USA > New York > Livingston County > Nunda > Centennial history of the town of Nunda : with a preliminary recital of the winning of western New York, from the fort builders age to the last conquest by our Revolutionary forefathers > Part 58
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
I have no recollection of ever entertaining any guests so poorly clad as he and his friend. Lieut. Oliver W. West, of N. Dansville. The exchange took place April 26th, 1865. Col. Thorp never forgot the kindness shown on that occasion to him, but he went away fed and clad better ( in his own estimation ) than he had ever been before. The Colonel fared better than many, his good nature served as a talisman to win favors from Masonic brethren and brave men. He did not look like the living skeletons that they took on the river boat to Wilmington. I would not describe their condition for fear my reputation for veracity might suffer.
If I should tell you that there were men taken on to that boat with not enough of their skin left on them to make them recognizable to their nearest relatives, you might doubt my word : if I told you that vermin by the thousands had caused this condition, for the invalids could not kill them, you would not believe me, so I will simply say imagine the worst condition possible and then multiply it by 100.
537
1
538
VETERANS OF COMPANY F, 136 N. Y.
Top row, left to right-Will Q. Huggins, H. W. Hand, R. K. Bergen; lower row-Stephen Hayward, Jno. W. Hand, F. A. Northway
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 136th REGIMENT, N. Y. V. I. By Capt. John W. Hand
Among the regiments recruited from the Thirtieth Senatorial District, the 136th Regiment attained an enviable distinction in Livingston County. This distinction was acquired not from any superiority of material over that of other organizations recruited from the same locality, but as five of the com- panies and nearly all of the field officers were from Livingston, it rapidly became essentially a Livingston County regiment. It had the prestige of the famous campaigns with Sherman added to its meritorious service in Virginia and at Gettysburg: an experience not shared by other Livingston County troops. Furthermore, all of its officers and very many of the men became prominent in civil life in the period following the Civil War.
In the excellent History of Livingston County compiled by Lockwood R. Doty there appears a roster of the officers of the 136th Regiment mustered into the service of the United States at Camp Williams, Portage, September 21, 1862, but as many of these remained in the service but a few months and were succeeded by others promoted from the ranks such a roster is incomplete. and historically unsatisfactory, and is herewith amended by giving the suc- cession of officers :
Field and Staff
Colonel : James Wood. Jr. ( Brevet Brigadier General-War Department ).
Lieutenant Colonel: Ist. Lester B. Faulkner ; 2nd, Henry L. Arnold ( Bre- vetted Colonel by Governor of N. Y.).
Major: Ist, David C. Hartshorn ; 2nd. Henry L. Arnold : 3rd, George H. Eldredge (Brevet, War Department) ; Campbell H. Young (commissioned. not mustered ).
Adjutant : Ist, Campbell H. Young ; 2nd. Chauncey E. Metcalf.
Quartermaster : Ist John T. Wright ; 2nd, Jacob S. Gallentine.
Surgeon : Ist, Bleeker F. Hovey ; 2nd Edwin Amsden.
First Assistant Surgeon : Ist. Edwin Amsden ; 2nd, John R. Smith.
Second Assistant Surgeon : Charles F. Warner.
Quartermaster Sergeant : Ist. Richard W. Barney ; 2nd, Amos H. Bacon. Commissary Sergeant: Ist. Jacob S. Gallentine ; 2nd, Edwin S. Bliss ; 3rd.
A. F. Taylor.
Line Officers Company A.
Captain : Ist. Alvin T. Cole ; 2nd. Seth P. Buell : 3rd. Abner S. Cole.
First Lieutenant : Ist, A. M. Loyden ; 2nd, Edwin H. Van Zandt: 3rd. William C. Hall : 4th. Henry S. Lucas.
Second Lieutenant : Ist. John W. Webster ; 2nd, Abner S. Cole ; 3rd, John C. Wheaton.
Company B.
Captain : Ist. Edwin H. Pratt : 2nd. John W. Hand.
First Lieutenant: ist. John Jay Bailey ; 2nd. William C. Hall ; 3rd, Theron Cross.
Second Lieutenant : Ist, Nicholas V. Mundy ; 2nd, Isaac W. Drake.
539
Company C.
Captain : Ist. Almon A. Hoyt : 2nd, Willard S. Chapin.
First Lieutenant : Wells Hendershott : 2nd, J. Emerson Hoyt ; 3rd, Charles Tresser ; 4th, Bruce Luther.
Second Lieutenant : Ist. Emerson J. Hoyt : 2nd, Willard S. Chapin ; 3rd, Patrick Galbraith, Jr.
Company D.
Captain : Augustus A. Harrington, Wells Hendershott, James G. Cam- eron, John Jay Bailey.
First Lieutenant : Myron A. Bartlett, R. G. Dudley, Isaac S. Johnson, Amos H. Bacon.
Second Lieutenant : Russell G. Dudley.
Company E.
Captain : Henry B. Jenks. Frank Collins.
1st Lieutenant : James G. Cameron. Gad C. Parker.
Second Lieutenant : Seth P. Buell, Bishop H. True.
Company F.
Captain : John H. Burgess.
First Lieutenant : John Galbraith. John W. Hand. Shelby Baker.
Second Lieutenant : Charles H. Wisner. Charles Tresser, Henry S. Lucas.
Company G.
Captain : Sidney Ward. Orange Sackett. Jr.
First Lieutenant : Orange Sackett, Jr .. A. A. Curtis, Lucien A. Smith. Second Lieutenant : Kidder M. Scott. A. A. Curtiss. L. A. Smith.
Company H.
Captain : Ezra 11. Jeffries. Kidder M. Scott. Campbell H. Young. Edward E. Sill.
First Lieutenant : Edward Madden, Anson B. Hall, H. G. Carey. Con C. Cassady.
Second Lieutenant : Anson B. Hall. W. C. Hall, Gad C. Parker.
Company 1.
Captain : Henry L. Arnold. Augustus A. Curtiss, Charles L. Peck. First Lieutenant : Frank Collins, Charles L. Peck. Matthew Mead.
Second Lieutenant : George MI. Reed, Robert F. Bullard.
Company K.
Captain : Amos F. Davis, George H. Eldredge.
First Lieutenant : George H. Eldredge. George Y. Boss, Edward E. Sill. Second Lieutenant: George Y. Boss. John D. Lottridge, Hubbard G. Carey.
540
The regiment on its arrival at Virginia early in October. 1862, was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 11th Army Corps, and bore as its designating army badge the white crescent. The Eleventh was, with the ex- ception of the 2nd Brigade. essentially a German corps, formerly under com- mand of Gen. Franz Sigel, but then and thenceforward in command of Major General Oliver O. Howard. Among the first experiences of the 136th Regi- ment was a forced march to Thoroughfare Gap, and the fatiguing march toward Fredericksburg at the time of the first disastrous battle at that place. The early winter months were spent at Bank's Ford in picket duty along the Rappahannock River until after Burnside's abortive winter campaign when the regiment was withdrawn to the main line of defense near Stafford Court House. At the opening of the spring campaign, the regiment having by this time become well drilled and disciplined, was capable of good service. At least that was the opinion of Brig. Gen. Francis C. Barlow, a young, brave and ambitious officer then commanding the brigade. The march to the field of Chancellorsville was neither long nor arduous, and all the troops were in fine spirits. On the afternoon of May Ist. Barlow's brigade made a rapid reconnaissance to their front in light marching order. Each company had left its blankets and knapsacks on the field in care of a single guard. An hour afterwards the corps was surprised by the enemy and swept from the field. The muster rolls show a small loss of men wounded or missing sustained by this guard. The Johnies got possesion of the knapacks, which contained be- sides clothing many things of a more or less sentimental value. This was the only loss of camp equipage ever sustained by the regiment. On the return of the brigade late at night it was ascertained that its former position was occupied by the enemy and it took position for the night in front of the 3rd Corps lines near a piece of woods occupied by the enemy. In the early dawn of the next morning the brigade rejoined the corps, and a half hour later the enemy furiously and successfully assaulted the 3rd Corps' position. During the day the brigade occupied a position on the flank of the army, and though it was occasionally annoyed by shells it was not exposed to infantry fire. Late in the afternoon Gen. Barlow obtained permission to engage his brigade and it was brought upon the battle line but too late for action.
In the month of June following, the regiment moved with its corps to Gettysburg by a series of rapid and irregular marches along the flank of the invading army. The longest continuous march of this campaign was made between Boonsborough and Emmitsburg. Md .. a distance of 38 miles, which was accomplished in 241/2 hours, and notwithstanding the arduous nature of this campaign the men were so hardened by constant drills that they reached the field of action in superb condition.
Gen. Barlow, having been given command of a division, the brigade was at this time under command of Col. Orland Smith of the 73rd Ohio Volunteers. the senior Colonel of the brigade, which was composed of the 73rd Ohio, the 136th New York. the 33rd Massachusetts. and the 55th Ohio regiments. The returns of the 136th regiment for the 30th of June showed 23 officers and 520 men present for duty.
The alternating order of marching troops had brought Smith's brigade of Steinwehr's division in the rear of the marching column, and on its arrival
541
------
.
:
at Cemetery Hill, about 1 P. M., was held in reserve by Gen. Steinwehr at that place, the other troops of Howard's Corps having passed through and beyond the town. were actively engaging the enemy. The position of the 136th Regi- ment during the battle and until the morning of the 6th of July was on the west slope of Cemetery Hill on the Tarreytown road. Three companies of the regiment were advanced as a skirmish line about 400 yards in front, and there was always something doing on this line. The hill behind the line of battle was crowned with cannon and the position being too strong to invite assault only the skirmish line was engaged. and yet the casualties of the regiment at this battle numbered 106.
Returning to Virginia the regiment was employed during the summer guarding railroad communications from the attacks of the ubiquitous and enterprising Col. Mosby, until September. 1863, when the 11th and 12th Corps, in command of Hooker. were transferred to the Army of the Cumber- land then beleaguered at Chattanooga.
The long ride in box cars from Manassas Junction, Va., to Bridgeport. Ala., was a holiday episode, as enjoyable as a furlough. There were no deser- tions in transit but one man lost his life by falling from the top of a car. After its arrival at Bridgeport the regiment was employed guarding railroad in the vicinity of Anderson. Tenn., until the 26th of October, when the 11th and 12th Corps marched up the river toward Chattanooga. The advance guard of the marching column encountered the enemy's picket near Wauhatchie and dispersed it. and shortly afterward. while moving along the base of Lookout Mountain, were subjected to an artillery fire from the enemy's guns on the summit, which fire soon proved to be harmless from inability to depress the guns sufficiently.
The IIth Corps, with the 136th Regiment at the head of the column. moved forward along a range of rugged wooded hills to Brown's Ferry. the nearest crossing on the Tennessee open to Chattanooga. The 12th Corps was encamped at Wauhatchie. about three miles distant. The disposition of Hooker's troops was plainly observable from the mountain. and during the night the enemy moved down to surprise and attack the force at Wauhatchie. Gen. Steinwehr's division moved promptly to the assistance of the 12th Corps but found the way intercepted by a force of the enemy which had occupied one of the hills before mentioned. Three regiments of Smith's brigade-the 33rd Massachusetts. the 73rd Ohio and the 136th New York-were ordered to dislodge the enemy from its position. This was accomplished but with con- siderable loss of life. The 136th Regiment, at the left of the line, scrambled up the steep declivity in the darkness, reserving their fire until the enemy's line of battle was disclosed by a volley at close range The 136th Regiment was the first to reach the summit, when by a well-directed flank fire the enemy was swept from the ridge in great confusion. This picturesque midnight charge was the only night attack in which the regiment ever engaged, but on this occasion it performed its duty admirably with the most satisfactory results. This battle of October 28. 1863. is placed on the regimental colors as Brown's Ferry : but the casualties are shown on muster rolls as occurring variously at Brown's Ferry. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Valley and Wauhatchie.
542
The regiment occupied this hill and did picket duty along Lookout Creek until November 23rd, when it was engaged in the battle of Missionary Ridge. After the battle it was sent with the 11th Corps to the relief of Burnside's ยท Corps at Knoxville. Tenn. This was a long and arduous march at an inclement season, and as the men had left their overcoats and heavy blankets at Chatta- nooga preparatory to going into action at Missionary Ridge, they suffered greatly from exposure.
On the return of the regiment from Knoxville it went into winter quarters at Lookout Valley. Tenn. During the winter of 1863-64 the 11th and 12th Corps were consolidated. In the new organization known as the 20th Corps Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker was given command of corps. with Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, late chief of staff, Army of Potomac, commanding 3rd Division. Col. James Wood. Jr., commanding 3rd Brigade. now composed of the 136th New York. 20th Connecticut. 33rd Massachusetts. 55th Ohio, 73rd Ohio and 26th Wisconsin, with the designating badge of the blue star, and Lieut. Col. Lester B. Faulkner commanding regiment. No better troops and none more ably commanded could be found in the army.
In the Atlanta campaign, beginning May 1, 1864, and ending with the occupation of that city September 2nd, it was the fortune of this splendid vet- eran brigade never to lose a foot of contested ground or a stand of colors, and whether assailant or assailed it was alike victorious. At the battle of Resaca May 15th it firmly withstood three successive onsets of the lines of the impetuous Confederate, Gen. Hood. and defeated his effort to turn the left flank of the Union army. In this important engagement the 136th Regiment sustained a severe loss in men. only exceeded during its service by its casual- ties at Gettysburg.
In all the minor battles and skirmishes of the 20th Corps during the suc- ceeding 100 days of constant fighting the 136th regiment performed meri- torious service, especially at the battle of Peach Tree Creek on the 20th of July when the opposing lines of battle came in personal contact and the flag of the 31st Mississippi Regiment was heroically captured by private Dennis Buckley of Company G. who unfortunately lost his life in the performance of the gallant act.
On the 15th day of October. 1864, Sherman's army, under the new desig- nation of the Army of Georgia, started on its famous march to the sea. The 14th and 20th Corps formed the left wing in command of Gen. H. W. Slocum : the 20th Corps. commanded by Gen. A. S. Williams, and the 3rd Division by Gen. W'm. T. Ward. The brigade and regiment remained in command of Col. Wood and Lieut. Col. Faulkner respectively. The march to the sea, although bold in its inception, proved not difficult of accomplishment. A new problem. however, was presented : that of subsisting on stores foraged from the coun- try along the line of march. To gather subsistence from an enemy's country- a country already drained and impoverished by the demands of its own army, involved the necessity of keeping in motion ; the different divisions moving on parallel roads, thus covering a wide scope of country. Even then the sup- plies were sometimes scanty and the diet extremely monotonous. Sometimes there would be little but sweet potatoes and again nothing for days together but cow-peas, and yet again during the ten days' siege of Savannah, the regi- ment subsisted chiefly on rice.
543
1
The resistance offered to the progress of Sherman's army through Georgia was feeble and Savannah was evacuated on December 21st. On the 16th of January, 1865, the army again started northward on its more difficult cam- paign through the Carolinas with Brig. Gen. Wm. Cogswell-a brave and effi- cient officer-in command of brigade, and Liuet. Col. H. L. Arnold com- manding regiment. The season was now inclement-the streams, always to be waded, swollen and cold. Supplies were less abundant and foraging more hazardous. Larger foraging parties were sent out and always under command of an officer, but it was difficult to keep such details well in hand, and several foragers became victims of their individual enterprise and became prisoners. These captured foragers were all paroled, and rejoined the regiment at Wash- ington. In its passage through the Carolinas the regiment assisted in the destruction of the railroads on its line of march and in dispersing such forces as disputed the crossings of the principal rivers. At Fayettville, N. C., on the Cape Fear River, the army was able to obtain stores from the depot at Wil- mington and divest itself of the horde of negro refugees that encumbered its progress.
On the 16th of March at Averasboro a formidable force of infantry was encountered and forced to retire. The success was not followed up as it was thought unadvisable to bring on a general engagement until a junction could be effected with the troops of Gen. Terry. The affair was mainly confined to Ward's division and the 136th Regiment met with severe loss. Three days later, on the 19th of March, a division of the 14th Corps became hotly engaged with the enemy under command of its old antagonist. Gen. Joseph E. John- ston, near Bentonville, N. C., and Ward's division was promptly sent to its aid. This was a fierce conflict in thick woods at close range. When the small number of troops engaged is considered and that on the part of Slocum's men it was an accidental encounter, the list of casualties in each army show it to have been a well contested battle. The casualties in the Union Army num- bered 1,646, while the Confederate loss was 2,606, the losses on each side being about double those sustained at Averasboro.
In this, the last battle of Sherman's army, the 136th suffered severely, losing a greater percentage of men engaged than in any other battle since Resaca. Lieut. Col. H. L. Arnold was severely wounded and the command of the regiment devolved on Capt. Geo. H. Eldredge. After the victory at Bentonville the troops moved on to Goldsboro, arriving March 24th, thus com- pleting a march of 454 miles in 64 days. On April 10th it moved to Raleigh where it awaited the negotiations for the surrender of Johnston's army, when it resumed its homeward march through Richmond. May 11th, and over the battlefields of Spottsylvania and Chancellorsville and the familiar scenes of its former campaigns, arriving at Alexandria on the 19th of May, and marching in the Grand Review at Washington, May 24: 1865.
The regiment was mustered out of service June 13, 1865, at Washing- ton, D. C.
The story of the muster rolls-the official chronicle of its services and its sacrifices remains to be given. The report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York shows that there are borne on the rolls of the 136th Regiment. N. Y. Volunteer Infantry, 1.088 names, as follows:
544
Original organization. 1,015; recruits, 73; total, 1,088.
Officers died of wounds during service, 2; officers died of disease, 1 ; offi- cers discharged for wounds, 2: officers resigned or discharged for disability, 35 ; officers commissioned but declined, 4; total officers dropped from rolls, 44.
Enlisted men killed or died of wounds, 71 ; killed by accident, I ; died of disease, 92; missing in action, 3; discharged to accept promotion in other organizations, 3: discharged for disability. 181; discharged by sentence of court martial, 1 ; transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, 53 : recruits transferred to 66th Infantry. 44 ; deserted at Potage, 14; deserted during service, 45; re- cruits deserted on way to regiment, 14; mustered out with regiment, 363; mustered out at hospitals, 159: total officers and men, 1,088.
There were inscribed on the regimental colors of the 136th by authority of the Secretary of War the names of 23 battles and campaigns in which it had participated. In these engagements. as shown by the preceding paragraph, there was a total loss in killed and mortally wounded of 73. An examination of the official records shows there was an aggregate of wounds other than fatal received in the various engagements of 173, making the total of killed and wounded in action 246. The list of wounded accounts in part for the large number discharged from hospitals.
Most of the recruits of the regiment were enrolled too late to render any service and many never reached it. The aggregate losses of the regiment are naturally not as great as in a regiment whose ranks were swelled to the maxi- mum by recruits but still they were great. It was a fortunate organization, prudently handled by good officers, and never met defeat or disaster in all its long and meritorious career.
Nunda had no full company in this regiment but it furnished a contingent of men enrolled in Companies F. H and I, whose proud record for heroic service and sacrifice is unsurpassed by any similar number of men of any regiment. There are a few names of men enlisted from another town but who were so closely allied to these men and who have so long been identified with Nunda that their names seem entitled to a place on this Roll of Honor. It should be noted that the remark: "Mustered out with company" indicates continuous faithful service during whole term of enlistment. No other record can be more meritorious :
LIST OF NUNDA MEN IN 136th REGIMENT
Kelsey Bergen, age 19, private, Company F. enlisted August 27, 1862; mustered out with company June 13, 1865 ; Brevet Second Lieutenant.
David Close, age 21, enlisted private. Company I, August 27, 1862 ; killed in action at Resaca, Ga., May 15, 1864.
William Close age 28, enlisted August 27, 1862, private, Company I;
. wounded June 21, 1864, promoted Corporal May 10, 1865; mustered out with company June 13, 1865.
Daniel L. Confer, age 22, enlisted August 31, 1862, private, Company I ; killed in action at Gettysburg, Pa .. July 3, 1863.
William Elwood, age 23, enlisted September 3, 1862. private, Company I ; died September 25, 1864, at Atlanta, Ga. ; buried at Dalton.
545
:
Robert H. Gordon, age 27, enlisted August 26, 1862 private. Company 1. Corporal, May 1, 1864, Sergeant, May 10, 1865 ; mustered out with company June 13, 1865.
Robert W. Green, age 19, enlisted August 29, 1862, private Company F : wounded in action at Atlanta Ga., August, 1864, discharged March 2, 1865, at Cleveland, O .; Brevet Second Lieutenant.
Edwin M. Hamilton, age 28, enlisted September 1, 1862, private, Company I; absent sick in hospital April 10, 1863, discharged for disability, no date.
Henry Wells Hand, Age 23, enlisted August 31, 1862, private, Company F : discharged March 31, 1864, to accept promotion as Captain in 39th Infantry U. S. C. T.
John W. Hand, age 25, enlisted August 23, 1862, First Sergeant Company F; promoted First Lieutenant Company F, December 20, 1862, vice Gilbraith in command Company I, July 20, 1864 ; Captain Company B. January 1, 1865 ; vice Pratt, mustered out with Company, June 13, 1865.
William Q. Huggins, age 20, enlisted August 27, private Company F; cor- poral March 1, 1863; wounded in action at Lookout Valley, Tenn., October 29, 1863, discharged May 22, 1865, at Evansville, Ind.
Peter Nettler, age 30, enlisted August 29, 1862, private, Company I : wounded in action May 15, 1864, at Resaca, Ga .; absent at Rochester, N. Y., at muster out of Company.
Frank A. Northway, age 26, enlisted August 23, 1862, corporal Company F : Sergeant, March 1, 1863 ; mustered out with company; Brevet Second Lieu- tenant.
Philip Bertram, age 30, enlisted August 22, 1862, private, Company I; dis- charged for disability at Washington, D. C., January 7, 1863.
Henry S. Lyon, age 21, enlisted August 31, 1862, private, Company H ; mustered out with Company, June 13. 1865.
Henry R. Havens, age 32, enlisted August 25, 1862, Corporal Company I : transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, April, 1863.
John Ryan, age 19, enlisted August 29, 1862, private, Company I ; mustered out with Company, June 13, 1865.
William S. Knappenbarger, age 22, enlisted August 29, 1862, private, Com- pany F; promoted corporal January 1, 1864, mustered out with Company, June 13; 1865.
David C. Wade, age 33, enlisted September 1, 1862, private, Company I : died while on furlough at Nunda, N. Y., February 27, 1864.
Charles F. Warner, commissioned assistant surgeon, September 26, 1862: discharged January 10, 1863.
James Welstead, age 18, enlisted August 30, 1862, private, Company I; dis- charged for disability February 4, 1863.
George W. Wescott, age 21, enlisted August 29, 1862, private, Company I : discharged for disability August 29, 1863, at Washington, D. C.
Russell P. Wescott, age 27, enlisted August 27, 1862, private, Company I; promoted corporal October 1. 1863: wounded in action at Resaca, Ga., may 15. 1864. died of wounds June 24, 1864.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.