USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. II > Part 33
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1. Pamela. €. Hannah, m. John Best. 7. Charles.
2. Gideon. FAM. 49.
3. Ruth.
4. William.
5. Frederick. FAM. 50. 10. Henrietta.
FAM. 38. Enoch6 (Enoch,5 Enoch.+ Enoch,3 John," John1), m. 25 Aug., 1763, Sybil Griswold ; he d. 9 Jan., 1782; sbe poss. the " Wid." Sybil who m. Elisha Rose of Granville, 17 Apl., 1777 .- Wby. Ch. Rec. Ch. (Wby. Ch. Rec.):
1. Sarah, bp. 7 Dec., 1765. 3. Enoch, bp. 25 Mch., 1770; d. 2 Mch., 1772.
2. Sybil, bp. 6 Dec., 1767. 4. Enoch, bp. 4 Oct .. 1772.
FAM. 39. Nathaniel 6 (Nath'l,5 Dea. Nath'l,4 Enoch,3 John,2 John 1), m. (1) Anna Dodge of Colchester, Coun., 27 Nov., 1768 (E. W. Rec.), who d. 9 (10, E. W. C. R.) Sept., 1769, æ. 27; m. (2) Hopeful (dau. John and Mary Harley) Wolcott, 4 Apl .. 1774 (E. W. Rec.), who d. 22 May, 1815, æ. $3; he d. 13 Feb., 1806, æ. 69; res. E. W. Children (by 1st wife) from E. W. C. R .:
1. Anna, b. 17 July, 1769.
4. Elihn, b. 1 Oct., 1779.
5. Alvin, h. Oct., 1781.
6. Anna, b. 30 Nov., 1787.
FAM. 40. Ebenezer ® (Nath'l,5 Dea. Nath'l,4 Enoch,3 John,? John 1), m., E. W., 18 Feb., 1762, Martha Steadman. Ch. (bp. E. W. C. R.) :
1. , bp. I Nov., 1761. 5. Rumah, b. 12 May, 1775.
2. Nancy, b. 15 Mch., 1767 (22 Meh., 1766).
6. Theodosia, b. 11 May. 1777.
3. Warner, b 3, bp. 20 JJan., 1771.
7. Lueina, b. E Sept., 1781.
FAM. 41. Silas 6 (Nath't,' Dea. Nath'l,4 Enoch," John" John1), m. 12 Nov., 1771, Hannah West of Tolland (E. W. Rec.), who d. 26 Aug., 1836. a. 89. He d. 20 Apl., 1827, æ. 86. Children :
1. Ira, h. 8 Oct .. 1772.
2. Hannah. b. 8 Sept .. 177; m. Alex. Richard-
3. Silas, h. 1 JJuly, 1779. [son.
1. Chester, b. 15 Apl., 1781.
5. Anor, b. 25 May, 1783; in. Isaar Cleveland.
6. Elizur Wolcott, h. 29 Mch .. 1785.
7. Calcb. b. 21 Aug., 1782: in. Sarah (dan. Nathan .J.) Higley of Wpg .. E. W., where they sett. Hed. 1 Apl., 1818. a. G1 ( W. N.) IAgue ; [Ch. d. 11 Inly, 1775 .- E. W. C. R.]
1. JJoshua Caleb, b. 1824; d. 21 Jan., 1819 - H. V.
2. Sarah, m. Job I. (s. Arodi) Higley of so. W' .: 4. P.
3. Ralzaman ( .; m. 31 Der., 1961. Lavinia M. (dan. W'm. G.) Collins of Wpg. ; had (1) George W. Collins; (2. Simron Collins, d .; (3) Simcon Col- lins; ( D Eva Lonisa Collins.
8. Joshua. b. twin to C'aleb.
9 Simeon, b. 30 Oct., 1790.
( By 2d wife): 2. Nathaniel, b. 5 Feb., 1776.
3. Wolcott, b. 22 Nov., 1777.
4. Chauncey, b. 10 Feb., 1773.
8. James.
| 9. Samuel. -
184
GENEALOGIES AND BIOGRAPHIES OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
FAM. 12. Lemuel $ (Lemuel, Joseph, ' Capt. Joseph,3 John," John 1), m. Esther Burn-
ham, E. W., b. 23 Sept., 1764; res. on paternal homestead; d. 18 Jan., 1837; she (I. 10 Sept., 1818, w. 54. ('k. (bp. W. C. R.) :
1. Esther, b. 26 July, bp. 4 Oct., 1595; m. Hezekiah Hills of W.
2. Edward, bp. 5 Feb., 1597: m. Almira Gaylord, W .. 14 Jan., 1827; was a farmer and brickmaker; 1. 5 Nov., 1828. Isane :
1. Elward, b. 1828; d. 15 Mch., 1831. :. 3.
3. Abigail, bp. 16 lune. 1799.
4. 1xmuel, b. 27 July, 1800; bp. 19 Apl., 1801 ; tailor; removed to Cheraw, S. C .: m. - -- Poe of Baltimore, Md. Issue :
1. Laura A. |2. James. 3. Francis. | 4. Charlotte. 5. James Francis. b. 7 Apl .. 1503; d. 16 Der., 1810.
6. Matilda. b. 6 May, 1805: m. Merriman Barber of Bloomfield: rem. to Ohio; sett. Richmond, Ash- tabula Co.
7. Abigail. b. 9 Ang .. 1809: m. Edward Chapman of W .; res. on main road opp. the Bissell's Ferry roud; rem. to Andover, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, abi. 1830. He was a farmer and dairyman. She d. at A. 2F Sept., 1887; he d. W. A. 1549.
FAM. 43. David 6 (Lemuel,5 .Jos.,4 Capt. JJos.,3 JJohn,? JJohn 1), m. (1) 3 Nov., 1791 (H. ('. R.), Martha Wilson of Why., who died 30 June, 1793 ( W. C. R.); (2) Olive Griswold of Granby, Conn., 10 July, 1805; res. So, part of W., next So. of bro. Lemnel, on cor. of old road turning off from main road across the plains to Blfd .; farmer and brickmaker; he d. 28 Mch., 1822; she d. 30 Apl., 1864; was b. 3 Jan., 1780. Children :
1. David, b. 20 Dec., 1992. FAM. 51.
2. Henry, b. 20 Ang., 1806. FAM. 52.
3. William, b. 4 Sept., 180%; m. Wid. Catharine Caulking Colt of Lyme, Conn .; grocery mcht. abt. 30 yrs. at Iltfd .; she d. 20 Oct., 1x86; he d. 11 .. 14 Dec., 1888.
4. Sidney, b. 8 May, 1810; m. Catharine (dan. lo- seph, Jr. and Catharine Seymour) Brown of Bifd .. 11 Ang .. 1842: res. Ilifd .; book binder and publisher; she d. 4 May, 1889.
5. Mary Ann, b. 7 Feb., 1814: 1. 12 Aug., 1857. 6. Julia, b. 25 Mch., 1817; m. at W., 3 Sept., 1940, Warren (s. Bildad) Rowley of Htfd., b. Smith- ville, Chenango Co., N. Y., 6 Feb., 1818. Issue :
1. Edward Warren, h. 28 June, 1815; m. Fanny (dau, Samuel) Mather, W., 26 Ort., 1970; she d. 11 Feb., 1×84.
7. Timothy, b. 22 Mch., 1820; civil engineer; resides Hartford; the family genealogist.
FAM. 44. Lory " (Lemuel,5 Jos.,4 Cupt. Jos.,& John," John 1), m. (1) Amelia Mills of E. W., 26 Feb., 1784 ( W. C. R.), who d. 26 June, 1791; (2) 27 Nov., 1793 (4, W. C. R.), Sally (dau. Hosea and Mary) Clark ; they res. So. part of W., 3} miles from Itfd .; he was found dead in a brook, 29 Mich., 1805 ( W. C. R.), a. 46. Ch. (bp. W. C. R.); (By Ist wife); was a bookbinder; d. 13 Mch., 1574 Ixxue : 1. Samuel.
1. Amelia, b. t Apl., bp. 1 June, 1786; d. 11 (10) Ang., 1863 (3), mmarried.
( By ad mite):
2. -- , inf. son, d. 19 Ang., 1796, æ. 16 mos.
3. Sammel, b. 24 Sept., 1797 (bp. 3 Sept. 1798, II. (. R.); rem. R'hester, N.Y .; in. Marietta Coburg ;
4. Rhoda, b. 2 July, bp. 16 Nov., 1800; m. Amherst Ilill Barber, 1-35 .- See Berher.
5. Amanda, b. 28 Jan., 1804: m. Elijah Averis Bar- ber, 28 Feb., 1833 (rcc Barber); she d. 10 Aug., 1853.
FAM. 45. Bildad (Lemuel, Jox., Cupt. Jos.,8 John, John 1), m. Kezia (dau. Simon and Kezia Moore) Loomis, Feb., 1809 ( W. C. R.); was a farmer; res. where the two Phineas Drakes res. ; d. 23 Mch., 1828. Ch. (bp. I. C. R.):
1. Ihlia, b. 17 Der .. 1809; bp. 5 Ang., 1810; m. Dan- iel Buckland Phelps of W.
2. Eleanor, b. 25 Dec .. 1813; bp. 12 June, 1814; m. Sammel Wolcott Ellsworth of W.
FAM. 16. Francis6 (_Imasat,5 Thos.,' Capt. Joseph,3 JJohn,? JJohn1), m. Lucy (dau. Dr. Simon) Wolcott (and adopted dan, of Mr. Elizur Wolcott), bp. 5 Feb., 180-1; sett. So. of old burying ground E. W .; after Mr. D.'s death (21 Mch., IS11), wid. and ch. went back to her aunt's (Mrs. Elizur Wolcott), and m. (2) Erastus (s. Nath'l) Strong of E. W., by whom she had seven children .- E. W. C. R. Ch .:
1 Klizur Wolcott, bp. 15 Feb., 1804 FAM. 33.
2. Elizalith, bp. 11 May, 1806; m. William La- throp of Tolland; she d. 1830 in T. Isatte ; 1. Moses (Lathrop), m. a clergyman's wid. with ch. : is a physician.
4. Elvira F. (Lathrop), m. Philip Hudson, now dead.
3. Frances Catharine, bp. 19 May, 1811; m. 10 Nov., 1×30, Charles Griggs of Tolland and res, there awhile; then rem. to So. W. ; thence to Waterbury, Conn , where he died. Ixane :
1. Elizur (Grigg-), m. Sylvia Kingsbury of Waterbury; was bn. N. Y. city; has ch. : (1) Eliz- abeth; (2) Jennie.
2. ___ , dan. (Griggs), dl. inf.
3. Heury (Grigg-). m. Mary Foote of Hamden: res, Waterbury, Conn.
1. 1,muis itiriggs), m. Mary Benedict of Wa- forbury, Conn .; res. Saratoga, N. Y .; had 2 ch .: dindl young.
5. Edward (Griggs), is a physician in Waterbury. ('onn. ; unmarried.
FAM h. Frederick Augustine (Esq.) (./ab, 5 )/r. . Job,' tient. Job," Syt. Joh,? John 1), m. Mary H. (dan. Amos) Seward of Guilford, Conn., 18 Sept., 1538; was for many years a lawyer at Georgetown, S. C .: res. Guilford, Conn. Ch. :
1. Mary Seward, b. 20 Frb .. 1810: d. inf.
1×16. FAM 54.
2 Frederic Richard Seward (M D.), b. 31 Ang.,
3. - - . son. h. 3 May. 1852; d. inf.
185
THE DRAKE FAMILY.
Fax. 19. Gideon " (Gideon, Jere., prob. Det. Job," John, John ), m. Ann Allyn ; res. Rye St., E. W .; rem., 1812, to Westfield, Mass. Ch. :
1. Simon. m. in E. W. wid. -- , who had 2 ch. She was his 2d wife; his 1st. Cynthia Frost, left inf. dau., Laura; issue by Non. (I) Nancy (French)
by 1st husband; rem. to Genesee River, N. Y .: theure to Jonesville. Mich., where he d. Issue : 1. Emeline. 4. ( Jarissa.
2. Fanny. 5. Lorenzo.
3. Namey. m. - Starr. 6. Allyu
2 Anne. m. Heman Root of Westfield, Mass.
3. Sally, m. Samuel Coles of Westfield, Mass.
1 Owen, b. 1598; then of Westfield: m. Hannah Fish of E. W .. 23 Nov. ( W. R .. , Dec.), 1829.
- S. B. E. W. bp. FAM. 55.
3. Nancy. m. Daniel (>. John, bro. Elam) French. | 12. Ruot. m .: d Mass.
6. Chloe, mn. Daniel (son of John and bro, of Elain) French. Issue: (1) -- , dau .; (2) Daniel; (3) Elam, res. laydenville, Conn .; (+) Allen. (John Fitts, adopted by Chloe.)
7. Gideon, m. Lucy Hatch of Westfield, Mass
8. Elihu. b. Apl. 10, 1804 FAM. 56.
9. Edwin, d. yg.
10. Edwin. d., æ. abt. 16, Westfield, Ma-s.
11. Esther. m. - Allyn of Westfield. Muss.
- Mrs. Stiles' MS
FAM. 50. Frederick (Gideon, Gideon, Jeremiah, cte., etc.), m. Eliza D. Phelps,
6 Mch., 1843. Ch. :
1. Mary. 1. Henry. ". Evelina. 10. Maria. 2. Julia. 5. Eliza.
8. Edwin Rockwell. 11. Oliver Sanford.
3. Jamies. 6. Emeline.
9. Etta.
12. Frederick George.
FAM. 51. David : (Durid, 6 Lemuel, Joseph, " Capt. Joseph, John," John 1), m. Eunice (dau. Elijah and Martha Clark) Eggleston, 12 Dee., 1820; res. So. part W., where Samuel Wilson now res., and for few last years of his life on his gd .- father Lemuel's pl. ; was a farmer and brickmaker. He d. W. Sept. 22, 1853. Ch. :
1. Almira Martha, b. 17 Sept., 1821: d. 21 Apl., 1811.
2. Nathan Francis, b. 26 Oct., 1823: res. Htfd; m. 12 May. 1853. Helen Almira (dan. Oliver Williams and Ann T. Phelps) Mitls of W. - T. D.
3. Oliver Merton, b. 5 Apl., 1826: m. 22 June. 1>53. wid. Anna Goodnough Marsh of Vi .: he d. 6 Nov., 1964; she d. 29 Dec., 1867. te. 38. Isque :
1. Hattie. b. 1 Jan., 1800; d. Sept. 20, 1879. Mrs. Stiles' MS.
4. Samuel David. b. 9 July. 1828; m. > JJune. 1863. Eliza Melissa (dan. Josiah and Melissa Loomis! Capen, both of W. - T. D.
Olive Eunice. b. 20 Drc., 1831; m. Samuel John Mills of W.
FAM. 52. Henry 1 (Durid,6 Lemuel,5 Joseph,A Capt. Joseph," John," John 1), m. Chloe (dau. George and Hannah Wilson) Loomis, 26 Apl., 1837; was a farmer and briekmkr .; res, where his father died. Ile d. 16 Nov., 1874; she d. 6 Jan., 1872. Ch .: 1. William Henry, b. : May. 1542; m. Ellen L. Clark, 6 Dec .. 1805; he d. 9 June, 1820.
FAM. 53. Elizur Wolcott (Francis," Amust." Thos., pose. Joseph, 3 John,2 John1) m. 14 Ang., 1830, Eveline S. (Jau. Ralph R. and Sybil) Rollo of S. W. (prob. 2d m., as Emeline, a dau. of Elizur and Mary Drake, d. 21 .Jan., 1827, æ. 11 yrs.). He d. 9 Feb., 1860, æ. 55. She d. Chicago, Il., 20 Oct. 1882; bn. So. W. Children : 1. Ellen Elizabeth, a school-teacher: rem. to and d. Minneapolis, Minn .. 9 May, 1878.
2. Albert Waldo (Col.), bp. 11 Oct .. 1833 (E. W C. R.); 2 years at William- College; entered junior class at Yale; grad. 1:57; studied at Yale Law School, and at the age of 21, in 1:58, was elected (demoerat) memb. of House of Rep. of the State, from S. W., defeating his father, who was his competitor on the Rep, side. After the session ended. Mr. D. ent. law office of R. D. Hubbard, after which he was adm. to the Hartford Co, har, and at time of his enlistment was in the law of- fire with Lieut .- Gov. Geo. Sill. The day after the fall of Fort Sninter, Apl. 15, 1861, at a conference between him and Gen. Joseph Hawley, it was de. rided to organize a volunteer rifle company and the names of Hawley and Drake appear as
first and second on the enlistment paper then and there prepared, as also upon the enlistment paper now on file in the State Adjt .- General's office. The company was enrolled on evening of 1fith. Standing on the rear platform of the train which bore his cum- pany from Hartford to the regimental rendezvons at. New Haven, preparatory for the departure of the command for the front under Colonel Dan Tyler. Lieutenant Drake said to a friend as he bade him good-by : " You will hear from me, if it is at the can- non's month." The remark was an index of what was in him. He could have led a forlorn hope with as much coolness, intelligence, and decision. as he would have conducted a case in court. (See below.) The Grand Army Post at Manchester, Con, is named after him.
3. Charles Francis, d. 23 Sept., 1-40. m. " mos.
[The following sketeh of Col. Drake's military service is furnished by Gen. J. 1. Oris of Florence, Mass. ]:
ALBERT W. DRAKE joined the 10th Regl., Conn. Vol. Inf., as Major, on its organization at Hartford in August, 1861, and was promoted and mustered into the U. S. service as Lieut .- Colonel of the same regiment Oct. 26th, following.
On Oct. 31st. the regiment left Hartford for Annapolis, Md., where it remained in camp of instruction for two months. During this period Lient. Col. Drake de- voted all his time and energies to perfecting the drill, improving the discipline, and instructing the officers, with marked success. He was not an educated soldier - better than this, he was a soldier by instinct. Under his instruction the regiment became the best drilled and one of the best disciplined in Burnside's army. Jan. 2, 1862, it took Transports with the Burnside Expedition for North Carolina. The VOL. II .- 21
186
GENEALOGIES AND BIOGRAPHIES OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
troops remained on shipboard for five weeks continuously, both officers and men exposed to great hardships and privations during the time. Lieut .- Col. Drake was then suffering from the disease of which he soon after died, and this experience was far more trying to him than service in the field would have been.
The first landing was at Roanoke Island, Feb. 7, 1862. The troops landed by leaping into the water from the small boats as they grounded, and wading ashore. Col. Drake submitted to this trial with the rest, then remained in an open field dur- ing the whole of the succeeding cold, rainy night. The battle commenced on the morning of the 8th. Col. Russell was killed early in the engagement, leaving Lieut .- C'ol. Drake in command. He handled his troops under the trying circumstances that followed with great courage, coolness, and skill, walking up and down the line, directing and encouraging officers and men, under a fire from which his regi- ment suffered the heaviest loss of any engaged. When the action was over, he led his command on in pursuit of the enemy for a mile or more, when he was ordered to leave the line of pursuit, move about half a mile to the left, and attack Fort Barto, a strong work mounting ten heavy guns, and well manned by the enemy. lle moved to the attack with great promptness, but the enemy had evacuated the works before the Tenth arrived, and there was nothing to do but to take possesion. The regiment remained near the fort for three days without shelter, Col. Drake occupying an old deserted shanty; then returned to the transports. After remaining afloat au entire month, the regiment landed at Slocum's Creek, on the Neuse River, at daylight on March 13th, and marched all day towards Newberne in mud that seemed bottomless, Col. Drake marching with it on foot the entire day. He was then in a physical condition that would have taken almost any other man to the hospital. The command bivouacked at night in the rain within reach of the enemy's guns, the Colonel spending the long rainy night in the open air, without protection. Soon after daylight he led his regiment into the battle of Newherne, and formed it in line under a severe fire with as much coolness as if it had been an ordinary drill. During the battle he continued walking up and down the line with the same steady courage that characterized all his actions, and, as soon as the fire from the enemy's entrenchments began to slacken, led his regiment promptly for- ward to the assault. That night his command took possession of a deserted rebel camp in the rear of Newberne, and Col. Drake, although unable to sit up for any length of time, retained the command and took measures to have the usual strict discipline of the camp maintained.
Col. Drake had received his commission as Colonel, dating from Feb. Sth, but was never mustered. He had become so worn and exhausted by the hardships of the campaign as to be entirely untitted for duty, and was compelled, much against his inclination, to accept a leave of absence. He failed steadily from that time and died at his home in South Windsor on June 5, 1862.
Among Colonel Drake's striking characteristics were, a lofty, unselfish patriot- ism, a strict sense of justice, with great coolness and dauntless courage in trying circumstances. He was liberally endowed by nature with intellectual force and abilities and soldierly qualities. His ideal of the soldier was a most exalted one; it was an every day saying with him that " the true soldier is always a gentleman." and, in condemnation of the vice of profanity, it was a common remark of his, "Swearing is ungentlemanly, therefore unsoldierlike." It was his constant endeavor to impress upon all under his command so high an ideal of sohfierly character that it should become with them a controlling moral forve ; a high and ever-present standard of conduct and duty. It was his aim to cultivate in them a pride in the command to which they belonged that would at all times restrain them from doing any act that wouldl tend to its discredit.
Circumstances made Col. Drake, to a large extent, the instructor, drill-master, and disciplinarian of the regiment from the time of his first connection with it; and.
Albut Iv. Grable. yale Call_ 1859 c
"In Memoriam." Drake Post, No. 4. G. A. R., Department of Connecticut. MANCHESTER, CONN.
187
THE DRAKE FAMILY.
although it had other commanders of courage, skill, and soldierly abilities, it is but justice to say that the high character it maintained for discipline, courage, and soldierly conduct throughout its entire term of service was due in no small degree to the influence of its early training under him. His own soldierly qualities made him a severe critic with officers, but not an unjust one. Any careless or willful lapse from duty on their part met with such prompt and emphatic condemnation that it was seldom repeated. He held them to conduct and responsibilities accord- ing to their several ranks, but expected all to give their earnest and constant efforts to the discharge of their official duties. It was inevitable that under the conditions then existing there would be officers in every new regiment who had no special aptitude for military service, and who found it exceedingly difficult to fit themselves for its duties. Col. Drake recognized that to deal justly and properly with such was one of the most delicate and serious of his responsibilities. Those who showed by constant attention that they had an earnest desire to fit themselves for the dis- charge of their novel duties and responsibilities could rely upon his aid and for- bearance; for those who, besides an inaptitude for the discharge of their duties, showed a want of interest and effort, he expressed his contempt in language not to be misconstrued.
With the enlisted men under his command Col. Drake was always a favorite, as all officers with a fine sense of justice are sure to be. In his intercourse with them he was invariably kind and considerate, and, when having occasion to correct them, was careful to avoid the use of any language that would tend to leave a sense of degradation or of having been reprimanded. It was always his purpose to cultivate a sentiment of self respect and manliness; for this reason he was remark- ably successful in impressing upon them an important lesson that "Young Amer- ica " stood in great need of: that there was nothing unmanly or degrading in obey- ing, without question, legitimate authority. If improperly saluted by a sentinel when passing the lines, Col. Drake would turn his horse, carefully instruct the sol- dier in his duty, and leave him with a sense of pride and satisfaction at having been so kindly instructed by an officer of rank. Drake never failed in such cases to call the sentinel's captain to account for not having his men properly instructed in guard duty.
The following will illustrate Col. Drake's fine sense of justice and his readiness to lay aside all pride of preconceived opinions when convinced that he had been wrong. A captain who stood high in the Colonel's good opinion was in command of a large company in which both the lieutenancies were vacant. The Orderly Sergeant of the company was a brave and capable young man, and the Captain asked Drake to use his influence in getting the Sergeant promoted. Unfortunately, the regiment had been for some weeks on board transports where no clothing could be procured. An important article of clothing, drawn by the Sergeant before going on board, proved to be of that variety known as " patriot shoddy," and had resolved itself into its original rags, and in spite of all his efforts to keep it presentable, had assumed a most disreputable and unsoldierlike appearance. The Colonel promptly, not to say ungraciously, refused the Captain's application on the ground that the Sergeant's dress was such as to indicate that he did not properly appreciate the importance of the position he then held, to say nothing of promotion to the rank of a commissioned officer. It was in vain to represent that it was unjust to hold an enlisted man responsible for the condition of his clothing under the circumstances; Drake would not listen to any explanation. A week or two later, during the Bat- tle of Newberne, while the left of the regiment was suffering severely under fire, the Colonel walked down to that part of the line where he found the much-depre- ciated Sergeant under a hot fire coolly assisting his Captain in rearranging the sights of the muskets, which had been set too low. Drake noticed what was going on, said nothing to the Sergeant, but spoke pleasantly to the Captain and returned
1.8.5
GENEALOGIES AND BIOGRAPHIES OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
to the colors. The next day, however, he took occasion to remark in the presence of his officers that the Orderly of Company was worth two ordinary lientenants. In a few days a lieutenant's commission arrived for him without further solicitation. Having seen him stand the test of all tests of a good soldier, the Colonel was as prompt to do him justice as he had previously been to condemn him.
Notwithstanding the precarious condition of his health, Colonel Drake spared himself no hardship to which his men were subjected, nor would he while on the march allow men fatigued with hard duty to be detailed for the purpose of con- structing accommodations for himself better than they could have. He seemed to make it a matter of duty to fare no better than they. This was well illustrated the night before the battle of Newberne. The troops had landed at daylight, marched all day over ahnost impassable roads, and bivouacked at night in the rain. Some of the company commnauders had neglected to see that their men were properly supplied with rations before landing, and their companies were destitute of food The sergeants reported the condition of their men to the Colonel. Although sym- pathizing deeply with them and uot a little indignant, he could do nothing for their relief. He, himself, almost in the last stages of consumption, without shelter from the rain, was reclining on some wet bushes collected by his servant, destitute of food or drink through negligence on the part of the staff officer whose duty it was to have attended to his being provided for. An officer of the regiment who was well supplied, learning of the Colonel's situation, had food and coffee prepared. and, walking over to where he was lying, offered them to him. Drake reached out his hand with an expression of relief and pleasure, then drew it back and said. " No, Captain, keep it yourself; you need it as much as I do." The officer replied that he had a sufficient supply and was not depriving himself of anything necessary to his comfort. "Then," said Drake, "give it to your men; there must be some among them sick and worn out by our hard march." " My men are all fully sup- plied with three days' rations," replied the Captain; " you are not depriving them of anything, either." The Colonel then took the food, but before tasting it, turned to the company commanders who had come to justify themselves for the destitute condition of their men, and said, "Gentlemen, here is both an impeachment and a lesson in duty for you which cannot possibly be made more forcitde: this is my answer to your excuses: an officer with no possible advantage over you in oppor- tunity has brought his company here well fed and provided for, while your men are hungry and destitute. This must not occur again; it is the first and most im- portant duty of a company officer to see that his men are properly provided and cared for."
Colonel Drake's early death left too short a term of service for him to make a record with which the general public could be acquainted -only those who served with him had opportunities to learn of his high qualities as a soldier and a man. But short as it was, it proved sufficient to win for him the unqualified appro- bation of his superiors and the respect and admiration of his comrades in arms. His service in drilling and disciplining the regiment, and the command of it at the Battle of Roanoke Island, after the death of Colonel Russell, and at Newberne, demonstrated beyond a doubt that had his life heen pro- longed he would have made a national reputation. When he left his regiment at Newberi to go home on leave of absence, he appeared to be entirely conti- dent that he would soon return with renewed vigor and continue the service in which he had already won an enviable reputation. But his dearest hope that he might return to duty and end his life among his companions in-arms and in the active defense of his country was not to be realized; nor was the hope shared by his comrades. They felt that his early death was inevitable, and on his departure tlw expressions of profound regret and sorrow were not confined to his own com-
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