USA > New York > Otsego County > History of Otsego County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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On April 18, Companies . A and E captured the battle- flag of the 7th Confederate Cavalry. This flag was for- mally presented to the regiment by Maj .- Gen. J. G. Foster, commander of the 18th Army Corps, " as a distinguished mark of the favor and appreciation in which Col. Mix's command is held."
May 8, the company of Geo. W. Lewis, which fought at Bull Run as infantry with the "old 13th," and was subsequently transferred to the 3d Cavalry as a part of Company K, were mustered out of the service. This com- pany saw severe service, and at muster-out numbered but thirty-four.
On May 4, Companies A, E, F, and G, under command of Lieut .- Col. Lewis, left Newbern upon a reconnaissance. A bridge at Mill Creek, thirteen miles out, which had been destroyed, was rebuilt by three o'clock in the afternoon. Crossing this, the force rode forward to a point called Young's Crossing, eight miles distant, and there learned that a com- pany of rebel cavalry was in the vicinity. The night being lighted by the effulgence of a full moon, it was decided to continue the advance, and if possible discover the enemy. They pressed forward a distance of about fifteen miles, when , the rebel camp was seen by the roadside. Company E, Capt. Stearns, was in the advance and charged across a narrow bridge, which soon broke down, leaving a portion of the command in the rear. Those who had effected a crossing, galloped to the camp and demanded a surrender. The enemy fired one volley and ran, not, however, until 2 were killed and 14 taken prisoners. The 3d retraced its line of march, and at daybreak on the following day reached Newbern.
May 21 an expedition, under command of Col. Jones, of the 48th Pennsylvania Volunteers, accompanied by four companies of the 3d Cavalry and a howitzer battery, to- gether with some other troops, left Newbern. After a march
of twenty miles a halt was made to build a bridge, which was crossed at 1 P.M. The next day they came upon the enemy, who were intrenched in a line of breastworks, cx- tending along the Goldsboro' and Morehead railroad.
Col. Jones, who with a part of the force had marched during the night to the railroad, followed down toward the rebel position, and cut his way through the woods to the rear of the enemy's first and second lines. As they came in view they were supposed to be reinforcements, and the Union force in front received the rebel fire. With a cheer the line advanced, capturing a twelve-pound howitzer, its captain and command, and 180 men of the 56th North Carolina Regiment. The enemy lost 50 killed and wounded. The force fell back, shelled by the enemy, and on the fo !- lowing day Jones' camp was attacked by the Confederate Gen. Ransom, who fell back upon the arrival of Union reinforcements.
July 18 a detachment, consisting of Companies A, B. and F, proceeded to Fort Anderson, where they landed, and moved forward seventeen miles to Swift creek, when the force encamped, and on the following day marched to Greenville, on Tar river, and from thence to Sparta, where they bivouacked until the morning of the 20th. From this point a detachment was sent out to Weldon railroad. under command of Maj. Jacobs. As the advance reached the road, in the evening, a train was seen in motion, and private White, of Co. A, galloped alongside of the loco- motive, and, leaping from his horse to the cab, placed a re- volver at the head of the engineer, reversed the engine, and brought baek the train, on which 15 of the enemy were found and captured. The main column was rejoined at Tarboro, when the entire force began its return, closely fol- lowed by the cavalry. Nothing of any importance occurred during the fall and winter to relieve the ceaseless monotony of camp life.
On May 4, 1864, Gen. Kautz, with two brigades, one of which embraced the 3d New York and the First Iis- trict of Columbia Cavalry, under command of Col. Mix. set out from Getty's Station on a raid to eut the Weldon and Richmond railroad. At evening the cavalry arrived at Wakefield, on the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad, and de- stroyed a long line truck. On the following morning, Capt. Pierce dashed into Lyttleton and captured a quantity of ammunition and supplies. The command moved forward. and at Bellamy's Bridge, over the Nottaway, found the enemy on the farther side behind riffe-pits, and the four- ing of the bridge removed. Pierce, with his squadron. dis- mounted, crossed the stream, charged the enemy. and drove them into the woods. The bridge was repaired with rails, and the command crossed and moved rapidly forward to Stony Creek station, where they had an engagement and defeated the celebrated Holcomb Legion. The command also had desperate encounters at White's Bridge and Jarrett's Sta- tion, at both of which points the railroad was destroyed. They returned to City Point rin Su-sex Court-House. :.- stroying sections of the Petersburg and Norfolk railroad . it route. City Point was reached May 4, the 3d having les: 3 killed and 7 wounded.
On June 15, Gen. Kautz's division, supported by ia- fantry, advanced on the works at Petersburg. The com- .
1
96
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
mand moved to the left, to the line of the Petersburg and Norfolk railroad, where a section of artillery was planted and opened upon the rebel works, while the 3d Cavalry, under command of Col. Mix, was ordered to charge a bat- tery of six guns. Not hesitating, the intrepid colonel and his brave followers dashed into the very jaws of death, re- ceiving the deadly fire of grape and canister without swerv- ing, while their ranks fell like grain before the sickle of the harvester.
" When can their glory fade, O, the wild charge they made."
The gallant Col. Mix fell mortally wounded while swing- ing his hat and shouting " Come on, men !"
June 29 the regiment was in an engagement at Reams' Station, and lost heavily. It soon after went into camp at Bermuda Hundred, and on July 21, 1865, was consolidated with the 1st Mounted Rifles, and designated the " 4th Pro- visional Cavalry."
THE SIXTH CAVALRY,
otherwise known as the 2d " Ira Harris Guard," was a three years' regiment organized at New York, and mustered into the United States service in December, 1861. It con- tained a few Otsego men. The colonel was Thos. C. Devin, who was promoted to brigadier-general in March, 1865. Lieut .- Col. Duncan MeVicar was killed April 30, 1863, in action near Spottsylvania Court-House. Its first engage- ment was at Fredericksburg, and its first charge was led by Kilpatrick. The 6th saw severe service, and Gen. Kil- patrick spoke in the highest terms of its gallant conduct. Its battle-roll records the names of twenty-six engagements, among which are the following: South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Spottsylvania, Chancellorsville, Beverly Ford, Middleburg, Upperville, Gettysburg, Brandy Station, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Mechanicsville, Wilder- ness, Todd's Tavern, Hawe's Shop, Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, Opequan, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, Appomattox Station, Siege of Rielmond.
June 15, 1865, the regiment was consolidated with the 15th New York Cavalry, the consolidated foree being known as the 2d New York Provisional Cavalry.
CHAPTER XXIX.
OTSEGO IN THE REBELLION.
The 43d Regiment-The 44th Regiment-The 50th Engineers-The 31st Regiment-The 89th-The 90th-The 114th-The 154th-2d Regiment Artillery-1st, 3d, and 16th Artillery Regiments.
THE following regiments also had representatives from this county, a brief record of which is appended :
THE FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT
was organized in Albany, N. Y., for three years' service. It was composed of companies raised in the counties of Albany, Montgomery, New York, Otsego, and Washington.
It was mustered into the United States service from August 20 to Sept. 24, 1861, with Francis L. Vinton as colonel, and Benjamin F. Baker as lieutenant-colonel. On the expira-
tion of its term of service the original members were mus- tered out, and the veterans and recruits were retained in service until June 27, 1865, when they were mustered out in accordance with orders from the War Department.
THE FORTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
Upon the death of the lamented Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth, who was shot by Jackson, in Alexandria, Va., a movement was started for the organization of a regiment from the State at large, to be known as the 44th, or " Ellsworth's Avengers." The regiment was organized at Albany, and mustered into the United States service from August 30 to Oct. 15, 1861. Stephen W. Stryker was colonel. and James C. Rice, lieutenant-colonel. The latter was sub- sequently promoted to brigadier-general.
L. L. D. Russell, correspondent of the London Times, in speaking of this regiment said, " The New York 44th Regiment (Ellsworth's) in soldierly bearing could not be excelled by any regiment in any army in Europe."
Nathaniel Parker Willis spoke of this regiment as fol- lows: "Oh, the beauty of their flat backs and square shoulders !- whatever may be said by the girls of the side curls and moustaches,-if we do not hear from those fine fellows in any engagement that shall give them a chance, men judged by the man standard are deceitful. They are all between eighteen and thirty years of age, unmarried, and pieked out for their beauty. For a corps of men more ready than others to be killed they certainly looked very inviting."
" We did hear from those fine fellows" on many a hard- contested field. They participated in the following battles : Yorktown, Hanover Court-House, Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run. Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chan- cellorsville, Aldie, Gettysburg, Jones' Cross-Roads, Rappa- hannoek Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Bethesda Church, Weldon Railroad, Peters- burg. The regiment saw severe service, and it is an honor to say, " I belonged to the 44th."
THE FIFTIETH ENGINEER REGIMENT
was organized by Gen. Chas. B. Stuart, in the summer of 1861, and in the following September was mustered into the service at Elmira, as " Stuart's Independent Volun- teers." This regiment rendered the government valuable assistance in laying pontons, building bridges, etc. It was under fire at various times, and always did the work as- signed it promptly and fearlessly.
THE FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT
was organized in New York city to serve three years. It was mustered into the service Oct. 23, 1861. Co. I of this regiment was principally raised in this county. This was one of the first regiments that entered the service, and nobly did it perform its duty. The record of this callant band of men is a record of many of the hardest fought battles of the war. It participated in the battles of Roanoke Island, Newbern, Manassas, Chantilly, South Mountain. Antietam, Fredericksburg, Siege of Vicksburg, Jack-on. Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, and Poplar Spring Church.
A. ALONZO MATTESON.
MRS . MARY R. MATTESON.
PHOTOS BY W G. SMITH, COOPERSTOWN. N Y.
COL. DAVID GARDNER.
MRS. MARTHA E. GARDNER.
PHOTOS. BY W. G. SMITH . COOPERSTOWN. NT
$1
RESIDENCE OF COL. DAVID GARDNER, BURLINGTON, N. Y.
97
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
THE EIGHTY-NINTH REGIMENT
was organized at Elmira, and mustered into the service Dec. 6, 1861. It soon after left for the front, and its bat- tle-flag bears the following inscriptions : "Suffolk, Camden, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg."
THE NINETIETHI REGIMENT
was formed in New York city, and mustered into the ser- vice, with Joseph S. Morgan as colonel, in December, 1861. In battles of Port Hudson, Opequan, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek.
ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
This regiment was organized at Norwich, to serve three years. The companies of which it was composed were chiefly raised in the Twenty-third senatorial distriet, com- prising the connties of Chenango and Madison. It was mustered into the service Sept. 3, 1862. The regiment was with Gen. Banks in the department of the Gulf, and participated in the battles of Bisland and Siege of Port Hudson. It was mustered out June 8, 1865.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
This- regiment was organized at Delhi, N. Y., for three years, and the companies of which it was composed were raised in Delaware county, with the exception of a few men from this county. It was mustered into the service of the United States Sept. 27, 1862. It participated in the battle of Honey Hill, and was mustered out June 25, 1865.
THE SECOND REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY
was organized in New York city, to serve three years. The companies of which it was composed were raised principally in the counties of New York, Oneida, and Herkimer. It was mustered into the service of the United States Dec. 12, 1863.
It saw severe service, and its battle-flag bears the follow- ing inscriptions : Second Bull Run, North Anna. Spottsyl- vania, Tolopotomy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, New Market Road, Charles City Cross-Roads, Reams' Station.
At the expiration of its term of service the original members were mustered out; the regiment, composed of Veterans and recruits, retained in the service. It was con- solidated iu eight companies, and four companies of the 9th New York Artillery transferred to it June 27, 1865. It was mustered out Sept. 29, 1865.
There were a few men from this county in the 1st, 3d, and 16th Artillery Regiments.
Our military history is elosed. We have faithfully traced the history of the various regiments, and it has been our honest endeavor to place before the people of Otsego County a truthful record of her gallant sons who risked their lives in the defense of their country. We have sought to deal justly with all, and give deserving credit. to each and every regiment. While the history is a record of many of the severest battles of the war, it is not in any particular overdrawn ; it is a " plain, unvarnished tale." It has been impossible to sketch many individual acts of heroistu, but these were not wanting.
Otsego County may justly point with pride to the record of her soldiery, as no section of our country acted a more prominent or honorable role in the great tragedy.
Thirteen years have now elapsed since the close of the rebellion, and we find our country a united and prosperous people. Sectional strife is rapidly passing away, and the same hand strews flowers alike on the graves of the Blue and the Gray.
" No more shall the war-cry sever, Or the winding rivers be red ; They banish our anger forever, When they laurel the graves of our dead!
" Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day ; Love and tears for the Blue, Tears and love for the Gray."
CHAPTER XXX.
TOWN OF BURLINGTON.
Organization-Geographieal-Topographical-Early Settlers and their Locations-Initial Events-The First Town-Meeting-Offi- eers Elected-Supervisors and Town Clerks from 1809 to 187%- Present Town Oficials-Agricultural and General Statistics- Aren-Equalized and Assessed Valuation-Population from 1500 to 1876.
BURLINGTON was formed from Otsego, April 10, 1792. It retained its original dimensions until 1797, when Pitts- field was set off, and it was still further diminished in area by the ereetion of Edmeston, in 1808.
It is an interior town lying northwest of the centre of the county, and bounded as follows : On the north by Plain- field and Exeter; on the east by Exeter, Otsego, and Hart- wick ; on the south by Hartwiek and New Lisbon, and on the west by Edmeston. Its surface consists chiefly of a billy upland, with ridges extending north and south, which at various points attain an elevation of four hundred feet above the valleys. The soil is a slaty and gravelly loam, well adapted to agriculture. The town is watered by But- ternut and Wharton creeks.
Although this territory in an early day was in a some- what isolated location, compared with the lower Butternut ereek valley and the valley of the Susquehanna, and various other locations throughout the county, still it was settled a- early as 1790, and its arable soil and healthful climate scoll attracted scores of pioneers, and not many years chipsed ere it was peopled by a thrifty and intelligent colony, who left a respected posterity.
Among the first who entered the forest wilds were Dea- con Benjamin, Elijah, Francis, Richard, and Elisha Her- rington, brothers, who came from Pownal, Vt .. in 1790, and settled in the locality known as " Gardner hill," on land of the Cooper patent. Deacon Benjamin Herrington had one son born in Vermont, and three daughters in this town. The son, Gardner Herrington, now at the advanced age of ninety years, resides in the town with his son David. He also has two daughters, wives of John and Artemus Ilo- dredge, living in the town. The brothers of Deacon 11. have long since passed away, and no descendants are left.
98
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
" The land of steady habits" sent many worthy represen- tatives to the western county who assisted in subduing the forest and in a great measure transmitted to the new settle- ments the ennobling character of the sturdy and intelligent New Englander. Among the number were the Johnsons, pioneers of 1790, Elisha, Harris, Ira, and John. They came with their families and located on adjoining farius about one and one-half miles north of Burlington Flats, on what is known as " No. 10." Of the descendants of Elisha and John, none are living in the town. A daughter of Harris, Mrs. Daniel Dauchey, occupies the old homestead.
Dyer C., son of Ira Johnson, was born in this town in 1798, where he resided until his death in 1857. Of a family of seven chiklren, five are residents of Burlington. Lyman D. resides on a farm north of the Flats, where he is conducting an extensive ercamery for the manufacture of butter and cheese. Ile married Mary A. Denison, and their family consists of the following children : Edelbert, Dyer, Cone, Jozinah, Ansel, Albert, Willard, and Lucy. Harriet married Peter Brainerd. They have one daughter, Julia. Marquis married Miss A. Porter,-one daughter, Louisa. Laura married A. Harrington. Ira married Charlotte Rose, and lives on the old homestead.
Samuel Gardner and wife were pioneers from Pownal, Vt., and settled one mile north of West Burlington on a farm which he owned and occupied until his death. His family consisted of five children,-one daugliter and four sons, viz., Mrs. White resides in New Berlin, Che- nango county. Colonel David Gardner occupies the home- stead where he was born, and has five children,-Carrie A., Otis C., and Samuel W., reside in the town ; Mrs. A. M. Burgess in West Winfield, and Mrs. C. D. Tracy in Ro- chester, N. Y.
Hiram, a brother of Colonel Gardner, is a resident of Branch county, Mich. Edward is a resident of this town, and has two children living, viz., John L. and Porter, and one, Hiram, in California. Another son, Elias C, was in the war of the Rebellion, and sacrificed his life upon the altar of country. He died in a hospital at Washington.
Paul Gardner, and son Clark, were also pioneers, who settled on Gardner Hill. The former long since passed away, and Clark died about two years ago, aged nearly eighty-eight years, leaving no descendants.
Lemuel Hubbell and sons emigrated from Massachusetts and settled in this town soon after 1790, in the locality subsequently known as the Hubbell neighborhood.
Lemuel H., Jr., selected a location adjoining that of his father .: Ile was twice married. Alonzo, a son by the first marriage, resides in Ionia, Mich. Children by the second marriage are as follows: Laura, widow of Alfred Firman, and Iney, wife of Rev. S. S. Cady, reside in this town ; Harriet married Daniel Parker, and lives in Che- mango county, and Maria is the wife of David Soule, a resi- dent of Michigan.
Hiram Hubbell, son of Lemuel II., Sr., was born and married in Burlington. A son, L. Fitch Hubbell, lives above the Flats. He married Cordelia Brown, and has two children, Charles and Kate, both of whom reside on the homestead with their father.
It was a source of great gratification to the citizens when,
in about the year 1847, Avery Park erected the first grist- mill in Burlington Green. He, together with his wife and family, came from New London, Conn., in about 1808, and located on a farm a short distance north of the Green. Here he erected a tannery, and operated it until 1820, when he removed it to the village, and continued the business until 1862. He died in 1876, and a son, Mr. Daniel Park, is conducting the business of farming and milling.
Uriah Balcom came into Burlington from Mansfield, Conn., in 1793, and settled on a farm near the Green. upon which he resided until his death in 1848, aged seventy-six. Two sous are living in the town,-Eli, south of the Green, and Lyman on the old homestead.
An early settler was Peter Jenks, who came with his wife and family from Massachusetts in 1806, and settled three miles southeast of the Green, on the Davis patent, where he remained a tiller of the soil until his death. Five children are residents of the county, three of whom live in the town, viz., Hawkins, Oney, and Peter.
Zaccheus Flint, from Connecticut, settled in the town in 1791, one mile south of the Green, on lands of the Cooper patent. A daughter, the wife of Hawkins Jenks, resides on the homestead.
Amasa, Willard, and Cady Church, with their families, caure from Connecticut in 1790. The two latter purchased lands on which the present village is located. Amasa chose a location adjoining his brothers on the south, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1839, at the age of eighty-five. A son, Origen Church, subsequently occu- pied the old homestead. Three of his children are living in the town, viz., Nancy, wife of Alfred S. Bolton, Mary, wife of Asa W. Sprague, and Williamu, who is a Baptist clergyman.
Williamu Gorham, an honored pioneer, came from Dan- bury, Connecticut, in 1817, and settled in what was then known as Otego, on Otego creek, four miles west of One- onta village, where he died in 1863.
Mr. George S. Gorham, a son, uioved to Burlington Green in 1830, where he now resides, and is a practicing attorney-at-law. He has three children residing in the county,-Charles and George in the village of Burlington, and a daughter, Mrs. Bayard, in the town of Otsego.
Charles T. Gorham, a son of William Gorham, was clerk in the store of E. R. Ford, at Oneonta, and in 1832 emigrated to Marshall, Michigan, and engaged in mercan- tile and subsequently in banking business. He served five years as United States minister to the Hlague, and upon his return was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Interior. Rev. Barlow W. Gorham resides in Iowa.
The pioneers in this locality endured hardships, and braved dangers and discouragements, such as even the pioneers of to-day who locate at the base of the Rocky mountains, or pitch their tents on the plains of New Mex- ico, know but little of. A freshet wouldl overflow the river's banks and the crops be swept away ; or, perchance, an early frost would destroy the results of the summer's toil. These were occurrences not at all uncommon, and it required stont hearts to meet them, and an invincible de- termination to overcome and comper them. Perez Briggs,
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£
98a
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JOHN NORTON. Aged 93 years, 2 months, 24 days.
MRS. LUCY NORTON. Aged 98 years, 2 months, 10 days.
JOHN NORTON.
'Among the most respected pioneer families of Otsego County may be mentioned the Norton family. John Norton was born in Chatham, Conn., April 7, 1775. Coming upon the stage of action only a few days before the first gun was fired which was the signal of war between the thirteen united colonies and their mother country, he was early disciplined to endure all the priva- tions incident to those revolutionary days. He was reared a farmer, and by this healthful and best of all employments, com- bined with good habits formed early in life, he was able to obtain a good home and live to a ripe old age.
He married Miss Lucy Johnson, a native of Chatham, Conn., March 7, 1798. Mrs. Lucy Johnson Norton was born May 13, 1775. By this happy union five children were born, namely : Chauncey H., born Sept. 21, 1800; Lucinda P., born Feb. 10, 1802; Florinda J., born July 14, 1808; John C., born Sept. 5, 1811 ; and Diadana H., born Nov. 16, 1815.
Jolin Norton settled in Burlington, Otsego County, about 1799. He settled on a small farm near or in Burlington Flats, and this locality was his home ever after, save eight years in Exeter, from 1804 to 1812.
He and his estimable wife were members of the Congrega- tional church for many years. In polities he was formerly a Whig, but upon the organization of the Republican party he joined it. He died at the advanced age of ninety-three years, two months, and twenty-four days, on July 1, 1868, and Mrs. Norton survived her husband some five years. She died July 23, 1873, aged ninety-eight years, two months, and ten days.
It will be observed that this couple lived together for more than seventy years before death did them separate; seventy years they walked life's journey together; seventy years the same familiar footsteps upon the threshold of a happy home, to meet warm comforts and a loving greeting ; seventy years hand in hand and heart to heart, reading the inmost thoughts, and loving more and more. Mrs. Norton had a sister. Mrs. Hub- bard, who lived to be nearly one hundred and one, lacking only a few days.
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