USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > A history of the town of Queensbury, in the state of New York : with biographical sketches of many of its distinguished men, and some account of the aborigines of northern New York > Part 14
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1 For nearly all the matter contained in this sketch I am indebted to Dr. E. B. O'Callaghan.
2 From the Northern Invasion, by Dr. F. B. Hough, being No. 6, of the New York Bradford Club publications. .
16
66
66
12 WILLIAM ROBERTS, vice 1,
66
66
8 JOHN BUCK, .
122
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
14 THADDEUS DEWEY, vice 10, .
5th May, 1789
66 66
15 THOMAS MCGEE, Lieut. Infantry, vice 13,
16 ISAAC B. PAINE, vice 6,
29th September, 1789
17 HUGH MCAULEY, vice 7,
18 WARREN FERRIS, vice 11,
6th April, 1790
19 BENJAMIN STEWART,
27th September, 1790
20 BENJAMIN STEWART (not qualified),
8th March, 1791
21 ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL, vice 4,
6th April, 1792
22 WARREN FERRIS,
23 JOSEPH HEPBURN, vice 14,
66
24 JOSEPH HERRIGAN,
66
66
25 JEREMIAH RUSSELL,
66
66 7th March, 1793
27 ISAIAH MEAD, vice 2,
12th June,
1793
28 JOHN DOTY, Lt. Infantry, vice 9,
27th September, 1793
29 NATHANIEL PITCHER, vice 3,
2d December,
1795
30 JOHN S. EAGLESTONE, vice 21,
31 JOHN STEWART, vice 27,
32 DAVID WELSH, vice 24,
33 JOHN SIMMONS,
66
66
of seven hundred and seventy-eight men, chiefly British. I have with me seventy- five men, officers included, which was the whole of my garrison, and not to ex- ceed ten pounds of ammunition pr man, my communications cut off, and without the least hope of relief for some time. It is not only chagrining but heart-break- ing boon to relate the doleful tail.
" However, after consulting my officers and some of my most sensible men [I] agreed to capitulate, and gave up the garrison, and consider myself and men as prisoners of war, could have made some resistance as long as my powder and ball lasted, but when that was exhausted, what men that should then [have] survived would have been massacred by the savages. This being my situation, hard as it was, I agreed to sign the articles, having liberty to send the women and children to their respective homes.
" My men are divided, so that I am not able to write an exact account of the number of my men and the militia apart.
" Major Chipman is also a prisoner here, with about forty men from Fort George. Have sent pr bearer a few lines to Mrs. Sherwood, you will do me a particular favor to send it to her by the first safe hand.
"I am in a poor situation to continue in this cold climate this winter, having no clothes with me but what I brought on my back, and destitute of any money. Must consequently suffer greatly if no way is devised by our legislative body for the relief of the state prisoners. My men are very bad clad, and most of them without shoes.
" You will please let Mr. Gillet know that my accounts of issuings for this month is destroyed, but the number of men are about the same as last month. "I am sir with esteem your very humble servant.
" ADIEL SHERWOOD."
Adiel Sherwood's name appears as first lieutenant on the muster roll of the first New York Continentals (Van Schaack's) from 1776, to the 16th May, 1780,
65
66
66
26 JOHN MILLS, vice 16,
€
MILITARY ROSTERS.
34 JOHN MORRISON, Lt. Infantry, vice 15, . 23d March, 1797
35 JOHN WOOD (appointed by mistake), vice 20, "
66
66
36 BENJAMIN CUTLER, vice 32,
66
66
37 JUSTICE SMITH, vice 12, . 66
66
66
39 SAMUEL C. PLATT, vice 29,
7th April,
1798
40 SAMUEL WINEGAR, vice 33 (moved), .
66
41 JAMES SLOANE, vice 36 (moved),
66
42 JONATHAN WOOD, vice 35, . 66
66
43 ELIPHALET EAGLESTONE, vice 38 10th April,
1800
44 NATHAN DURKEE, vice 26,
3d February, 66
1802
45 ISRAEL WARD, vice 41, .
66
66
46 JOHN THOMAS, vice 39,
47 JOHN VAN WORMER, vice 40,
66
66
when he resigned. July 1, 1780, is appointed justice of the peace of Charlotte county. It is presumed that he was appointed a captain in Colonel Williams' Charlotte county regiment, soon after his resignation. From papers in the Secre- tary of State's office at Albany the following changes appear in the regimental organization of the district.
1780, March 4. Alexander Webster appointed Colonel vice Williams removed. " July 1. Brinton Paine appointed Lieutenant vice Webster promoted. 1781, March 29. Col. Webster resigns his commission.
1782, July 24. Joseph McCracken appointed Lieutenant Colonel of Charlotte county militia.
1786, June 23. Appointed lieutenant colonel commandant of a regiment in Wash- ington county.
1789, May 5. The two Washington county regiments divided into three. The second under Lt. Col. Sherwood, to consist of Kings- bury, Queensbury, and the three westernmost beats of Argyle and the southernmost part of Westfield.
1789, Sept. 29. That part west of the Hemlocks attached to Sherwood.
" Sept. 30. John Williams appointed brigadier general of Washington county brigade.
1796, April 5. Sherwood resigns his office as lieutenant colonel.
The following inscription is taken from a headstone erected at the grave of Col. Sherwood and wife in the old burial ground near the Baker place in the village of Sandy Hill.
In Memory of Col. ADIEL and SARAH SHERWOOD. He was born Dec., 1749, in Washington, Conn., a Capt. In the Revolutionary War, Taken prisoner at Ft. Ann, Oct. 10, 1780, died Dec. 1824, She was born June 1755, died March, 1827.
123
66
66
38 HENRY KILLMORE, vice 30,
124
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
LIST OF LIEUTENANTS.
1 WILLIAM ROBERTS, .
23d June,
1786
2 THOMAS MCGEE, .
66
66
66
4 ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL JR.,
66
66
5 ELIJAH BILL, .
66
6 THOMAS DURKEE, .
66
66
66
7 THOMAS SCRIBNER,
66
66
66
8 HUGH MORRISON, .
66
66
9 MOSES PENNEL, Lt. Infantry,
66
66
66
10 JONATHAN HILTON,
66
66
11 WILLIAM MCAULEY, .
28th September, 1786
12 JONATHAN PITCHER,
13 ISAIAH MEAD, vice 3,
66
66
14 - - HOWARD, vice 12, .
17th March,
1788
15 ALBERT BAKER JR., Lt. Infantry, vice 9,
66
66
16 JOSEPH HERRIGAN,
5th May,
1789
17 ISAIAH MEAD, vice 2,
18 NATHANIEL PITCHER, vice 17,
19 DANIEL TEFFT, .
66
60
21 ALBERT BAKER JR., Lieut. Infantry, .
66
66
66
22 NOAH PAINE, Lieut. Infantry, vice 10,
23 EDWARD DENHAM, vice 6, .
29th September, 1789 66 66 66
24 JERRY RUSSELL, vice 11,
25 JOSEPH HEPBOURNE, vice 20,
6th April, 1 1790
26 ROBERT PATTERSON,
27th September, 1790 6th April, 1792
28 OLIVER BISSELL, .
66
29 DAVID HARVEY,
66
66
30 JOHN MILLS, vice 23,
66
66
31 NATHANIEL GAGE, Lieut. Infantry, vice 22, .
66
66
66
32 ASA DUNHAM,
7th March,
1793
34 DAVID EDDY, vice 25, .
35 DAVID WELCH, vice 29,
66
66
37 JOHN HARRIS, vice 13,
12th June,
1793
38 WILLIAM COWAN, Lieut. Infantry, .
27th September, 1793
39 ASA CATLIN, vice 18,
2d December, 1795
40 JUSTUS SMITH,
60
66
66
20 WARREN FERRIS, .
66
66
27 JOHN EAGLESTONE, vice 14,
66
33 ASA WRAY, vice 30, .
66 66 66
66
.
36 JOHN SMITH, .
66
3 ALBERT BAKER JR., .
.
66
125
MILITARY ROSTERS.
41 NATHAN DURKEE,
2d December,
1795
42 HENRY KILLMORE, vice 27,
43 COLLINS HITCHCOCK,
66
66
44 BENJAMIN CUTLER, vice 35,
66
45 JOHN MORRISON, Lt. Infantry,
66
66
46 JOHN STOCKHAM, .
66
66
66
47 JOHN CROSLEY, Lt. Infantry, vice 45, 23d March,
1797
48 ROGER HALLIDAY, vice 36,
66
66
49 JAMES SLOAN, vice 44,
66
66
66
51 ELIPHALET EAGLESTONE, vice 41,
66
66
66
53 JOHN THOMAS, vice 52,
7th April,
1798
54 JOHN VAN WORMER,
66
66
55 SAMUEL TERBUSH, vice 49,
66
66
56 JOHN SHAW, vice 51,
10th April,
1800
57 LEVI PITTS, vice 50, .
66
66
58 LIDIUS DURKEE, vice 42,
3d February,
1802
59 ALFRED PITCHER, vice 57, .
66
66
66
60 STEPHEN PORTER, vice 55,
66
66
61 JOHN DURAND, vice 53,
66
68
LIST OF ENSIGNS.
1 JAMES HIGSON,
23d June,
1786
2 JOHN HARRIS,
66
66
3 NATHANIEL PITCHER,
66
66
66
5 SAMUEL CHAPMAN, .
66
66
66
6 BUNNELL PAYNE, .
66
66
66
7 WILLIAM MCAULEY, -
66
.
8 BENJAMIN STEWART,
66
66
66
9 DAVID BUCK, Lt. Infantry,
66
66
66
10 ELIJAH DUNHAM, .
66
66
66
11 JOHN CLARK, vice 7, .
28th September, 1786
66
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13 - PERINE JR., vice 10, .
5th May
1789
15 OLIVER BISSELL,
66
66
16 JOHN EDDY, vice 12,
66
66
66
·
18 JOHN WRAY, .
66
66
66
.
66
66
50 BENJAMIN PITCHER, vice 40, .
66
52 SAMUEL PLATT, vice 39,
-
.
12 EBENEZER BUCK, vice 1,
66
14 JOHN WATSON,
66
17 ELIJAH RUSSELL,
66
4 ARCHIBALD GILLIS,
66
62 BENJAMIN BABCOCK, vice 54,
126
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
19 NATHANIEL GAGE,
5th May, 66
1789
20 DAVID BUCK,
21 JOHN MILLS,
29th September, 1789
22 SAMUEL FAIRCHILD, vice 17, .
66
23 DAVID LING, vice 16,
6th April, 1790
24 PETER TALMAN, Lt. Infantry,
66
25 SAMUEL WOOD, .
27th September, 1790 6th April, 1792
27 GEORGE JACKWAY,
66
66
28 ASA WRAY, vice 21,
66
66
29 ELIJAH DUNHAM, vice 19, .
66
66
30 ASA CATLIN, Lt. Infantry, vice 24, .
66
66
32 NATHAN DURGEE, vice 28,
7th March,
1793
33 AMOS BALDWIN,
66
66
34 BENJAMIN CUTLER,
16
66
35 ASA HODGES (not qualified),
66
66
37 JOHN DOTY, Lt. Infantry, vice 16,
66
66
66
38 JOHN MORRISON,
66
66
66
39 JOHN STEWART, vice 2,
27th September, 1793 66 66
40 WILLIAM HIGH JR., Lt. Infantry, .
41 SAMUEL PLATT, vice 36,
2d December,
1795
43 ELIPHALET EAGLESTONE, vice 26,
44 MEDAD BOSTWICK,
66
66
·
66
66
46 ISAAC WILLIAMS, vice 39,
66
66
66
49 JUDAH THOMPSON,
66
66
66
50 JOHN SWAIN, Lt. Infantry,
23d March,
1797
51 WILLIAM ALCOT, vice 35, .
.
66
66
.53 LEVI PITTS. .
66
66
66
55 JOHN THOMAS, vice 41,
66
"
56 JOHN DURAND, vice 55, .
7th April,
1798
57 BENJAMIN BABCOCK,
58 EPHRAIM COWAN, vice 52,
66
10th April,
1800
66
66
61 ALFRED PITCHER, vice 53, .
62 SAUNDERS LITTLEFIELD, vice 59,
66
66
66
45 LIDIUS DURKEE, vice 32,
66
66
47 JAMES ALDEN, vice 34,
48 JOHN CROSBY, Lt. Infantry,
66
66
52 LEMUEL TERBOSS, vice 47,
54 JOHN SHAW, vice 43,
59 LYMAN LITTLEFIELD, vice 46,
60 RANDALL MCDOUGALL, vice 45,
66 66
66
66
36 ASA CATLIN, vice 14,
42 JOHN MINER,
66
31 PETER FAIRCHILD,
26 R. SAVAGE, .
127
MILITARY ROSTERS.
63 LYMAN BAKER,
64 WILLIAM CARPENTER,
65 SAMUEL LOVE, .
66 WILLIAM B. WEST,
66
67 LEMUEL HASTINGS, vice 58,
68 NATHANIEL PITCHER JR.,
66
66
II.
Beginning the 30th of September, 1789.
FIELD AND STAFF. ·
1 JOHN WILLIAMS, Brigadier General, 6th April 1790
2 NATHAN MORGAN, Inspector, .
66
3 STEPHEN CLAPP JR., Inspector, vice 2,
8th March, 1791
4 ANTHONY I. BLANCHARD, Inspector, vice 3, 27th September, 1793
LIST OF CAPTAINS.
1 ANTHONY I. BLANCHARD,
30th September, 1789
66
66
4 MICAJAH PETTIT, .
66
66
5 GARRETT PEEBLES,
66
66
66
6 BENJAMIN COLVIN,
6th April,
1792
7 STEPHEN THORNE,
8 JOHN HITCHCOCK,
9 SOLOMON SMITH, .
66
66
10 PHILIP SMITH,
66
66
66
13 JAMES HARVEY,
14 MICAJAH PETTIT,
2d December,
1795
15 JONA HARRIS, .
5th April,
1796
16 DANIEL MASON, vice 12,
10th April,
1800
LIST OF LIEUTENANTS.
1 MICAJAH PETTIT, 30th September, 1789
2 JONA HARRIS,
3 ADONIJAH SKINNER,
66
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11 STEPHEN THORNE,
12 SYLVESTER ROWLEY, vice 11,
66
66
2 CHARLES KANE,
3 JOHN HITCHCOCK,
69 BENI COPELAND,
3d February, 1802
66
128
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
4 CHRISTOPHER ALLEN,
30th September, 1789
66
66
6 SAMUEL COOK,
· 66
7 WALSINGHAM COLLINS,
66
65
9 SYLVESTER ROWLEY,
66
10 SAMUEL PAYNE, .
24th March,
1794
11 DANIEL MASON, vice 9,
30th November, 66
1795
12 DANIEL ROBERTS, vice 11,
66
66
14 SILAS CONKEY,
66
16 JONA HARRIS, vice 1,
66
66
66
17 BARZILLAI D. HITCHCOCK, vice 10, .
5th April,
1796
18 SOLOMON DAY, vice 2,
23d March,
1797
19 SAMUEL CALDWELL, vice 16,
66
66
20 JAMES MCFARLAND, vice 15,
66
66
21 EZRA DYRE,
22 ELIAS DAYTON, vice 11,
10th April,
1800
23 THOMAS WORDEN, vice 22,
66
66
LIST OF CORNETS.
1 ADONIJAH SKINNER,
6th April,
1792
2 GERRITT I. VAN SCHAICK,
27th September, 1793
3 DANIEL MASON,
66
66
4 BENJAMIN SMITH, .
24th March,
1794
5 BARZILLAI D. HITCHCOCK,
66
6 FRANCIS MAYNARD,
30th November, 1795
7 EZRA DYRE,
66 66
66
8 JOHN RUSSELL,
66
66
66
9 JOHN VERNOR JR.,
5th April,
1796
10 ANDREW FREEMAN, vice 8,
23d March,
1797
11 AMOS CURTIS, vice 6,
66
12 ROBERT MYRICK, .
10th April,
1800
13 BENJAMIN SMITH,
66
III.
27th Sept., 1793. Battalion formed in Totten and Crossfield's purchase.
1 RICHARDSON THURMAN, Major Commandant.
2 CHARLES MCLAREN, Adjutant, . 2d December, 1795
3 JOHN MCLAREN JR., Surgeon, 66
66
8 SAMUEL FRISBY, .
13 GERRITT J. VAN SCHAICK vice 7,
66
15 WILLIAM HAMILTON,
.
66
5 EDWARD PATTEN,
129
MILITARY ROSTERS.
4 MOSES LEONARD, Quarter Master,
5 KITCHEL BISHOP, Adjutant, .
6 LEAVITT FOX, Quarter Master, .
2d December, 1795
10th April, 1800
66 66 66
LIST OF CAPTAINS.
1 HUGH MCAULEY.
2 ENOS MEAD.
3 JOHN MURRAY.
4 TIMOTHY STOWE, Lt. Infantry, .
23d March,
1797
5 WILLIAM JOHNSON,
66
6 BENJAMIN POTTER, .
21st January,
1802
7 JAMES TUTTLE,
66
8 DANIEL BESWICK,
66
66
9 ASA DUNHAM,
10 JAMES PURLSER,
13th March,
LIST OF LIEUTENANTS.
1 DANIEL BESWICK.
2 BENJAMIN POTTER.
3 WILLIAM JOHNSON.
4 JOSEPH BOCKES, Lt. Infantry,
23d March,
1797 66
6 AMOS RICH, .
21st January, 66 66
1802
7 HEZEKIAH BALDWIN,
66
66.
9 JUSTUS BENNETT, .
66
66
10 GERSHOM DARLING, .
66
66
66
11 JOHN MCMILLAN, vice 5,
13th March,
1802
LIST OF CORNETS.
1 ISRAEL THOMAS.
2 DANIEL BARKER.
3 JOSEPH BOCKES.
4 SIMON CHESLEY,
23d March,
1797
5 JUSTUS BENNETT, vice 1,
10th April,
1800
6 HEZEKIAH BALDWIN, vice 2,
7 JOHN MCMILLAN, vice 3,
66
8 ZIBA HAREDEN,
21st January,
1802
9 BENJAMIN KNAPP,
17
5 JAMES PARKER,
66
8 FREDERIC MILLER,
.
66
66
130
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
10 ELEAZER GOODMAN,
11 NATHANIEL SMITH,
12 EDWARD CORNELL,
66
66
13 CALEB COOK, .
13th March, 1802
To the foregoing may properly be appended the following extract from the Clinton manuscripts on file in the State Library. " A return of the militia of the state of New York under the command of his Excellency Geo. Clinton, Esq., commander-in-chief, December 1st, 1788, Washington county, James Gordon, of Albany, Brigadier, Adiel Sherwood, Lieut. Col. commanding, Adam Martin, Lieut. Col. commanding.
Sherwood's Regt. July 28 total rank and file 854. Martin's
31 «
1,138."
[From the Wing Papers.]
MILITARY WARRANT.
" Queensbury, June, ye 25, 1787.
Agreeable to regimental orders you hereby Required to tak the within list and worn each person named therein to apeare at Hosey Howards (on the Ridge) Compleatly aquipt as the Law Dereacts to the Regimental parade on Wensday the 9 day of July at nine o'clock in the morning there to ymbody to March to the Regimental parade.
WILLIAM ROBARDS Captn.
Hosey Howard,
David Ogden,
Stephen Howard,
Eli Hopkins,
David Bennett junr.,
Jeremiah Briggs,
Isaac Bates,
David Shaw,
Justus Brown,
Edward Flanigan,
Jacob Odle,
Houghgil Brown,
Abraham Wing junr.,
Samuel Odle,
John Pennel,
Andrew Lewis,
Bennay Akens,
Ezekiel Sweet,
James Tam,
Elijah Barto,
Nicholas Barker,
Henry Martin,
Jonathan Tripp,
Samuel Barker,
James Griffin,
James Tripp,
James Butler junr.,
John Eday, James Higson,
Jesse Denny, George Denny,
Nathan Clark, Nathaniel Comins,
Phinehas Babcock,
Isaack Wilcocks,
Wolcatt Blakely,
Miles Worshburn jr.,
Wanton Morey,
Elisha Wing, Justis Sealy,
Epraim Woodard, James Bennett, Nathaniel Fuller,
John Holeden, Peter Peck,
James Stevenson,
Ebenezer Fuller Jr.,
Walter Brigs,
Benjamin Fuller, Edward Fuller,
Nathaniel Odle, Sarg't. Nathaniel Babcock,
Sarg't.
Jabish Brigs, Jacob Buoice,
Matthew Fuller,
21st January, 1802 66
QUEENSBURY IN THE WAR OF THE UNION.
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE WAR COMMITTEE OF QUEENSBURY IN THE WAR OF THE GREAT REBELLION - ITS ACTION AND REPRESENTATION THEREIN - THE SEVERAL QUOTAS OF THE TOWN - BOUNTIES - ERECTION OF THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE SAME.
ITH the tidings of the fall of Fort Sumter, a call was made, numerously signed by citizens of the village, irrespective of party, for a public meeting at Numan's Hall, a building which stood on what is now mostly a vacant space, between Cosgrove Music Hall, and the Glen's Falls Opera House. A large and enthusiastic meeting, presided over by the Hon. Keyes P. Cool, resolved that this community should do its share and be fully represented in the coming strug- gle. Two persons, namely, the writer of this book and Mr. George Clendon received authorizations from the adjutant general of the state to raise companies in response to the first call of the president for volunteers. The ranks were speedily filled and the companies mustered for service by Col. H. K. Colvin of the 31st New York Militia. They were joined by ano- ther company (I), of stalwart men from the north part of War- ren and Essex counties. These three companies received the honors of an ovation given them by the citizens of the village, a purse was made up and given to each company and they were escorted to Fort Edward by the fire department of the place. The same day they reached the military rendezvous at Troy, where in due time they were consolidated as companies E and F, with other companies from the neighborhood and formed the 22d Regt. N. Y. Vols. under the command of Col. Walter Phelps jr., of Glen's Falls. It subsequenty formed a part of the famous iron brigade of the first division, and first army corps.1
1 With the first enlistment of two years' volunteers, as there was no bounty, either local, state or general, offered, recruits were backward in offering their services, until guaranties were given that in case of their death or disability
132
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
From that time forward, scattering recruits from old Queens- bury were continually pouring to the front, filling the ranks of the regular army, supplying deficient quotas from other sections of the state and country at large.
With the progress of the war,1 and its prospective continu- ance, new calls were made, new levies demanded. The question was no longer one of patriotism, the claim was obligatory, its effect compulsory, month by month new regiments were raised, and new companies furnished. Nearly an entire company of Glen's Falls boys was recruited for a District of Columbia regiment.
The 91st, 93d, 96th, 115th, 118th, 125th, 126th, 153d, 156th, 169th and 192d regiments were represented by companies or detatchments of Glen's Falls volunteers, while scattering repre- sentatives might have been found in half the regiments of the state, and every branch of the service. After the boys in blue began to return home from expired enlistments, many of them reentered the army, resolved to see the thing through. In this way what was known as the veteran regiments were speedily filled out and returned to do good service in the war. In this way the Second New York Veteran Cavalry, and Sixteenth New York Heavy Artillery received large accessions from this vicinity.
The volunteer system of 1861, was found on brief trial, to be entirely inadequate to the exigencies of the war. It took, however, a long time, before all the machinery incidental to a new and hitherto untried system, to work itself into thorough and harmonious operation. No quotas were assigned, and no
their families should be provided for. This assurance was met by two subscrip- tion papers amounting to about ten thousand dollars each. Of this sum nearly one-half was collected and disbursed; the bounty system then coming in, dis- pensed with the need of any further assessments or collections.
1 One of the early effects of the war, was the issues of vast volumes of paper cur- rency which speedily became known as greenbacks. A counter result was the almost immediate withdrawal from circulation of the specie of the country even to the copper and nickel issue. The consequence was, a great temporary distress for the want of small change. The country was flooded in a few weeks, with a bogus brass currency, composed of tradsmens' cards. Postage stamps for large and small amounts were temporarily used, and one enterprising manufacturer of nostrums went so far as to enclose them in metallic cases, bearing the stamped names of the remedies. In this emergency, the corporate authorities of Glen's Falls issued in the fall of 1862, what were known as corporation shinplasters to the amount of $5000, in denominations of fifty, twenty-five, ten and five cents. With the issue of the postal currency by the general government, came a general law, forbidding corporations or individuals from circulating such money, so it was called in and cancelled the following year.
133
THE WAR OF THE UNION.
records, coming within the scope of this article, were kept either by the state, or general government in that, or the fol- lowing years. It was not until March, 1863, that the general government made an enrollment, and through its provost mar- shals in each congressional district began its assignment of quotas. The following statistics appear on the files of the adju- tant general's department at Albany for the year 1862.
Population of the town of Queensbury, .. 7,146
Number enrolled liable to military duty, .. 1,107
Number of exempts embraced in above return, 86
Number liable to draft, 1,021
Quota of Queensbury under the calls of July and August, 1862.1 221
Number furnished to fill quota as above, 208
Deficit carried forward, 13
During that dark period of the rebellion, which preceded the emancipation proclamation, Governor Morgan appointed in each senatorial district, a committee of three gentlemen, who, in conjunction with sub-committees designated by them in each county, were known as the war committee, whose business seems to have been, without any specifically defined duties, to assist in making up the complement of troops required of each locality.
The late Halsey R. Wing, was the member who represented Queensbury on that committee, and very efficiently and patri- otically did he discharge that duty, for, besides his time, his labor and his money, he gave his two sons Edgar Murray and George Henry, as an offering upon the altar of his country.
If there was any other member of that senatorial war com- mittee from Queensbury, I have not been advised of the fact.
There at length came a time in our history when money had to be raised to pay bounties, in order to save the trou- ble 'and reproach of a draft. A special town meeting for this purpose was called on the 25th of July, 1864 (less than three months after the great fire which had burned out the
1 The call in July, was for three hundred thousand three years' men. The call in August was for three hundred thousand nine months' men. These two amounts were consolidated in one assignment, and equalized, so that an enlistment for three years represented and was equivalent to four enlistments at nine months. There' were but very few nine months' troops mustered from this state. The large pro- portion were three years' men.
134
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
heart of our village, and destroyed upwards of one million dol- lars worth of property); at which one hundred thousand dollars were voted to pay the volunteers.1 Bonds were issued repre- senting this sum, and twice to its credit be it said, that these securities were all quickly taken at home, and have long since been paid up and cancelled. At the town meeting referred to, the following gentlemen were chosen as a permanent war com- mittee of the town, whose services, onerous, arduous and re- sponsible, were continued to the end of the war, viz :
Jerome Lapham, I. J. Davis,
Halsey R. Wing, George Conery,
William A. Wait,
Lifelet Harris,
F. A. Johnson jr., Stephen Brown,
R. M. Little.
Most of these gentlemen gave a large per centage of their time to this undertaking. They offered bounties, and expended money to pay volunteers, sent agents both north and south to procure substitutes and fill the quotas required by the draft ;
1 Of this amount the Glen's Falls Bank took shares amounting to $13,225, the Commercial Bank $16,400. The balance was taken by private parties the Hon. Jerome Lapham alone bearing upwards of ten thousand dollars of the amount. The bonds were so apportioned that an equal proportion matured each year until they were all cancelled.
Besides the amount already specified other sums were appropriated during the same year as appears by the following resolutions passed at the annual town meeting.
" Resolved, That there be raised $109.60 for to pay expenses in recruiting Capt. Fassett's company.
Resolved, That there be raised $108.87 to pay expenses in recruiting Capt. Arlin's company.
Resolved, That there be raised $106.42 to pay expenses in recruiting Capt. D. Cameron's company.
Resolved, That there be raised $109.80 to pay George Conery and William Cos- grove for taking up a note drawn by M. W. Coville for recruiting purposes.
Resolved, That there be raised $1,354.73 to pay a note dated Dec. 20, 1862.
Resolved, That there be raised $7,015 to pay a note drawn for bounty money.
Resolved, That there be raised $1,890.12 to pay a note held by Jerome Lapham.
Resolved, That there be levied and raised $4,845 to pay note in the Commercial Bank drawn by citizens for bounty of $300 each.
Resolved, That there be raised $612.32 to pay note given to pay expenses of reception of 22d regiment.
At a special town meeting held December 19th, 1864, the following resolutions were passed.
Resolved, That the sum of $30,000 be raised by the town for the purpose of paying bounties into the military and naval service of the United States.
Resolved, That this money be collected in five equal installments of $6,000 each with the amount of interest unpaid thereon.
Resolved, That $2,467.76 be raised for the purpose of paying bounties."
135
THE WAR OF THE UNION.
looked after the soldiers' families at home, and superintended the investment and liquidation of the town bonds.
Statement of the quotas assigned to Queensbury, Warren Co., 16th district of New York, and the credits applied thereon, under calls for troops.
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