USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 27
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At a meeting held at the court house on the evening of No- vember 13th, a committee was appointed to obtain blankets, mit- tens, stockings, and other useful articles for the soldiers in the field. Other meetings were held in other villages to further the same object, which was the work of the sanitary commission. All through the years of the war the ladies were not lacking in their readiness to engage in labors of love and mercy in doing what they could for the comfort of those on the field of battle and in hospitals,
After the first recruits who went out in the spring of 1861 had served their three months in the war, the work of recruiting for the war settled down to actual business. Meetings were now held at different places to arouse the enthusiasm and patriotic devotion of the strong-armed men of the county to go forth to fight the battles of their country. At a meeting held in Demp- sey's hall, Factoryville, September 2, 1861, for the purpose of organizing a company of young men of the island, James Bo- dine made a patriotic address, and at its close about fifty young men signed the roll. A station was opened during that month, in a large carpenter's shop that had been previously owned by James G. Burger. Unusual inducements were offered to re- cruits to join a company which was to be transferred to Colonel Tompkins' regiment (Second New York state militia) already at the seat of war. Forty-two of these recruits, belonging to Com- pany A, left Port Richmond on the 23d to join the regiment at Poolsville, Md. Recruiting was now said to be more lively than
281
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
it had been before. The following are the names of those of this company who were from the island : Peter Pero (corpo- ral), Lewis D. Johnson (corporal), John E. Johnson, Joseph B. Johnson, John J. Simonson, James H. Munson, Daniel Mallett, Eugene Daily, Henry D. Spong (corporal), Alexander Fitz Sim- mons, Edward M. Sharrott, Jeremiah Leary, Charles Steers, Thomas J. Cushing, George F. Burbank, James H. Simonson, Jacob T. Selzer, Cornelins Degraff, William D. Maskell, Charles H. King, William Eccles, Joseph K. Plant, Henry Sharp, Jos- eph B. Barnes, Joseph L. Thompson, James Post, Isaac Lock- man, C. P. B. Slaight, Jr., Henry Mercereau, Cornelins Mar- tineau, Jacob Lockman, James B. Burbank, Simon V. N. Decker, Albert Mason, Matthins B. Stewart, James B. Halli- day, Albion Noble, John Reynolds, Abraham Turner, Francis M. Tarsney, William H. Fullagar, Arthur Haughian, George Conner, Thomas Conner, Joseph Simonson, Henry T. Paulson, Henry Decker, Samuel Warrender, John W. Tynan, James Simonson, Thomas Flanelly, Frigero Gassq, John R. Green.
The Seventy-third, under Colonel Tompkins, composed of the citizen soldiers of Staten Island, was by a resolution of its of- ficers at a meeting held at Tompkins' Lyceum, June 9th, 1862, offered to the government for three years or the war. It was expected that it would be attached to Spinola's brigade.
In accordance with the direction of the governor, the super- visors, in July, appointed men to meet with others to form a committee for this senatorial district to superintend the raising of troops for the army. The men appointed from Richmond county were Col. Nathan Barrett, Richard Christopher, William II. Vanderbilt, J. Bechtel, William Corry, Henry L. Norris and Edward Banker.
During July a number of Staten Island men enlisted in the Seventy-ninth (Highlanders), which was already in the field. The raising of recruits, however, proceeded slowly, and the anthorities seemed backward about taking earnest hold of the matter of raising troops. It seemed necessary that some means should be taken to aronse the public mind to the importance of action. Accordingly, one of the largest and most enthusi- astic war meetings ever gathered in the county was held at Port Richmond on the evening of August 11th. Its object was to encourage enlistments to fill the calls for six hundred thousand men which had recently been made by the president.
282
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
The quota of Richmond county under these calls amounted to seven hundred and eighty-four men. The meeting assembled at the steamboat wharf, near Oriental hall, where more than fifteen hundred people were present.
Resolutions were passed, heartily approving of the call for troops, declaring it to be the imperative duty of men enjoying the protection and benefits of the government to do all in their power to sustain it ; declaring for the perfect union of the states and the maintenance of the authority of the government at whatever cost ; calling for immediate, prompt, constant and energetic action until the canse for such action should cease ; branding as enemies all who should refuse to speak or act when occasion required for the preservation of the country, and fi- mally that "we have come here to-night to act, and that we will, without delay, contribute liberally of our means to forward en- listments and carry out the great measures now being instituted for the earnest and vigorous prosecution of the war, well as- sured that the greater the sacrifices we now make the more speedily we shall see our country rejoicing in the blessings of peace, and the whole constellation of stars in our political heaven restored to their accustomed brilliancy and beauty, never again to be dimmed nor obscured."
Hon. Erastus Brooks then made an eloquent and stirring ad- dress, during the delivery of which he was frequently inter rupted by applause. A bounty of fifty dollars each was offered to volunteers, and the chairman was appointed to receive sub- scriptions to a fund for that purpose. The list was headed by a subscription of five hundred dollars, and several others of one hundred dollars each, and enlistments and subscriptions flowed in. Other meetings were held in other parts of the county and efforts made to meet the demands of the hour, but the results were not sufficiently rapid to prevent apprehensions that a draft might be resorted to.
The possibilities of a draft in the future developed a peculiar feature in the eagerness with which some endeavored to evade those possibilities. Like the invited guests of a certain great supper of old, they began to make excuses. Men who had never thought of complaining of any ailment now assumed, with the best possible grace, the role of invalids, or found, often by hard stretches of truth, perhaps, that some good reason ex- isted to relieve them of military duty. One has the bronchitis,
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
another an affection of the jaw, another finds his eyesight very poor and bought spectacles after the order for a draft was made, another has one leg shorter than the other, another is "thick of hearing," another has a sick wife, another gets out of breath very soon, and many others are over forty-five years old or hold some office that exempts them.
Mass meetings were held in the different towns in August, for the purpose of encouraging enlistments and raising subscrip- tions from which to pay a bounty of $50 to volunteers and to furnish aid to take care of their dependent families during their absence. Such a meeting for Northfield was held at Elm Park on the 16th, at which some two thousand persons were present, and resolutions were passed expressing the same sentiments as those of the previous meeting and calling on the supervisors to raise by taxation on the towns of the county ten thousand dol- lars to be appropriated to the relief of the families of volunteers. Voluntary subscriptions for the same purpose were also received. In New Brighton a similar meeting was held on the 18th, at which over three thousand dollars was subscribed for a relief and bounty fund for the town, and a committee appointed to at- tend to dispensing it and collecting more. Another meeting of the people of Castleton was held on the 21st, at Factoryville. Speeches, resolutions, subscriptions and enthusiasm flowed freely on these occasions. This relief fund, which had been established in 1861, had already received and dispensed above five thousand dollars, and at this time had more than one hun- dred families dependent on it. The citizens of Middletown held a meeting on the 20th, at which resolutions were passed expressive of a full determination to sustain the government in carrying on the war and calling on the supervisors of the county to appropriate twenty thousand dollars to be distributed to the families of volunteers who had or should enlist from this county. One of these resolutions is in the following language :-
" Resolved, That much as we may differ as to questions of policy in minor matters, we are one in the conviction that it is our individual duty to stand by the government of our fathers, and to swear eternal hostility to treason and its abettors whether at home or abroad." The meeting adjourned in a full blaze of enthusiasm, and several enlisted at once.
A meeting at Southfield was held on the 21st, at which some two thousand persons were present. Patriotic resolutions, ex-
284
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
pressive of full sympathy with the war, were passed, among which were the following :
"That the people of the town of Southfield are heart and soul devoted to the national cause at the present vital crisis, and that they will make any sacrifice to preserve our national existence, which is now menaced by a band of lawless traitors."
"That while differences of opinion exist among us on politi- cal questions, we are satisfied that this is no time to agitate then-when the life of the nation hangs trembling in the bal- ance, and foreign despots look on exultingly, expecting and hoping to see the failure of democratic institutions thoroughly demonstrated by this war."
"That we now call upon the supervisor of this town to co- operate with the other supervisors of this County in appropri ating a sum of $20,000 as a bounty for volunteers, and for the support of their wives and children, trusting to the legislature to legalize the act."
Westfield was not behind her sister towns in answering the country's call. Two meetings were held, and the enthusiasm generated was sufficient to excite the resolution to raise a com- pany of seventy-five men, which should be officered from the town.
The supervisors of Richmond county met on the 27th of August and resolved to issue the bonds of the county to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, the proceeds of which should be used for the payment of extra bounties and relief for the families of volunteers. Though this action was at the time contrary to law, yet it was deemed expedient in view of the ex- treme circumstances, and the loud call for it which the popular meetings in the different towns had made on the board. It was presumed that the legislature would sanction it, which was done when that body met in the following winter.
Enlistments were now very brisk, the war spirit having, by the enthusiastic speeches and action of the people, become thoroughly aroused. A new company mostly from the town of Castleton was formed, with Louis Schaffner, captain ; Orville D. Jewett, first lieutenant, and Clarence Barrett. second lieutenant. Recruiting offices were opened at Dempsey's hotel, Factoryville, and at the white lead works of John Jewett & Sons at Port Richmond. An extra bounty of fifty dollars each was paid volunteers. John C. Green of Castleton, gave one
285
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
thousand dollars toward paying these bounties. Barracks were erected for the nse of this company on the corner of Broadway and Church street, in Port Richmond. It was decided to attach the company to the regiment of Colonel Minthorne Tompkins,
A meeting of the citizens of the county was held at Clifton park, August 30th, amid the flaunting of banners, the strains of stirring music, and the cheers of the multitude. Enthusias- tic speeches were made by Judge H. B. Metcalfe, who presided, George William Curtis, General Busteed, Honorable Erastus Brooks, and others. The following resolutions were passed :
" Whereas, The County of Richmond has not been hitherto, and will not be hereafter behind any county in the State in loy- alty ; that her sons are fighting in regiments in almost every division of the national army, and that among the men who still remain at home there are scores who will be proud to face the foe for the sake of the Union. Therefore,
" Resolved, That we will relieve the Government from the necessity of making a draft in this County by providing volun- teers to fill our quotas under both calls.
" Resolved, That it is the duty of every man to support the Government by every means in his power, by his voice, his ex- ample, his money and his good right arm.
" Resolved, That the schemes of the unscrupulous traitors who have dared to raise their fratricidal hands against their brethren are deserving the most extreme punishment, and that the Government is justified in adopting any and all measures known to civilized warfare to suppress this infernal and wicked rebellion at any and every cost.
" Resolved, That the action of the Supervisors of the County in appropriating the sum of $20,000 for the relief of the fami- lies of volunteers meets with our hearty approval, and we here- by endorse the same, and call upon the next Legislature to legalize the said acts of the Supervisors.
" Resolved, That the local Committees thoroughly canvass each Town and procnre all the subscriptions they can in aid of the enlistment, and the support of the families of volunteers."
The governor at this time had appointed two citizens in each town, who, with the aid of the supervisor and assessors, were charged with the duty of enrolling all persons liable to mili- tary duty, which they proceeded to do.
The war committee of the First senatorial district was held
286
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
at Jamaica, on Thursday, the 4th of September, for the purpose of aiding in the organization of a regiment of volunteers and to equalize the quotas of the several counties of the district and apportion any deficiencies in those counties among the towns that compose them. In this committee Richmond county was represented by Hon. Smith Ely, William Correy, Nathan Bar- rett, William H. Vanderbilt and Henry Lee Norris, the latter of whom was one of the secretaries of the meeting. Among other business done it was resolved to recognize and adopt the regiment being formed by Colonel Minthorne Tompkins as the regiment of the district, and the committee pledged itself to spare no effort to fill up the regiment as rapidly as possible, and to organize it so as to make it most efficient in the field and a credit to the district as well as the country.
Recruiting stations for this regiment were opened in all parts of the island. It was said that the officers at these rendezvous wore smiling conntenances and made encouraging reports of the progress of the work. Fears of a draft were imminent, and this stimulated some to volunteer and others to contribute to the fund for extra bounties and relief for the families of volunteers. Up to the 6th of September there remained three hundred and ten of the quota of the county to be made up, but little more than half of the quota under the two last calls being filled.
About this time several deserters were captured on the island and returned to their regiments. The freedom of speech and of the press were shown to be capable of abuse, to the injury of the common interest. At this time it seemed important to guard against such abuses. Occasionally a man was arrested and con- fined in Fort Lafayette for disloyal expressions, but they were not held in such confinement for any considerable length of time.
A large number of Staten Island men about this time, Sep- tember, 1862, enlisted in Spinola's brigade, which was encamped at East New York. As the months wore along recruits came in so that by the middle of the month fears of an immediate draft subsided, the quotas being nearly full. Southfield had ex- ceeded hers, and Westfield and Northfield had filled theirs. The volunteer fund of Castleton was receiving liberal contribu- tions. Of those which up to September 11th amounted to $100 or more the following is a list : Barrett, Nephews & Co., $300; WVm. S. Pendleton, $300: John S. Westervelt, $300; Daniel G.
287
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Bacon, 8300; Crabtree & Wilkinson, 8200; Francis G. Shaw, $300; Lucius Tuckerman, $100; Edward F. Davison, $100; Bodine Brothers, $100; George C. Ward, $300; John Martin, Jr., 8150; J. Freeman Tyson, 8100; Cornelius Du Bois, $100; New York Dyeing and Printing Co., $500; Thomas M. Rian- hard, $100; Jolm C. Green, $1,000; Ernest Fielder, $100; John M. Pendleton, $100; Edward Bement, $200; C. C. Taber, $300; Mrs. William Bard, $200.
Under the famous internal revenue act, which went into effect about this time, the following persons were appointed assistant collectors for the towns of this county, which composed col- lection districts, each numbered as indicated: Westfield, No. 16, William A. Brown; Castleton, No. 17, Robert Rakestraw; Middletown, No. 18, Henry Mendell; Northfield, No. 19, Daniel Zeluff; Southfield, No. 20, John B. Jacobson.
By the latter part of October the material of the island had become so much exhansted by recruiting that the regiment which was intended to represent Staten Island, and be under command of Colonel Minthorne Tompkins, filled up slowly. The prospect of filling it soon became so faint, and the need of men in the field was so urgent that an order was issued by In- spector-General Van Vechten to consolidate three of its com- panies with the One hundred and Fifty-sixth which had left Kingston, Ulster county, with seven hundred men, and was then in the barracks in New York city hall park. Accordingly, on the 13th and 14th of November, the companies of Captains Schaffner, Shelton and Vanghn were transferred to that regi- ment. This gave rise to great dissatisfaction, and great excite . ment prevailed, amounting almost to a riot. In the midst of the tumult one man was stabbed in the back with a bayonet. The remaining island companies of Tompkins' regiment became disordered and took to the woods and hills, leaving the camp at Factoryville almost deserted, being occupied by only about forty officers and men. While in this condition, on Monday morning, the 17th, the barracks took fire and were nearly de- stroyed. The fire was supposed to be the work of an incendiary. The Richmond county regiment, which numbered (with a con- pany of one hundred men from Flushing which was expected to join it), six hundred and fifty men, was now broken up. The remaining companies were transferred to the One hundred and Fifty-seventh, then encamped at East New York. Of these,
288
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
two companies, under Captains Mark Cox and William Hilde- brandt, were mainly composed of Staten Island men. Colonel Tompkins was offered a position as lieutenant-colonel in the One hundred and Fifty-eighth, but declined. His adjutant was retained and his senior captain was made major of the One hundred and Fifty-sixth.
In this sluggish condition of the work of recruiting the pros- pect of a draft again began to rise. The day was appointed for the drawing to take place, and Judge H. B. Metcalfe was ap- pointed commissioner for superintending it, and William G. Eadie examining surgeon. These officials sat daily at the sur- rogate's office, at Richmond, from October 22d till the day be- fore the draft was to take place, to liear any claims of persons liable to military duty for exemption. But the efforts which were made here, by enthusiastic public meetings and other means, were sufficient to push forward the work so that no draft was required in Richmond county. At a meeting of the senatorial district committee at Jamaica on the 6th of November, the county was able to show the following encouraging report:
Towns.
Quota. 193
Enlisted.
Middletown
211
Castleton .
209
241
Northfield
150
127
Southfield
113
123
Westfiedd
123
94
County
788
796
List of men recruited on Staten Island by Charles G. Smith, First Lieutenant Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-second regintent, up to November 19, 1862.
From Southfield: William Church, Edward Henkel, Bryan Carney, Edward Jaspart, Peter Schmidt. From Middletown: Caspar Elmer, William Elmer, James Foley, Patrick Gorman, Smith W. Higgins, Robert Huston, William L. Ludlum, George Lambert, Conrad Liebacher, Edward B. Murray, Thos. McKee, Charles Ockhert, Bernard Schmit, Theodore Simonson, Fred- erick W. Taxter, Addison White, John Williams.
The following list was recruited at Port Richmond, by David Stothers, first lieutenant, afterward captain of Company K, the same regiment.
Northfield: Charles H. Jones, Jacob V. P. Long, Cornelius
1
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Jones, sergeants; Charles J. Elms, Freeman W. Jones, corpo- rals; Charles Applebee, Wm. G. E. Decker, John R. Patter- son, Joseph Emery, William Durrua, George W. Smith, James WV. Houseman, John H. Leonard. Castleton: James Ma- honey, David McConnell, George Turner. Southfield: Gilbert H. Randolph.
The above were honorably discharged at the disbandment of the regiment. The following were discharged previously:
Hiram C. Decker, John A. Taylor, Hyacinth Burke, Michael Valliere, Andrew P. Van Pelt, John B. Corsen, and Garrett E. Van Pelt, Northfield; William C. Dunn, Southfield, and Joseph H. Caine, Castleton, for disability ; Richard C. Johnson, Nich- olas Cubberly, Vreeland Johnson, Bedell Jones, John Brinly, and Peter S. Brinly, Northfield, transferred to the navy; Henry Valliere, Northfield, to be Hospital Steward; Henry B. Tibbetts, Northfield, to U. S. Signal Corps; Charles E. Smith, Castleton, to Ninety-ninth regiment N. Y. V .; Jacob Bowman, Northfield, killed at Bachelor's Creek, N. C .; Edward V. Ford, sergeant, Northfield; Benjamin B. Kinsey, sergeant, Northfield; Abram B. Houseman, Castleton; George Davis, Northfield; James Wilson, Castleton, and Aaron Beatty, died in Andersonville prison; Jacob R. Decker, and William W. Stilwell, Northfield; Isaac B. Lewis, and James G. Woglom, Westfield, died of disease contracted in service, and James Shaunessy, Castleton, deserted.
We have the following particulars in regard to the Staten Island men who were in company B, of Tompkin's regiment, which after the consolidation with the One Hundred and Fifty- sixth became company K, of that regiment. Captain Shelton resigned at Long Island, on account of sickness. The officers then became James J. Hoyt, of Castleton, captain; Magnus Bouscher, first lieutenant, and Edward Openshaw, second lientenant. The first and second served through the war, the third till June, 1864. First Sergeant Charles Westren, of Mid dletown, was promoted to be a captain, and remained, being now a captain in the regular army. William Seaton, of Cas- tleton, sergeant, was promoted to the rank of a captain. John J. Farrell, of Castleton, sergeant, returned from a rebel prison at the close of the war, having been taken at Cedar Creek. John Peterson, private, became a first sergeant. Isaac Fullagar, Cas- tleton, corporal, served through the war; Evan Riley, Castle-
19
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
ton, served through the war; Michael Cotter, Castleton, dis charged for physical disability; William Gill, Castleton, and Cornelius Sullivan. drummer, served through the war,-were members of this company.
Early in January, 1863, the supervisors passed a resolution, authorizing an additional loan of twenty thousand dollars on the bonds of the county, for the payment of bounties and re- lief, trusting to the action of the legislature to sanction thie same. The bill legalizing this action, as well as that previously had in raising money for war purposes passed the legislature February 21, 1863. Most of the towns drew upon this fund. The town of Southfield was the only one in the county that did not, but filled its quota under the calls of July, 1862, and paid its bounties entirely by voluntary contributions. These contri- butions in that town amounted to seven thousand four hundred and sixty-two dollars. Bounties were paid to one hundred and twenty-two recruits, amounting to seven thousand three hundred and twenty dollars, and the balance was used for other pur- poses. In Northfield eighty-eight recruits received fifty dollars each, and ten dollars each additional was paid for recruiting them, making five thousand one hundred and thirty dollars paid in that town for filling these calls. In Westfield five thousand one hundred and forty dollars was expended for the same purpose. Meanwhile, the energies of the benevolent were constant in contributing to the relief and support of the fami- lies of those who had gone to the scenes of war, and to works of love and tender regard in the preparation of articles of ne- cessity, comfort and luxury for the soldiers in the army and in the hospitals.
That some fear of opposition to the proposed draft of 1863, and to the plans of the government, was entertained thns early is shown by the following newspaper paragraph, printed in April, though what grounds there were, or to what extent they were manifest, does not appear. The opposition was not, how- ever, of sufficient magnitude to bring about any serious results:
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