Yates County's "boys in blue", 1861-1865 : who they were and what they did

206 Pages·1926·28.174 MB·English

by  Robert H. Graham, Penn Yan, N.Y.

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Yates County’s
“BOYS IN BLUE
1861-1865
JJ
Who They Were—What They Did
Compiled by
Robert H. Graham
Penn Yanf N. Y.
/ <
To my many friends among the
“ BOYS IN BLUE ”
This Work is Dedicated
(
Introductory.
In compiling this record of the services rendered our county in the war
of the Rebellion by the men furnished by it, no effort at the general historical
has been made, only a painstaking and prosy effort to secure and record, so
far as is possible, a complete history of the individual service of each man, be
he an actual resident of the county or one who, residing elsewhere, was at-
tracted by the high bounties given by the county and individual towns. To do
this, together with securing such brief local history as was obtainable, has
been task enough, without going further. All local news prints available have
been read. The records of the Provost Marshal for the district, carefully pre-
served by his family, the census records made in each town in 1865, the writ-
ten records in the office of the Adjutant General at Albany, all have furnished
their portion of the facts, as have also the census records of the surrounding
counties. For information as to the actual residence and prior service of Penn-
sylvania bounty men, Bates’ “History of Pennsylvania Volunteers” has been
consulted. That some records remain incomplete is displeasing to the com-
piler, but many regiments failed entirely to file the proper reports at Albany.
It is proper here to note the many courtesies received at the hands of Mr.
William A. Saxton, Chief of the Bureau of Records in the office of the Adju-
tant General at Albany, and Mr. Jacob B. Stauffer, an attache of the same
division in the office of the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania. But for the
privileges extended by Mr. Saxton, this work would have been impossible.
Congressmen Norman J. Gould and John Taber have been exceedingly kind
in securing data at Washington which it otherwise would have been impossi-
ble to secure, and Hon. William J. Sears, of the 4th Florida district, has* also
procured much valuable information.
The compiler is well aware that the day for interest in Civil War matters
has long since passed, but the pleasure of securing the records has been so
great that he does not wish the results of his labors to be destroyed, so is
putting them in print.
4
YATES COUNTY’S “ BOYS IN BLUE ”
1861
Although in the fall the general government' gave a bounty of $100 to 3-
year volunteers, so far as Yates county was concerned 1861 could properly be
called the “bountyless” year. Small sums were given to some men who en-
listed late in the year, through private subscriptions, but such cases were few.
The county did offer a bonus of $2 per man to recruiting officers, if 32 or
more men were secured. Recruiting was not organized, with some responsi-
ble head. Officers were given tentative commissions at Albany, or, more fre-
quently, promised them, their final granting to depend on the number of men
they could recruit. Effort was not confined to raising Infantry companies
alone, all branches of the service being included—Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery
and Engineers—and to all the county contributed liberally of men. No men en-
listed for three months, under the call of April 15th for 75,000 militia, all those
enrolling doing so for either two or three years, under the call of May 3d for
500,000 men. There is no doubt but that the county exceeded the number of
men which formed its rightful quota under the two calls of the year, but so
little thought was given to this matter at that time, as it was here supposed,
as elsewhere, that the war would be of short duration, that it never was possi-
ble to determine to the satisfaction of those interested what the exact number
was, the county claiming many more than were allowed by the government.
This condition was also due in a measure to the many men who joined regi-
ments at the Elmira recruit camp, after enlisting at Yates county points, or
who went directly to that camp to enlist. Others enlisted at places in adjoin-
ing counties. The question of the place of credit of these men was never fully
settled. But it can be positively stated that under the two calls over 500 men
of the county enlisted.
In all regiments under the heading of the year 1861, all enlistments of
which the year date are not given were made in 1861.
33d N. Y. INFANTRY
In view of the fact that Company I, 33d Infantry, was the first fully or-
ganized body of men to leave the county, it seems no more than just that
especial mention be given it. In making an effort to do this, it becomes worthy
of note that no company which was formed here has left so perfect a record
of its early history in manuscript form, but two necessary records being
missing up to the date it entered actual service, the one being that showing
the exact date of enlistment of the men, the other, a supplemental muster roll
of the men added to the company after July 3d. In the search for complete
records of the company, much information of an official nature has been se-
cured which contradicts parts of former histories of this- organization, the
changes being principally in the matter of dates. Every possible effort has
been made to complete each individual record, through every available source
of information,
Immediately after the receipt of President Lincoln’s proclamation of
April 15th, calling for 75,000 militia volunteers, a meeting was held in Wash-
ington Hall, Penn Yan. A statement was made of the reasons for the gather-
YATES COUNTY’S “ BOYS IN BLUE
5
Ing, patriotic speeches were made, and recruits for a company called
for, a considerable number of men signing their names to a roll as volunteers.
On April 21st Charles Howe opened a recruiting station in the law office
in which he was a student, and before the evening of the 22d over 70 men had
signed the roll. On the 24th, 18 men were sent to the recruit camp at Elmira,
and others soon followed. This proved unfortunate, as the majority of these
men joined two other companies (Co. K., 3d Inf., raised at Havana, and Co. F.,
23d Inf., recruited in Elmira), which caused delay in Co. I securing the num-
ber of men needed for muster, and resulted in its arrival at Elmira after the
regiment had been informally created.
On April 25th a second meeting was held, following a street parade with
martial music, at which a considerable addition to the roll of volunteers was
made, and it was at this meeting that the name “Keuka Rifles’’ was chosen for
the company. The “application for company organization,” which follows, was
immediately sent to the Adjutant-General at Albany. It is signed by 97 men,
and its endorsement shows that it was received May 2d, and was the 54th ap-
plication for the formation of a company received. It also shows that the
company’s members had already, so far as they could do so unofficially, chos-
en their commissioned officers, a date over a week prior to any previously
given for such an election. As it shows, all enlistments were for two years.
A few enlistments secured at Elmira and elsewhere later were for the unex-
pired portion of the term of two years.
APPLICATION
for
COMPANY ORGANIZATION
Pursuant to an Act passed April 16, 1861, entitled “An Act to Authorize the Em-
bodying- and Equipment of a Volunteer Militia, and to provide for the
Public Defense.”
James M. Letts for Captain,
Penn Yan, Yates Co.
Edward E. Root for 1st Lieutenant.
William H. Long for Ensign.
S. O. 368 for Inspection
Rec'd May 2, 1861.
No. 54 Ent’d.
STATE OF NEW YORK—VOLUNTEER MILITIA.
To His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the Militia of the State of New
York:
In accordance with the provisions of the Act passed April 16, 1861, entitled
“An Act to Authorize the Embodying and Equipment of a Volunteer Militia, and
to provide for the Public Defense,” we, the undersigned, citizens of the State
of New York, have associated together as a company, to constitute a portion
of the force authorized by said Act, and hereby enlist to serve for the term of
two years, unless sooner discharged, and we hereby designate the following
persons as Company Officers, and request that they be commissioned as such.
J. M. Letts for Captain.
E. E. Root for 1st Lieut.
Wm. H. Long for Ensign.
*
Name�Age�Place Nativity�Residence P.�O. Address�County
James Burns�21�Oneida Co.�Penn Yan�Penn Yan�Yates
Richard Strong�19�Yates Co.�Italy Hill�Italy�Yates
George Reynolds-�18�Yates Co.�Milo�Penn Yan�Yates
George Newman�21�Yates Co.�Milo�Penn Yan�Yates
Lewis B. Holmes�18�Yates Co.�Benton�Benton�Yates
Demas Warren�23�Duchess Co.�Barrington�Barrington�Yates
William R. Playsted�21�Oak Hill,
Steuben Co.�Barrington�Barrington�Yates
Charles Bishop�19�Yates Co.�Barrington�Barrington�Yates
Robert Warren�18�Duchess Co.�Barrington�Barrington�Yates
William Riker�27�Yates Co.�Barrington�Penn Yan�Yates
A. P. Dunton�30�Steuben Co.�Barrington�Dundee�Yates
Putnam Demming�18�Yates Co.�Barrington�Dundee�Yates
Daniel J. Beyea�23�Steuben Co.�Barrington�Dundee�Yates
YATES COUNTY’S “ BOYS IN BLUE ”
Edwin Lester�23�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Martin Hope�18�Massachusetts�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Ervin Melious�21�Yates Co.�Torrey�Penn�Yan�Yates
John Boyd�23�Canada�Hall’s�Hall’s
Corners�Corners��Ontario
Darwin King�18�Wayne Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Oliver Baplee�19�Yates Co.�Barrington�Barrington��Yates
H. G. Mace, M. D.�29�Pennsylvania�Branchport�Branchport Yates
Edwin Wilklow�23�Steuben Co.�Italy Hill�Italy�Hill�Yates
Alexander Perry�34��Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Christopher F. Nash�18��Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
James Townsend�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Frank Dunnigan�25�Ireland�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Thomas Dunnigan�21�Ireland�Milo Center�Milo Center Yates
John McManus�21�Ireland�Jerusalem�Penn�Yan�Yates
Johnathan M. Gordon�19�Barrington�Barrington�Penn�Yan�Yates
Joseph Dorr Barber�21�Columbia Co.�Benton�Benton��Yates
Byron Randolph�18�Yates Co.�Milo�Milo��Yates
James E. Hicks�18�Yates Co.�Benton�Benton
Center��Yates
Peter Wheaton�42�Yates Co.�Milo Center�Milo��Yates
George B. Curtis�25�Massachusetts�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
James Mace�23�Yates Co.�Branchport�Penn�Yan�Yates
George B. Wolcott�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Charles E. O’Brien�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
James M. Letts�42�So. Amboy, N. Y.�Dundee�Penn�Yan�Yates
Edward S. Rice�21�New York City�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Edward E. Root�21�Washington Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
John W. Cleveland�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Jeremiah S. Pearce�23�Duchess Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Henry Miles Dunbar�34�Pulaski, N. Y.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Richard J. Harford�21�Benton Center�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
P. P. Curtis�24�Penn Yan�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Henry Atwater�23 Wyoming Co.��Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
William Elmendorf�29�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Aaron J. Cook�27�Ontario Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Michael P. Brennan�26�Ireland�Penn Yan-�Penn�Yan�Yates
John W. Foshay�19�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Joseph R. Fuller�37�Geneva�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Warren Allen�38�Connecticut�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Charles Howe�21�Oswego Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
A. A. Chidsey�19�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Samuel Wilson�21�Canada�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Lewis George Horton�19�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
William H. Kean�19�Ontario Co.�Geneva�Geneva��Ontario
John A. Holmes�28�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Thomas Hunter�23�Scotland�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
James W. Corey�19�Potter, Yates Co.�Potter�Potter��Yates
George W. Corey�23�Ontario Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Joseph Agin�21�Penn Yan�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
John P. Oliver�21�Canada�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
William H. Gates�25�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Clement W. Kidder�23�Yates Co.�Benton�Penn�Yan�Yates
George W. Bassett�22�Yates Co.�Dundee�Dundee��Yates
George J. Greening�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Peter Mead�28�New Jersey�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
William Henry Keney�24 Onondaga Co.��Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
George Arthur Tappan�24�Massachusetts�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
George L. Youngs�18�Pennsylvania�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Daniel G. Baker�30�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Charles H. Comstock�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Stephen C. Purdy�18�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Charles Quick�22�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
John R. Davis�19�Cayuga Co.�Milo Center�Milo Center��Yates
Webster Betts�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Bruin Cooley�21�Yates Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
John D. Rohde�21�Penn Yan�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Fenton C. Hyland�24�Ireland�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
William H. Long�26�New York�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Henry Whitaker�21�Yates Co.�Benton�Penn�Yan�Yates
William H. Gladding�22�Pennsylvania�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Benjamin Randall�28�Barrington�Barrington�Penn�Yan�Yates
George Brennan�23�Penn Yan�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Theodore Wheeler�24�Penn Yan�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Martin Cook�23�Ontario Co.�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Lewis M. Gage�28�Benton�Benton Center Penn Yan���Yates
Barney Baker�26�Benton�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Patrick Carr�25�Ireland�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
Albert A. Enos�22�Benton�Penn Yan�Penn�Yan�Yates
YATES COUNTY’S “ BOYS IN BLUE
7
Name
Charles Stevens
Charles E. Chapman
George A. Sherman
George W. Goundry
Alonzo Hopkins
William H. Dunn
Alden Whitney
Age Place Nativity Residence
28�Torrey
29�Benton
21�Penn Yan
22�Dresden
21�Italy Hill
22�Milo
19 Italy
Dresden
Penn Yan
Penn Yan
Dresden
Italy Hill
Penn Yan
Italy Hill
P. O. Address County
Dresden Yates
Penn Yan Yates
Penn Yan Yates
Dresden Yates
Italy Hill Yates
Penn Yan Yates
Italy Hill Yates
(Endorsed:)
“We, the within named officers, designate the following named persons as
field officers under whom we desire to serve.”
Isaac F. Quinby for Colonel.
E. H. Marshall for Lieutenant Colonel.
Jas. M. Letts, Capt.,
Edward E. Root, Lieut.,
William H. Long, Ensign,
' Signatures of Company Officers.
Of the men signing this roll, James Burns, George Newman, Demas War-
ren, Robert Warren, A. P. Dunton, Daniel J. Beyea, Edwin Lester, Ervin Me-
lious, John Boyd, Darwin King, H. G. Mace, Edwin Wilklow, Alexander Perry,
James Townsend, Thomas Dunnigan, Frank Dunnigan, John McManus, James
E. Hicks, George B. Curtis, James B. Miace, George B. Wolcott, Charles E.
O’Brien, John W. Cleveland, Henry M. Dunbar, P. P. Curtis, William Elmen-
dorf, Aaron J. Cook, Joseph R. Fuller, Warren Allen, Samuel Wilson, William
H.�Gates, George J. Greening, William H. Keney, George A. Tappan, Stephen C.
Purdy, Webster Betts, John D. Rohde, Fenton C. Hyland, Henry Whitaker,
William H. Gladding, Benjamin Randall, Theodore Wheeler, Martin Cook,
Lewis M. Gage, Barney Baker, Patrick Carr, Albert A. Enos, Charles Stevens,
Alonzo Hopkins, William H. Dunn and Alden Whitney had no service with the
33d. So far as is ascertainable, Demas Warren, Robert Warren, Ervin Melious,
John Boyd, H. G. Mace, James Townsend, George B. Curtis, Charles E. O’Brien,
P. P. Curtis, Joseph R. Fuller, William H. Keney, George A. Tappan, Webster
Betts, Fenton C. Hyland, Henry Whitaker, Benjamin Randall, Theodore
Wheeler, Patrick Carr, Albert A. Enos, Alonzo Hopkins and Alden Whitney
had no service at all. James Burns served in Co. A, 126th Inf.; George New-
man, Bat. B, 14th Art.; A. P. Dunton, Co. B, 148th Inf.; Edwin Lester, Bat.. B,
3d Art.; Darwin King, Bat. L, 14th Art.; Edwin Wilklow, Co. D, 3d Mich, Cav.;
Alexander Perry, Co. C, 44th Inf.; Thomas Dunnigan, Co. E, 11th Pa. Cav.;
Frank Dunnigan, Co. G, 126th Inf.; John McManus, Co. F, 179th Inf.; James E.
Hicks, Co. B, 126th Inf.; James B. Mace, Co. A, 50th Engrs.; George B. Wol-
cott, Co. E, 44th Inf ; John W. Cleveland, Co. K, 3d Inf.; Henry M. Dunbar,
Co. I, 148th Inf.; William Elmendorf, Co. B, 1st U. S. Sharpshooters; Aaron
J. Cook, Co. F, 148th Inf.; Warren Allen, Co. A, 126th Inf.; Samuel Wilson,
Co. A, 126th Inf. and Co. A, 39th U. S. Colored Troops; William H. Gates, Co.
E, 11th Pa. Cav. and Co. E, 8th XJ. S. Vet. Vols.; George J. Greening, Bat. B,
3d Art.; Stephen C. Purdy, Co. B, 126th Inf.; John D. Rohde, Co. K, 3d Inf.;
William H. Gladding, Norfolk Post Band; Martin Cook, Co. K, 3d Inf.; Lewis
M. Gage, Co. B, 1st U. S. Sharpshooters; Barney Baker, Co. K, 3d Inf. and Co.
I,�147th Inf.; Chailes Stevens, Co. A, 8th Cav. and Co. B, 126th Inf.; William
H. Dunn, Co. F, 23d Inf., and Daniel J. Beyea, Co. A, 126th Inf.
On May 6th John E. Bean, Major of the 59th State Militia, inspected the
organization, but did1 not find sufficient men present to muster the company,
so many had left for Elmira, and on May 9th again held inspection and mus-
tered the company into the State service. He also acted as Chairman at a
meeting at which the mustered men selected officially their commissioned and
non-commissioned officers, making no change from their unofficial choice, as
will be seen by his official report:
8
YATES COUNTY’S “ BOYS IN BLUE
RETURN OF INSPECTING OFFICER
Under Special Orders 368
Co. I,
James M. Letts for Captain
Thomas Hillhouse for Colonel
S. O. 629 to Elmira
Ret’d May 14, ’61.
STATE OF NEW YORK—VOLUNTEER MILITIA.
Geneva, May 13, 1861.
To the Adjutant-General of the State of New York:
Pursuant to directions contained in Special Order 368, I hereby certify that
I have fully inspected and mustered the company, whose names are hereto an-
nexed, all of whom were present at such inspection, and that they all appear
to be above the age of 18 and below the age of 45 years.
I further certiy that at the election held by me under said Special Order, the
following named persons were duly elected officers of said Company, viz.:
James M. Letts, Captain
Edward E. Root, 1st Lieutenant
William H. Long, Ensign
Charles Howe, 1st Sergeant
George W. Bassett, 2d Sergeant
William H. Kinney, 3d Sergeant
William Riker, 4th Sergeant
Edward S. Rice, 1st Corporal
Henry Atwater, 2d Corporal
Richard J. Harford, 3d Corporal
Peter Mead, 4th Corporal
Geneva, May 13, 1861.
JNO. E. BEAN, Major, &c.
INSPECTION and MUSTER ROLL
No. Name�Age�Nativity�Residence
1 Joseph Agin�21�U. S.�Penn Yan
2 Henry Atwater�23�U. S.�Penn Yan
3 George W. Bassett�22�U. S.�Dundee, N. Y.
4 John J. Boyd�23�Canada�Halls' Corners, N. Y.
5 Cornelius J. Bonney�20�U. S.�Penn Yan
6 Patrick Brennan�19�U. S.�Penn Yan
7 George Brennan�23�U. S.�Penn Yan
8 John W. Betts�21�U. S.�Penn Yan
9 James Burns�21�U. S.�Penn Yan
10 Donald G. Baker�30�U. S.�Penn Yan
1 James S. Ball�19�U. S.�North Hector, N. Y.
2 Charles Brown�23�England�Jerusalem, N. Y.
3 Freeman N. Brazee�19�U. S.�Branchport
4 Alexander M. Boyd�18�U. S.�Benton, N. Y.
5 David A. Cook�23�U. S.�Middlesex, N. Y.
6 Augustus A. Chidsey�19�U. S.�Penn Yan
7 Bruen Cooley�20�U. S.�Penn Yan
8 Charles Comstock�21�U. S.�Penn Yan
9 George W. Corey�23�U. S.�Penn Yan
20 James W. Corey�19�U. S.�Potter, N. Y.
1 Putnam Demming�18�U. S.�Barrington, N. Y.
2 Henry M. Dunbar�23�U. S.�Penn Yan
3 Daniel Daly�21�U. S.�Penn Yan
4 William H. Eddy�22�U. S.�Horseheads, N. Y.
5 John Forshay�19�U. S.�Penn Yan
6 Charles Forshay�23�u. s.�Penn Yan
7 Charles C. Freshour�30�U. S.�Geneva, N. Y.
8 Jonathan M. Gorton�19�u. s.�Barrington, N. Y.
9 Thomas Hunter�24�Scotland�Penn Yan
30 Martin Hope�19�U. S.�Penn Yan
1 Lewis G. Horton�19�U. S.�Italy, N. Y.
2 Finson Highland�24"�Ireland�Penn Yan
3 John A. Holmes�28�U. S.�Penn Yan
4 Lewis B. Plolmes�18�U. S.�Benton, N. Y.
5 Charles Howe�21�U. S.�Penn Yan
6 William W. Hunt�21�U. S.�Benton, N. Y.
7 Richard J. Harford�22�U. S.�Benton, N. Y.
8 Thomas Hunter*�24�Scotland�Penn Yan
9 Josiah Holcomb�21�U. S.�Oak Hill, N. Y.
40 William Humphrey�33�England�Benton Center, N. Y.
1 William H. Kinney�24�U. S.�Penn Yan
2 Clement W. Kidder�23�U. S.�Benton, N. Y.