History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 90

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II > Part 90

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July 18, 1864, the President called for five hun- dred thousand men. The quota of the town of Cortlandt was two hundred and nineteen men. The different towns of the county were now no longer able to float their bonds to pay bounties, and the county eame to their relief by issuing its bonds for that purpose, and apportioning the proceeds of their sale among the various towns, according to the size of the quotas to be filled by them, and their necessities.

The money thus advaneed was to be repaid by the towns. The town of Cortlandt received $107,800. All of this sum was paid out, and $15,375 in town bonds were given to bounty brokers. The town pro- cured substitutes for a large number of the persons drafted, and received from assessments upon them $10,595 to help pay therefor. One hundred and nine persons drafted preferred to receive from the town the average price contributed by it towards furnishing substitutes, and then to obtain their own substitutes at whatever price they were able. The estimated amount expended by them over and above what they received from the town was $30,175. The sum of $555 on hand in possession of the town was also expended. The total eost, therefore, of filling this quota was $164,500.

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

December 19, 1864, eame a eall for three hundred thousand more men. An enrollment of the town was made, from which the provost-marshal figured out its quota to be the enormous number of one hun- dred and ninety men. By dint of great persuasion he was indueed to lower the quota to one hundred and thirty-seven men. Finally, as the war appeared to be drawing to a close, it was deeided that three- quarters of the quota, or one hundred and two men, would be all that it would be necessary to furnishi. Ninety-nine volunteers were obtained with the great- est difficulty, and one Quaker paid commutation, making an equivalent of one hundred volunteers, which was accepted as sufficient. The total cost to the town was §60,930. As neither the counties nor towns throughout the State had been able to float their bonds, a law had been enacted by which the State assumed the payment of bounties. The State law estimated bounties after a manner of its own, and in accordance with it the town of Cort- landt received the sum of $68,550, or $7620 in ex- eess of the amount actually expended.

The number of volnnteers from the town of Cort- landt previous to the middle of 1862, as before stated, was about three hundred, and the number of enlist- ments subsequently eight hundred and eighty, or a total of eleven hundred and eighty, which is, with- out doubt, very nearly the number of mnen sent out by the town. As the population of the town in 1860 was only ten thousand and seventy-four, the heaviness of the draft upon it will be apparent.

A report of the supervisor of the town of Cort- landt, made in November, 1864, just previous to the last eall for troops, showed the expenses of the town for the war to have beeu as follows: Bonded indebtedness, including $107,800 due the county, $192,776; tax collected in 1862, $17,000; paid by individuals towards procuring substitutes, $52,500; expended in relieving families of soldiers, 85700- total, $267,976. On the last call the sum expended was $60,930, making the total expenditure $328,906. The State gave to the town to pay the expenses of the last eall, $68,550, which being deducted from the previous amount, leaves $260,356, which was the actual eost of the war to the town.

In the following regiments were companies eom- posed wholly or to a considerable extent of men who enlisted from the town of Cortlandt : The Twenty- seventh Regiment New York State Volunteers, the Ninth New York Volunteers (Hawkins' Zouaves), the Forty-eighth New York Volunteers, the Fifty-ninth New York Volunteers, the Ninty-fifth New York Volunteers, the Sixth New York Heavy Artillery and Ilarris Light Cavalry. There were numbers of other regiments containing soldiers from the town of Cortlandt in smaller numbers, the names of the chief of which have been mentioned in previous portions of the artiele.

As has been stated before, the first body of men to

leave the town of Cortlandt for the war departed from Peekskill on the 27th of April, 1861, being six- teen in number, and joined a company at White Plains, which beeame Company " A " of the Twenty- seventh Regiment. This regiment was organized at Elmira, N. Y., to serve for two years, and it was while it was stationed there that Jeremiah Murden, one of the Peekskill members of Company "A," was brutally murdered. He was the first soldier from the town of Cortlandt who was killed. This event happened June 26, 1861. Murden was one of a company of five sent out to seek deserters from the regiment. He saw one of the men he was looking for in a saloon on Rail- road Street, and entering, laid his hand upon him and informed him he was under arrest. A companion of the deserter instantly whipped out a knife and stabbed Murden so savagely in the breast that he died ahnost immediately. He was only nineteen years of age and bore a good eharacter. His remains were brought to Peekskill and escorted to their last resting-place by the fire companies of the village in procession.

The first captain of the company was Joseph J. Chambers, editor of the Sing Sing Republican, whose term of offiee extended from April 30, 1861, to June 20, 1861, when he was promoted to be lieutenant- eolonel. William M. Bleakley, of Verplanck's Point, was then eaptain until February 8, 1862, and after him came Edwin D. Comstock, of Binghamton, N. Y., who retained the office until the regiment was mustered out, May 21, 1863. The company partici- pated with the regiment in the following battles : Bull Run, Gaines' Mill, Seven Days' Battle, Seeond Bull Run, South Mountain, Autietam, Frederieks- burg and Marye's Heights.

The first persons to join Hawkins' Zouaves from the town of Cortlandt, and very probably the first to leave Peekskill to join any regiment, were George E. Craft and John Hughes, who departed for New York City April 16, 1861. The whole number of persons from the town of Cortlandt who at different times joined this regiment was forty-two, of whom eight were in the band, about twenty-four or twenty-six in Company F and the rest in Companies HI and D. Company F was nicknamed "The Skillers," from the number of Peekskillers it contained. William W. Hammell, of New York City, was eaptain of Company F through- out its whole existenee. The company participated with the regiment in the following battles: Newport News, Va., July 5, 1861 ; Hatteras, N. C., August 28-29, 1861; Roanoke Island, N. C., February 28, 1861 ; Winton, N. C., February 20, 1862; Camden, N. C., April 19, 1862; Rainbow Banks, N. C., July 9, 1862; Plymouth, N. C., August 30, 1862 ; Sonth Mountain, Md., September 13, 1862; Sharpsburg, Md., Septem- ber 17, 1862; and Antietam, Md., September 18, 1862.

A number of Peekskillers (probably not more than fifteen or twenty, but exactly how many cannot be

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CORTLANDT.

ascertained) enlisted in the Third Regiment of the Eagle Brigade, which afterwards became consolidated with the Ninety-fifth Regiment. They formed a por- tion of Company K. The regiment was mnstered into service (from November, 1861, to March, 1862) to serve for three years. The first captain of Company K was William F. Bailey, of Carmel, Putnamn Connty, who hield the position from February 13, 1862, till September 2, 1862. His successors were Edward W. Andrews (until March 12, 1863), Frank H. Cowdry (nntil April 20, 1864) and George H. Everett, of Peekskill (who was mustered ont at the expiration of his term of service, December 24, 1864). The company was engaged with the regiment in battles at Gainesville, Second Bull Run, Sonth Mountain, All- tietam, Fredericksburg, Chaneellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomoy, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad and Hatcher's Run.

The Fifty-ninth Regiment was enlisted for three years, and was mustered into the service of the United States from July 4 to December 31, 1861. Company I was recruited for this regiment in Peekskill, by James L. Panlding, who became captain. In Janu- ary, 1862, Company I contained one hundred and one men, who were mostly residents of the town of Cort- landt, except twenty-seven men from Carmel, Pnt- nam County, raised by Adam W. Mattice. James L. Panlding was succeeded as captain by Adam W. Mattice May 2, 1862; James H. Birdsall, October 11, 1862; and Edwin F. Richards, November 19, 1863.

Company F, of the Fifty-ninth Regiment, was raised by James Hart Purdy, of Yorktown, and con- tained probably no more than twenty residents of the town of Cortlandt. James Hart Purdy was the first captain. He was promoted to be major March 23, 1863, and William D. Paulding, of Peekskill, became his snecessor. George H. Crawford was then captain from December 20, 1863, until discharged (July 23, 1864) at the expiration of the period of enlistment.

These companies participated with the regiment in the battles at Malvern Hill (second engagement), Second Bull Run, Antictam, Fredericksburg, Chancel- lorsville, Gettysburg, Bristow Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersburg, Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, Ream's Station and Boydton Plank Road.

Company A, of the Sixth New York Heavy Artil- lery, contained one hundred and fifty-nine nien, en- listed in the town of Cortlandt, when it entered into active service, of whom abont one hundred were res- idents thereof, and recruits were received from the town subsequently.

Absalom A. Crookston, of Peekskill, was captain from August 26, 1862, nntil promoted to be major, Oc- tober 22, 1862. He was followed by George W. Smith, of Peekskill, from October 3, 1862, till December 14, 1863; by Samuel Bassett (not mustercd as captain) and by Effingham Donaldson, of New York City, from

April 25, 1864, until mnstered ont with the regiment, Angust 24, 1865. Of this regiment, J. Howard Kitch- ing, of Peekskill, was for some time colonel, and Ed- mund R. Travis, of Peekskill, from March 19, 1864, nntii July 21, 1864, lientenant-colonel. This was not only the first company raised for this regiment, but also furnished more commissioned officers than any other company in it.

The company participated with the regiment in the following battles: Wapping Heights, Va., July 23, 1863; Lanrel Hill (Wilderness), Va., May 6, 1864; Todd's Tavern (Wilderness), Va., May 7, 1864; Po River, Va., May 12, 1864; Salient, Va., May 12, 1864 ₹ Harris Farm (Spottsylvania), May 19, 1864; North Anna, Va., May 24, 1864; Bethesda Church, Va., May 30, 1864; Cold Harbor, June 1 to June 3, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 18 and July 30, 1864; and Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864.

J. Howard Kitching, eolonel of the Sixth New York Heavy Artillery, was born in New York City July 16, 1838, but was, for several years before the breaking ont of the war, a resident of Peekskill, and enlisted for service therefrom. He was a man of sterling character and fine abilities. Upon the break- ing ont of the war he entered the Second New York Light Artillery, in which he received a captain's com- mission. After remaining with this company for sev- eral months on garrison dnty he became impatient for active service, and joined a battery under command of Captain (afterwards General) Upton, and served in the Peninsular Campaign of the Army of the Poto- mae. He became serionsly ill from exposure and re- turned home., As soon as his strength was sufficiently recovered he joined the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Infantry (afterwards the Sixth New York Heavy Artillery ) as lientenant-colonel. Colonel William H. Morris, of the regiment, having been promoted, Lien- tenant-Colonel Kitching succeeded, on April 11, 1863, to the position. He was then bnt twenty-five years of age. His bravery, his capacity and his earnest Chris- tian character made him very much beloved by his soldiers. He was wounded in the foot at the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., October 19, 1864, and died from the effects on the 10th of Jannary, 1865, at Yonkers.

Harris Light Cavalry (Second Regiment New York Volunteers) was mustered into the United States ser- vice from Angnst 9, 1861, to October 8, 1861. The original members were mnstered out September 10, 1864, but the regiment remained in service till June 5, 1865. Charles and Thomas MeCutehen, brothers, and Allen M. Seymour enlisted in this company, in 1861, from Peekskill. In August, 1862, Charles Mc- Cntchen, then a sergeant, enlisted thirty-two men at Peekskill for the Harris Liglit Cavalry, who entered Company F. At subsequent periods during the war some eight or ten more men were obtained from the town. Allen M. Seymour was the first eaptain of this company, and held the position from August 1, 1861, until February 11, 1863. His successors werc

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Charles Hasty, of Indiana, who assumed the rank in February, 1863, and Oliver B. Carpenter, of Ulster County, N. Y., who was captain from December 1, 1864, until the regiment was mustered out, June 5, 1865.

The regiment participated in eighty-nine engage- ments, in ahnost all of which, but abont a dozen at the first, the Peekskillers enlisted in August, 1862, were present. They were for a time under the command of Colonel, (afterwards General) Judson Kilpatrick, and participated with him in his bold raid to Rich- mond in March, 1864. They were in every battle of importance in which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, nntil sent, under General Sheridan, in 1864, to the Shenandoah Valley, where they saw very ac- tive service. Their last battle was at Clover Hill, Va., near Appomattox Court-House, on April 9, 1865, the day upon which Lee surrendered.

The Nineteenth Regiment of Militia of the State of New York was ordered out for three months from May until Angust, 1862, and was accompanied by a number of Peekskillers. It was mustered into the service of the United States at Newburgh, from Jan- uary 23, 1863, to February 11, 1863, as the One IInn- dred and Sixty-eighth Regiment New York Volun- teers, to take the field for nine months. The first company for this regiment was raised in the town of Cortlandt, and contained sixty-six members, sixty- three of whom were residents of the town. It became Company "A." Its officers were as follows : Cap- tain, Bennett Gilbert ; First Lieutenant, James H. Searles ; Second Lientenant, Audrew J. Gilbert ; Ser- geants-Orderly, Wright Gilbert ; Second, Robert S. Hancock ; Third, Anson L. Gilbert; Fourth, James Sparks, Jolin Q. A. Hubbell, Charles W. Coleman and John Pentreath. The regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomae. The company par- ticipated in but one engagement, which took place at Walkerton, Va., June 5, 1863, and resulted in the capture of Elias G. McChain and Pierre L. Paul- ding, who were subsequently exchanged. The regi- ment was then ordered to reinforce General Rosecrans in the West, and arrived at Bridgeport, Ala., within a few days of the battle of Chattanooga, in which they did not participate. Their time of enlistment having expired a few days later, they returned home.

Company "A" lay in Newburgh abont three months before it was mustered into service, and some of the soldiers, under the impression that this three months should be counted into their term of service of nine months, deserted the regiment three months before it was mustered out. Being arrested as deserters, they proved they had left the regiment with the knowledge and approval of the captain, who was punished for his error by imprisonment.

On the 3d of July, 1864, the Eighteenth Regiment of Militia were ordered out for thirty days, to aid in resisting Lee's advance into Pennsylvania. Company "F" of this regiment was raised in Peekskill, and

consisted of those members of the Jefferson Guards and Bleakley Rifles who had not already gone to the war. James Ryder, who lived near Croton Falls, was colonel, but John H. Hyatt, of Peekskill, the lieutenant-colonel, was actually in command. The company were not in any battle, but spent most of their time in garrison duty at Fort Marshall, at Balti- more, Md. They were mustered out at Yonkers August 17, 1863, having been in service forty-five days.

THE NAVAL SERVICE .- John McLuckey, Anstin Fink, Pierre L. Paulding, Cornelius Bodine, Henry Helliker, Francis Smith and Robert S. Hancock, resi- dents of the town of Cortlandt, enlisted for the naval service August 12, 1864, and were placed on the "Isomnia," under command of Captain Edward Simp- son, afterwards rear admiral. He was suececded by a volunteer captain. This vessel was not in any en- gagement, but was chiefly employed in chasing blockade-runners.

In August, 1864, thirty-two men from Peekskill, mostly soldiers who had served ont their time in the army, culisted for the navy. After remaining for some time in the receiving-ship " Vermont " at New York, they were taken to Hampton Roads, Va., and distri- bnted among various vessels, the " Santiago de Cuba " receiving six, and the "Red Rover," the "Wabash," and other vessels receiving the remainder.

In the same year twenty-one men from the town of Cortlandt, among whom were William Cables, Charles Wessels, John Hancock, Henry S. Free and William Gardineer, entered the naval service on board the United States steamer " Vanderbilt." The men were not discharged from service until about the middle of 1865. This vessel was in the battles at Fort Fisher, N. C., but was chiefly employed in chas- ing blockade-runners.

The following names of soldiers who were killed or lied in the serviec of the United States are taken from the roll of honor in possession of the Grand Army of the Republic Post in Peekskill.

& cond New York Volunteers, Harris Light Cavalry.

Company F, Sergeant Thomas McCulchen, killed in action at Culpeper, Va., in 1863.

Company F, private George Archer, died in hospital, Virginia.

Company F', private Delancey Cole, died in rebel prison, Boll Island,

Va.

Company F, private William Haines, killed in action al Brandy Station, Va. Sixth Regiment New York Volunteer Heary . Artillery.

Colonel J. llowand Kitching, wounded al The battle of Cedar Creek and died in the service.

Company A, First Lieutenant Richard Montgomery Gillen, died In the service while home on n sick leave.

Company A, Sergeant William H. Lent, wounded in front of Pelersburg and died next day.

Company A, private P. Corne Cruger, wonuded al Cedar Creek and died al Winchester, Va.

Company A, private David A. Lent, wounded at Cedar Creek and died in hospital.

Company A, Corporal Heury 31. Gillett, killed in action at Cedar Creek, October 19, Isel.

Company A, Corporal Themlore Garrison, died in hospital at Fore's Ford, Va

381

CORTLANDT.

Company A, private William Fitzgerald, killed in action at Cedar Creek, Va.

Company A, private James Moriarity, killed in front of Petersburg, Va.

Company A, private Frederick Young, killed in action at Spottsylvania, May 19, 1864.

Company. A, private John Conklin, died in hospital at Baltimore, Md. Company A, private Alexander Soper, killed in action in front of Peters- burg, June 18, 1864.

Company .1, private John Terbush, died at home, on furlough, from dis- ease contracted in the army.

Company A, private John Dobson, died in rebel prison, Salisbury, N. C. Company A, private William B. Dyckman, died in rebel prison, Salis- bury, N. C.

Company A, private, Peter Munsh, died in rebel prison, Salisbury, N. C.

Company A, Abram A. Wood, killed in battle at Spottsylvania, Va.

Company A. Barney Kelley, killed at Bethesda Church.

Company B, private Frank Bleakley, died in hospital, Harper's Ferry, Va., 1863.

Company C, private James Christian, killed in front of Petersburg, Va.

Company C, private Charles Conklin, killed at Po River, May 12, 1864. Company D, private John Henry Lent, died at Point- of-Rocks, Md.

Company F, private Abram Lent, died in hospital at Harper's Ferry, Va.

Company F, private George Bradley, killed at Petersburg, Jque 19, 1864.

Company F, private Jarvis Lent, died since returning home,

Company F, Thomas M. Lonnsbury, died at home, November 9. 1871. Company F, Nehemiah Oakley, killed in action.

Company G, private James Williamson, killed in action at Bethesda Church.

Company II, private Washington Van Scoy, killed in action at Spott- sylvania, Va., May 19, 1864.

Company 1, private John Foley, killed in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 19, 1864. .

Ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, Hawkins' Zouares.

Company F, Color-Sergeant William Patterson, killed in action with his colors in his hands at the battle of Antietam, Md., September 17, 1862.

Company F, private William Van Houten, died at Hatteras. Company F, privato Rosier Garrison, died at Plymouth, N. C.

Company F, private John Bennett, died at Newport News, in hospital. Company F. private George W. Willcox, died since returning home, from effects of wounds received at battle of South Mills, N. C.

Nincteenth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Company E, private George Dyckman, died at home, November 3, 1863.

James Free, died in the service.

Jefferson Lent, died in the service.

Scott's Rifles, Sickles' Brigade.

Private Herman Dunning, died in hospital.

Company A, private Edwin Williams, died at Fairfax Court.llouse, Va.

Twenty-second Regiment New York' Volunteers.

Private Samuel Cassells, died in hospital.

Twenty-seventh Regiment New York Volunteers.

Company A, private Thomas Hawkins, killed at Fort Lyon, Va. Company A, privato Charles Gardner, died in hospital.

Company A, Jeremiah Murden, murdered at Elmira, N. Y , in June, 1861, whilo attempting to arrest a deserter.

Sickles' Brigads.

Company A, private Anthoney Gardner, died in hospital.

Forty-fourth Regiment New York Volunteers, Ellsworth Avengers.

Company A, private Thomas Wildey, killed in action at Hanover Court- House, Va.

Forty-eighth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Captain Lewis Lent, killed in action.

Fifty-first Regiment New York Volunteers.

Company HI, Color-Sergeant George W. Fisher, killed at Petersburg, Va., July 29, 1864.

Company 11, privato James D. Odell, killed at Roanoke Island.

Fifty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Company D, privato George Austin, died in Salisbury Prison, N. C. Company I, private Edgar Sutton, killed in action at Antietam, Md. Company 1, private Pierre Miller, killed in action at Antietam, MId. Company I, private John Fitch, died in Andersonvillo Prisou.

Company I, privato George Fowler, died in hospital after being paroled at Annapolis, Md.

Company I, Benjamin Gandineer, died in Andersonvillo Prison.

Seventieth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Company D, private Joseph Davenport, died May 30, 1863, from wounds received in action.

Company I, private James Cummings, died in hospital at Fortress Mon-

roe, Va.

Ninety-first Regiment New York Volunteers.

William Stoker, died in hospital.

Ninety-fifth Regiment. New York Volunteers.

Lieutenant Edwiu B. Lent, died since returning homo from effect of wonnds,

Private Lewis Latham, killed in front of Petersburg, Va.

Thirty-eighth Regiment.

Company, Charles A. Turner, wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg ; taken prisoner, and died at home October 12, 1863.

Thirty-ninth Regiment.

Company, Calvin W. Lounsbury, taken prisoner in Virginia and never returned.

One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Sergeant David F. Ferris, killed at the battle of Fair Oaks, Va.

One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment New York Volunteers,

Company C, private llenry R. Forman, died in the service at Baton Rouge, La.

One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Regiment New York Volunteers.

Company E, Georgo Tice, died in hospital at Yorktown, Va., March, 1863.

Company E, private Jesse Seymour, died at hospital in Washington, D. C., July, 1863.

Company E, corporal Isaac Broadie, died in service.

Sailors.

Benjamin Finch, died in hospital.

Colored Infantry.

Joseph Henry Halstead, private Company B, Thirtieth New York Infan- try, killed in action at Deep Bottom, Va.

John W. Knapp, private Company B, Twenty-uinth Connectient Volun- teers, died in the service.

Missing.

Martin Dyckman, missing in action,

David Dyckman, missing in action.

Robert Gobey, missing in action.

Miscellaneous.

John P. Romer, private Company -, Connecticut Volunteers, wounded in battle and died in Lincoln Hospital, Washington, D. C.

John Williams, private Company F, Eighty-first New York Volunteers, died in hospital from wounds receivod at the battle of Gettysburg. Jolin Bodine, Company F, Seventeenth New York Volunteers, died since returning home.

Henry Hamilton, private Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-second New York Volunteers, taken prisoner at Batchelor's Creek, N. C., and died at Andersonville Prison.

l'rivate Jefferson Ilead, died in service. Private Benjamin Van Tassell, died in service.

Private Georgo Lent, killed in action.

Private Patrick O'Neill, killed in action.

Private Leander Dusenbury, killed in action.

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History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 90

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286