Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 20

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- [from old catalog] comp; Horton, William H., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders
Number of Pages: 1384

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890 > Part 20

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).

The deserter, after the war, said that one bullet passed through his hair, and several of them whistled so near to him that he feared he had been hit. He declared that he was " too scared to surrender," and that he mechanically took to the oars, rowing away in vigorous fashion, in sheer desperation from the first impulse that came over him. This adventure had a marked effect, however, upon the actions of the deserters living across the river. They made a great deal of noise and threatened great things because of this at- tempt to arrest one of their clan, but they took good care to keep themselves safely on the Canadian side of the river. The officer, on returning to Water- town, was unmercifully hectored over this failure to arrest the deserter. Even

164

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

the good Captain Emerson laughed until his sides must have ached as he was told the interesting tale of the adventure. This was an instance where the force of the United States was baffled by the escape of the enemy. It was the only instance in the history of the office where a failure was met with in arresting a deserter ; and in this case there was only reason for gratitude on the part of the officer afterwards that some of his shots did not hit the un- fortunate deserter.

A third instance of the arrest of a deserter made a good deal of excite- ment. A man brought information to the provost-marshal that his youngest brother, who had come home from his regiment on furlough, was intending to desert, and that he was being harbored and encouraged in this intention by a "copperhead " uncle, and he wished him to be arrested before he had time to run away to Canada. A zealous Republican himself, in the days when patriotic excitement ran high, he was deeply pained at the course of his young brother, and so came to have him secured and sent back to duty. Special Agent Shaw was ordered to take the case in hand, and went to the elder brother's house early the next morning. Together they drove to the uncle's place, and the latter's rage on being charged with concealing the deserter knew no bounds. Finally the volley of abuse was cut short by the action of the officer in pulling out a pair of "handcuffs," and declaring that he would clap them on him unless he instantly ceased his tirade and point out where the deserter was in hiding. This had the desired effect, and with a crest- fallen look he led the way to the horse barn, in the loft of which young

had a hiding-place. A more woe-begone young man was never seen than this one, with his hair and clothes covered with literal " hay seed," and half scared out of his wits. He was really a pitiable sight, and cried like a child. Taking him into the two-seated carriage he was driven to the elder brother's house, so that the prisoner might see his old mother, who lived with him, a sweet woman with white hair, and in feeble health. Arriving there the officer went in first to comfort the old mother by explaining that the erring son stood in no danger from being shot, but that on being returned to his regiment only a nominal punishment, such as loss of pay, was likely to be inflicted upon him. The prisoner had been left in the kitchen in charge of two of his brothers, and presently a great shout was heard there. Shaw rushed out to see the three brothers running for dear life across a field at the rear of the house. Taking in the situation at a glance he gave chase also, but found him- self a bad fourth, with no hope of coming up with the deserter. Calling on him to stop, with no effect upon the lively retreating foe, Shaw fired at him. The bullet cut the wind close to his face, and he at once stopped, throwing up his hands. For an instant the officer feared that his shot had taken ef- fect, but this soon proved not to be the case. The two brothers coming up seized him by the collar. " O dear ! O dear !" he cried, gasping for breath, as he stood pale, trembling, and hatless ; " I don't know what made me run away. I really could n't help it. My legs started off with me before I knew

165

WAR FOR THE UNION.

what I was doing. O dear ! O dear ! what shall I do, what shall I do !" The serious side of this scene having happily passed without injury to the de- serter, a reaction took place, and the officer and the two brothers laughed until the tears ran down their cheeks. The prisoner was duly brought to Watertown without further incident, and honorably served out his term of enlistment as a good soldier. He lived to return after the close of the war, and married a worthy wife, thus wiping out by manly service the weakness induced by ill health and bad counsel.

Special Agent Kirby got upon the track of a deserter who was engaged in Watertown in the bounty broker business. Owing to a quarrel with his partner he was "given away " to the officer as being a deserter from the navy. Kirby found him out, but he said he had a discharge up in Rutland at his father's, and suggested that he hire a horse and buggy and accompany him up there for it. This was done; and on arriving at the house Kirby proceeded to follow him up to his wife's room, but finding the lady unpre- pared for their visit he remained outside in the hall. " Mary," said the de- serter, "where is my discharge?" " In that lower bureau drawer over there," was the instant response of his wife. Kirby remained for a few minutes awaiting the advent of his prisoner, when, deeming the time sufficient, he opened the door only to see an open window and his prisoner exercising "leg bail" in a brilliant burst of speed for the woods not far off. A glance at the situation showed Kirby that the game was up, and he returned to Watertown somewhat crestfallen. However, he said nothing, but concluded that his deserter would return soon, and in this view he made no mistake. A week later he was caught in his boarding place in town, and sent back to his ship, serving faithfully, and came back to the county after the war, dying here only a couple of years ago.

On another occasion Special Agent Kirby and Chief Clerk Greenleaf went to Le Ray in a buggy to arrest a deserter. Having found him at work in a field some miles distant from his home, he said he was not a deserter, but had his per- mit to be absent on leave at his house. This seemed possible, and the man said he would harness his horse to the wagon and drive with them to show them the order. The horse was a poor looking animal, and as the man's brother was with him they were allowed to drive ahead and show the way. All went well until a turn in the road was reached, when the whip was applied by the de- serter to his old horse, with such result as to completely outpace the officer's roadster. Amid a cloud of dust the disappearing fugitive reached his home, and bolted for the woods, escaping in the deepening darkness. This escape was comically described by an eye-witness, and " the race " was long after- wards remembered as a decidedly laughable scene.

This same excellent officer arrested seven deserters on one trip to Hen- derson, the largest capture made in the history of the office.

When the draft for the town of Salisbury took place Deputy Provost-Mar- shal Cook was present, this being his residence. He was requested to try

11*

I66

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

a turn at the wheel, and did so, remarking that " he knew how to shake his own name to the bottom." The blindfolded man drew out the card, and a shout went up when " James J. Cook " was the name read off. The fre- quency of such a coincidence was striking, for it occurred several times during the draft in Watertown.

One day a would-be recruit entered a barber shop in Watertown and had hair and whiskers neatly dyed. The watchful Kirby spied out his trick and advised Dr. Walker of the scheme. When he appeared for the surgeon's examination his attempt to appear younger than he was came to grief. He acknowledged that he was 55 instead of 45 years of age, but declared he was fit to be a soldier. His investment in hair dye was a dead loss on this occasion.

William Wright, of Watertown, a well known person at the time, was ap- pointed janitor at headquarters. Wright was a happy, easy-going man, always ready to take it easy when he could. While the officials were all out at dinner one day a soldier called to see about securing transportation back to his regiment. Wright told him to wait a few minutes until some one who could attend to him appeared. A musket of the old pattern, left by one of the veterans not then on duty, was in the corner, and the soldier took it up, say- ing that he would show him how to handle a gun. Wright was sitting with his chair tilted back against the wall of the room, reading a newspaper, and the soldier went through the manual of arms with a great deal of vim. Finally he shouted, " take aim, fire !" Suiting the action to the word, and to his hor- ror, the musket was discharged with a report in the small room like a cannon. It was loaded with the old-fashioned " ball and three-buck-shot " cartridge, and these crashed through the window, the bullet lodging in the casing of the window of the American Hotel opposite, while one of the buck-shot swept into the dining-room, where many guests were at dinner, causing no end of excitement. Wright, when the gun went off, sprang out of his chair and fell sprawling on the floor, half dead with fright, while the soldier ran out and down stairs, never appearing afterwards. This exploit was the talk of the town for days, and several persons claimed that the charge just missed them. It was the only shot fired at the provost-marshal's office during the war. Wright allowed no loaded guns about after this adventure.

The draft .- After long preparation, calling for severe and continuous hard work, the efforts of supervisors failed to furnish men fast enough to fill the quotas of the towns, and a draft was ordered, both in 1863 and in 1864, to make up the required number of recruits. Great excitement prevailed throughout the district. Bitter political opponents of the administration uttered dire threats against the provost marshal and his subordinates, and many feared that a riot would take place if the order for a draft was carried out. The fact was that the dreaded draft was no joke. The revolving wheel knew no law save that of chance. Within its cheerless and capacious circle were received the cards copied from the carefully compared rolls containing the names of all the men liable in a town to do military duty, and the out-

167

WAR FOR THE UNION.

come was left to the chances of a blind draw. The revolving wheel-a cir- cular box some three feet in diameter by one foot in width, and mounted much as a grindstone usually is-used for the draft was designed by E. B. Wynn, Esq., at his special request. He did his work very creditably, but the fates brought about a strange reward for his kindness, his being one of the earliest names drawn from the cylindrical wheel he had so skillfully con- structed. This wheel is now in charge of the sheriff of the county, having been bought at the sale of the office effects by Captain Emerson, and by him loaned to the sheriff for safe keeping, and to be used in the drawing of jurors. Captain Emerson has presented it to the Jefferson County Historical Society, and it will be given over into their keeping as soon as a suitable building for keeping their records is secured. It is one of the most interesting relics of the draft in existence. The draft days were busy ones at the provost-mar- shal's headquarters, as well as painfully exciting to the residents of towns about to undergo its trying ordeal. A full record of the daily incidents of the draft would be of intense interest, for many characteristic scenes of the pe- riod would be recalled by the record, now lost forever. It being the object of the writer to place a fair and full picture of the work of the provost mar- shal's office on record, details are given to this end.

The basis of a draft was determined at the provost-marshal-general's office in Washington, and based upon the population of the various states, as shown by the last census. The enrollment under this same data came under Cap- tain Emerson's jurisdiction in the three counties embraced in the 20th Congres- sional district. When a town was to be "drafted," as the phrase went, the roll was brought out, the cards copied from it, carefully compared and checked off, and the number of men called for to complete the quota was announced. Owing to the nervous and suspicious state of public feeling Captain Emerson was - anxious to have every one satisfied that strict impartiality was observed in all the stages leading up to the draft. He believed that patience and care in explaining all the details connected with the important event would do much to convince all interested that no favoritism whatever was permitted, and that all was open for inspection, everything being conducted on the fair and square principle.

At this distance of time, when a new generation has grown up in the in- terval, it is hard to form any adequate idea of the bitter and malignant preju- dices which were aroused by the draft. Anti-war Democrats-as a class of grumblers connected with the Democratic party were then generally called- openly declared that there would be some sleight of hand used whereby Re- publicans would escape and Democrats would be drafted here in Watertown. Absurd and senseless rumors flew thick about, deeply stirring up strife and creating bad blood. It was a threatening time about the city, and grave fears were entertained by good men as to the result of a draft during this heated period. The object of the Democratic tactics was to make the en- forcement of the law difficult, and with the masses of the people unpopular

168

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

War had become serious by this time. The cruel and bloody record of many months of disease and carnage, and the burial-mounds multiplied amid the old home scenes, where gallant soldiers were laid away to rest, surrounded with the hallowed associations of peace and youth, had made war a terrible alternative. Besides, those who could go readily early volunteered ; later on, others followed as duty made the way clear; but when a great additional " 300,000 more" was needed the solemnity of the situation became deep and impressive. The Union rested on the bayonets of our soldiers, and if these were allowed to trail in the dust all would be lost. Every man at home who gave the government loyal support even in the humblest way was a hero, in full measure, for united patriotism at home and the boys in blue at the front struck down a false flag and wiped out the dark shadow that had cursed our civilization from the first. The pent-up eagerness of the people in the early days of June was painful. The public pulse was in a flutter. Many believed that the draft would be resisted by blind force. Men who never thought of going to the front to fight the rebels openly swore that they would fight to. stop the draft ! Somehow, and why it is hard to explain, the people had an idea that the government would not dare to enforce the proposed drafting of men. The morning before the first draft took place in Watertown a prom- inent Democrat stopped Captain Emerson on his way to his office early in the day, and calling him aside said, "Captain, you must not have the draft to morrow, for if you do there will be bloodshed. You and I are old friends, and I tell you this in seriousness. It is a dangerous time. Why, even swears he will shoulder a musket and help prevent it." "The draft will pro- ceed to-morrow as ordered," replied the Captain coolly, " and if it is resisted I will see that my duty is performed as I understand it," and he walked on to his office. All through the day leading citizens of both parties called, and most of them came to decry allowing the draft to take place until public excitement had time to cool off. The Union League of Watertown held a meeting the same evening to consider the situation, and Captain Emerson was invited before them and earnestly advised to postpone the draft owing. to the unrest about it. "Gentlemen," was the Captain's dignified answer, " I have been ordered by superior officers at Washington to commence the draft to-morrow, and it will take place. It is simply my duty as a military officer to obey orders, and this is what I propose to do." A leading Repub- lican lawyer, John Clark, Esq , patriotic and honored as few of our citizens ever were, said to Captain Emerson on this occasion, "You don't seem to realize the danger we are in. You don't know what trouble there is brewing. You had better order the draft delayed so as to let this intense excitement die out. Why, blood will flow in our streets, most likely, if you persist in your determination to go on with this draft." " I cannot answer for what may occur," slowly and impressively responded the Captain, "beyond the fact that I shall go on with the draft in the morning at the appointed hour. My duty is to obey orders, and it is also the duty of all good citizens to respect

169

WAR FOR THE UNION.

and obey the laws. If we are to have bloodshed I shall not commence it ; and if riotous proceedings take place I shall do my best to enforce order, and I believe I shall be able to do so. At any rate I will do my part, and if any disturbance follows those who incite it must answer for the consequences." The situation was critical, and no one knew this better than did Captain Emer- son. He had a list of the fault-finders and turbulent "anti-drafters," and knew what threats had been made and who made them. But, better than all, he had a goodly company of invalid soldiers ready at hand, armed and equipped, prepared to compel peace at the point of the bayonet. The cool and digni- fied bearing of the provost marshal did much to quiet the anxious and awe the would-be disturbers. The facts were that he did not "scare," as one of the Democrats phrased it, "worth a cent." The draft took place as ordered, and a quieter town could not be found anythere. It was even painfully still, as though a funeral was taking place. Captain Emerson had inspired both fear and confidence by his tact and courage, and the embers of what at one time threatened to burst into a blaze of party fury died out utterly.

For convenience sake the draft took place in the historic old county clerk's office on Court street. It was so small that only a few could be admitted, but enough of both parties were called in to examine the cards and rolls to insure full and unquestioned evidence of the perfect fairness of the opera- tion. The manner of conducting the draft was briefly as follows: After a satisfactory comparison of the rolls and cards the latter were placed in the " wheel " through a little trap door, and then this was closed. The supervi- sor of the town being drafted was generally invited to turn the wheel, thus shaking up the cards thoroughly. A blindfolded boy was then allowed to open the slot, reach in his hand, and take out one card. This was handed to the official in charge, and the name and number on it was read out aloud at the door, for the benefit of the deeply anxious crowd outside. This name was put down, the card checked and filed, and thus the operation was re- peated until a sufficient number of names had been drafted to fill the quota.

There never was the slightest ground for any complaint, so far as the draft- ing process was concerned, in our district. Some curious results, however, came out of the "wheel," as the circular box used for drafting was called. At Evans Mills a club of young men was formed for mutual protection in case one of their number was drafted. When it took place nearly every one of them was drafted! In one town in our county, having a Democratic supervisor, six veterans, who had reë nlisted in the field, sent home to have their bounty of $300 paid to them from this town. As they had been credited already to the town this supervisor thought he had them sure and fast, and refused to pay over their bounty. This caused a row, of course, and the outcome of it all was that Captain Emerson got an order to credit these six men to a town that stood ready to pay the bounty due, and this was done quickly and gladly by the supervisor of Watertown. Word was sent to that a draft for six men would take place the next week. A clap of

170

JEFFERSON COUNTY.

thunder from a clear sky could not have made more commotion than did this order. The town was up in arms against their foolish supervisor. Curses long and loud fell upon him. The day of the draft nearly every man liable to its claims was on hand. These crowded one of our offices in the Safford block, and after the examination of the rolls, etc., had been satisfactorily made the draft commenced. The supervisor was invited inside the railing, as were several prominent citizens of the town, to see that all was properly done. After three men had been drafted Captain Emerson, noticing the pale face of the supervisor, invited him to turn the wheel. He did so, revers- ing it twice or three times, and giving it a good shaking up. "Put in your hand and take out a card," said the Captain. The supervisor did so, handing it to the officer conducting the operations. When the name was read out it was the supervisor's. He had drafted himself! A great, angry shout of ap- proval went up from his disgusted neighbors and townspeople, as the poor man sank back in his chair, pale as though mortally wounded by a shot from the enemy in battle. The comments made by those present were far from comforting, and he sat half dazed until the draft was over and many had gone out of the room. It cost him $1,500 to get a substitute, the unwilling price of pig-headed meanness and folly.

The "draft" was an efficient way to fill quotas, but in our Congressional dis- trict only a small percentage were drafted. The able supervisors of the sev- eral towns-each being selected for useful service-succeeded in largely mak- ing up their quotas through substitutes and volunteers. The bounties raised by the various towns amounted to large sums, but these were paid cheerfully. The town of Ellisburgh, in Jefferson County, wiped off its indebtedness in one year, the tax rate being seven per cent .!

It can be truthfully and deservedly claimed for the officials in the provost- marshal's office in Watertown that they very efficiently did their whole duty as honest and patriotic men. They were all intensely in earnest in the work committed to their hands. In no district was the discipline better or the rep- utation superior, in all that contributed to the public confidence in the pro- vost-marshal's office. Many of the subordinates had been tried in battle ; several were suffering from serious wounds. Lieut. McOmber, Brayton C. Bailey, S. Harvey Simmons, Lieut. I. P. Woddell, Louis C. Greenleaf, James P. Kirby, and Albert D. Shaw were all veterans, each having volunteered at the com - mencement of the war, and either served two years, the term of enlistment, or had been discharged on account of wounds or disability. Bailey carried a bullet in his head, having received a severe wound at the second battle of Bull Run.

An honorable and highly valuable public service was rendered by Captain Emerson and his subordinates in a very trying period of the nation's history, and in a manner reflecting the greatest credit upon them all. They filled the measure of a patriotic duty without fear and without favor, and brought no reproach upon the fair name and fame of the 20th Congressional district. It

17I

THE JEFFERSON COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.

is fitting and altogether proper, therefore, that a brief record of this perilous era in the history of Jefferson County should have a place in this Gazetteer, for the work performed was in every way well done.

The following communication from the War Department will show that an effort to secure a complete list of the enrolling officers from the files of that office was unavailing. The records of the provost-marshal's office in Water- town were all turned over to the proper authorities at Washington, and no duplicates were retained. This will explain the regretted omission in this instance :-

" WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON CITY, November 21, 1889.

" Sir :- In reply to your communication of the 19th instant, requesting to be furnished the names of the enrolling officers of the 20th Congressional District of New York, I am di- rected by the Secretary of War to state that the Board of Enrollment for the 20th Congres- sional District of New York was organized under the enrollment act of March 3, 1863, on the 19th day of May, 1863, headquarters at Watertown, N. Y., with the following members :-

" Frederick Emerson, captain and provost-marshal; Arthur Pond, commissioner; Dr. Ed- ward S. Walker, surgeon.

" The distriet embraced the counties of Jefferson, Lewis, and Herkimer, and was sub- divided for enrollment and draft purposes into fifty-eight (58) sub-distriets, with an enrolling officer for each. R. H. Huntington was enrolling officer for Adams, first sub-district (Jeffer- son County), and C. Ackerman for Winfield, 58th sub-district (Herkimer County.)

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.

Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y. 1684-1890, Part 20

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- [from old catalog] comp; Horton, William H., [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders Number of Pages: 1384

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- [from old catalog] comp; Horton, William H., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders
Number of Pages: 1384