to this village on the 14th of December.
In March, 18(32, the Kev. Frederick Starr, Jr., became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Penn Yan. A native by birth of the State of New York, he had, in the early part of his ministry, beginning in 1849, preached Ave years at Weston in Missouri, and there, by the boldness of his anti-slavery sentiments, had incurred the hatred of the lawless, slave-holding inhabitants of that section. Hearing of a plot to take his life, he left Weston by night and re- turned to Auburn, N. Y., where he had been a theological student. From Auburn he came to Penn Yan. To sincere and perfect i^iety in his chosen calling, he added great devo- tion to the cause of the Union. The whole county felt the influence of his true [)atriotism. Next to his God he loved his country. To awaken Christian patriotism ; to enlighten the public mind; to All the ranks of the army ; to pay re- spects to the patriot dead, and make their graves preach a fresh love and devotion to our country and its institutions, he was always ready to go, far and near.* With all his un-
*Memorial sermon, preached by the Rev. David Magie, January 20, 1S67.
THE MILITAKY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 25
ceasing activity in the cause of National Unity, lie found time to bring about an addition and iiuprovement to his church edifice and to the lot on which it stood. He was a noble and talented young man, a "good and faithful ser- vant," a thorough patriot, a zealous Christian. At the close of the war he left Penn Yan and Avent back to Missouri, having, as he told his father before he commenced his first pastorate there, always felt that with hiui the obligation to go to a place was great in pro|)ortion to its necessity. He died in St. Louis, January 8, 1867, in the forty-tirst year of his age."
President Lincoln's second call for troops in 1862 was promptly and cheerfully met in Yates County. The Board of Supervisors!' unanimously resolved, July 26th, and again
*When the new Presbyterian Church edifice was erected in Penn Yan in 1879, ^ proposal to place a Starr memorial window in the church was brought up among the Building Committee, consisting of the following members: Charles V. Bush, George R. Cornwell, George Cramer, My- ron Hamlin, Theodore O. Hamlin, Charles Hunter, Charles G. Judd, Charles R. King, John H. Lown, Ephraim W. Mills, D. Henry Palmer (pastor), Augustus W. Prentiss, Charles C. Sheppard, John S. Sheppard, Franklin E. Smitli, Charles W. Taylor, and Charles D. Welles. Nearly three hundred dollars were contributed for this purpose, and mostly by persons not of the congregation. The memorial window is in the front of the edifice, and on the wall below the window is placed a tablet, bear- ing the following inscription :
In Memoriam. 1826. Rev. Frederick Starr. 1867.
Pastor of this Church, 1862-1865.
His courage as a Patriot, His zeal as a Philanthropist, were only equalled
by his industry and fervor as a minister of Christ.
fThe following were the Vates County Supervisors during the war : BarrinGTOn, Peter H. Crosby, 1861 ; Jonathan Taylor, 1S62 ; Asa P. Fish, 1863-64; Delazon J. Sunderlin, 1865; BenTON, Homer Marriner, 2861-62; Caleb Hazen, 1863-64; John Merrifield, 1865 ; Itai:,y, Alden D. Fox, 1861-62-64-65 ; William S. Green, 1863 ; Jerusalem, J. Warren Brown, 1861-62 ; Daniel B. Tuthill, 1863 64; Ferris P. Hurd, 1865 ; Mid- dlesex, Alexander Bassett, 1861 ; Daniel Bostwick, 1S62-63 ; Thomas Underwood, 1864-65 ; Milo, Charles Wagener, 1861 ; Meletiah H. Law- rence, 1862 ; John C. Scheetz, 1863-64-65 ; Potter, John Halstead, 1861- 62 ; Hiram Keeuey, 1863 ; Henry Torrey, 1864 ; Whitford B. Wyman, 1865 ; Starkey, Herschel W. Pierce, 1861 ; Anthony C. Harpending, 1862-63; Hiland G. Wolcott, 1864; Ashbel Hollister, 1865; Torrev, Ja- cob Van Deventcr, 2d, 1861 ; Darius Baker, 1862; George W. Gardner, 1863-64-65.
26 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
on August 21st, " Tliat the County Treasurer of Yates County be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed, to borrow and receive fifteen thousand dollars, to constitute a Volunteer Fund, from such parties as will advance the same, at such times and in such amounts as may be mutually agreed upon, and may be convenient, for the purpose of aiding in the en- listment of volunteers and the support of their families while in the military service of the United States and of the State of New York; and that said County Treasurer is hereby directed to issue proper certificates thereof, payable when in funds thereof, with interest." War meetings were held, recruiting offices opened, aud soldiers rapidly re- cruited and sent to the front to swell the ranks of the "three hundred thousand more." On the 29th of November the following resolution was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors: "Resolved, That the sum of thirty thous- and six hundred and fifty dollars be levied upon the County of Yates, collected and paid into the treasury, to be ex- pended, so far as necessary therefor, in payment of the cer- tificates issued by the County Treasurer, in pursuance of the resolution of this Board, adopted July 26th aud August 21st, 1862, with the interest thereon ; the residue, after pay- ing such certificates, to constitute a Volunteer Fund, for the payment of bounties and the support of families of volun- teers, according to the rules and regulations established by this Board, at its special meeting, on the 21st day of August, 1862."
In April, 1863, the Twenty-fifth Provost Marshal District, comprising the counties of Yates, Ontario, and Livingston, was organized, with headquarters at Canandaigua. The En- roUilig Board consisted of Captain William T. Ilemer, Pro- vost-Marshal; Dr. Zerah H. Blake, Surgeon; and Jacob A. Mead, Commissioner. Captain Ralph T. Wood was ap- pointed Chief Clerk and George N. Hicks, John O. Wake- man, William Hildreth, and Alonzo Snyder, Deputy-Mar- shals. The work of enrolling all persons liable to a draft, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, was at once com- menced, and the first draft affecting Yates County took place July 31st at Canandaigua, under the direction of the Provost
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 27
Marshal. The drafting wheel, which Avas hollow, was turned by Deputy Marshal Wakeman, of Peun Yan. At every rev- olution of the wheel a card was taken out by a blind man, (who was also blindfolded as the law directed) and the name called off by the Commissioner. Three companies of militia, one from Penu Yan and two from Rochester, were stationed on guard. The number of men in Yates County at that time drafted were 572. Of these a number were exempted for physical reasons, several were exempted for other causes, some personally provided substitutes, and 2G8 paid each a commutation of $300. On the 4th of December the Board of Supervisors, with the object of providing for subsequent drafts, and to encourage volunteering, resolved unanimously, "That the county of Yates pay $300 to each person who shall hereafter volunteer into the service of the United States for the term of three years or during the war, and be mustered into the service to the credit of this county ; and the like sum of $300 to each man who shall be drafted and serve himself or furnish a substitute to the extent of the quota of this county." For the payment of these bounties the Board resolved, "That the sum of twenty-eight thousand dollars be assessed, levied, and collected upon the county," and that the county Treasurer be authorized "To issue Bonds or Scrip of the County of Yates, from time to time, and as the necessities may require, in sums of not less than fifty dollars, with annual interest from the date of their issue, to the amount of eighty-four thousand dollars ; said Bonds or Scrip to be negotiated by said Treasurer, and the money re- ceived thereon by him, and that the amount of money ob- tained thereon constitute a fund, from which the said volun- teers or drafted men shall be paid." The following were appointed as a Volunteer Committee to carry these resolu- tions into effect : James Burns, County Treasurer, John C. Scheetz, Supervisor from Milo, and Lewis B. Graham, Clerk of the Board. The times of payment of these Bonds were designated as follows: one-third on the 15th of February 1865 and one-third on the 15th of February 1866. The amount of issue was subsequently increased to $135,000 by a resolution passed by the Board of Supervisors August 3,
28 THE MILITAEY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
1864, and a further increase to $145,000 was unanimously resolved by the Board on the olst of December of the same year. The time for payment, by thirds, of the new issues required was also extended to February 15, 18G7 and to February 15, 1808. Liberal bounties to recruits were like- wise voted by the different towns. At the meeting held De- cember 31, 1864, Benjamin L. Hoyt was appointed general recruitiug agent for the county, to act under the direction of the Board. Ciiarles C. Miller and Charles Kelly were also appointed recruiting agents on the 9th of January, 1865.
The number of men raised by the later drafts and provided for in the foregoing resolutions were 576 "" in the second and third drafts and 253 in the fourth. For each man drafted three years of service were duly credited to the County by the State, including that of the men held by the first draft and who had then provided personally for the quota, the succeeding drafts being tilled at the County's expense. In 1865 Yates County received from the State Bounty Loan $192,000, to pay the expenses of the last draft and $200 a year on 307 years of excess from preceding drafts. The re- ceipt of all this amount was reported by the Volunteer Com- mittee at that time as follows : " The $130,600 paid for boun- ties has been refunded to the County by the State, also the sum of $61,400 has been received for excess of years of ser- vice on former calls."
Little Yates, as may be observed, was as strong in her de- votion to the Union cause as any locality in State or na- tion.t There were a few exceptions, where ignorance, stu-
* The Yates County Ch rotiicle oi^uXy 14, 1S64, contained the following interesting item of news : "Provost-Marshal Renier, Surgeon Blake, and Commissioner Mead, composing the enrolling board of the 25th District, held forth at the Court House on Saturday and Monday last. Some 400 to 500 applications were made to be struck from the enrollment. Of those 260 were struck off for various reasons, but more on account of a lack of teeth than from any other cause. ' '
fOn the 6th of June, 1863, a branch of the National Loyal League was established at Penn Yan. Thomas H. Locke, Esq., was made President of the Penn Yan League. A branch was also established at Bellona by Hon. Samuel Jayne and others, and in the town of Harrington by Joseph F. Crosby and others. The following pledge was signed by the members: " We pledge ourselves to unconditional loyalty to the Government of the
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 29
pidity, or a lack of self-respect warped men out of line and let tliem sink from respectable notice. Their influence then was lighter than air, and since that time the class to which they belonged have not been trusted by either those who fought for or against the flag. During the war the County was represented in the Assembly as follows : Gilbert Sherer, 18G1; Darius A. Ogden, 1862; Guy Shaw, 1863; Oren G. Loomis, 1864 ; Eben S. Smith, 1865. In 1862 and again in 1864, Hon. Daniel Morris was elected to Congress from the Twenty-fifth District, embracing the counties of Ontario, Liv- ingston, and Yates. President Lincoln received 3,036 votes in Yates County, when re-elected in 1864." The voice of the press of the County, from the beginning to the end of the war, was of unswerving loj^alty to the National Govern- ment. t_.
The efforts of the noble women of our County to alleviate the hardships incident to soldier life cannot be too highly commended. A Soldiers' Aid Society,! comprising over one
United States iu its efforts to suppress the rebellion, and to spare no en- deavors to maintain unimpaired the national unity, both iu principle and territorial boundary."
* In August 1864 Hon. John Cochrane, of New York cit3% formerly Colonel of the New York Chasseurs, and later promoted Brigadier-Gener- al in the Army of the Potomac, but at this time Attorney-General of the State of New York, came to Penu Yan and remained several days, the guest of John D. Wolcott, Esq. General Cochrane had a short time be- fore received the nomination for Vice-President on the ticket with Gen- eral Fremont, but both candidates ultimately withdrew from the field. He made during his stay in Penn Yan several speeches, advocating a vig- orous prosecution of the war.
fThe newspapers published in Yates County in war time were the Yates County Chronicle, conducted by Stafford C. Cleveland ; the Penn Yan Democrat, conducted during the first two years of the war by Mc- Connell & Stanton, (Eli McCoimell and Warren J. Stanton,) and during the last two years by George D. A. Bridgman ; and the Dundee Record, conducted at first by David S. Bruner, then for about six months by George D. A. Bridgman, and afterwards by James M. Westcott.
X This Society, on its organization, October 15, 1861, elected the follow- ing officers : President, Mrs. Mary C. Porter ; Vice-President, Mrs. Maria C. Brown; Secretary, Mrs. Mary Wardwell ; Treasurer, Mrs. Judith Og- den. In March 1862, Mrs. Wardwell and Mrs. Ogden having resigned. Miss Mary E. Curtis was elected Secretary and Treasurer. On October 15, 1862, officers were elected as follows: President, Mrs. Maria C. Brown;
30 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
liuudrecl ladies, was organized iu Penn Yan, October 15, 1861, as an auxiliary to the United States Sanitary Commis- sion. By their exertions, blankets, mittens, socks, and other necessary and useful articles were collected and sent to the soldiers at the front. Even the little girls* became interested and eagerly assisted in the work of preparing lint, banda- ges, and other good things for the sick and wounded soldiers iu the hospitals.
Yates County joined heartily iu the general exultation throughout the North on the occasion of the successful is- sue of the Appomattox campaign. t The great event was celebrated on the 14tli of April, 1805, at Penn Yan by a grand
Vice-Presideut, Mrs. Mary Franklin ; Secretary and Treasurer, Miss Mary E. Curtis. These ladies were retained in office until the close of the war. The Society received in cash contributions to June 7, 1865 13,025.32, ad- ded to which, the young girls belonging to the Alert Club collected II744.09, making a monthly average of $57.23. Among the articles sent to the soldiers iu the hospital were 369 gallons of pickles, 2,1 88 lbs. of dried fruit, 222 bottles of liquors, 281 cans of fruit. 7,265 yards of cloth were made into garments by the Society and 5,220 garments were sent to the U. S. Sanitary and Christian Commissions. There were also sent to the soldiers 119 packages (boxes and barrels,) averaging nearly three per month. The last Society meeting was held May 30, 1865.
*The following letter, received by one of these little girls in Penn Van, speaks for itself:
Fort Foote, Md., July 10, 1865. Miss Abbie K. Wolcott.
My good little girl : — As you very politely asked the finder of your let- ter and fixings sent to the soldiers last March, to answer you and let you know where and by whom found, I will comply with your wishes.
I am at work in a hospital, where there is a great number of sick sol- diers. Yesterday I was looking over some things that came from New York, for the boys, and found your things nicel}' packed away in a packet all safe. I think j^ou must be a very smart little girl to do so much work.
If }'ou would like to hear from the soldiers I will write you a long letter when I have time. If not, you can just tell me so. Good b3e. Accept this from a good friend and well-wisher of little girls.
Dr. R. L. Johnson,
Fort Foote, Maryland.
t The joy of the North was unbounded over this great victory. Bon- fires, illuminations, and the firing of cannon attested the universal de- light, while Grant became the idol of the Nation. — Headley's History of the Great Rebellion, Vol. 2.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 31
parade formed under the direction of General A. F. Whita- ker, with the following aids: Messrs. Charles F. Rudgers, Henry C. Hermans, Homer W. Randall, and George Y. East- man. Amid cheers from the multitude and the booming of cannon, the procession moved through the principal streets, presenting throughout its whole length a grand and pleasing display. The Peun Yan Brass Band, an excellent band of martial music, fire companies, and their engines, and the Ke- uka Hose Company, in its new red attire, made a noteworthy attraction. Carriages, with the clergy and orators of the day and citizens in carriages, lengthened out the line of march, while a slave whipping post" was carried, as in tri- umph, on a cart in the middle of the procession. Congrat- ulatory speeches were delivered from convenient speaking- stands by Hon. Daniel Morris, Hon. M. H. Lawrence, Hon. D. A. Ogden, Rev. Frederick Starr, Jr., Samuel H. Welles, Esq., H. M. Stewart, E^q., Benjamin Joy, and others. The evening was made as light as da}' by the many bon-fires that were kindled, the houses, stores, and shops were generally illuminated, and there was a splendid exhibition of fire- works.
Bat in the midst of this rejoicing, and on the same even- ing that the streets of Penu Yan were ablaze with illumina- tions, the direful deed that deprived the Nation of her Chief Magistrate was perpetrated in the National Capital. When the news of his tragic death reached Penn Yan the residents were struck with the deepest sorrow. The innumerable flags that were waving to the breeze were half-masted, all business was suspended, and stores and private residences were draped in black. The County Court and Court of Sessions at once adjourned. On the following Sabbath the Rev. Mr. Starr preached' a sermon eulogistic of the late President, the deep pathos of his remarks at times moving the congregation to tears. Imposing funeral ceremonies were observed in this village on Tuesday, April 19th. At eleven o'clock on that day a solemn procession was formed on Main street and moved in the following order :
*This whipping post was brought from Norfolk, Va., by Sergeant Charles C. Miller, and is now in the Sloan Post room at Penu Yan.
32
THE MILITAEY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Captain Charles F. Riidgers, Marshal.
(mounted.)
Captain Charles Kelly, Aid. Lieutenant George Titus, Aid.
(mounted.) (mounted.)
Martial Baud with Muffled Drums.
(Playing the Dead March.)
Military Escort, with Arms Reversed, under Command of Captain William
W. Eastman.
. Pall Bearers.
(Civil Officers.) Hon. Henry Welles, Hon. William S. Briggs, Hon. Daniel Morris, John D. Wolcott, Esq., James Burns, Esq., Joseph F. Crosb)', Esq., Alfred Reed, Esq., Lewis B. Graham, Esq.
FUNERAL
CAR.
Pall Bearers. (Military.) Gen. A. F. Whitaker, Gen. George Wagener, Col. B. L. Hoyt, Col. James Conley, Capt. P. K. Deyo, Capt. M. S. Hicks, Capt. Elias V. Ruger, Lieut. S. Hotchkiss.
[The Funeral Car was beautifully decorated with rosettes of crape and
draped with a large National Flag, and was drawn by four
white horses driven by Charles Shearman.]
Returned Union Soldiers, Charles C. Miller in charge.
John W. Green, a returned Anderson ville prisoner, in a carriage driven
by Perley P. Curtis.
Clergy in Carriage.
President and Trustees of the Village, in Carriage.
Masonic Order.
Citizens in Carriages.
The processiou proceeded from the place of formation in front of Bash's Hall, (now Cornwell's Opera House,) to Com-t street, thence to Liberty street and down Liberty street to Elm street, thence to Main street and up Main street to the Court House. Park. During the marcli of the processiou minute guns were fired and the church bells tolled. At the Court House Park the exercises commenced by singing by the Methodist Choir of a dirge beginning with the words, " O, Weep Ye for Lincoln," followed l\y an appropriate discourse by the Rev. Daniel 13. Buck. An address was then delivered by the Rev. Frederick Starr, Jr., who, in the course of his remarks, presented the case of the returned Union prisoner, John W. Green (late of Company G, Eighty- fifth Regiment,) whose emaciated form spoke more eloquent- ly than words of the hardship and starvation he had expe-
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 33
rienced. The Rev. Mr. Buck read a poem entitled "In Memory of Our Beloved President," which was written for the occasion, and Elder John G. Gulick pronounced the bene- diction. The large assemblage, deeply impressed with the solemnities of the day, then dispersed.
The celebration of the Eighty-ninth Anniversary of Amer- ican Independence, held at Penn Yan, July 4, ISGf), was made by the citizens of Yates County the occasion of a grand reception to the soldiers who had returned from the war. The President of the Day was Captain Peter K. Deyo, of the One Hundred and Second Regiment; the Chief Mar- shal was Captain Martin S. Hicks, of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment, and his Assistants were Captains Meletiah H. Lawrence, Jr., and Richard A. Bassett, both of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment. The Chief Marshal and his Assistants led the procession, composed mainly of Veterans, and which was remarkably fine. An at- tractive feature of the parade was the grand National Car, arranged and furnished by George R. Coruwell, and contain- ing thirty-six beautiful young ladies, representing the thirty- six States of the Union. The singing by the young ladies and the music by the bands were all excellent. The exer- cises of the day were observed in the grove on Sheppard street, and were as follows : Prayer by the Rev. J. G. Gulick. Reading of the Declaration of Independence by Prof. Winsor Scofield. Oration by the Rev. Ezekiel G. Robinson, D. D., of Rochester. Benediction by the Rev. Edwin P. Brig- ham. The procession then re-formed and proceeded to the Court House Park, where the ladies of Penn Yan, aided by the generous contributions of the people, had provided a bountiful dinner. The entrance to the Park was decorated with evergreens and inscribed, "Welcome Home," in letters neatly wrought with evergreen leaves. Nearly five hundred soldiers, with many of their wives, partook of the grand re- past so generously set before them, A gorgeous pyrotech- nic display was exhibited on the Fair Grounds in the even- ing.
A large number of the Yates County soldiers had b}' this time arrived in safety, and more were expected. But many
34 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY,
of their comrades who went with them to the front never returned. Thej had fallen at Gettysburg and at Lookout Mountain, in the Wilderness and at Cold Harbor, at Peters- burg and in the valley of the Shenandoah. The soldiers of our County, in the different regiments to which they be- longed, performed good and valiant service, and made for themselves a glorious record which is given in the succeed- ing chapters.
CHAPTER 11.
The Thirty-third Regiment of Infantry.
ONE of the first regiments to go to the front was the Thir- ty-third New York Vohinteers, which was recruited by companies as follows: A, C, and K" in Seneca County; B in Wayne County; D and H in Ontario County; E and F in Livingston County ; G in Erie County, and I in Yates Coun- ty. The latter Company, which was first known as the "Ke- uka Kifles," arrived in Elmira from Penn Yan on the 18th of May, 1861. Eight of the other companies above mentioned had already arrived in Elmira, then an ordinary place of ren- dezvous for troops going to the front. The officers of these companies had met on May 17th, and decided iipon forming themselves into a regiment, the two other companies after- ward joining them. The organization of the new regiment was rendered complete by the election of officers on the 21st of May. Robert F. Taylor, of Rochester, a gentleman of war- like taste and ability, who had served in Mexico, was ap- pointed Colonel. The other field and staff officers then elected were : Lieutenant-Colonel, Calvin Walker, Geneva ; Major, Robert J. Mann, Seneca Falls ; Adjutant, Charles T. Sutton, New York city ; Quartermaster, H. L. Suydam, Gen- eva; Chaplain, Rev. George N. Chene},!" Rochester; Surgeon, T. Rush Spencer.
The Thirty-third Regiment, when organized, was assigned
* Company K, Captain Patrick McGraw, was composed of Irish Vol- unteers. Captain McGraw had previousl)- been for about fifteen jears in the service of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. He received, on the depart- ure of the Company from Seneca Falls, a beautiful sword, the presenta- tion speech being made by the Rev. Edward McGowan, afterwards pastor of St. Michael's Church, at Penn Yan.
t Resigned Dec. i, i86i. Afterwards was pastor at Branchport, where he died June 12, 1S63.
36 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
to barracks in Southport,* where it remained until the de- parture for Washington. An interesting event of the sojourn in Ehuira was the reception of a regimental flag from the patriotic ladies of Canandaigua. The regiment, being formed in a hollow square, Mrs. Chesebro, with a few felicitous re- marks, presented the banner to Colonel Taylor, who, in a brief speech, expressed the thanks of himself and command for the beautiful gift, promising that it should never be dis- honored or disgraced. Chaplain Cheney, also in response, delivered an able and eloquent address to the delegation. This flag was made of the finest blue silk, bearing upon one side the coat of arms of the State of New York and on the reverse the seal of the county of Ontario, adopted in 1790. Over the seal appeared In bold gilt letters the words, "On- tario County Volunteers." Surmounting the staff was a highly finished carved eagle with extended pinions, the whole forming one of the most elegant battle-flags ever wrought by fair hands. On the 3d of Jul}' the regiment was mustered by companies into the United States service for two years b}' Captain Sitgreaves, a regular oflicer. Five da^s later the command started for Washington and was assigned on arri- val to Camp Granger, about two and one-half miles from the city. John Gregg Wolcott, of Company I, received (Ju- ly 11th) at Camp Granger the promotion from private to as- sistant surgeon. While the regiment was here encamped, occurred the disastrous battle of Bull Run, which was fought on the 21st of Jul}'. The distant sound of cannon was, all that day, distinctly heard in the camp. Toward evening the Thirty-third, along with several other regiments, received marching orders, but had proceeded no further than the Treasury Department, when the orders were countermanded. William Kiker, Sergeant, Compan}- I, died at Camp Granger on August 28th. t The regiment took up a new position at
*The barracks were known as No. 5. While quartered here numerous gifts were sent from Penn Yan to the mcnil)ers of Companj- I. A mem- ber of this company, writing home, says, "O, great guns! the bo}-s have just received a lot of apples from Penn Yan and they are trying to raise the roof from the building with their cheers for George H. Lapham."
t William Riker was the first soldier from Yates County, who died in the service. On Saturday the 31st inst., the remains of Sergeant Riker ar-
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 37
Camp LyoD, near Chain Bridge, and was here brigaded for the first time, being placed together with the Third Vermont and the Sixth Maine, under the command of General W. F. Smith. On the 3d of September the entire brigade crossed the Long Bridge into Virginia. The Thirty-third first occu- pied Camp Advance, changing soon after for Camp Ethan Allen. While at the latter camp the regiment had its first skirmish with the enemy. Camp Griffin was the next place of residence, and while here occurred at Bailey's Cross- roads a grand review of the army by General McClellan, attended also by President Lincoln and other distinguished personages. James M. Letts resigned December 31st, and was succeeded by Edward E. Root as Captain of Company I.-
An advance on Richmond along the peninsula, between the York and James rivers, having been decided upon, the Thirty-third Regiment embarked at Alexandria on March 23, 1862^!, and proceeded by transport to Fortress Monroe. Com- pany I went, with five other companies of the same regi- ment, on board the steamer Metamora, previously employed on the Hudson River, and the entire command was disem- barked at Old Point Comfort in the forenoon of the follow- ing day. Passing through Hampton, then in ruins, the Thirty-third went into camp about four miles distant on the James River. Yorktownt was invested on the -Itli of April, but hardly had the siege commenced when contrabands brought the intelligence that the enemy had evacuated the place. The Army of the Potomac followed in pursuit of the retreating Confederates, and on Monday, May 5th, was fought the battle of Williamsburg. In the beginning of the action three companies of the Thirty-third (Company A, Captain
rived in Penu Yan in charge of Samuel R. Tuell, brother-in-law of the de- ceased. A large and impressive funeral was held in the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and the remains were escorted to the cemetery by a special guard of honor, consisting of two companies of local militia and the Penn Yan firemen.
*At Camp Griffin, William Humphrey and Augustus F. Murdock (pri- vates in Company I) died, the former being accidentally killed.
t Yorktown had already an historical interest from its being the scene of the surrender of Cornwallis eighty years before.
38 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
George M. Guiou, afterwards Lieuteuant-Colouel of the One Huudred and Fortj-eiglith Regiment, N. Y. V., Company D, Lieutenant George W. Brown commanding ; and Company F, Captain James M. McNair,) with regimental colors and color-guard, were ordered to occupy a redoubt a short dis- tance from the enemy. This was quickly done amid a heavy fire of artillery and musketry, and the beautiful banner re- mained waving from the battlements throughout the fierce conflict, torn and tattered for the first time by shot and shell. Company C, Captain Chester H. Cole; Company E, Captain Wilson E. Warford ; Company H, Captain Alexander H. Drake ; and Company I, Captain Edward E. Root, were de- ployed by Colonel Taylor as skirmishers. The remaining companies of the regiment, (Company B, Captain Josiah J. White ; Company G, Captain Theodore B. Hamilton ; and Company K, an Irish Company, Captain Patrick McGraw,) were stationed on guard duty, under command of Lieuten- ant-Colonel Joseph W. Corning. All day the fight con- tinued, and towards night a sudden and furious attack was made upon Hancock's position, then occupied in part by the Thirty-third. Companies A, D, and F, were ordered out of the redoubt into line of battle, as the Confederates came rushing on, shouting "Bull Run! Bull Run! That flag is ours!" The enemy's flying artillery also moved forward and discharged shot and shell in quick succession. Lieutenant Brown, of Company D, and several other brave men belong- ing to the Thirty-third, had already fallen, mortally wounded ; the cannouiers, with their guns, and members of other regiments, were hurrying back to escape, while the right and left of the Federal line were wavering, and all seemed lost.
At this critical moment the Lieutenant Colonel, turning to Colonel Taylor, (who had just arrived from the skirmish line,) remarked, " Nothing but a charge can check them." "A charge it shall be," he replied, and waving his sword aloft, shouted, " Forward, men ! " " Charge, bayonets ! " added Lieutenant-Colonel Corning, and the Thirty- third sprang forward on the double (juick, when its gallant action was im- itated by several regiments along the line. Alarmed at this
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 39
sudden counter-charge, the enemy turned and ran in confu- sion, while the Thirty-third poured volley after volley upon the Confederates as they rapidly retreated over the plain. This daring exploit of the regiment decided the fortunes of the day and chauged a seeming defeat into a substantial vic- tory. Company I, commanded by Captain Root, and which, with Companies C, E, and H, was on the skirmish line at this time, encountered and tired upon a party of Confeder- ates, who, supposing our soldiers to be friends, cried out, "Don't tire, you are shooting your own men." Captain Eoot ordered them to surrender, and they were all made prisoners, much to their surprise and chagrin. One of their officers attempted to escape, but Captain Koot started after him and compelled him to deliver up his sword. Other prisonei-s were taken, in all to the number of forty, when Captain Root, considering that he had his hands full, re- turned to the redoubt with his company of thirty-eight men." Captain Drake, of Company H, unfortunately became sep- arated, in the Avoods, from the rest of the troops, and being surrounded by the enemy, was obliged to surrender with
*David W. Judd, ill his ''Story of the 33d N. Y. Vols.," says twenty- seven, but he has evidently understated the number. Mr. Peter Mead, of Penn Yan, who, at the time of the battle, was Sergeant in Company I, gives the number as thirty-eight. To give the exact number is a difficult matter, as several belonging to this Company were on guard, or other dut}', or in this hospital. vScrgeant Mead, (to the best of his recollection, as he said,) mentioned the names of the thirty-eight heroes who were on the skirmish line, as follows : Edward E. Root, Captain ; Charles Howe, lyieutenant ; George Brennan. Orderly Sergeant; Peter Mead, David A. Cook, John VV. Durham, Sergeants; Thomas Hunter, Corporal ; Privates, Dorr Barber, Patrick Brennan, Augustus A. Chidsey, Charles Comstock, George W. Corey, James W. Corey, Daniel Dailey, Putnam Demming, James Doyle, William H. Eddy, Charles Gage, John Gordon, Martin Hope, Delos C. Hubbard, William W. Hunt, Eugene Hunt, Charles E. Hyatt, Clement W. Kidder, Michael Mahar, Truman McKinney, Charles Minis, John A. Neary, William F. Pierce. William Plaisted, Greig Quick, Byron F. Randolph, George Reynolds, George Shearman, Morris Shultz, Charles Shuter, George S. Wells, Edwin G. Wheeler, and Menzo Wixson. Other men belonging to the Company were likewise in the battle, but were, as stated above, on detached duty ; among these were : Lieutenant William H. Long, then acting aid-de-camp to the General of the Brigade, and Sergeant Edward S. Rice, who was on duty at the head- quarters of the General of the Division.
40 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
about twenty of his men. He was taken to Richmond and afterwards to Salisbury, N. C, where he remained a prisoner for some months, when he was exchanged and rejoined his regiment in Maryland.
The night after the battle of Williamsburg, the enemy evacuated the place and its surrounding works, retreating back to the Chickahominy. The members of the Thirty- third slept on their arms, and on the following day went into camp near the York Eiver. On the evening of May 7th, General McClellan rode into camp on his favorite bay charger, "Dan Webster," and thus addressed the regiment while drawn up in line:
"Officers and soldiers of the Thirty-third: I have come to thank you, in person, for gallant conduct on the field of bat- tle on the 5th inst. I will say to you what I have said to other regiments engaged with you. All did well — did all that I could expect. Bat you did more ; you behaved like veterans ; you are veterans ; veterans of a hundred battles could not have done better. Those on your left fought well ; but you won the day ; you were at the right point, did the right thing, and at the right time. You shall have Williams- burg inscribed on your banner."
The Thirty-third was next engaged (May 24th) in battle at Mechanicsville, and, during the action, the regiment, to- gether with the Seventy-seventh New York Volunteers, charged upon and routed the opposing force of the enemy. General McClellan had now arrived within a few miles of Richmond, and the capture of that city seemed only a ques- tion of time. But the jealousy and intrigues of certain indi- viduals, high in authority, and the failure to send the needed reinforcements, prevented a successful issue of the campaign. Instead of taking the Confederate capital, McClellan was obliged, in order to save his army from destruction, to effect a change of base to the banks of the James River. Quietly, and without display, he commenced to do this, and though the enemy were very quickly informed, by their spies, of what was going on, they could not at first decide what it meant. At last, however, their suspicions were aroused, and they resolved to fall in overwhelming force on his flank, and
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 41
cuttiug liiiu oif from his supplies, make au utter eud of the entire army."'^
The retreat to the James River having begun, the Thirty- third Regiment, which, since the battle of Mechanicsville had been encamped at Gaines' Farm, moved, and for the purpose of holding the enemy in check, constructed intrench- meuts at Camp Lincoln, (as it was called,) on Golding's Farm, near the Chickahomiuy River. Here, on the 28th of June the capture of the regiment was atteuipted by a power- ful Confederate force, consisting of the Seventh and Eighth Georgia Regiments, but iu the effort the enemy were re- pulsed with great loss. In this action the Thirty-third lost several men, killed, wounded, and prisoners. Among the killed was Lieutenant Moses Cliurch, of Company E, who, while encouraging his comrades by words aud deeds, was struck dead by a minie ball. Captain Theodore B. Hamil- ton, of Company G, was among the prisoners taken by the enemy, but he was soon exchanged and returned to his reg- iment at Harrison's Lauding. The Tliirty-third was highly complimented for its bravery, by General Davidson, (a loyal Virginian,) in his report of the action. A sudden attack made by the Confederates, two days later, at White Oak Swamp, was also successfully resisted. Colonel Taylor then commanded the Third Brigade, (to which the Thirty-third belonged,) the regiment itself being in command of Major John S. Platner.
On the 1st of July occurred the engagement at Malvern Hill. The Thirty-third was here posted, with others of our forces, among lines of batteries which the Confederates sev- eral times fiercely attacked, but in vain. Charge after charge was made by the enemy, only to be repulsed with fearful slaughter. The determined bravery of the Confed- erates evoked cheers from the Unionists themselves. But to carry the Federal position was b3yond their power. In several instances our infantry withhold their fire until the attacking column, which rushed through the storm of canis- ter and shell from our artillery, had reached within a few yards of our lines. They then poured, in a single volley,
*Headley's History of the Great Rebellion, Vol. i.
42 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
aud dashed forward with the bayonet, capturing prisoners and colors and driving the ronted cokinins in confusion from the tiekl. The result was complete victory."
In the afternoon of July 3d, the regiment, which, all through the retreat had formed a portion of the rear guard of the army, reached Harrison's Landing. Afterward, marching to Fortress Monroe, and from there going by trans- port, it arrived and went into camp (August 24tli) at Alex- andria, from there marching through Washington to the bat- tle-field of Antietam. In this tight, which was on the 17th of September, the Thirty-third was foremost in action, losing alone fifty men in killed and wounded. t Among the former was Sergeant-Major George W. Bassett, of Yates County, a brave and popular officer. He was shot through the head, on returning to the front, after having carried Lieutenant Lucius C. Mix, who had been severely wounded, from the field. Lieutenant AVilliam Hale Long, of Company I, was promoted, November 25th, to Assistant Adjutant-General, with the rank of Captain, and on the 1st of December, George Brennan, Orderly-Sergeant of the same Company, was promoted to First Lieutenant. The regiment crossed the Rappahannock on December 12th, on pontoon bridges laid by the Fiftieth New York Engineers, and next day was in the battle of Fredricksburg, where its loss in killed and wounded amounted to over two hundred. Having remained in camp near White Oak Church during the first four months of 1863, the command, on the 2d of May, participated in the storming of Marye's Heights. These were gallantly carried, and on the summit the regimental colors were un- furled in triumph to the breeze. On the charge up the Heights, many of the regiment were killed and wounded, among the latter being Captain Root, of Company I.:|: The
*McClellau's Owu Story.
t The wounded in Company I, at the battle of Antietam, were as follows: Sergeant Peter Mead. Privates: Bruen Coole^-, William H. Eddy, Charles Gage, Martin Hope, Charles B. Ouick, George Reynolds, Charles Shuter.
X In the charge up Marye's Heights, the following, belonging to Com- pany I, were wounded : Captain E. E. Root ; Sergeants, George Shear- man, Putnam Demming ; Corporals, Byron F. Randolph, Menzo Wix- son, Dorr Barber, William Plaistead, Owen Smith ; Privates, Thomas
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 43
last battle in which the Thirty-third was engaged was Sa- lem Heights, fought May 4th. In this battle, Lieutenant Charles D. Rossiter, of Company D, a young man of great promise, was killed.
On Tuesday, May 12, 18G3, Colonel Taylor informed the men in his command that, their term of service having then expired, they were to go home on the coming Friday. The order for their departure was accomi)anied by ])arting ad- dresses from the corps, division, and brigade generals, each address containing a graceful acknowledgment of the past services of the regiment. Farewells were uttered by mem- bers of other regiments who had fought side by side with the Thirty-third, and on the 17th of May the regiment ar- rived at Elmira. The Saturday following the Thirty-third came to Geneva, where an address of welcome was delivered by the Hon. Charles J. Folger. A bountiful repast was also served at Camp Swift to the returned soldiers by the ladies of Geneva. On Monday, May 25th, the regiment proceeded to Canandaigua, where a splendid ovation was received from the citizens. The buildings were handsomely decorated with the National colors and triumphal arches spanned the principal streets. The veterans, together with the Canandaigua firemen, formed in procession and marched to the Court House Square, and were here addressed by the Hon. Elbridge G. Lapham. The procession again formed and passed through various streets to the fair grounds, where the regiment per- formed the different evolutions of the manual, exhibited the manner of pitching tents, made a "charge," and went through with other numerous military exercises, which elic- ited rounds of applause from the lookers on. J. P. Faurot, Esq., made a brief speech of congratulation, to which Lieu- tenant-Colonel Corning responded. Colonel Taylor then returned to the ladies of Canandaigua the regimental banner received from them two years before. Handing the flag to the committee, he remarked that it had been given to his
Conway, James W. Corej', George W. Corey, (mortally,) James Doyle, William H. Eddy, Eugene Hunt, William W. Hunt, William Johnson, (mortally,) Hackett Merritt, George Reynolds, Jeremiah E. Sprague, Charles Shuter, George S. Wells, Edwiu G. Wheeler.
44 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
command with the pledge that it should never be sullied by cowardice or a dishonorable act, and it had never been. It was a beautiful flag when presented to the regiment, but was now torn and oiled, but to him and the regiment it was all the dearer. He had no doubt it would be dearer to those who gave it, as a relic of the bravery and patriotism of the men of the Thirty-third, who, when he assumed command, were eight hundred strong, but now less than four hundred re- mained. On receiving back the banner the ladies presented an address, which was read by A. H. Howell, Esq. A parting speech to the regiment was delivered by Chaplain Augustus H. Lung. A sumptuous banquet, served at the Canandaigua House by the ladies of the village, concluded the ceremony. The same evening the Thirty-third returned to Geneva, and on Tuesday, June 2, 1863, was assembled on the green in front of the barracks by Captain Beirne, of the regular army, and there mustered by companies out of the service.
On the 20th of June a grand reception was given at Penu Yan to the members of Company I. Led by Lieutenant Brennan, as senior officer, they marched to the sound of martial music through the principal streets, and were served with a collation at the Benhani House. The flag which had been presented to the company two years before was now returned to the ladies of Penn Yan, and appropriate ad- dresses were made by the Hon. D. A. Ogden and the Rev. Frederick Starr, Jr. Several who had belonged to. Company I, and to other companies in the Thirty-third Regiment, subsequently rcenlisted in other commands.
The following is the muster-in roll of Company I of the Thirty-third Regiment, added to which is a list of the regi- mental and line officers at the time of the muster-out : Offi- cers— James M. Letts, Captain; Edward E. Root,t First Lieutenant; William H. Long, Second Lieutenant; Charles Howe, First Sergeant; AVilliam Riker,.!: Edward S. Rice, Henry Atwater, Sergeants ; Richard J. Harford, Peter Mead,t David A. Cook, John W. Durham, Corporals ; John 01iver,§ Damon Morse, Musicians ; Privates : Joseph Agins,§ David Akins,§ Patrick Ambrose,t John Ashley, George Brennan,.
tWoiiucled. jDied. g Deserted.
THE MILITAKY HISTOKY OF YATES COUNTY. 45
George W. Bassett,* Patrick Brennan, Daniel G. Baker, Dorr Barber,t Charles Bishop, Charles Brown, Freeman M. Brazee, Cornelius Bouney,^ Bruen Coolej,t Charles Corn- stock, George W. Corey,^" James W. Corey,!" Augustus A. Chidsey, Charles E. Chapman,! Tiiomas Conway, t Daniel Dailey, John R. Davis, James Doyle, t William Decker, Put- nam Demming,t William H. Eddy,t Henry Escott, James Furner, William Foster, Charles Forshay, John Forshay,§ Sylvester Fredenburg,§ Charles Gage,!' John Gordon, Lewis B. Holmes,!: Martin Hope,t Thomas Hunter, Lewis G. Hor- ton,;}: William Humphrey,;}: Eugene Hunt,!" William W. Hunt,!" Delos C. Hubbard, Charles E. Hyatt, William Johnson,"' Cle- ment W. Kidder, William H. Kean, Michael Mahar, Truman McKinney, Charles McConnell, Hackett Merritt,!" Patrick MulHgan, Charles Millis, Augustus F. Murdock,:}: George Mad- den,§ John Newlove, John E. Neary, Christopher Nash, William F. Pierce, William Plaisted,t Greig Quick,:}: Charles B. Quick, !" Oliver Raplee, George Reynolds,!" Byron F. Ran- dolph,!" Henry Reppinger, William B. Rogers, George Shearman,! Lewis Shaw, Richard Strong, Jeremiah E. Sprague,!" Charles Shuter, !" Edward Singleton, AVilliam V. R. Sloan, Morris Sliidtz, Abuer Stetler,§ Menzo Wixson,t John G. Wolcott, George S. Wells,!" Peter S. Wheaton, Ed- win G. Wheeler,!" John Woodruff, Hiram Whitney, George Youngs.
Regimental and line officers — Colonel, Robert F. Taylor; Lieutenant-Colonel, Joseph W. Corning ; Major, John S. Platner; Adjutant, John AV. Corning; Quartermaster, Henr}' N. Alexander; Chaplain, Augustus H. Lung; Surgeon, D'Estaing Dickinson ; Assistant Surgeon, Duncan Mac- Lacklin.
Company A — Captain, Edwin J. Tyler; First Lieutenant, Prince Wesley Bailey; Second Lieutenant, Thomas H. Sib- balds; Company B — Captain, Henry J. Draime; First Lieutenant, Lucius C. Mix; Second Lieutenant, John J. Carter; Company C — Captain, Chester H. Cole; First Lieu- tenant, Robert H. Brett; Second Lieutenant, James E. Stebbings; Company D — Captain, Henry J. Gifford; Second
* Killed, t Wounded. jDied. g Deserted.
46 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Lieutenant, William E. Roach ; Company E — Captain, Wil- son E. Warfoid ; First Lieutenant, John Glimmer; Company F — Captain, James M. McNair; First Lieutenant, Henry A. Hills; Second Lieutenant, John F. Winship; Company G — Captain, George A. Gale; First Lieutenant, George W. Marshall; Second Lieutenant, Byron F. Crain; Company H — Captain, Alexander H. Drake; First Lieutenant, Otis Cole ; Second Lieutenant, Sylvester Porter; Company I — Captain, Edward E. Root; First Lieutenant, George Brennan ; Com- pany K — Captain, Patrick McGraw; First Lieutenant, Bar- nard Bja'ne; Second Lieutenant, Edward Carey.
CHAPTER III.
The First Regiment Uuiteil States Sharpshooters— The Third, Twenty- third, and Thirty-fourth Regiments, Infantry.
THE FIRST UNITED STATES SHARPSHOOTERS.
COLONEL (afterwards General) Hiram Berdan received authority from tLe War Department, June 15, 1861, to recruit a regiment of sharpshooters. To this regiment the State of New York furnished four companies. A, B, D, and H, and later on recruits. J. Smith Brown," of Yates County, aided efficiently in recruiting this regiment, in which he for a time held the rank of Adjutant. (He afterwards became Ad- jutant and then Major in the One Hundred and Twenty- sixth Regiment, New York Volunteers.) Berdan's Sharp- shooters (as they were commonly called) served with the Army of the Potomac in detachments, and as one organiza- tion in the Second, Third, and principally in the Fifth Corps. They participated during their term of service in the following engagements: Howard's Mills, Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Fair Oaks, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Gainesville, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Blackman's Ford, Shepardstowu, Fredericksburg, Chancel- lorsville, Gettysburg, Wapping Heights, Auburn, Kelly's Ford, Locust Grove, Mine Run, Wilderness, Po River, and in front of Petersburg.
The First Sharpshooters are classed by Fox among the "Three Hundred Fighting Regiments,"t or those that suffered the greatest losses in battle. In the beginning of 18G3 the
*On August 26, rS6r, J. Smith Brown (at that time Orderly Sergeant) came to Penn Yan, and, after enlisting William Elmendorf and other re- cruits, delegated Lieutenant Elmendorf as recruiting officer. The Yates County Chronicle of the previous 22d inst., in announcing the coming of Orderly-Sergeant Brown, said: "Those who know how to handle a gun will find this a capital regiment to belong to. The legions of Jeff. Davis will stand clear when these boys get a crack at them."
t " Regimental losses in the Civil War" by William F. Fox, Lieutenant- Colonel, United States Volunteers.
48 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
regiuient became consolidated with the Second Sharpshoot- ers, and both were divided into three battalions, commanded by Colonel Berdan. The First and Second Sharpshooters were at that time brigaded with the Twelfth New Hampshire .and One Hundredth Pennsylvania, as the Second Brigade of the First Division of the Fifth Corps. In the summer of that year Colonel Berdan succeeded to the command of this brigade.
Company B, Captain Stephen Martin, was recruited in part in Yates County by William Elmendorf, the Second Lieutenant. The Yates County recruits left Penn Yan on Friday noon, November 29, 18G1, for Elmira, where they were mustered on the same day into the service of the United States for three 3'ear.s. From Elmira they went on to Wash- ington and the front. The following were the Y'^ates Count}^ enlistments in Company B :
William Elmendorf, Second Lieutenant ; William H. Cliid- se3% Jr., Orderly Sergeant; Privates George M. Barber, Ed- win Beebe, Nelson Bennett, Charles M. Bogart, Robert Bogart, John W. Irwin Chidsey," Lewis Boyce, Harrison DeLong, James Densmore, George H. Downey, James Drake, Gideon Bateman Draper, Franklin B. Ellwood, George H. Gannon, David D. Gannon, John Gannon, Henry Gan- non, Aaron Y"^. Gregory,* George Griswold, Thaddeus M. Hadden, Michael Hallon, Egbert C. Hopkins, Ward Kellogg, Levi Ketchum, Henrj- Mapes, David Philbrook, John Phil- brook, Russell H. Rarrick, Nelson Rector, James C. Robin- son, George Russell, Lyman Savage, William M. Simmons, John B. Smith, William H. Stapleton, Joseph Stoakes, James H. Warner, Benjamin F. Warner.
Company H : John Cooley, private.
THE THIRD REGIMENT.
The Third Regiment of infantry, known as the Albany Regiment, was one of the first regiments to enter the service. It was organized at Albany, and, under command of Colonel Frederick Towusend, left tlie State May 31, 1801. The reg- iment was first stationed at and near Fortress Monroe, and
*Died in service.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 49
participated in the battle of Big Bethel on the lOtli of June. Afterwards, in Mansfield's Division, served at Suffold, Ya., during the greater part of 18G2. The time of enlistment of Company K of this regiment expired in 1863, and the mem- bers of this company (among whom were several from Yates County) were, with members of other companies, mustered out at Alban}' on the 21st of May of that year. A number, however, re-enlisted, and served to the end of the war. The Third Regiment, as re-organized, took part in the military operations in Charleston harbor, also with the Army of the James against Petersburg and Richmond, and with Sherman in the campaign of the Carolinas. The regiment, then com- manded by Lieutenant-Colonel George W. Warren, was mustered out at Raleigh, N. C, August 28, 1805.
Company K, Captain John E. Mulford, contained the fol- lowing recruits from Yates County : Barnett W. Baker, John Wesley Cleveland, John A. Dickerson,"'"' Gideon B. Draper, Hiram Embree, Charles D. Holmes, Abraham Ken- nedy, Silas Lawrence, Charles W. Lewis, Ezekiel Noble, John D. Rohde, William Smith, Samuel Tupper.*
THE TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
The Twenty-third Regiment of infantry. Colonel Henry C. Hoffman commanding, was organized at Elmira, and there mustered into the United States service for two years, July 2, 1861. The regiment left the State on the 5th, and served in Yirginia and Maryland, taking part in the following bat- tles : Near Falls Church, Munson Hill, Ball's Cross Roads (from August 14 to September 14, 1861), Bowling Green Road, and Orange C. H. (May 18 and July 10, 1861. In General Pope's campaign, at the battles of Sulphur Springs, Gaines- ville, Groveton, Second Bull Run, and Fairfax C. H. (from August 26 to 31), Smith Mountain (September 14), Antietam (September 17), and Fredericksburg (December 11 to 15, 1862). The Twenty-third Regiment, commanded by Colonel Hoffman, with Lieutenant-Colonel Niram M. Crane,t of Yates County, second in command, was honorably dis- charged and mustered out at Elmira, May 22, 1863.
*Died in service.
t Afterwards Colonel of the 107th Regiment.
50 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
The following recruits from Yates Couutj were in Com- pany F, Twenty-third Regiment : Privates, John W. Austin, James Criscadon, William Criscadon, William H. Dunn, Charles G, Lewis, Oscar Nelson, Ira M. Slawson.
Company D — Herman C. Howell, Corporal.
Company F — Isaac Verian, private.
Company I — William R. Paulding, private.
Company K — Rodney W. Steele, Ensign.
THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
The Thirty-fourth Regiment of infautr}'. Colonel William LaDue, was organized at Albany, and was there mustered (June 15, 1861,) into the service of the United States for two years. The regiment left the State on the 3d of July, and during the remainder of the year 18G1 served at and near Washington, being engaged in skirmishes with the enemy at Seneca Mills and at Draiusville, Md., and at Goose Creek, Va., in • September and October. The regiment was at the siege of Yorktown (April 5 to May 4, 1862), in action at Tyler House (May 29th), at the battle of Fair Oaks (May 31st), at White House (June 16th), and during the Seven Days' battles (June 25th to July 21st.) It then took part in the battle of Autietam (September 17th) and at Fredericksburg (December 11th to 15th), was at the storming of Marye's Heights (May 3d), and engaged at Salem Church (May 4th). The Thirty-fourth Regiment, .then under Colonel Bjron Laflin, was mustered out at Albany, June 30, 1863.
The following were the Yates County enlistments in Com- pany I, Thirty-fourth Regiment: Alfred T. Attwood, First Lieutenant; John Finegau, First Sergeant; Lemuel C. Ben- ham, Second Sergeant; Privates Harrison Clark, Orlando M. Crowfoot, David Finegan, George C. Leddick, James E- Northrup, James A. McCarrick, Frederick B. St. John, Jacob Spears.
CHAPTEK IV.
The Forty-Fourth Regiment of Infantry.
THE Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteers, which was also known as the People's Ellsworth Pegimeut, or the Ellsworth Avengers, was at first recruited under the au- spices of the Ellsworth Association of the State of New York. The original plan was to obtain from every ward or town of the State one man. This plan was not adhered to, but later more than one enlistment was allowed to each, and the counties of Albany and Erie furnished each one company. The men reported individuall}' at Albany, where the regi- ment, then commanded by Colonel Stephen W. Stryker, was organized under orders from the State, dated Oct. 15, 1861.* The regiment left the State Oct. 21st, and, as originally or- ganized, served through the campaign on the Peninsula, and also in General Pope's campaign (April 5th to Sept. 15, 1862). On Sept. 20, 1862, Companies C and E were merged into the others, composing the regiment, and replaced by new companies, recruited at Albany Oct. 21st. New Com- pany C was raised in Yates County and was at first Com- pany M of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment. The line ofiicers of this company were : Captain, Bennett L. Munger ; First-Lieutenant, Elzer B. James ; Second-Lieuten- ant, Charles Kell3\ New Company E was also known as the Normal School Company. The two companies went from Albany to Washington, from Washington to Harper's Ferry, and united with the Forty-fourth Regiment on the battle-field of Antietam.
The Forty-fourth, when re-organized by the addition of the new Companies C and E, and as attached to the Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps, of the Army of the Po- tomac, took a prominent part in the battle of Fredericksburg on the 13th of December, 1862. In this engagement, having
*Ne\v York in the War of the Rebellion.
52 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
crossed the Rappahannock on pontoon bridges, the regiment participated in the nnsnccessful assault on the works in the rear of the town. In this attack the Forty-fourth lost sev- eral men, killed and wounded. It was next in action at Chancellorsville (May 2d and 3d, 18G8 ), and after this battle returned to the place of encampment, opposite Fredericks- burg. On this camping-ground the Forty-fourth remained until the middle of June, when the whole army commenced its march northward along the east side of the Blue Ridge and South Mountains. The march was for the purpose of again engaging Lee's army, Avhich was rapidly advancing up the Shenandoah Valley in the same direction. While on the march a Confederate force was encountered, June 2l8t, near Middleburg, Va. The country around Middleburg was full of stone walls, and behind these the enemy's sharp- shooters were posted. The Forty-fourth regiment was formed in line of battle, and here gave noble assistance in dislodging and driving back the foe. The discomfiture of the Confederates was rendered complete, when, by a cavalry charge, in which Custer was particularly distinguished, the opposing cavalry were routed, and the whole force driven through Ashby's Gap back into the Shenandoah Valley. The Forty-fourth, continuing its march, crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry into Maryland. At Monocacy Junction, in this State, the order superseding General Hooker in com- mand of the Army of the Potomac by General Meade was read to the regiment. The army marched rapidly on to Gettysburg, where Lee had already concentrated his forces. It was evident that a great and decisive battle was at hand. Marching on through the night of July 1st, the Fort}'- fourtli Regiment arrived the following morning on the battle- field and was stationed at Little Round Top. A fierce and impetuous assault was soon made on both Great and Little Round Top by Longstreet's Corps. The action was sharp and warm, but, in spite of the utmost efforts of the enemy, the Unionists, held these positions until the close of the bat- tle.* At one o'clock in the afternoon of the 3d, commenced
* At Gettysburg, the Forty-fourth Regimeut was coniiuauded by Colonel James C. Rice. During the second day's battle Colonel Rice, having
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY, 53
a most tremendous cannonade, the neighboring hills being shaken with the thunders of over two hundred heavy guns. For over two hours the cannonade continued, and then the Southerners made a grand charge in a column nearly three miles long. The charge, however, was valiantly met, and the Forty-fourth aided grandly in the repulse of the enemy. The loss sustained by the regiment in these two days' fighting at Gettysburg was Captain Lucius S. Larrabee, Lieutenant Eugene L. Dunham, and twenty-seven enlisted men killed, and five officers and seventy-seven enlisted men wounded," while Lieutenant Benjamin F. Thomas and ten enlisted men were wounded mortally. On the night of the 4:th the Confederates commenced their retreat to the Poto- mac. Their intention had evidently been to capture Wash- ington, and perhaps dictate terms of peace at Philadelphia or New York.f The bravery and patriotism of the Forty- fourth and of other regiments in the Union Army had brought about an altogether diiBferent result.
After the retreat of the enemy from Gettysburg, the Forty- fourth Regiment crossed the Potomac at Berlin and took part on the 12th of July, with other forces, in a skirmish at
taken command of the Third Brigade, headed a bayonet charge against the enemy, the 20th Maine leading. The Confederates, who had got pos- session of a part of Little Round Top, were repulsed with great slaugh- ter, their artillery captured, and the 20th Maine took more prisoners than they themselves numbered men.
*In the Vaies County Chronicle, of July 9th, 1863, was the following reference to Company C, Forty-fourth Regiment : " This gallant company, commanded by Captain Bennett L. Munger, reports several casualties in the late battle. The Captain himself is said to be wounded in the hip, but not seriously. Of the privates, Richard McEUigott, of Torrey, and Frank Griswold, of Italy, are reported killed. M. F. Graham, of Italy, James Dansingburg, of Barrington, W. W.Smith, of Jerusalem, R. C. Phillips, of Milo, and George W. Hobart, of Potter, are reported wounded. Lieutenant Charles Kelly writes home that he is safe and unhurt. The Forty-fourth Regiment has seen heavy service.
P. S. Captain Munger came home last evening. He received a wound, as indicated by the earliest report, but, owing to his jack-knife in his pocket, his life was saved, though the knife wtis ruined. The gallant Captain looks as though he had seen hard times, but, we doubt not, will come out all right yet."
t Barnes' History of the United States.
54 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Jones' Cross Roads, Va., and also participated in engage- ments at Bristow Station, Oct, 14th, at Rappahannock Sta- tion, Nov. 7th, and in the Mine Run Campaign, from Nov. 26th to Dec. 2d. The Forty-fourth had expected to find quarters for the winter at Rappahannock Station, and huts were being erected at that place when orders were received for the regiment to repair to Alexandria. Here the Forty- fourth was detailed to guard the trains running between this venerable town and Brandy Station, where a depot of sup- plies had been established. The regiment acted in that capacity until the opening of the Wilderness campaign in May, 1864. Having crossed the Rapidan, the Forty-fourth was in action in the battle of the Wilderness, and also at Spottsylvania, Piney Branch Church, Laurel Hill, North Anna, and Tolopotomy, from the 5th to the 31st of May, losing in these engagements Captain Seth F. Johnson and thirty-two enlisted men, killed, and six officers and eighty- three enlisted men, wounded. The regiment then added to its noble record the battle of Cold Harbor (June 1st to 17th), including the fight at Bethesda Church on the 2d and 3d, the assault of Petersburg (June 16th to lOtli), the tak- ing of the Weldou Railroad (Aug. 18tli to 21st), and the en- gagement at Poplar Spring Church (Sept. 30th to Oct. 2d).
The companies originally composing the regiment were mustered out at Albany, Oct. 11, 1864. The field and staflp officers of the Forty-fourth Regiment at the time of the muster-out were as follows : Colonel, Freeman Connor : Lieutenant-Colonel, Edward B. Knox; Major, Campbell Allen; Adjutant, George B. Herendeen; Quartermaster, Frederick R. Mundy; Surgeon, Morris W. Townsend; As- sistant-Surgeon, D. Carleton Spencer; Chaplain, Cyrus S. Crane.
Company I, Avhen mustered out, was commanded by Lieu- tenant Charles Kelly, who had previously received a Cap- tain's commission, but had not mustered in as such. The men whose term of service had not expired, including those belonging to new Company C, were, on the 23d of Septem- ber, formed into a battalion, which, on the 11th of October, was transferred to the One Hundred and Fortieth New York
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 55
Vohiuteers aud the One Hundred and Fortj-sixth New York Volunteers. The members of new Company C were among the troops that were merged into the former regiment. After this transfer this company took part, with the remainder of the regiment, in the battle of Hatchers' Run (Oct. 27th), also in the engagements of White Oak Ridge (March 29, 1865), aud Five Forks (April 1), and followed up the pursuit of Lee until his surrender at Appomattox. The One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment then came to Washington and encamped on Arlington Heights. Here it was mustered out June 3, 1865, with the exception of certain soldiers who had yet some weeks to serve. Among these the members of new Company C were included, and on the following day they left Washington and went by way of Bal- timore and Philadelphia to New York City, and were sta- tioned on Hart's Island, in the harbor. They here remained until the 21st of August, when they were mustered out, re- ceiving on that day their final pay and discharge.
Muster-in roll of Company C of the Forty-fourth Regi- ment:
Bennett L. Munger.t Captain ; Elzer B. James, First- Lieutenant; Charles Kelly,t Second-Lieutenant; Orette L. Munger,t First-Sergeant; Royal G. Kiuuer,t George E. Henderson, § Samuel J. Powell, and John O'Neil, Sergeants; S. Harvey Ackley, Fred D. Hills, Robert F. Shipley, Charles Pelton, Matthew Fitzpatrick, George W. Hobart,t James Barrow,t and Elnathan Mead,t Corporals ; John T. Johnsont aud Sylvanus Eaton, Musicians; James Powell, Wagoner; Privates, William Adams, Edgar Adams, Dewitt C. Bassett, Samuel Covell, Philo H. Conklin, A. James Cole,t William Criscadon, Thomas Donnelly, Stephen T. Dye,:}: John Devlin, Cyrus H. Davis, § James Dausenburg,t AVilliam Elwell, George W. Fraucisco,t Joseph H. Fletcher,:]: Walter E. Furner,t Thomas Finucan, Marion F. Graham, t Emory C. Green, t Josiah H. Gardner,* Frances M. Griswold,* Andrew A. Giddiugs,t John K. Giddings,t Peter Haines, t Moses F. Hardy, William A. Herrick,t Norman Harrington, Andrew J. Horton, Harrington Houghton, Peter H. Hibbard, George
*Killed. tWouuded. t Died, j^ Deserted.
56 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
R. Huuter,t James H. Mandeville, John McGlaughliD, Elisha Moon, Fred Mitchell, John McGough, John E. Mc- Bride,§ Richard McEllioott,* David O. Mapes,t Phihp Morse, William N. Norris,"^' Lucius L. Osgood,t William O'Neil, Daniel O'Neil, Richard C. Phillips, t Alexander Per- ry, t Clark Reynolds, James Rowell, George C. Raymond,t Peter J. Strail, Reuben Sisson, Thomas R. Southerby,* Hiram M. Squires, George W. Snyder,:^ Albert Sturde- vant, Jacob Stroup, Noah H. Shultz,t William W. Smith, t Myron Smith, Jacob Traver, Charles W. Taylor, Pat- rick Tobin,t George W. Wing, Orrin E. Watkins,t Albert W. West,t Jerome Wheaton,t Martin R. Westcott, Alden D. Whitney. In Company E, George B. Wolcott.*
* Killed, t Wounded. jDied. | Deserted.
CHAPTER V.
The Seventy-sixth, Eighty-fifth, Ninety-seventh, One Hundred and Sec- ond, and One Hundred and Fifth Regiments Infantry.
THE SEVENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
THE Seventy-sixth Regiment, Colonel Nelson W. Green, was recruited mainly in Cortland County. The different companies composing the regiment contained, however, men from the counties of Allegany, Chenango, Madison, Otsego, Schoharie, Tioga, Tompkins, and Yates, the recruits from the last named county being in Companies A and E." On the 17th day of January, 1862, the regiment left the State for the front. Its first engagement was at Locust Grove, Va., (May 5th.) The Seventy-sixth Regiment then took part in General Pope's campaign, and afterwards participated in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, the assault of Petersburg, the taking of the Weldou Railroad, Poplar Grove Church, and Hatcher's Run. The several companies in the Seventy-sixth were mustered out in the fall and winter of 1864, the members of Company A being honorably discharged on the 11th of October, and of Company E on the 18th of November. In Companies A and E were the following citizens of Yates County :
Company A — Herschell W. Pierce, Second Lieutenant (af- terwards promoted to Captain) ; Privates, George A. Allen, Theodore Beach, Marvin O. Byington, William Condon, [j: Lyman Culver, Benjamin F. Carpenter, f Martin P. Camp-
* In October, i86i, Herschell W. Pierce recruited twenty-five men in Starkey and Harrington and took them to the camp of the 76th Regi- ment New York Volunteers, then forming at Cortland, and, with his men, was mustered into the United States service as a private soldier. He was promoted to Second-Lieutenant Jan. 13, 1862, to First-Lieutenant March ii, 1862, and to Captain Dec. 20, 1862. He was mustered out at Yellow Tavern, Va., Oct. 11, 1864.
t Killed, t Deserted.
58 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
bell,| Samuel Higgins, Alonzo Harris, Albert L. Hilton," Jesse Hougbtalingjt Charles E. Stamp.*
Company C — George S. Wells, private.
Company E — James B. Busb, George Bush, William A. Comford, Marcellus Finch, Edgar D, Haviland, Emmet Houghtailiug, Samuel H. Ives, Edward Kelly, Alanson Pot- ter, George Steadwell, Alonzo Seward, Walter Wood.
THE EIGHTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
The Eighty-fifth Regiment of Infantry, Colonel Uriah L. Davis, was organized November 7, 1861, at Elmira, from which place it started (December 3d) for Washington, and Avas there attached to the Third Brigade of the Second Di- vision (commanded by General Silas Casey) of the Fourth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. In the spring and sum- mer of 1862 the regiment took part in the more important battles of the Peninsular Campaign, including the Seven Days' Retreat (April 17th to July 1st.) It was then ordered to Suffolk, Va.; from there to New Berne, N. C, and became part of the First Brigade, General Hunt, of the Second Di- vision, General Wessells, in the Department of the South, and, under the chief command of General J. G. Foster, took part in the campaigns of 186'2-'63-'64 in North Carolina, participating in the following engagements: Kinston, Whitehall, Goldsboro, Williamstou, (December 11 to 27, '62,} New Berue, Nixontou, Blouut's Creek, Little Washing- ton, Free Bridge, Williamston, Chowan (March 14 to July 28, '63), Hanellsville (January 20, '(M), and Plymouth (April 17 to 20, '64.) In this last engagement a portion of General Wessell's Division was, by a large force of the enemy, sur- rounded, overpowered, and obliged to surrender. § Among
* Killed, t Wounded, t Deserted.
§ During this battle the regiment, with the other forces forming the garrison, were stationed in the town of Plymouth, on the Roanoke river. The Confederates attacked in overwhelming numbers on the lyth, and on the 19th sent down the river an iron-clad ram called the " Albemarle," which sunk two gun-boats belonging to our fleet, thus cutting off the Federal line of retreat. By a succession of charges the enemy got inside the intrenchments, which were, however, bravely defended, until all hope was gone of any further defense, when the garrison laid down their arms.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 59
the troops that surreudered were the members of the Eighty- fifth Regiment, with the exception of those belonging to Company A, who were on detached duty on Roanoke Ishmd. After the surrender they were marched seventy miles to Tar- boro, N. C, and were then transferred in box cars to Ander- sonville, Ga.* They were there imprisoned five months, one month at Charleston, and two months at Florence, enduring all this time starvation and hardship, but at length received their paroles, agreeing not to take up arms against the Con- federate government for one hundred days, unless regularly exchanged. The released soldiers afterwards combined with the members of Company A, who had remained in service, and were together mustered out at Mosby Hall, N. C, July 15, 1865.
Company G, commanded at first by Captain John Raines, took part with the remainder of the regiment in its various battles, and was included in the surrender at the battle of Plymouth. When the battle occurred, the company was under command of Lieutenant John A. Lafler, of Yates County. In Company G were the following officers and men from this county :
George M. Muuger,t First Lieutenant; Alonzo S. Miller,^ Orderly Sergeant; John A. Lafler, Sergeant (promoted to First Lieutenant) ; George Haiuer, John G. Watkins,;|: Cor- porals ; John B. Ingles, musician ; Privates, George W. Barnes, Erastus Bucklin, George Black, John Betram, Joseph S. Crouch, Alexander P. Campbell, Frank Danes, Martin Davis, James Dougherty, Benjamin Gay,:j: Patrick Gill, John W. Green, Wiliam W. Hibbard, David Martin Inscho,]: George B. Ingles, Amos Jones, Hazard Jones, Samuel Lurch, Henry McGlaughlin, Henry Norman, George J. Odell, Orrin Shearman, George S. Wells.
Died in Andersonv'dle. — Privates Andrew Carmer, Chester Ellis, Joseph Finger.
*The privates taken iu this battle were, as above stated, confined at first in Andersonville, bnt the officers were confined at Macon. After about three months the officers were transferred to Savannah. From there they went to Charleston, from Charleston to Columbia, and from Columbia to Charlotte, where they were paroled.
j Killed, t Wounded.
60 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Died in Charleston. — Joseph D. Tiuuey, Corporal ; Aaron Beard, private.
Died in Florence. — Ebenezer lusclio, wagoner; Privates Kobert R. Briggs, Hiram Corey.
Died in Waahington. — Privates Nelson Bogart, Nelson Matthews.
Died in Annapolis. — Ebenezer Finch, private.
Died in Wilmington. — Augustus Gordon, private.
THE NINETY- SEVENTH REGIMENT.
The Ninety-seventh Regiment, Colonel Charles Wheelock, was organized at Booneville, and then mustered in the ser- vice of the United States for three years, February 18, 1862. It left the State March 12th, and its first engagement was at Cedar Mountain, Ya., on the 9tli of August. The regiment then served through General Pope's campaign, and also par- ticipated in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fred- ericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. Its record of service likewise includes the Mine Run Campaign, the Wil- derness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, the assault at Peters- burg, the taking of the Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run, White Oak Ridge, Five Forks, and Appomattox. The regi- ment was mustered out, under Colonel John P. Spofford, July 18, 1865, near Washington, D. C.
In Companies A and B, of the Ninety-seventh Regiment, were the following Yates County men :
Company A, Zeno T. Carpenter,* George P. Harrison, Jo- seph Sage.
Company B — Thomas Fee, James Nangle.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND REGIMENT.
The One Hundred and Second Regiment was organized January 27, 1862, under Colonel Thomas B. VanBuren, (formerly of Peuu Yan,) and was also known as the " Van Baren Light Infantry." Eight companies belonging to this regiment left New York city for the front, March 10th. Companies I and K left April 7th. The regiment at first served in the Army of the Potomac, participating in the
* Wouudcd.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 61
battle of Cedar Mountain, and in the engagements in Gen- eral Pope's Campaign, also in the battles of Antietam, Chan- cellorsville," Gettysburg, Ellis Ford, and Steveusburg. In the autumn of 1803 the Twelfth Corps, in which the One Hundred and Second Regiment was included, was trans- ferred to Tennessee, and there aided in achieving the grand victory of Missionary Ridge, with the capture of Lookout Mountain. At Lookout Mountain the One Hundred and Second was posted upon the extreme right of Hooker's first line of battle and nobly sustained the high reputation in which the regiment was held by the commanding General. In this action Major Gilbert M. Elliott was killed and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Robert Avery was wounded. The regiment then served in the Army of the Cumberland in the Atlanta Campaign, (May 3d to Sept. 2, 1864,) during Sherman's march to the sea, (Nov. 15th to Dec. 10, 1864,) and in the Campaign of the Carolinas, (Jan. 26th to April 26, 1865.) The One Hundred and Second Regiment was honorably dis- charged and mustered out, under Colonel Harvey D. Chat- held, July 21, 1865, at Alexandria, Va.
Company H, in this regiment, contained the following Yates County enlistments :
Peter K. Deyo, Captain ; Aaron C. Frost, First Sergeant ; Charles L. Nichols, Second Sergeant; Privates, Morris Bart- lett, Edward Beardsley, James J. Fox, Lorimore Graham, William Henry Mathrole, Anson Matthews, James Sanders, Charles H. Wheeler.
* The Vates County Chronicle, of May 21, 1863, contained the following account of an incident that occurred at the battle of Chancellorsville : " The io2d N. Y., remained in the rifle-pits with the 6oth N. Y., when all the rest of the 3d Brigade, 12th Corps, had retired on account of the ter- rible fire which enfiladed them. The rebels, yelling like devils, rushed down upon them and the 12th Georgia regiment sprang in among the io2d, calling out, 'You are our prisoners.' 'Not by a damned sight,' shouted the boys of the io2d, and they disarmed the Georgia I2tli, taking their stand of colors and marching them off prisouers of war in the midst of the fight. While this was going on, a rebel officer jumped in among them, and seeing them mixed — part butternuts and part blue jackets- called out, ' What regiment is this ? ' 'The I02d N. Y.' ' Hell 1' said he, * I suppose I am your prisoner, then. Well, bully for you. I am a New York boy, myself."
62 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT.
The One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, Colonel James M. Fuller, was organized March 15, 1862. The regiment was formed by the consolidation of seven companies recruited in Genesee County, and three in Monroe County. The One Hundred and Fifth served in the Third Corps of the Army of Virginia, from June 26, 1862, taking part in General Pope's campaign, and afterwards served in the First Corps of the Army of the Potomac. On the 17th of March, 1863, the regiment, then under Colonel John W. Shedd, was consoli- dated into five companies and transferred to the Ninety- fifth New York Volunteers, and was eventually mustered out June 18, 1865, near Washington, D. C.
In Company- B were the following residents of Yates County :
Charles F. Rudgers, enlisted First Lieutenant, promoted to Captain ; Privates, Asahel Bennett, Thomas Creed, Jacob J. Greening, Ephraim Jones, Benjamin Snyder, Paul AVheeler.
CHAPTER VL
The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment of Infantry.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, received, on the last of June, 18G2, a communication signed by seventeen of the War Governors of the North, recommending him to "till np all military organizations then in the held that had become reduced l)y the unavoidable casualties of the service, and to create new regiments for the defence of positions gained, by calling on each State for its quota of a body of men sufficient for such purposes." The President's reply, in part, was as follows :
"Fully concurring in the wisdom of the views expressed to me in so patriotic a manner by you in the communication of the '28th of June, I have decided to call into the service an additional force of 300,000 men. I suggest and recom- mend that the troops should be chiefly infantry. I trust they may be enrolled without delay, so as to bring this un- necessary and injurious civil war to a speedy and satisfac- tory conclusion."
The call for troops, made as above by the President^ was dated July 1st, and on the 2d a proclamation was issued by the Hon. Edwin D. Morgan, Governor of New York, for the raising of the quota of the State. Governor Morgan subse- quently issued an order fixing the quota of the several coun- ties, and requiring a regiment to be raised in each senatorial district, which for the time was re-named, " Ptegimental Dis- trict." For each district a war committee was appointed to take charge of the recruiting of the regiment of that district, and to recommend the proper persons to officer such regi- ment. The war committee appointed by the Governor for the Twenty-sixth Senatorial District held the first meeting at Geneva, on the lltli of July, said committee being com- posed of certain prominent citizens from the counties of On- tario, Seneca, and Yates. From the last named county the
64 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
raembei's of the war committee were as follows : Hon. William S. Briggs, County Judge, Morris Brown, Esq., Stafford C. Cleveland, Editor of the Yates County Chronicle, Charles S. Hoyt, M. D., Meletiah H. Lawrence, Esq., Hon. Darius A. Ogden, and General Alexander F. Whitaker.
Recruiting immediately commenced, and on the 4th of August the rendezvous for the regiment to be raised in this district was opened at Camp Swift, Geneva. The position of commandant of this post was first offered to the Hon. Charles J. Folger, of Geneva, and then to the Hon. Darius A. Ogden, of Penn Yan. Each having in turn declined, the Hon. Eliakira Sherrill, of Geneva, was chosen and was com- missioned Colonel of the Regiment upon its organization. War meetings were held in all parts of the senatorial dis- trict, particularly in our county of Yates, where great enthu- siasm was manifested, and recruiting went on rapidly. Com- pany A, recruited entirely in Yates County, was the first company in the new regiment to rendezvous at Camp Swift. The second was Company B, recruited principally in Yates County. Recruits from this county were also in companies C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K. On August 20th the regiment, which was called the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth New York Volunteers, was organized, and on the 22d it was reg- ularly mustered into the United States service for three years.*
* Colonel Ephraim M. Whitaker, of Penn Yan, one of Yates County's patriotic citizens, having conceived the idea of presenting the new organ- ization with a stand of colors, by his own personal efforts collected the money and made a trip to New York to procure the material for a flag, which was made and wholly finished by the ladies of Penn Yan.
Made of heavy silk, surrounded by an elegant fringe, inscribed with heavy silk embroidery, and mounted upon a staff", upon which rested a splendid silver eagle with spread wings, a more beautiful and elegant flag never swung to the breeze, the total cost of which was |i250.oo. It was designed that the presentation should be made b}' the Rev. Frederick Starr, Jr., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, on behalf of the Sol- diers' Aid Society, of Penn Yan, of which Mrs. Morris Brown was then President, but,iupon reaching Geneva, it was found that some of the peo- ple of that place were a little sensitive in regard to allowing so much glory to Penn Yan, so the Penn Yan folks, with that modesty which al- waj'S characterizes them, consented to have the presentation made on be- half of the ladies of the Senatorial District, which was done.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 65
On that date the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Eegi- ment comprised 39 officers and 956 enlisted men, or a total of 995. The regimental and line officers at the time were as follows :
Officers. — Colonel, E. Sherrill, Geneva; Lieutenant-Col- onel, James M. Bull, Canandaigua; Major, W. H. Baird, Geneva ; Quartermaster, J. K. Loring, Waterloo ; Surgeon, Fletcher M. Hammond, Penu Yau ; First Assistant Surgeon, Charles S. Hoyt, Potter ; Second Assistant Surgeon, Pierre D. Peltier, Canandaigua; Chaplain, T. Spencer Harrison, Dundee; Sergeant-Major, D. C. Farrington, Geneva; Quar- termaster-Sergeant, John Stevenson, Jr., Seneca Falls ; Com- missary-Sergeant, Kichard Macey, Geneva; Sutler, J. D. Cobb, Geneva.
Line Officers. — Company A, Captain, T. N. Burrill ; First Lietenant, S. A. Barras; Second Lieutenant, G. D. Carpen- ter ; Company B, Captain W. A. Coleman ; First Lieutenant, R. A. Bassett; Second Lieutenant, M. H. Lawrence, Jr.; Company C, Captain, W, Scott ; First Lieutenant, T. E. Lounsbury ; Second Lieutenant, A. W. Porter ; Company D, Captain, P. D. Phillips ; First Lieutenant, C. A. Pach- ardson ; Second Lieutenant, S. F. Lincoln ; Company E, Captain, H. D. Kipp ; First Lieutenant, George C. Pritchett; Second Lieutenant, J. H. Brough; Company F, Captain,
The event took place on August 22d, the same day on which the Regi- ment was mustered into the United States service. A procession of citi- zens was formed under direction of Colonel E. M. Whitaker, of Penn Yan, as Marshal, escorting the flag to Camp Swift. Arriving upon the ground, the Regiment was formed in a hollow square, preparatory to re- ceiving the flag. From 8,ooo to io,ooo people were present to witness the ceremony.
The following ladies from Penn Yan comprised the committee on pre- sentation : Mrs. Captain T. N. Burrill, Mrs. Colonel E. M. Whitaker, Mrs. F. H. Griggs, Mrs. C. G. Judd, Mrs. J. V. Van Alen.
The flag fell into the hands of the enemy by the surrender of Harper's Ferry, and was taken to Richmond. At the close of the war, it, with others, was brought to Washington and stowed away in the War Depart- ment. Fourteen years afterward, through the efforts of the Hon. E. G. Lapham, then Member of Congress, it was brought back and presented to the I26tli Regiment Association at its Annual Reunion held at Grove Springs, and has since been sacredly guarded by that Association.
66 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Isaac Shimer ; First Lieutenant, Ira Munson ; Second Lieu- tenant, T. E. Munson ; Company G, Captain, J. F. Aikens ; First Lieutenant, Frederick Stewart ; Second Lieutenant, S. H. Piatt ; Company H, Captain, O. J. Herendeen ; First Lieutenant, G. N. ' Eedfield ; Second Lieutenant, A. R. Clapp ; Company I, Captain, B. F. Lee ; First Lieutenant, G. Skaats ; Second Lieutenant, G. L. Yost ; Company K, Captain, Charles M. Wheeler ; First Lieutenant, H. C. Law- rence ; Second Lieutenant, I. A. Seamans.
The regiment left Geneva for the front, August IG, 1862, and arrived at Baltimore the next day. By orders given by the veteran, General John E. Wool, who commanded the Middle Department, the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth proceeded to Harper's Ferry, reaching there the 28th. The regiment had been directed to report for instruction and duty to Colonel D. H. Miles, then commanding at Harper's Ferry, and which, on its arrival, was already occupied by the Thirty-ninth and One Hundred and Eleventh Regiments New York Volunteers, the Thirty-second Ohio Volunteers, the Twelfth New York State Militia, the First Rhode Island Battery, and a portion of the Fifth New York Heavy Artill- ery. The forces at Harper's Ferry were augmented, Sep- tember 2d and 3d, by the arrival, from Winchester, of troops under General White, consisting of the One Hundred and Fifteenth New York Volunteers, the Ninth Vermont, the Six- tieth Ohio, the Sixty-fifth Illinois, and some other regiments. On the 13th, 14th, and 15th of September, Harper's Ferry was invested by three divisions of the Confederate army, commanded, respectively, by Generals McLaws, Walker, and "Stonewall" Jackson. Early in the morning of the 13th, the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment advanced from Harper's Ferry to Maryland Heights. It there re- ceived the main force of the enemy's attack, and made, under very disadvantageous circumstances, a brave and creditable defence. Its loss in this engagement was thirteen killed * and forty-two wounded. Among the latter was Colonel Sherrill, who, receiving a severe wound in the face, was for
*Iyieuteuaut Alfred R. Clapp, of Compauy H, was killed iu this action, bsing the first officer killed belonging to the regiment.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. G7
some time disabled from active service. On the 15th the garrison at Harper's Ferry surrendered on parole. The causes which are said to have brought about this disastrous result need not here be stated, other than to mention that there was then, and has since been, a difference of opinion as to who should be charged with the responsibility or the blame.* Having marched to Annapolis, the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment was transferred to Camp Doug- las, Chicago.! At this place were located for two months its far from desirable quarters, where the accommodations and sanitary arrangements were alike injurious to the health of all and fatal to many. Adjutant J. Smith Brown, of Colonel Berdan's United States Sharpshooters, here joined, on the 17th of November, the One Hundred and Twenty- sixth, having accepted the adjutancy of the same. The reg- iment was exchanged November 19th, and proceeding to Washington, was re-armed. The winter of 18G2-63 Avas passed in camp at Union Mills, Ya., doing picket duty along the banks of the famous Bull Run. On the 27tli of January, 1863, Colonel Sherrill having sufficiently recovered, rejoined the regiment, which, during his absence, had been under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James M. Bull. The camp was moved, March 2d, to Centerville, Va., where the One
*The unnecessary fall of this place awakened the deepest indignation, and the blame was laid, now on Halleck, and now on Miles, and again on McClellan. Colonel Ford, who commanded the Heights, also came in for his share of the blame. The disgraceful affair, however, is surrounded by no difficulties. Colonel Miles was not a fit man to command the place, as had been fully shown in his conduct at the first battle of Bull Run, and should not have been put there. His death, after he had hoisted the white flag, saved him from further disgrace.— 'Head/ey' s Hislory of the Great Rebellion, Vol. 2.
T On the ridiculous idea ot using the 126th to fight the Indians in Minn- esota, the regiment was sent in rough box cars to this camp, which, as a place of residence, was the most abominable. Mrs. A. M. Willsou, in her book, " Disaster, Struggle, Triumph," says: "The camp had been crowded with rebel prisoners from Fort Donelson, and elsewhere, who had been recently exchanged, and left it empty of everything but filth, rats, and other vermin not to be mentioned to ears polite, which Burns called 'crawlin' ferlies,' and the Union soldiers dubbed ' gray -backs. ' " Passenger cars were kindly provided to bring back the 126th to Washing- ton.
68 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Hundred and Twenty-sixth united with the balance of a brigade, composing the Thirty-ninth, the One Hundred and Eleventh, and the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth New York Volunteers, and commanded by Brigadier General Alexan- der Hays, who had won distinction in the Peninsular cam- paign. On the 24th of June the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac, then marching to intercept Lee, who was making a second attempt to invade the North. The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth now became a part of the Third Brigade of the Third Division of the Second Army Corps, under Hancock. Brigadier General Hays was at this time assigned to the command of the Third Division, and was succeeded as commander of the brigade by Colonel George Lamb Willard, of the One Hundred and Eleventh New York Volunteers.
After a most fatiguing march from Centerville, the One HiTudred and Twenty-sixth arrived in the early morning of the 2d of July on the battlefield of Gettysburg. Toward night it took part, along with the brigade, in a glorious charge that resulted in the defeat and dispersion of the op- posing forces of Southerners. As this charge was being made. Colonel Willard, the brigade commander, was killed, while on the side of the enemy fell Barksdale, who had com- manded a Confederate brigade at the taking of Harper's Ferry. During the terrific connonading between the two armies, with which began the engagement of the day follow- ing, volunteers from the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Eegiment came forward and manned the guns in the batter- ies where the regular artillerymen had been killed or wounded. When, a little later, Pickett's grand assault was made against the Federal lines held by the Second Corps, the One Hundred and Twenty -sixth acted well its part to- wards the repulse of the foe. Five stands of colors were taken by the regiment on this occasion. Captain Morris Brown, Jr.. of Yates County, captured, with his own hands, one of these standards, on which was inscribed, "Harper's Ferry," and the names of eleven other battles. The surren- der of Harper's Ferry was redeemed at Gettysburg. The brave Colonel Sherrill, who, when Colonel Willard fell, had
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 69
succeeded to the command of the Third Brigade, was mor- tally wounded, expiring the next day, and most fittingly on the anniversary of American Independence. Four other commissioned officers" and fifty-five enlisted men belonging to the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment were killed in this one of the most important battles of the war, while eight commissioned officers! and 172 enlisted men were wounded. Among the slain were the non-commissioned offi- cers, Sergeant-Major Henry P. Cook, and Color-Sergeant Erasmus E. Bassett, both of Yates County, the latter of whom fell during the fight of July 2d while bravely carrying the regimental colors.:}: An active part was taken by the regiment, after the battle, in the pursuit of the enemy.§
From Gettysburg until the close of the war, the One Hun- dred and Twenty-sixth participated in twenty different bat- tles and skirmishes. In the autumn of 1863 the regiment won additional honor for its conspicuous gallantry in the battles of Auburn Ford and of Bristow Station, which were fought, respectively, in the morning and afternoon of Octo- ber nth, and in which the loss in killed and wounded was 41. Severe skirmishing also took place along Mine Run on the 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th of November.^ The services of the regiment were again called upon in the grand recon- noissance made February 6, 1864, by the Army of the Poto- mac at Morton's Ford on the Rapidan. On the 24th of March, Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant arrived and estab- lished his headquarters at Culpepper Court House. The regiment having been transferred to Barlow's division, en-
* Captains Isaac Shirner, Orrin J. Herendeen, aud Charles M. Wheeler, and LieutenaQt Rufus P. Holmes.
t Captains John H. Brough, Henry B. Owen, and Charles A. Richardson, Lieutenants Sidney E. Brown, Pratt Dibble, Ashbrah Huntoon, Jr., Mel- etiah H. Lawrence, Jr., and Jacob Sherman, the last officer, mortally.
t A second stand of colors had been received from the Government upon the return of the Regiment to Virginia after its exchange.
'i The Regiment went into the battle with 30 officers and 425 enlisted men bearing arms. Its loss was 231, as stated. There were but four reg- iments in the engagement that lost a greater number in killed and wounded than did the 126th N. Y., and one of those, (the iiith N. Y.,) formed a part of the same brigade.
70 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
tered the spriug campaigu of 1864 with less than 300 men, of whom 100 were on duty as provost <];uard at corps head- quarters. The Army of the Potomac crossed the Eapidan on the 4th of May, and was afterwards enga<j;ed in the following battles, in all of whicli the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment took part : May 6th and 7th in the Wilderness,) in this battle Brevet-Major General Alexander Hays was killed while gallantly rallying his brigade,) May 10th at Po River, May I'itli to the 18tli at Spottsylvania,'^ where the Second Corps, to which the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regi- ment belonged, made a grand charge on the enemy's works, capturing 400 prisoners, '20 guns, and 30 stands of colors, to- gether Avith the Confederate Generals Edward Johnson and G. H. Stewart, who were taken to the rear and put under guard of colored soldiers. From the 23d to the 31st, sharp skirmishing occurred along the North Anna River and along the Tolopotamy Creek. The One Hundred and Twenty- sixth Regiment then took part in the terrible battle of Cold Harbor from the 1st to the 12th of June. On the 16th the regiment moved to the front of Petersburg, and in the en- gagement on that day. Colonel William H. Baird was killed. Heavy fighting also occurred here on the 17tli and 18th. The Second Corps, on the 21st, advanced to the left of Pe- tersburg, and on the 22d was attacked by the enemy in force and on the left flank. The One Hundred and Twenty- sixth Regiment was at this time commanded by Captain Morris Brown, Jr., of Yates County, who fell with others of merit in the heat of the action. f
On the 26th of July the regiment was engaged in battle at Deep Bottom, on the James, and from the 14tli to the 20tli
* At Spottsylvania, Lieutenant George A. Sherman was killed, and Cap- tains Morris Brown, Jr., and Winfield Scott, and Lieutenants John F. Randolph, (afterwards Adjutant.) and Samuel Hughes, were wounded.
tFrom the ist of May to the 23d of June, 1864, the following ofEcers were killed and wounded : Lieutenant Colonel William H. Baird, Captains Morris Brown, Jr., and Henry B. Owen ; Lieutenants Ashbrah Huntoon, Jr., Martin V. Stanton, and John A. McDonald, killed; Captain Ira Mun- son and Adjutant Spencer F. Lincoln, mortally wounded, and Captain Charles A. Richardson, Lieutenants Milo H. Hopper, and John H. Hurl- burt, wounded.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 71
of August at Strawberry Plains. Having aided effectively in the destruction of the Weldon Railroad, the regiment was attacked on the 25th, at Reams's Station. In the following spring of 1865* the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regi- ment participated in the assault, made March 25th, on the lines around Petersburg just after the attack by Lee upon Fort Steadman. From the 29tli to the 31st the regiment was engaged on the skirmish line along the Boydton Plank Road. AVhen the grand advance of the army began, the Third Brigade, in which was included the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment, took a particularly active part, and, led by the gallant General C. D. MacDougall, charged (April 2d) and carried the enemy's intrenchments at Southerland's Station. The Confederates were again encountered April 7th at Farmville and at Appomattox on the 9th, where, on the latter date, Lee surrendered to Graut.f The One Hun- dred and Twenty-sixth Regiment having resumed its march, passed, on the 7th of May, through Richmond. Here it was greeted by the One Hundred and Forty-eighth New York Volunteers, in which regiment companies B, F, and I, had been recruited in Yates County. This was the first time the two regiments had met while in the service. The One Hun- dred and Twenty -sixth proceeded to Washington, where, on June 2d, orders were received for the regiment to be mus- tered out and sent to the State rendezvous, and on the 3d the regiment was mustered out. The next day the men left Washington for Elmira, arriving at that place on the 6th, and there meeting their former colonel, James M. Bull. The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment, numbering at this time 221 men, received final payment and discharge at Elmira, June 16 and 17, 1865. |
*Oii account of the severe losses sustained, the regiment was consoli- dated on the 24th of December, 1864, into a battalion of five companies.
t Captain John B. Geddis having been severely wounded in the engage- ment at Boydton Plank Road, the regiment, which now numbered 46 muskets, had since been commanded by Captain I. Hart Wilder.
j During its term of service the regiment lost sixteen commissioned officers, killed in action or died of wounds received in battle, a loss greater in proportion to its number of officers than that sustained by any other regiment from the State of New York, and exceeded by but few in the service.
72 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
The followiug were the regimental and line officers of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth on the mustering out of the regiment :
Major, J. Smith Brown, Penn Yan ; Adjutant, John F. Eandolph,t Penn Yan ; Quartermaster, John C. Stanton, Geneva; Surgeon, Fletcher M. Hammond, Penn Yan; Assis- tant Surgeon, Ferdinand M. Pasco, Pted Creek; Chaplain, T. Spencer Harrison, Dundee. Company A, Captain Ira Hart Wilder; First Lieutenant, Samuel Hughes ;t Company B, First Lieutenant, Milo H. Hopper ;t Second Lieutenant, Charles A. Garliughouse ; Company C, Captain, John A. Geddis ; First Lieutenant, Thomas R. Lounsbury ; Second Lieutenant, Jor- dan Snook ; Company D, Captain, Ten Eyck Munson ; First Lieutenant, Charles W. Watkins ; Company E, First Lieu- tenant, Henry M. Lee ; Second Lieutenant, Clinton E. Pas- co; Sergeant-Major, Albert S. Andrews; Quartermaster- Sergeant, John Davis; Commissary Sergeant, Charles R. Lisk ; Hospital-Steward, George W. Becker ; Principal Mu- sician, Lyman E. Jacobus.
Muster-in roll of Companies A and B, with Yates County recruits in companies C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K.
Company A — Truman N. Burrill, Captain; Samuel A. Barris, First Lieutenant ; George D. Carpenter, Second Lieu- tenant ; Morris Brown, Jr., Orderly ; Samuel Wilson, First Sergeant, Charles Forshay, Second Sergeant ; Wallace Betts, Third Sergeant; O. M. Paris, Fourth Sergeant; Daniel Kel- ly, First Corporal ; Smith Fuller,* Second Corporal ; Barn- ard Gelder, Third Corporal ; Charles Stebbins, Fourth Cor- poral ; David H. Gotf," Fifth Corporal ; Smith Stebbins,t Sixth Corporal ; Lot W. Rogers, Seventh Corporal ; Charles Norcott, Eighth Corporal ; William Beebe, Drummer ; James McAllister, Fifer. Privates, Richard M. Allen,t Warren Al- len, AVilliam Axtell,t Oliver Baker,§ William Baker, Daniel J. Beyea, Henry Bilson,§ Levi P. Brazee,t George Burch, James Burns, George A. Boyiugton, Alvah B. Chissom,§ Levi Cole,t John Conklin,§ John Cummings, Eben B. Danes,! William H. Dubois,^ A. R. Feagles,§ Daniel W. Finch,t John H. Frost,t John H. Garrison,! Barnard F. Gel-
* Killed. tWouuded. JDied. | Deserted.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 73
der," William Hainer, Francis A. Harford,:}: John Harris, James Henderson, f Abner Henries, § William Henries,:}: James R. Hibbard,:|: William P. House, Neil Kell}^ Russell A. Lincoln, Orson R. Linkletter, David Little, John C. Mace, Patrick Manley, John D. Maynard, George W. McKnight, Arthur W. Middleton,t George MiUis,t Charles E. Moore, Henry O. Moore, Alexander Moshier,t Lewis Murphy, Charles M. Nicholson,* John J. Oakley, Alfred C. 01ds,t David H. Paris, Peter F. Paris,! John W. Parker,t Harlow F. Parsons,:!: Lewis T. Partridge, Francis E. Pool,t Robert H. Pool,* William J. Pool, Charles H. Powers,! Calvin L. Reed, Sidney E. Rice, William Robinson, § James Ryan, Al- bion C. Sheppardjt Cyrus Sherwood, AVilliam H. Shoe- maker,! Spencer Slingerland, Charles W. Sterling, George T. Stevens,§ William W. Strobridge,! Charles P. Strong, David D. Taylor, David E. Taylor,! James Taylor, David O. Tears, Thomas Tobin,""^' Isaac Traverse,:!: Spencer Turner,§ Alexander Turner,:}: Phineas Tyler,! William R. Tyndall,* Thaddeus B. Twitcliell,'" John Vaughn, James E. Warner, Charles E. Waters, Martin Youngs.
Company B. — ^ William Augustus Coleman, Captain; Rich- ard A. Bassett, First Lieutenant (promoted to Captain,) ; Meletiah H. Lawrence, Jr., t Second Lieutenant; Oscar C. Squires,t First Sergeant ; T. Spencer Harrison, Second Ser- geant; Erasmus E. Bassett,* Third Sergeant; Henry P. Cook," Fourth Sergeant; Henry O. Childs,§ Fifth Sergeant; Edwin Jessup,t First Corporal ; William McAllister, Second Corporal ; Edward Knapp,t Third Corporal ; Martin V. Mc- Carrick,.!: Fourth Corporal ; Elias A. Norris," Fifth Corporal ; George Chapman,* Sixth Corporal; Samuel A. Nichols,* Seventh Corporal; Henry S. Nichols,t Eighth Corporal; Privates, William H. Armstrong,!' Charles W. Austin,§ Mel- vin Bunce,* Rollin G. Beach,* William P. Bowen,:t James F. Butler,§ James Badger,§ Oreu Bates, t Andrew Brace, Reu- ben Bullock,'!" Nathan D. Beeden,t John Blansett,t James M. Booth, t Moses U. Booth,t Isaac Bellis,* William Cassion,t Edwin Coryell, t Benjamin F. Chase, Isaac P. DePew, Charles H. Dunniug,t George W. Davis,* Oren Edgett,! Rowland
*Kilied. t Wounded. J Died. ^Deserted.
74 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
LeRoj Embree," Horace F. Eilis/^ John W. Finger, Morti- mer Garrison,* Charles W. Gaylortl,* James H. Griggs, James K. P. Huson,* Christopher Hoaghtailing,'^ George Hays,§ Will L. Hobart,* William A. Hays,§ Amos V. Hough- tailing,! Charles M. Hyatt,t Ellsworth Haight,;j: Egbert C. Hopkins,t Frank R. Hamlin, Alexander H. Honghtailing,§ Charles C. Hicks, t James E. Hicks,t Joseph Hollowell,* James H. Lathyt, Luther C. Lott,t Richard H. Miles, Nel- son Millis,! James H. Moshier, Edgar F. Millard, Anson Mat- thews,! Thomas T. McCarrick,t George Moore, Elias A. Norris, Peter M. Norman, t John H. Osborne, Caleb J. Os- borne,§ Charles R. Pinneo, Franklin S. Pettiugill,t David Perigo,§ Stephen C. Purdy,t Orren Potter, Amos J. Potter, f Andrew Putnam,:}: Albert A. Quick,* William Raymond,* John Nelson Rooney, Joseph B. 8nyder,§ Orlando B. Smith! Albert S. Sprague,! Wilber F. Stanton, Robert B. Sutton,! Charles P. Stevens, Asa Sherwood,* Charles A, Seward,§ Albert Thomas, Lewis Trimmer,* George Tyler,* Joseph R. Tuttle,-^- John R. Tuttle,* William H. Thomas,! James H. Updike, James E. Walker,§ Jerry Wall, Josiah Wolf,§ Richard Wheaten, David J. Wilkin,! Luther Weaver.!
Company C. — Albert F. Dow and Myron C. Morse, both transferred from Company A.
Company D. — Henry W. Bradt, Charles W. Ford,* Deca- tur A. Hedges,! Albert A. Murdock, Eugene M. Smith. t
Company E. — John H. Brough,! Second Lieutenant (pro- moted Captain) ; Fayette Green,! First Sergeant ; John F. Randolph'!" (enlisted Private and promoted Corporal, Ser- geant, Sergeant-Major, First Lieutenant, and Adjutant); Charles E. Raymond, Musician ; Privates, Aaron H. Abeel, Jewett Benedict, Robert D. Blauvelt,! Albert L. Bogart, Jerome Brink, Taylor Brink, James A. Creed,! Jonathan Creed,! Thereon T. Dunn,! Alonzo Harris,! Franklin R. Knapp,§ John Olf,"" Edwin Palmer,! Henry Runyan, Sher- man AV. Robinson,! Byron W. Scott,! Stephen Walker, Henry Wilson.*
* Killed. tWouuded. jDied. ^Deserted.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 75
Company F.— Jolm M. Banlen,;!. Eli M. Hazlet,t and Ab- ner W. Shearman.
Company G. — Frederick Stewart, First Lieutenant; De- Witt C. Farriugtou, Sergeant Major; Privates, William Bain,§ John Barron, t Patrick Bulger,! James Collins, John P. Cul- ver, Daniel Day,* John Dunnigan,* Frank Dunnigan," John Duffy, Byron K. Feagles,* Jacob Goodsell, George Henry, § David J. Hoffman,! Daniel Mead,§ James Place, t Norman Potts,:!: A. J. Piali)h,t Milfred I\ector,t John Bector,:|: James Sn3'der,:j: Charles B. Shaw,:}: James Toms.§
Company H. — Justus H. Cooley, Jr.,:}: Corporal; Privates, Nathaniel J. Briggs, Abijah DePew.
Company I. — George Donnelly, private.
Company K. — William L. Criscadon,t Corporal ; Privates, John C. Adams,'"'' George W. Erwin,t George V. Harris, James Norman, § Hiram Wilson.
COLORS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH, N. Y. V.
The beautiful flag presented by the patriotic ladies of the Twenty-sixth Senatorial District on the organization of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment having fallen into the hands of the enemy by the surrender of Harper's Ferry, as already narrated,t the second stand of colors was received from the Government upon the return of the regiment to Virginia, after its exchange, and in the ffrst battle in which the colors were borne (Gettysburg) they received seven mus- ket shots and were twice torn by shells.
In that dreadful charge of the Third Brigade, on the 2d of July, 1863, the flag was carried by Sergeant Erasmus E. Bassett, of Company B, and almost in the moment of victory it was seen to falter, for its bearer was shot throiigh the leg, but it did not fall. Rallying his guard and cheering those around him, the young soldier pressed on, regardless of his wound, but another shot from a Confederate, not five paces distant, pierced his heart, and he fell dead, without a strug- gle or a groan. Not unavenged, however, for a shot from Corporal B3'ron F. Scott, of Company E, one of the color guard, laid the Southerner dead by the side of his victim.
* Killed, t Wounded. J Died. | Deserted. tSee note, page 64.
76 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Upon the fall of Bassett, Sergeant Ambrose Bedell, of Company E, seized the colors and bore them through the engagement, notwithstanding a wound in the hand, and car- ried them the next day when Pickett charged our lines on Cemetery Hill, but another shot tore his hand and arm so that the colors fell from his grasp. They were seized before they touched the ground by an officer and delivered to Cor- poral Henry Mattoon, of Company D, who carried them for a few minutes, when he fell, shot through the neck and shoulder, and Private Theodore P. Vickery caught and bore them aloft for an instant, when he, too, was shot, and fell severely wounded. Yet through the smoke and blaze of battle the regiment could say, "Our Hag is still there!" For Private Lewis Clark, of Company K, a modest, delicate youth, with a slender frame, snatched the colors as they were falling, and bore them aloft in advance of the line. For this gallant act he received the commendation of General Hays, who wit- nessed it, and was promoted to a sergeantcy.
After the battle of Gettysburg Sergeant Milo H. Hopper, of Company D, took the colors and carried them through the battles of Auburn Ford, Bristow Station, Mine Run, Morton's Ford, and in the campaigns of 1864, from the Rap- idan to Petersburg, until the 9th of June at Cold Harbor, when he was appointed Sergeant-Major, and Sergeant James Harper, of Company G, took the colors and carried them until the 22d of June, 1864. On that day the Second Corps was advanced, leaving a wide gap between its left and the right of the Sixth Corps. Barlow's Division being on the left of the line, the Third Brigade, of which the One Hun- dred and Twenty-sixth New York Volunteers formed a part, was thrown forward into a partially wooded country, without support or protection upon its left. The enemy taking ad- vantage of the situation, advanced a large force around Bar- low's left and closed up on him from front, flank, and rear. Barlow himself barely escaped capture, while the larger por- tion of several of his regiments were surrounded by the enemy and made prisoners. But the Third Brigade (to which the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth belonged), under General MacDougall, fought its way out, but with great loss.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 77
Captain Morris Brown, Jr., commanding the regiment, was instantly killed, and James Harper, the color-bearer, was shot, and fell into the hands of the enemy. Theodore P. Vickery, who was wounded at Gettysburg while carrying the colors, was at hand in this time of need to bear again that battle-torn flag, but a fatal bullet pierced his body and he fell lifeless. Milo H. Hopper, who had sacredly guarded the colors through the terrible battle scenes of nearly a year unscathed, and who had so recently resigned his trust to James Harper, was also stricken down by a bullet through his right thigh, and the colors fell into the hands of the enemy. A new stand of government colors was immediately presented to the regiment, which was now reduced to sixty- seven oflicers and enlisted men present for duty.
These colors were carried by Sergeant Covert Barnum, of Company C, until the close of the war, and were then re- turned to the Government, by whose order they were trans- ferred to the Governor of the State of New York and are now deposited in the Bureau of Militar}' Statistics at Albany.
CHAPTER VIL
The Eighth, Twentieth, and Twentj'-Second Regiments, Cavalry — The Norfolk Brigade Band — The Fifteenth and Fiftieth Regiments, En- gineers.
THE EIGHTH CAVALRY.
COLONEL Samuel J. Crooks received autliority to re- cruit a regiment of cavalry to be known as the Eighth Regiment. It was organized for a three years' service, at Rochester, Nov. 14, 1861. Companies A and G, containing recriiits from Yates County, were mustered into the United States service Nov. 23d and Nov. 28th, respectively. The regiment served in the Eighth Corps of the Army of the Po- tomac in its various campaigns in Virginia.
When Harper's Ferry was invested in September, 1862, the Eighth New York Cavalry cut its way out through the enemy's lines, capturing Longstreet's train and over one hundred prisoners. The Eighth Cavalry has the credit of opening the great three days' fight at Gettysburg — the great- est battle of the war (July 1, 2, and 3, 1863).
The Eighth Cavalry likewise performed a distinguished part, when "Little Phil" Sheridan, under Grant's orders, swept the Shenandoah Valley.* The list of engagements in which this regiment participated are as follows: In 1862, ^Vlnchester (May 25th), Harper's Ferry (Sept. 14th), An- tietam (Sept. 17th), Snicker's Gap (Oct. 27tli), Pillamount (Nov. 1st), Union (Nov. 2d), Upperville (Nov. 3d), Barber's Cross Roads (Nov. 5th), Amesville (Nov. 7th and 12th). In 1863, Freeman's Ford (April 15th), Beverly Fordf (June 9th), Middleburg (June 21st), Gettysburg (July 1st, 2d, and 3d), Williamsport (July 6th), Boonsborough (July 8th and
* " I met him at Charlestowu and he pointed out so distinctly how each army lay; what he could do the moment he was authorized, and 'ex- pressed such confidence of success that I saw there were but two words of instructions necessary — Go in ! " — General GranVs Official Report.
tin this battle the Eighth Cavalry lost its gallant Colonel, Benjamin F. Davis, and had thirteen other ofl&cers either killed or wounded.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 79
9tli), Funkstown (July lOtli), Falliug Water (July 13th), Chester's Gap (July 27th), Brandy Plains (Aug. 1st and 2d), Culpepper (Sept. 13th), Kaccoon Ford (Sept. 14th), Jack's Shop (Sept. 22d), Germania Ford (Oct. 10th), Stephensburg (Oct. 11th), Brandy Plains (Oct. 13th), Oak Hill (Oct. 15th), Bealtown (Oct. 26th), Muddy Eun (Nov. 8th), Locust Grove (Nov. 27th). In 1864, Barnard's Ford (Feb. 6th), Craig's (Church (May 5th), Yellow Tavern (May 11th), Meadow Bridge (May 12th), Hawes's Shop (June 3d), White Oak Swamp (June 13th), Malvern Hill (June 15th), Nottoway Court House (June 23d), Eoanoke Station (June 25th), Stoney Creek (June 28th), Winchester (Aug. 16th), Summit Point (Aug. 25th), Opequan (Sept. 19th), Front Eoyal, (Sept. 21st), Tom's Brook (Oct. 9th), Cedar Creek (Oct. 19th), Back Eoad (Nov. 12th). In 1865, Five Forks (April 1st), Appomattox (April 9th). II The Eighth Cavalry, then commanded by Colonel Edmund M. Pope, was mustered out at Alexandria, Ya., June 27tli, 18<)5.
The following were the Yates County recruits in Com- panies A and G:
Company A. — Alfred E. Miller, Second-Lieutenant; Neadham Northrup, Farrier and Blacksmith ; Jerome M. Doubleday,:{: Sergeant; William H. Anderson,!" Corporal; Frank A. Thompson, Corporal; Privates, Eobert B. Dike- man, James Dowuey,§ Edward Easliug,!' Daniel Gage, John Lassen," Charles P. Stevens, John YanHorn.
Company G. — Frank O. Chamberlain, First-Lieutenant; Elias Y. Eugar, First-Sergeant, promoted to Captain ; Wil- liam H. H. Page, Sergeant; Oscar J. Bassett,! Corporal; E. Delafield Dwelle,:}". Corporal; Ebeuezer Washburn, Sad- dler; Levett C. Page, Wagoner; Privates, Henry T. Barnes, Warren O. Card, George I. Cronk, John W. Davis, Wil- liam DeScham, Daniel Hull, Avery Ingraham, Aaron Lam- eraux, George W. Molatt, Ashel L. Nichols, Thomas S. Powers, Edwin A. Scott, Theodore M. Stearns, Charles Stearns, Arnold Walbridge, Thomas Waller, Charles H. Warren.
II New York in the War of the Rebellion. * Killed, t Wounded. J Died. ^Deserted.
80 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
THE TWENTIETH CAVALRY.
The Twentieth Regiment of Cavah-y, otherwise known as the McClellan Cavalry, was organized and mustered by companies into the service of the United States for three years at Sackett's Harbor ; Company L, in which were re- cruits from Yates County, being mustered in at that place Sept. 22, 1863. The regiment left the State Sept. 23d, and served in the Twenty-second Corps, and afterwards in the Eighteenth Corps of the Army of the Potomac, during the campaign of 1864. The Twentieth Cavalry was then trans- ferred to the Arni}^ of the James, and served in the division commanded by General Kautz during the Appomattox cam- paign, and was mustered out at Manchester, Ya., July 31, 1865. During its term of service this regiment took part in the following engagements: In 1864, Smithfield (Feb. 1st), Suffolk (Feb. 20th), Currituck (April 23d), Chuckatuck (June 6th), Wood's Mills Hill (June 24th), South Quay (July 3d), Winton (July 29th), Guiam's Ford (Aug. 12th), Jamestown Island (Sept. 3d), Murfree's Depot (Oct. 16th). In 1865, Darbytown Road (Jan, 13th), Campaign of the Car- olinas (March 1st to March 26th), Five Forks (April 1st), Fall of Petersburg (April 2d), Deep Creek (April 3d and 4th) Rice's Station (April 6th), Burke's Station (April 7th), Appomattox Court House (April 9th).*
Company L, after entering the service, was consolidated with Company M and was known as such. The officers and men from Yates County in this company were as follows :
Frederick Stewart, Captain ; H. Clay Stewart, First-Lieu- tenant; Charles E. Hyatt, Orderly; Privates, Charles W. Austin, John W. Austin, Melvin Brown, Patrick Brennan, Peter Cain, George Gray, Williau Kinne}", Frederick M. Klise, George Leonard, Augustus McKinne}^ Samuel Whitehead, Myron H. Watrous, Arthur C. Weare.
THE TWENTY-SECOND CAVALRY.
The Twenty-second Regiment of Cavalry was organized at Rochester and mustered by companies into the United States service for three years. Company A, recruited in
* New York in the War of the Rebellion.
THE MILITARY HISTOHY OF YATES COUNTY. 81
part ill Yates Couutj, was mustered in at Rochester, Dec. '20, 1863. In March, 1864 the regiment left the place of rendezvous for the front, and served in the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac 'through the Wilderness cam- paign,* and afterwards in the Shenandoah Valley campaign, under the chief command of General Philip H. Sheridan. The Twenty-second Cavalry, commanded by Colonel H. B. Reed, was mustered out Aug. 1, 1865, at Winchester, Va. The regiment, while in service, took part in the following engagements: In 1864, Ellis Ford (Jan. 12th), Wilderness (May Tith to May 7th), Spottsylvania (May 8tli to May 21st), North Anna (May 22d to May 26tli), Tolopotomy (May 27th to May 31st), Cold Harbor (June 1st to June 12th), Chicka- hominy (June 13tli), White Oak Swamp (June 14th), Mal- vern Hill (June 15th), Kings and Queens' Court House (June 18th), Diiiwiddie Court House (June 22d), Nottoway Creek (June 23d), Stanton Bridge (June 25th), Blackwater (June 27tl]), Stoney Creek Station (June 28th), Reams Sta- tion (June 29th to June 30th), Smithfield (Aug. 21st), Win- chester Turnpike (Aug. 18tli),Cliarlestown (Aug. 21st), Kear- neysville (Aug. 25th), Winchester and Ashby Gap Turnpike (Sept. 1st), Berryville (Sept. 3d), White Post (Sept. 13th), Snicker's Gap (Sept. 17th), Opequan (Sept. 19th), Front Royal (Sept. 21st), Luray Valley (Sept. 22d), Staunton (Sept. 26th), Waynesborough (Sept. 28th), North River (Oct. 3d to Oct. 5th), Brook's Gap (Oct. 6th), Tom's Brook (Oct. 9th), Cedar Creek (Oct. 13th), Ninevah (Nov. 12th), Rood's Hill (Nov. 22d), Moorfield Pike (Nov. 30th), Lacy Springs (Dec. 21st). In 1865, Holly Springs (March 4th), New Market (March 6th), Rood's Hill (March 7th).t
In Company A were the following citizens of Yates Coun- ty, recruited by Lieutenant (afterwards Captain) Henry P. Starr, brother of the Rev. Frederick Starr, Jr.: Amos E.
*On the morning of June 30, 1864, Jared Henry Olnistead, George Barrett, Amos E. Wheeler, and L,lewellyn Baxter, all of the 22d Cavalry, were taken prisoners near Stoney Creek, Va. Fred Henning was also taken prisoner, but escaped. Jared Henry Olmstead was taken to Libby Prison, and afterwards to Andersonville, Ga., where he died on the 25th of August, 1864.
t New York in the War of the Rebellion.
82 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Wheeler, Corporal ; Lewis Moore, Sergeant ; Privates, George Barrett,!' Llewellyn Baxter,!' Frederick Eaves,"' Jo- seph Ham, Frederick Henning, Miles B. Hodge,i' Jacob Hodge, t George W. Moxcey, Jared Henry Olmstead,!' Tru- man Slater, Miles T. Terrill. Company G, John Carr, pri- vate.
THE NORFOLK BRIGADE BAND.
At all military posts of any consequence the army regula- tions directed that bands should be stationed. Under such regulations Major Hanford Struble received orders in De- cember, 1862, from General B. F. Butler, to enlist a post band, to be stationed at Norfolk, Ya. Major Struble came North and enlisted into the service the Brass Band of Dun- dee. This band was mustered in at Elmira, Jan. 4, 1863. From Elmira the band went by rail to Baltimore, and by steamer from Baltimore to Norfolk. The members of this band at the time of enlistment were as follows: John Shoe- maker, (Leader, with the rank of First Lieutenant,) E flat soprano; Stephen Bennett, first B flat cornet; Darius B. Perry, second B flat cornet ; Melville R. Perry, baritone ; Nicholas Christler, first alto ; Jewett Benedict, E flat alto ; Charles Post, second tenor; Osborne Clark, B flat, base; Oliver H. Perry, E flat, base ; Dr. John Hamilton Shaw, E flat base; Martin Beeman, second E flat soprano; Clarence Smith, E flat, base ; Anthony Sellen, base drum ; Charles E. Bassett, side drum ; Thomas F. Willis, cymbals. Some changes afterward took place in membership, and in other respects. Dr. John Hamilton Shaw was discharged for physical disability, and died at AVatkins July 7, 1864, on his way home. Charles E. Bassett died at Norfolk on the 2yth of June of the same year, at the early age of fifteen years, and was succeeded as snare drummed b}^ William H. Glad- ding, who was transferred for the purpose from Company M of the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery.
The quarters occupied by the Norfolk Post Baud (also known as the Norfolk Brigade Band) during its stay in that city was a commodious brick house on South Catharine
* Killed, t Died.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 83
Street, formerly owned by the Confederate General Taylor, and which had been confiscated by the Government. The parade ground, where the musicians composing this band would generally play, was located on Freemason and Cum- berland Streets. Their melody was also heard at Fortress Monroe, Hampton, AVeldon, Petersburg, and other places. They were mustered out at Norfolk July 9, 18G5. From Norfolk they went by steamer to Baltimore, and thence by rail to their homes. Their excellent plajang had made them during their stay in Norfolk, popular favorites, and it was with real regret that the residents saw them leave."
THE FIFTEENTH ENGINEERS.
The Fifteenth Regiment of Engineers, Colonel J. McLeod Murphy commanding, was first organized in New York City and there mustered into the service of the United States for two years, June 17, 1861. In November, 18G4, the regiment was re-organized by the addition of seven new companies, F, G, H, I, K, L, and M.
Companies H, I, K, and L were composed of recruits originally enlisted for the Fiftieth New York Engineers. In Companies I and K were recruits from Yates County, who joined the Fiftieth at Avon. From Avon they went by way of Elmira to Baltimore, where they sta3'ed a few days and were then sent by transport to City Point. At this place they were transferred from the Fiftieth to the Fifteenth Eu-
The Norfolk (Va.) Post of July 12, 1865, thus expressed a public seu- timent: " Departure ok the Post band. — We regret to have to inform the lovers of good music, and who does not love music, that the Post Band, which, for the past two years, has catered for the musical taste of our citizens, has been discharged from the service and left for home. This will be a sore loss to our citizens and one that will be felt. On Sat- urday night, previous to their departure, they serenaded a number of their warm friends in the city, among them Mr. Cook, who invited them into his house and did the honors. They next paid a visit to the hos- pitable mansion of Mr. Smith, who, after they had played several fare- well airs, entertained them in a magnificent style till a late hour.
This baud has won golden opinions among the people of Norfolk, and leave regretted by all. Their leader, Mr. John Shoemaker, and the sec- ond leader, Mr. Bennett, were especially the favorites of the community, and bear with them the most friendly feelings and best wishes of our peo- ple. Notwithstanding we are indebted to them a great deal, they have left many notes behind which it will take some time to collect."
84 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
gineers. They were statioDed during the winter of 1864-'65 in front of City Point, and were engaged in working on the fortifications known as the Nine Mile Works. After the fall of Petersburg (April 2, 1865) they went, by transport, up the James River to Richmond, taking seventy pontoons, and there laid a pontoon bridge across the river. This pon- toon bridge was intended to take the place of the regular bridges burned by the Confederates when Richmond was evacuated. The pontoon bridge that was then laid extend- ed from Richmond to Belle Isle, and from Belle Isle to Manchester. They remained at Richmond, doing guard duty on this bridge, for thirty days, and were then ordered to march to Washington. At Washington they were mus- tered out, receiving final pay and discharge at Elmira June 15, 1865.
The Yates County recruits in these companies were as follows: Company I, Harlan P. Bush, John L. Bronson, Joseph E. Lewis, James Spencer, Charles M. Whitney, Al- bert T. Wilson. Company K, Martin E. Arnold, Abel Briggs, Barrett A. Boyd, Norton Conley, Joseph Eaves, Jacob Goodsell, John Jones, Norman A. Parshall, George
B. Parshall, Peter Race, John Philbrook, Edward Sheri- dan, Peter Smith, Benjamin Taylor, Rodney Tupper, James H. Warner, Alonzo Weller.
THE FIFTIETH ENGINEERS.
Colonel (afterwards Brigadier General) Charles B. Stuart received authority July 26, 1861, to recruit a regiment of in- fantry, which was organized at Elmira, and was designated Sept. 20th as the Fiftieth Regiment of Infantry. Companies A and E, containing recruits from Yates County, were mus- tered in the service of the United States for three years, re- spectively, Sept. 18th and Aug. 20th. Company M (a new company) joined the command in Feb. 1864. The regiment left the place of rendezvous at Elmira for the front Sept. 20, 1861, and after serving as Infantry at Washington, D.
C, was, on the 22d of October, converted into an engineer regiment, and was designated as the Fiftieth New York En- gineers. It was also commonly known as Stuart's Engi- neers. The regiment served with distinction from March,
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 85
1862, ill the volunteer brigade of engineers, Army of the Potomac, laying pontoon bridges when required, and per- forming other engineer duty. At the crossing of the Rap- pahannock, in the opening of the Fredericksburg campaign, the Fiftieth Engineers laid three pontoon bridges under a heavy and deadly fire from the enemy's sharpshooters*
*"It was a most solemn scene, those brave engineers, (50th New York) pushing their pontoons out upon the ice, and fearlessly moving them around in the water to their proper positions. Any moment might ter- minate their existence. They were upon the very threshhold of eternity. Passing along the opposite bank, or grouped around the picket fires, were to be seen the rebel sentinels, almost within pistol-shot. Occasionally they would stop a moment to view our operations, then resume their beat as unconcernedly as if nothing unusual was transpiring. The bridge was headed directly for one of their fires. Nearly one quarter of it was completed without interruption, when, suddenly, as the Court House clock struck five, two signal guns boomed away in the distance, and were immediately followed by a sharp volley of musketry. Lieutenant-Colonel Bull, two Captains, and several men fell dead; others tumbled headlong into the water and sank to the bottom, or were rescued by their brave comrades and brought bleeding and dripping to the shore. We were not unprepared for this. Before the enemy had time to re-load, our artillery planted on the bluffs overhead, and infantry drawn up along the river's bank, returned a heavy fire upon the buildings in which the sharpshooters were secreted. * * * * It did not seem possible that any animate thing could have survived this bombardment ; and there were in fact no signs of life visible ; but no sooner had the engineers again resumed operations than they were greeted with a fresh shower of bullets. How the sharp- shooters had managed to live through all that fire and smoke was to us almost a miracle. Yet they were alive, and as plucky as ever, and our gunners returned to their work. General Burnside now almost despaired of effecting a crossing. Nothing but some brilliant coup-de-inain would accomplish it. He accordingly decided upon sending a body of men over in boats who should rush suddenly upon the concealed foe, and hunt them from their holes. The 7th Michigan and 19th Massachusetts were designated for this purpose. The gallant fellows never flinched from the duty assigned them, but, taking their places in the pontoons, pushed bravely out into the stream, regardless of the rapid volleys of musketry which were poured into them. In a moment they had gained the oppo- site shore, and fearlessly sweeping up the bank, dashed into the houses, and shot, bayoneted or captured the small force which had occasioned us so much trouble and delay. A hundred dark, swarthy Alabamians and Mississippians were brought back, amidst the wildest cheers of the spec- tators who had witnessed the heroic act." — ^^ Story of the ^^d N. V. VoVs, or Two Vears' Campaigning in Virginia and Maryland ,'' by Da- vid W.Judd.
86 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
(Dec. 11, 1862.) Stuart's Eugiueers served in their partic- ular capacity in Virginia until the close of the War, and, commanded by Colonel William H. Pettis, with Major Ira Spauldiug, second in command, were mustered out at Fort Bany, Va., June 13 and 14, 1865.
The engagements in which the Fiftieth Engineers took part were as follows: In 1862, Siege of Yorktown (April 12th to May 4th), Seven Days' Battles (June 25th to July 2d), Fredericksburg (Dec. 11th to Dec. 15th). In 1868, Pol- lock's Mill Creek (April 29th to May 2d), Chancellosville (May 3d), Bank's Ford (May 4th) Deep Run (Juue 5th), Mine Run Campaign (Nov. 26th to Dec. 2d). In 1864, Wil- derness (May 5th to May 7th), Spottsylvania (May 8th to May 21st), North Anna (May 22d to May 26th), Tolopotomy (May 27th to May 31st), Cold Harbor (June 1st to June 12th). In 1865, Deep Bottom (Jan. 27th to Jan. 29th), Hatcher's Run (Feb. 5th to Feb. 8th), White Oak Road (March 28th to March 31st), Fall of Petersburg (April 2d), Appomattox Court House (April 9th)."
The enlistments from Yates County in companies A and E were as follows:
Company A — J. Loren Robbins, Second Lieutenant ; Francis M. Halloran, Sergeant ; Daniel M. Hulse, Sergeant; James Campbell, Corporal ; John H. Harrison, Corporal. Privates, Mortimer Adams, Albert Armstrong, James P. Ans- ley, George Beeman, Kingsbury M. Bennett, John Brown, (promoted to Lieutenant,) John Burns, John A. Butler, Or- rin A. Burrill, John Campbell, Rowland Champliu, Roswell S. Clark, Robert N. Coons, Theodore Criscadon, Hugh Cris- cadon, William C. Davenport, James Durham, James H. Dunham, Thomas Evans, Daniel J. Fitzer, Abram Freden- burg^ Sylvester Fredenburg, George B. Gray, Charles G. Gottfried, Michael Halloran, Zachariah S. Helm, Weitzel M. Henderson, Hiram Hibbard, Henry V. L. Jones, James H. Kelly, James F. Lake, Edward Lewis, Jesse Lott, Alonzo T. Lyon, James Mace, Nelson Madison, John W. McFarland, Stephen Matterson, Thomas Miller, James M. Miller, Edwin Miller, Asa Phelps, William Poyneer, Sidney E. Reynolds,
*Ne\v York in the War of the Rebellion.
THE MILITAEY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 87
John R. Robiuson, Joel Tomer, Richard M. Turner, John Turner, Henry Turner, Cornelius Van Huysen, Joseph G. Watkins, R. Wesley Welch, Leauder S. Whitehorn, Henry AVilliams, Joseph Worden, Charles Wright.
Company E — Privates, John H. Brewer, Andrus H. Carr, Arnold Dawes, Hiram W. Lawhead, Philip R. Loder.
Company G — Melville D. Miller, private, also artificer; D. Brewster Sayre, private.
Company M — Asa Hedge, private.
CHAPTER VIII.
The One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment of Infantry.
IMPORTANT service to the Nation was rendered during the Great Civil War by the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment, New York Vohmteers, which was raised in the coun- ties of Yates, Ontario, and Seneca, and organized September 14, 1862. At the time of its organization the field and staff officers were as follows: Colonel, William Johnson, Seneca Falls; Lieutenant-Colonel, George M. Guion, Seneca Falls; Major, John B. Murray, Seneca Falls; Adjutant, Henry T. Noyes, Starkey; Quartermaster, Albert Woodruff, Lodi; Surgeon, Henry Simmons, Canandaigua; First Assistant Surgeon, C. H. Carpenter, Phelps; Second Assistant Sur- geon, Frank Seelye, Rushville.
In Yates County were recruited Companies B, F, and I.* Of these the following were the line officers : Company B. — Captain, Hiram T. Hewitt; First Lieutenant, Hanford Stru- ble ; t Second Lieutenant, George W. Waddell. Company F. — Captain, Harvey G. Gardner; First Lieutenant, Melviu D. Wilson; Second Lieutenant, Aaron J. Cook. Company I. — Captain, Martin S. Hicks; First Lieutenant, John Coo- ley; Second Lieutenant, Morgan D. Tracy, 2d.:l:
The One Hundred and Forty-eighth left the place of ren- dezvous at Camp Swift, Geneva, on the 22d of September. The regiment, when it departed, consisted of twelve com- panies. Ten being the required number, orders were re-
*The remaining companies of the 148th Regiment were recruited as follows: Companies A, E, and H in Seneca County ; and Companies C, D, G, and K in Ontario County.
t After a few months Lieutenant Struble was appointed to a position on the staff of General Egbert Viele, with the rank of Major, and served as Provost-Marshal of the city of Portsmouth, Va. Later he served in the same capacity at Norfolk on the staff successively of Generals Barnes, Potter, Wild, and Vodges. and still later as permanent aid on the staff of General George F. Shepley.
I Resigned December 28, 1862,
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 89
ceivecl, on the arrival of the command (by steamer via Seneca Lake) at Watkins, directing two of the companies to return to Geneva. The two companies that returned became, on the 3d of October, part of the Forty-fourth Regiment, N. Y. V. One of these two had been raised in Yates County, and was at tirst Company M, of the One Hundred and Forty- eighth, and later new Company C, of the Forty-fourth. Its line officers were as follows: Captain, Bennett L. Hunger; First Lieutenant, Elzer B. James; Second Lieutenant, Charles Kelly." The One Hundred and P'orty-eighth Regi- ment proceeded from Watkins by rail, arriving at Baltimore the next morning, and was there served with an excellent breakfast by the ladies of the city. The command went on to Washington, where it continued to drill for several days on Capitol Hill. It then left Washington, and, going by transport by way of Fortress Monroe, landed at Portsmouth, Va. From Portsmouth the regiment went by rail through the Dismal Swamp to Suffolk, and was there stationed on guard duty in the rifle pits. Suffolk was then being put into a state of defence by the Union forces commanded by General John J. Peck, of Syracuse. The One Hundred and Forty-eighth, after a few weeks, moved from the entrench- ments and encamped on Paradise Creek, near Portsmouth. The whole regiment then relieved the Nineteenth Wisconsin and moved and went into camp, part in Portsmouth and part across the river in Norfolk. The different companies composing the One Hundred and Forty-eighth were for a considerable time on detached duty, but were again collected together and all encamped in the court-house yard in Norfolk and in other parts of the town. Here they remained until the opening of. the spring campaign of 18GI. The regiment then moved to Yorktown, and became part of the Second Brigade of the Second Division of the Army of the James, under the chief command of General B. F. Butler.
The advance of this army up the James river began on the 4th of May, 18GI. The One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment, going by transport, arrived and landed with the rest of the troops at Bermuda Hundred. Skirmishes with
*See Page 51.
90 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
the euemy occurred at Clover Hill on the 8th, and at Swift Creek on the 12th. Early in the morning of the 16th, dur- ing a heavy fog, a sudden and sharp attack was made upon our forces in front of Drury's Bluff" by the Confederates under Beauregard. The Union troops fought bravely and obtained some advantage, but Butler, evidently under a mis- apprehension, ordered a retreat. Another skirmish in which the One Hundred and Forty-eighth took part occurred on the 26th at Port Walthall Junction. General Butler's whole army returned to its entrenchments at Bermuda Hundred, from which position no offensive movement in the direction desired could possibly be attempted, as the enemy, intrench- ing strongly in his front, thus covered the railroads, the city, and all that was valuable to him. His army, therefore, though in a position of great security, was as completely shut off from further operations directly against Eichmond as if it had been in a bottle strongly^corked. It required but a comparatively small force of the enemy to hold it there. t
The position at Bermuda Hundred could, according to the opinion of General Grant, be held by a less force than But- ler had under him, therefore, on the 24th of May, the Eigh- teenth Corps, in which was included the One Hundred and Forty-eight Regiment, was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac. The corps commander at that time was General
*The rebel plan, of massing brigade after brigade in line of battle and hurling them in rotation against us, was here tried, with very bad results. General Smith, with that forethought which is characteristic of him, an- ticipating some such move on the part of the enemy, had ordered a large quantity of telegraph wire to be intertwisted among the trees and under- growth which lay in front of our position. Wister and Burnham received the order and obeyed it. Heckman failed, unfortunately, to get it. When, therefore, the rebels charged upon our intrenchments in the dull light, hundreds of them were tripped down and unable to tell the cause. As they lay upon the ground, our musketry-fire kept many of them from ever rising more. As with the first line, so with the second. They met the same fate. The third line fared no better, and this simple agency of a telegraphic wire, interlaced among the trees, played more havoc in the rebel ranks than anything else. The dead lay like autumn leaves before the front of Wister and Burnham. — Headley's History of the Great Re- bellion, Vol. 2.
t General Grant's Official Report.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 91
W. F. Smith, familiarly known as "Baldy" Smith, and who had formerly commanded a brigade, of which the Thirty- third New York Volunteers had formed a part. The One Hundred and Forty-eighth joined the Army of the Potomac by way of the White House, to Avhich place it arrived by transport, passing down the James and up the York river. The regiment, then commanded by Colonel George M. Guiou, participated in the battle of Cold Harbor (June 3, 1864.) In the sanguinary contests in front of Petersburg a prominent part was taken by the One Hundred and Forty- eighth, particularly in the fight at Rowlett's House on the 15tli. At the Mine Explosion, on the morning of July 30tli, the regiment, Avith its division, was ordered forward to the support of the attacking column that charged into the Cra- ter. On the 29th of September the very strong fortifications and entrenchments below Chapin's Farm on the north' side of the James, and known as Fort Harrison, were carried, in an attack by the Eighteenth Corps, led by General E. O. C. Ord. The regiment distinguished itself in this action, and proved to all that its designation as "The Gallant One Hun- dred and Fortj'-eighth " was well deserved. In the assault on Fort Gilmore, however, on the next day, a repulse fol- lowed. At the second battle of Fair Oaks, fought October 27tli, the regiment suffered severely in killed and wounded. In the beginning of November the One Hundred and Forty- eighth Regiment was detailed, with other forces, to accom- pany General Butler to New York City, for the purpose of keeping order on election day, as it was anticipated that a riot Avould take place on that occasion.* The regiment, on its return to the seat of war, encamped at Deep Bottom, on the James, where it remained during the winter of ISGl-'GS. The final campaign opened in the spring of 1865, the One Hundred and Forty-eighth taking part in the engagement of March 31st at Hatcher's Run.
On Sunday, the 2d of April, a grand assault was made by the whole army on the entire line of the enemy's fortifica- tions to the south of Petersburg. The Confederates made a
*The troops during their stay remained on board their transports in the harbor, to be ready if needed.
92 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
brave and determined resistance at various points along the line of tlieir intrenchments, particularly at Fort Gregg, but they were overcome and the fort captured by a gallant charge, in which the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Eegi- ment bore a noble share. General Sheridan, with an over- whelming force, had already swept around from the left, when the enemy gave it up and fled in confusion, leaving in our hands their guns and a great many prisoners. That night both Petersburg and Richmond were evacuated.
On the following morning the portion of the army under command of General Weitzel marched into Richmond, with bands playing and colors flying.* The enemy in their re- treat had fired the city, and a heavy conflagration Avas then ragiug.t Among the subordinate officers, who, at that time,
*Headley's History of the Great Rebellion, Vol. 2.
fThe very remarkable scene, which was on that morning presented, is thus described by E. A. Pollard, the Southorn historian : " By 10 o'clock, when several thousands of the [Federal] enemy had marched into the city, the scene had become fearfully sublime. It was a scene in which the horrors of a great conflagration struggled for the forepart of the pic- ture, while the grand army, brilliant with steel and banners, breaking into the circle of fire with passionate cheers, and the crash of triumphant martial music, dazzled the spectator and confounded his imagination. The flames had already spread over the chief business portion of the city, brands were flying toward the capitol, and it seemed at one time as if the whole of Richmond would be destroyed — that the whole wicked city would rush skyward in a pyramid of fire. A change in the wind, how- ever, drove back the fire from the high plateau above Franklin Street, where, if the flames had once lodged, they would soon have traversed the length and breadth of the city. * * * All that was terrible in sounds was added to all that was terrible in sights. While glittering regiments carried tlieir strong lines of steel through the smoke; while smoke- masked robbers fought for their plunder; while the lower streets ap- peared as a great pit of fire, the crater of destruction ; while alarmed cit- izens, who had left their property a ruin or a spoil, found a brief repose on the sward of the Capitol Square, whose emerald green was already sown with brands— the seeds of fire that the merciless wind had sown to the very door of the capitol ; while the lengthening arms of the confla- gration appeared to almost reach around those who had fled to the pic- turesque hill for a breath of fresh air — sounds as terrible and more vari- ous than those of battle assailed the air and smote the already overtaxed imagination. There were shells at the Confederate arsenal exposed to the fire, from the rapid progress of which they could no longer be res- cued, and for hours the explosion of these tore the air and shook the
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY, 93
entered Richmond, was General George F. Sliepley, whose chief of staff at the time was Major Hanford Struble, of Yates County.* President Lincohi, who had beeu at Cit}' Point, also visited Richmond in the course of the day. Dur- ing the remainder of the week, the enemy (who, after the fall of Richmond, had retreated towards Dansville,) were hotly pursued, and the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Reg- iment was again in action on the 6th at Rice's Station.!" On the 9th of April Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, While in Richmond, after the surrender, the One Hundred and Fort^-eighth had the pleasure of greeting (Ma}^ 7th) the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth New York Volunteers, in which regiment a large proportion of the members were from the Couniy of Yates, The One Hun- dred and Forty-eighth Regiment was mustered out at Rich- mond on the 20th of June, The veterans who had com- posed the command then went b}' transport to Baltimore, and from Baltimore to Elniira, where they received final pa}" and discharge, July 3, 1865, From Elmira they went to their several homes, having performed for their country a service that will ever stand high in public estimation.
The field and staff officers of the One Hundred and Forty- eighth, at the time the regiment was mustered out, were as follows : Colonel, John B. Murray, Seneca Falls ; Lieuten- ant-Colonel, Fred L, Manning, Seneca Falls; Major, John Cooley, Penn Yan; Adjutant, Dewitt C, Wilber, Seneca Falls; Quartermaster, Charles S, Martin, Waterloo; Sur- geon, C, H, Carpenter; Seneca Falls ; Chaplain, Ferris Scott, Phelps; Sergeant-Major, Myers T, Webb, Dundee; Com- missary-Sergeant, Rynear Tunison, Lodi ; Hospital-Steward, James M, Smith, Penn Y'^an; Principal Musician, George Beebe, Penn Yan.
houses in their vicinity. Crowds of negroes roamed through the streets, their wild, coarse voices raised in hymns of jubilation, thanking God for their freedom, and a few steps further might be heard the blasphemous shouts of those who fought with the red-handed fire for their prey." — Life of Jefferson Davis, zvith a Secret History of the Confederacy.
*See note 2, page 88.
t Lieutenant Caleb G. Jackson, of Company I, was killed in this engage- ment, being the last man killed belonging to the regiment.
94 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Line Officers. — Company B, Captain, H. H. Hopkins ; Company F, Captain, Aaron J. Cook ; First Lieutenant, Fred P. Cook ; Company I, Captain, Edward Cole ; Second Lieutenant, Luther S. Meeker.
The muster-in roll of Companies B, F, and I is as follows : Company B. — Hiram T. Hewitt, Captain ; Hanford Stru- ble, First Lieutenant; George W. Waddell, Second Lieuten- ant ; Randall G. Bacon, Orderly ; James Monroe Shoemaker, Second Sergeant; George Beebe, Third Sergeant; Legrand Terry, Fourth Sergeant ; Myers T. Webb, Fifth Sergeant ; Anson A. Raplee, First Corporal; Byron Beam, Second Corporal ; Charles Smith, Third Corporal ; Leroy Green, Fourth Corporal ; David Griswold, Fifth Corporal ; Perry W. Danes,!" Sixth Corporal; James H. Coons, Seventh Cor- poral ; John DeBolt,* Eighth Corporal ; Privates, Henry N. Armstrong,^ Samuel P. Benham, Alfred Brown, Charles W. Bush, Andrew Bradley, Henry F. Buckley, Joseph Conklin, George W. Chamberlain, Daniel Cook, Foster P. Cook, Richard Chapman, Charles Chambers, William H. Cham- bers, Harmon O. Chambers, John Clark^'' George Coons, Joseph B. Clark," Sanford B. Dickinson, Perry Dunton, Joseph A. Decker, William B. Davies, David Dunham,^ James M. Egerton, Alvin B. Eaves, James S. Ellis, Charles H. Elwood, Michael Fitzgerald, t James E. Foster, George G. Fulkerson, Lindla C. Foster, Benjamin Grace, Alfred Griswold, Charles W. Gabriel, Myron A. Guthrie, Samuel Headley, Albert Headley, Alexander P. Houghtailing, Ste- phen K. Halleck, Francis L. Hall, Freeman L. Hilliger,* John L. Headley, David Hughes, Volney S. Haff, John Kean, John H. Knapp, George Katterer,:): Jerome B. La- fever, Thomas B. Little, Elisha Lackey,| George F. Mitchell,t Warren McDuffee, John Morrison, Samuel Minard, AndreAV Morrison, Adam S. Miller, Theodore J. Murray, Thomas E. Raplee, Charles F. Rentz, Ira H. Robinson, Charles Ross, Charles Shiltz,* Lyman A. Stoll, Peter G. Swarts, Charles M. Swarthout, James M. Smith, Thomas J. Strait, Squire V. Straway, Mason Spink, Edward A. Tennant, Samuel R. Ten-
* Killed, t Wounded. fDied.
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 95
nant,|, George E. Tulbs,t James Tuttle, Joliu H. TymersGn.t Nelson E. Woodruff, James M. Witler, George M. Winaus.
Company F. — Harvey R. Gardner,! Captain ; Melvin D, Wilson, First Lieutenant; Aaron J. Cook,t Second Lieuten- ant; William S. Vorce, Orderly; Nathaniel H. Green, Sec- ond Sergeant; Frank C. Fairchild, Third Sergeant; William H. Kelsey, Fourth Sergeant ; Leroy J. Harkness, Fifth Ser- geant; Robert Mills, First Corporal; John Earl, Second Corporal ; William S. Huie, Third Corporal ; Charles W. Peters, Fourth Corporal; William N. Reddout, Fifth Cor- poral; James M. Gates, Sixth Corporal; Charles S. Van Ness, Seventh Corporal; David Crist, Eighth Corporal; Philip Walthers, Jr., Henry A. Sayre,:!: Musicians; Ezra Prouty, Wagoner; Privates, James G. Ansley, George A. Ausley,:|: Jonas Austin,§ William Blue,t George Broad- brooks," Lansford O. Babbit, John W. Barnes, Hiram H. Barnes," John H. Benedict, George W. Benedict,§ Lewis R. Carvey, Owen Conway,t John Conway, Albert W. Clark, William H. Cole, John J. Conley,| William A. Carr, John S. Caton, William H. Crocker,* Daniel Davis, Claudius C. Farr, George W. Fisher, George Ford, Joseph C. Foster, Jacob W. Fountain, William H. Fountain, William H. Fran- cisco, John C. Fox, Francis Farr, Frederick Green, Benjamin Gleason, L}- man Gray,! William Ginther,* Nathan A. Goff'," Lyman D. Green,!" Myron F. Hawley, William T, Hawley, Henry Hiltebidal,'"' George W. Hall, John Hanlon,* Jerome S. Johnson,* Jacob Korb, John J. Lawton,:}; Alanson E. Lj'on, William Lamereaux, Wilber Loomis,:j: Daniel Mc- Ginniss, AVilliam Monagle, Ashley McDonald, George N. Miller,:!: Lawrence McCumber, Willis Nicholson, Martin W. Parsons, Ezra P. Pritchard,§ George H. Parsons, John Pierce, Jacob H. Radley, Josiah Reed, Barney C. Ross, Albert I. Sharp, Charles W. Stark,!" Theodore M. Stearns, Samuel Salsbury, George Sherwood, § Joseph Sprague,!" John Shannon, John Slater,* Loyal C. Twitchell, Manlius L. Tay- lor, Franklin Thompson, Norman Taylor,* Jonathan G. Twitchell, Robert Underhill,§ Abram Yoorhees, William A. Wilson,!' William H. Wolvin, Levi Waters, Emory N. Wil-
* Killed, t Wounded. J Died. | Deserted.
96 THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
son,§ George Wright,* Isaac Wilkius, Thomas F. Wells, Charles E. Wells, Abraham Youngs.
Company I. — Martin S. Hicks, i" Captain ; John Coolej,t First Lieutenant; Morgan D. Tracy, 2d, Second Lieutenant; Edward Cole, Orderly ; Charles C. Miller,t Leonard M. Bo- hall, Caleb G. Jackson,* Oliver F. Long,t Luther S. Meeker, Sergeants; J. Harvey Randall, Richard M. Jones, John L. Potter," Lawrence Cooney, Jr.,t Walter W. Becker, George Schofield, Samuel P. Strong, William Welcher,t Corporals; Privates, George B. Alvord, Robert D. Brown, Lucius B. Bennett, Franklin D. Becker,! Isaac D. Blood, Martin But- ler, Isaac Benson,;}; William P. Blouiu, John Carr,t James B. Crouch, + Stephen Coon, William Cornell, Lorenzo D. Capell, Peter S. Conklin,"'^ Clark Castner, Ward Campbell,;}; Albert E. Dean, S. Decker, William A. Dimning,"' Patrick Dufty," Henry M. Dunbar, -' Jordan Davis,t James H. Eckersou,* Wil- liam H. Fries, t Peter Finger,^ Oliver M. Finger,! George D. Feagles," William D. Frye,* William Gallagher,! Edward L. Granger, George S. Gardner, Charles Gray, James German, Abraham Houghtailing, Henry Hurlbert,t Isaac Haunsond, Sidney House,t AVilliam Huber,! Benjamin F. Hood,t Robert Holaies, Jr., George Hillier, Luther S. Hayes, John J. Jackson,t John Keating, Stephen H. Kitch,! Dennis Lewis,! Simeon Lackey, Damon Lay,! William Matthews,! H. R. Meade,! Abraham Miller, Lewis B. Moon, Seely E. Palmatier, John D. Pool,! Lorenzo N. Pettit,! Oliver Press- ler,t Andrew J. Phelps, Willis E. Pierce,;); Otis B. Ryall,! George Robertson, Aaron D. Robertson,! Jarvis W. Randall, Lewis B. Randall, Charles H. Reno, Frank Smith,! Gideon C. Spink, Isaac Spink, Luther Sisson, Alonzo Spears,! David Sands,! Edward H. Sine,! Philip L. Shaw,! Daniel S. Shaw,§ J. H. YanBenthuysen,* Augustus Whitaker, David P. Wilcox, William Wright,§ J. J. AYright,! Charles E. Willis," Charles W. Wheeler, Lemuel Wheat, Alva H. Wheat,! John C. Youngs.§
Company E. — Ezra Feuuer, Private.
Company G. — Privates, Bennett Bogardus, Benjamin Miles.
* Killed, t Wounded. J Died, g Deserted.
CHAPTER IX.
The First Independent Battery— Batterj- B (Third Ught Artillery)— The Fourteenth and Sixteenth Heavy Artillery.
THE FIRST INDEPENDENT BATTERY.
THE First Independent Battery of Light Artillery was organized and mustered into service at Anburn, Nov. 23, 1861. It served in the Fourth Corps of the Army of the Potomac through the Peninsular Campaign, and in the Sixth Corps during the Gettysburg and AVilderness campaigns. It also served in the Shenandoah Valley and in the contests before Petersburg in the Twenty-second Corps, and again in the Sixth Corps to the close of the war. Commanded by Captain Andrew Cowan, it was honorably discharged and mustered out June 22, 1865, at Syracuse, N. Y.
The following artillerymen in the First Independent Bat- tery were from Yates County: Privates, John B. Cornell, John Lyon,* James Moon, Elijalf Townsend.
BATTERY B (THIRD LIGHT ARTILLERY).
On the 17th of December, 1861, a new company, under Captain Joseph J. Morrison, t recruited in part in Penn Yan, was mustered iuto the United States service for three years at New York. The company remained in garrison at Palace Garden in that city until the following March, when orders were received to go to the front. The company went from New York to Arlington Heights, and after being stationed in Fort Corcoran, Fort Ethan Allen, and Fort DeKalb, was sent by transport to New Berne, N. C. At this place it was converted (in May, 1862) into a light battery, and was desig- nated as Battery B, of the Third Light Artillery. This bat- tery served in the artillery brigade of the Eighteenth Corps in the expedition from New Berne to Goldsboro (Dec. 11 to 17, 1862), and participated in engagements at Little Wash-
* Wounded.
t Afterwards Colonel of the i6th Heavy Artillery.
98 THE MILITAEY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
ington, Kinston, Whitehall, Goldsboro, Hamilton, Southport Creek, and Wall's Mills. Battery B then served during 1863 and the greater part of 1864 on St. Helena Island, near Port Royal, S. C, and on Seabrook Island, Folly Island, Morris Island, Cole's Island, John's Island, James Island, and Sul- livan's Island, in and about Charleston Harbor, taking part in the seige of and assault upon Fort Wagner, and the bom- bardment of Fort Sumter and of Charleston.
In the last of November, 1864, General Foster, command- ing on the above mentioned sea islands, was directed by General Halleck to make a demonstration inland in behalf of General Sherman, who was then on his triumphant march across the State of Georgia. General Foster, taking five thousand men, ascended Broad River (in South Carolina) on steamboats, landing at Devaux Neck. The advance under General Hatch (in which Battery B was included) having been sent forward to seize the Charleston and Savannah railroad, encountered (Nov. 30th) a strong Confederate force entrenched on Honey Hill, covering the railroad. A sharp conflict ensued, which lasted till nightfall.* The Union troops were repulsed, but they succeeded in cutting the rail- road and in tiring and destroying the railroad bridge over the Coosawatchie River. Battery B was afterward stationed, for about three weeks, at Fort Pocotaligo, there meeting Sherman's army, which had taken Savannah, and was on the march northward. At the fall of Charleston, Batter}' B was among the forces that occupied the city. It then moved to Orangeburg, then to Branch ville, then to Columbia, and then back again to Charleston, embarking at that place for New York, and was mustered out July 13, 1865, at Syracuse, un- der Captain Thomas J. Mersereau.
The following soldiers from Yates County served in Bat-
* Private James H. Greening, of Batterj' B, was mortally wounded in this battle, and died at Hilton Head, S. C, on Christmas Day. The Yates Cojiuty Chronicle mentioned him as follows : "James H. Green- ing died at Hilton Head, Dec. 25th, aged 28 years. He was wounded at the battle of Honey Hill, Nov. 30th. His father, Jacob Greening, died a soldier in this war, having served in the 105th N. Y. Vols. We learn that James proved himself a good soldier, and that he also evinced him- self a kind and dutiful son by sending his wages to his mother."
THE MILITARY HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY. 99
terj B, Third Ligbt Artillery: George C.Breck, Second Lieu- tenant ; Delos C. Hubbard, Drill Sergeant ; Privates, Lee Bookstaver, Warren Brenenstull, James H. Eckerson, Wil- liam F. Edgett, Nelson Elliott, Michael Farrell, David Finger,t, Harlow Finger, James H. Greening,* George J. Greening, Sylvester Griswold, Aaron Grisvvold, Johnson Henries,'!' Albert Henries, John Hughes, Patrick Lahan, Edward M. Lester, John Light, Andrew J. Matthews, Darius Matthews, Stephen Matthews, Vosburgh McGlaugh- lin, George H. McGlaughlin,t Warren Miller,!' William H. Miller,t John S. Phelps, Charles A. Kector, John F. Rob- inson, James H. Smith, Albert Travis, Edward A. Travis, John Travis, Robert H. Wilson. Battery E, Charles Ham- mond, private.
THE FOURTEENTH ARTILLERY ( HEAVY).
The Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, Colonel Elisha G. Marshall commanding, was organized at Rochester and numbered among its members many who had previously seen two years' military service. Companies G and L, each recruited in part in Yates County, were, respectively on the 7th of December, 1863, and on the 8th of Januar}', 1864, mustered at Rochester into the United States service for three j^ears. The two companies were then ordered to re- port for duty in New York Harbor. Company G was sta- tioned at Fort Richmond and Company L at Sandy Hook, together with Compau}^ M, in which commanded George Brennan, of Yates County, as First Lieutenant, afterward promoted to Captain. These three companies, with the rest of the regiment, remained serving as heavy artillery and infantry in New York harbor until April, 1864, when orders were received to join the Army of the Potomac. The regi- ment, going by transport,