USA > New York > Schenectady County > History of the County of Schenectady, N. Y., from 1662 to 1886... > Part 10
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Captain Kennedy was promoted to rank of Major, June 23, 1863, and died of disease at Phil- adelphia, August 3 of the same year.
George A. Turnbul succeeded Kennedy as Cap- tain of Company F, but resigned February 3, 1864.
Clinton C. Brown was promoted to Captain, April 14, 1863, and to Lieutenant-Colonel of the 134th, July 27, 1864.
Company H was organized by Austin A. Yates, who received his commission as Captain, Septem- ber, 1862, with Gerardus Canley as First Lieuten- ant and Marcus A. Herrick as Second Lieutenant. Captain Yates was discharged June 10, 1863, on account of defective eyesight, but re-enlisted as Captain of Company F of the Fourteenth Veteran Corps. This regiment participated in the engage- ment against Early in front of Washington. Capt. Yates was promoted to rank of Brevet Major by President Lincoln, and was assistant to Judge-Ad- vocate-General at Washington, D. C., one year subsequent to August, 1866, when he was mustered out of service.
William H. Mickle, who enlisted in Company H as Second Sergeant, was made Captain, April 22, 1865. Barney S. Smith, another Sergeant, became Captain, February 28, 1865, and was mustered out of the service as a Brevet Major, N. Y. V.
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
The 134th Regiment, of which the three pre- ceding companies formed a part, participated in the battles of Chancellorville, Gettysburg, Mis- sionary Ridge, Knoxville, Atlanta, Resaca, Dallas, Pine Knob, Lost Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Savannah and Goldsboro. At the overthrow of the 11th corps, on the afternoon of Saturday, May 3d, at the battle of Chancellorville, the 134th was engaged in reconnoitering in the enemy's line and did not share in that terrible retreat, but took active part in the battle of the next morning.
Companies "A" and "I" of the 134th were raised and credited to Schoharie County, yet both contained many Schenectady men. In company "A" Henry Y. Bradt, First Lieutenant, and the names of Garret Horsfall and Andrew A. Kelly are worthy of mention. In company "I," Frank Fletch- er was Captain, who afterward became Chaplain of the regiment and was mustered out of the service as Brevet Major, N. Y. V. Albert G. Washburn entered this company as First Lieutenant and was promoted to Captain. He died in camp, near Falmouth, Va., Jan. 26, 1863.
In company "I" Charles A. Ahreets enlisted as Orderly Sergeant ; by promotions, earned by gal- lantry, became Adjutant of the 134th, July 27, 1864. He was killed while acting as assistant adjutant-general, in the siege of Savannah, Dec. 13, 1864.
Edwin Forrest enlisted in company "B" of the 134th as First Lieutenant, Dec. 2, 1862. Jan. 30, 1864, he was made Captain of this company. He died from wounds received at the battle of Dug Gap, May 20, 1864.
Thomas Forrest, a brother of Edwin, enlisted as Second Lieutenant in company "F," of the 134th, and was promoted to First Lieutenancy, March 7, 1863. He was subsequently made Brevet Captain, N. Y. V.
Among the Schenectadians who served with dis- tinction in the rebellion, whose names have not been previously mentioned, were A. Y. Carner, Henry Ramsey, Jr., James T. Joslin and A. Barclay Mitchel. Cramer was made Quartermaster of the 134th, Oct. 1, 1862. Ramsey entered this same reg- iment as a Lieutenant and was also made Quarter- master. Joslin and Mitchel entered the service as Lieutenants and were promoted to the rank of Captain, Joslin in the 134th and Mitchel in the 18th.
Although the 119th regiment was raised and organized in New York city, some of its best and bravest officers came from Schenectady. Indeed its first commanding officer was Col. Elias Peissner, a son-in-law of the late Prof. Tayler Lewis, of Union College. Col. Peissner was a brave and courageous officer, and after gallantly leading his regiment in a number of engagements was killed at the battle of Chancellorville, May 2, 1863.
In company " B" of the 119th, Charles F. Lewis, a son of the late Professor Lewis, enlisted as Second Lieutenant, but was promoted in succession to the rank of First Lieutenant, Captain and Major.
In company "D" of the 119th, Henry R. Schwerin, another Schenectadian, enlisted as Second
Lieutenant. He was promoted to First Lieutenant April 10, 1863, and was killed at the battle of Chancellorville, May 6, 1863.
The 77th Regiment, although organized in Sara- toga County, contained a number of Schenectady men. In Company H of this regiment fully a fourth of the number were from this county. In this company David J. Caw enlisted as Ist Ser- geant. His worth and gallantry secured him rapid promotion. March 21, 1862, he was commis- sioned 2d Lieutenant ; September 23, Ist Lieuten- ant ; December 10, Captain ; December 20, 1864, Major; and four days after, Lieutenant-Colonel, with which rank he was mustered out of the service, June 27, 1865. July 6, 1865, for gallant and mer- itorious services, he was commissioned Colonel by Governor Morgan. At the same date his brother, William E. Caw, , who entered Company H as Corporal, received a commission as ist Lieutenant.
The 77th Regiment, it will be remembered, was a part of the Sixth Corps, and accompanied the army of the Potomac through all its memorable cam- paigns, participating in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburg, Golding's Farm, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Crampton Gap, Antietam, Marye's Heights, Fredericksburg, Get- tysburg, Wilderness, Rappahannock Station, Petersburg, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Fort Ste- vens, Opeguan, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek.
In the ad Regiment of Veteran Cavalry, besides Edward Van Voast and Joseph Strunk, already men- tioned, were Charles W. Johnson, Albert Westing- house and Sherman A. Case. Johnson was pro- moted from a Lieutenancy to Quartermaster. Westinghouse was a Lieutenant in one of the com- panies of this regiment. He was killed in action, December 10, 1864. Case also served as a Lieu- tenant, and was mustered out of service with this rank, November 8, 1865.
Among the surgeons from Schenectady who en- tered the service during the civil war were: G. W. Van Voast, J. D. Jones, Alfred G. McDonald and William H. Hoag. Jones was Surgeon in the 22d Cavalry, McDonald in the 12th Cavalry and Hoag in the 134th Infantry.
J. J. De Forest, a resident of the town of Duanesburgh, was Colonel of the 8Ist Regiment, raised in Oswego, during the war. (For further sketch of Mr. De Forest, see article on town of Duanesburgh.)
The 192d Regiment was composed principally of men who had already served one term of enlist- ment. This regiment was one of the last organ- ized during the war, having been mustered in the service in the fore part of the year 1865. No less than 133 in this regiment were from Schenectady, among whom was the late Solyman G. Hamlin, a brave and courageous soldier, who, as has been previously stated, was promoted to the rank of Major in this regiment.
The 83D REGIMENT, for home protection, com- posed entirely of companies in the City and County of Schenectady, was formed April 27, 1863. It was composed of ten companies, and formed a part of the 18th Brigade, 5th Division, when first
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NAVIGATION.
organized, but soon after was included in the 13th Brigade, 3d Division. July 23, 1873, it was re- duced to a battalion of six companies. It was disbanded January 17, 1874.
The original officers of this regiment were : James Fuller, Colonel ; Robert Furman, Lieuten- ant-Colonel ; John C. Bartrydt, Major ; Vedder V. Van Patten, Adjutant ; L. Dodge, Quartermaster ; J. O. Timberman, Surgeon ; Cornelius Van Sant- voord, Chaplain.
Robert Furman was made Colonel, August 6, 1864, and John McShea Lieutenant Colonel. Gershom Banker was made Major, July 12, 1866. Benjamin F. Sheldon was made Adjutant, June 20, 1866, and Major, October 17, 1867. George W. Marlette was made Adjutant, January 4, 1868, and Major, May 27, 1871. John C. Perry became Major, December 29, 1869, and Lieutenant-Colo- nel, May 28, 1869. Michael H. Lamp was made Adjutant, September 22, 1871, and Edward H. Vrooman became Quartermaster, June 14, 1867. James D. Jones was at one time Surgeon, and Dennis Wortman, Chaplain.
After the close of the war a company composed of army and navy veterans, called the Soldiers' and Sailors' Union, was formed, of which Major Ralfe Van Brunt was Commander. Some time after this company disbanded and formed the Schenectady Zouaves Cadet. Major Ralfe Van Brunt was its first Captain. He was succeeded by Captain Aus- tin A. Yates. This company existed for a number of years, when its name was changed to William Horsfall Post, No. 14. A. A. Yates, G. W. Mar- lette and William G. Caw were Commanders of this company at different periods. The name of this Post was subsequently changed to Edwin For- est Post, No. 90. G. W. Tompkins, James F. White, Frederick Eisenminger and James R. Reagles were at various times Commanders of this Post. A few years ago the name of the Post was again changed to Post Horsfall, No. 9, which name it still bears. The present Commander is James R. Reagles.
At present there are but two military companies in Schenectady under the State Militia laws, the 36th and 37th Separate Companies, N. G., S. N. Y.
The THIRTY-SIXTH COMPANY (Citizens' Corps) was mustered in the State Militia, July 12, 1880, for a term of five years, with 57 members. Its first officers were : Austin A. Yates, Captain ; Oscar Shannon, Ist Lieutenant ; Geo. W. Tomp- kins, 2d Lieutenant. Its present officers are : Austin A. Yates, Captain ; James F. White, Ist Lieutenant ; James R. Reagles, 2d Lieutenant. This company is composed of 65 members.
The THIRTY-SEVENTH COMPANY (Washington Continentals) was mustered in the State Militia, with 51 members, at the same time and for a like period of service as the 36th. Its first officers were : Clinton C. Brown, Captain ; Nelson McDonald, Ist Lieutenant ; Thomas Gregg, 2d Lieutenant. Captain Brown was succeeded by Walter S. Van Voast. Van Voast was succeeded by the present Captain, Geo. W. Marlette. By the
death of Ist Lieutenant Nelson McDonald, Thomas Gregg was made Ist Lieutenant and James H. Vedder 2d Lieutenant. This company is com- posed of 65 members.
NAVIGATION.
RIVER, STAGE AND RAILWAY.
It would be difficult for those acquainted with the present business interest of Schenectady to realize its commercial importance during the colo- nial history of this State.
Situated at the foot of navigation on the Mo- hawk, it had a frontage of twenty miles by road, subsequently reduced to sixteen miles by way of the Albany and Schenectady turnpike, between the Binnekill and Hudson river. From its fortunate position and subsequent improvements made in the channel of the Mohawk, it had direct com- munication by water with the chain of lakes in the interior of the State and with Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, and thus became the natural depot for the products of the far-stretching West.
To explain the obstacles overcome and the causes which tended to make Schenectady a center of commercial trade, it will be necessary to review some of the history of the earliest settlements in the New Netherlands.
The first settlers in this region came here almost solely for the purpose of trade. Indeed, so intent were they upon the Indian traffic that agriculture was greatly neglected and barely enough farm prod- ucts were raised to support the population at the trading posts.
The first trading house was built by the United New Netherlands Company, on an island in the Hudson river, called Castel Eylandt, in the year 1614. This island is now included within the limits of the City of Albany.
The privileged West India Company was char- tened in 1621, with extraordinary powers of sovereignty and trade, and two years after erected Fort Orange, where Albany now stands. Here was the chief seat of the Indian trade, and where, in the business season, in June, July and August, the natives gathered in great numbers with their peltries. Until 1630 the two chartered companies above mentioned claimed and practically had a monopoly of the Indian traffic. Van Rensselaer, who had obtained possession of about 700, 000 acres of land around the fort in that year, claimed not only a share of the profitable beaver trade, but also the land on which Fort Orange stood. Not only did this result in the loss of a large revenue to the West India Company, but it was also found that the servants of the company made private ventures of their own, so that by 1639, when trade was nominally thrown open to all, the income of the company had very much diminished.
In 1652 Stuyvesant established a court at Fort Orange and Beverwyck. With this court came municipal rights, excise, taxes, civil officers and all the privileges thereto belonging, among which was claimed the monopoly of trade with the Indians.
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
Every burgher (for outsiders were denied this privilege) who could purchase an anker of brandy or tub of beer, claimed and used his rights to trade for beaver and often forestalled the market by send- ing runners up the Mohawk to purchase the natives' peltries. Such was the condition of the Indian trade when the first settlement was made at Sche- nectady in 1662.
The people of Fort Orange, plainly seeing that the location of Schenectady would make it a for- midable rival as a trading center, took precautions to defend their own market and protect themselves from competition.
When the settlers of Schenectady applied for a patent to their territory, called by the Indian title the " Great Flatt," from the Governor and Council, it was granted only on the condition that they " pro- mise not to carry on or allow to be carried on at the aforesaid Flatt or thereabout any the least hande- ling (trade) however it may be called." This arbi- trary prohibition, though for a time apparently acquiesced in by the people, outraged their sense of justice and right. It soon began to be reported that these trade regulations were disregarded at Schenectady. Gov. Lovelace in 1669 issued an order prohibiting such trade, and in 1671 issued orders to Capt. Sylvester Salisbury, Commander of the fort at Albany, to search the houses in Schenec- tady whose occupants were suspected of trading with the Indians. But proclamations and orders against the offending town seemed unavailing, as neither the orders of the Council nor proclama- tions of the Governor served to effectually restrain the people from engaging in traffic with the Indians.
Albany was chartered as a city in 1686, before which time, though claiming a monopoly of the Indian trade, the magistrates were powerless to pass ordinances for its regulation, but operated through the Governor and Council.
Immediately after the granting of the charter, however, the common council passed ordinances claiming for such city the sole monopoly of the trade with the Indians, and prohibiting any traffic with the Indians outside of the walls of Albany. But these exclusive ordinances did not have the effect of confining the trade to the city of Albany. Much legal difficulty grew out of this attempted enforcement, until the year 1727, when the arrest and conviction of a citizen of Schenectady, sus- pected of Indian trading, was contested in the Supreme Court, which legal contest resulted in the final acquittal of the suspected persons and freeing Schenectady from the authority of those hateful ordinances that had fettered its trade for more than fifty years.
After 1727, by the decision of the highest court in the province, trade was made free. With free trade came traders, and the flow of emigration be- gan to go westward. Settlements were made on the upper Mohawk and along the Schoharie, which greatly increased the volume of trade at Schenectady. Better roads were made from Albany to the foot of navigation in this city, as aiding to the impediments in the lower Mohawk. Schenectady was always the best place of departure, while the distance from
Albany was little, if any, greater than points lower down the stream.
Up to about the year 1740 the early settlers used the largest sized Indian bark canoes for transport- ing their merchandise. They were very light, and capable of carrying considerable cargo. One or two men, sitting in the bottom, propelled the little vessel by paddles, and at rifts or shallow places waded, and pushed or pulled it over. When water failed them, or the falls could not be over- come, the boat and cargo were carried around the portage, when navigation was again resumed. As there were many rifts or rapids in the Mohawk river to be overcome, navigation at this period was attended with great difficulties. The first of these impediments was a few miles above Schenectady, and was called Sixth Flat rift. Proceeding west, in succession came Fort Hunter rift, Caughnawaga rift, Keator's rift, the latter having a fall of ten feet ; Brandywine rift, at Canajoharie, short but rapid ; Ehles rift, near Fort Plain, and the Little Falls, so called in comparison with the larger falls at Cohoes. At Little Falls there is a descent in the river of forty feet in the distance of half a mile, up the current of which no boats could be forced ; so it became a portage, or carrying point, for both boats and merchandise, which were transported around the rapids on wagons, and when relaunched and reloaded, pushed on again.
Gov. Burnett, one of the Colonial Governors of New York, in a report to the Lords of Trade, during the period of canoe navigation, estimated the number of canoes regularly engaged in the fur trade which came to Schenectady from 1716 to 1720, at about 30, and from 1720 to 1724 at about 323.
As settlements grew in the western part of the State the volume of trade increased to such an ex- tent, that about the year 1740 the Indian canoe was superseded by the small batteau, a wooden vessel strongly braced with ribs, sharp at both ends, and generally manned by three men. They were pad- dled or poled, or towed by men along the bank or shallow places.
Batteau.
Simms says, in his history of Schoharie County, speaking of the batteau : "These boats were forced over the rapids in the rivers with poles and ropes, the latter drawn by men on the shore. Such was the mode of transporting merchandise and In- dian commodities to and from the west for a period of fifty years and until after the Revolution. A second carrying place in use at an early day was at Fort Stanwix, from the boatable waters of the Mohawk to Wood Creek ; thence passing into Oneida Lake the batteau proceeded into the Os- wego River, and thence to Oswego on Lake Onta- rio, and to Niagara, or elsewhere on that lake, or the St. Lawrence, as they pleased to venture," and
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NAVIGATION.
after being carried around the Falls of Niagara to Chippewa, went uninterruptedly on to Detroit, their usual limit, and sometimes even to Macki- naw.
But after the Revolutionary War the tide of emi- gration set strongly westward, and that energetic population required increased facilities for trans- portation and communication with the great Hud- son River and their old homes in the East, and elsewhere.
Gen. Philip Schuyler, who at this date was Sur- veyor-General of the State of New York, succeeded. with the aid of many citizens of Schenectady and its vicinity, in forming a corporate body, known as the Western Inland Navigation Company. This company was empowered to improve the channel of the Mohawk from Schenectady, . and build canal and locks to Lake Ontario and to Seneca Lake.
A canal was built at Little Falls, 4, 752 feet long, of which 2,550 feet went through solid rock. Upon it were five locks, with a total rise of 44{ feet. A canal 1 2 miles long was constructed, with a lock at Wolf's rift, German Flats, while another canal at Rome, 14 miles long, connected the Mohawk with Wood Creek. On Wood Creek four locks were built, with a total depth of 25 feet. The chambers of the locks were 74 by 12 feet, and al- lowed boats of 32 tons to pass, but other impedi- ments limited boats to a burden of 10 to 11 tons. This work of the Inland Navigation Company was finished in 1797, and cost $400,000, of which the State paid $92,000. The great cost required high tolls. In 1808 the company gave up its rights west of Oneida Lake, and sold out to the State in 1820 for $152, 718.52.
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These improvements opened not only a direct water communication from Schenectady to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, but permitted the use of larger and more serviceable boats.
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To meet the demands of an increased trade, made possible by better facilities, a boat called the Durham was constructed, a craft which carried a fair cargo, and which held its own until the Erie Canal sounded the death knell of the Mohawk river as a navigable stream. This style of boat is said to have been first used on Long Island.
" The Schenectady Durham," says Prof. Pear- son in his history of the Schenectady Patent, "was the pride of the place, and extensive boat-yards were employed in construction and repairs of these crafts, which were roughly treated by the boulders on the many rifts and landing places.
This gallant craft was constructed something in shape like the modern canal boat, broad, flat-bot- tomed and straight-sided, with easy lines at bow and stern to help her flotation on striking a rapid. Her carrying capacity ranged from eight to twenty tons. A mast was placed near the bow and equipped with square sails.
When wind and tide were favorable these Durham boats sailed easily, but owing to the crookedness of the channel and its shallowness, this was only for very short distances. The main reliance was on the pole or tow-line.
In the cut a boat is seen forcing a " rift," and the crew (usually numbering five or six men) are wad- ing and pushing the craft through the pass. Light boats could go from Schenectady to Fort Stanwix and back in nine days, but the larger boats required fourteen days to make the trip.
Durham Boat.
As the country grew in population, and more especially after the Revolution, the traffic on the river grew to immense proportions. A stone tram- way was built at enormous cost by the Albany and Schenectady Turnpike Company, to ex- pedite the hauling of goods to the harbor on the Binne Kill, which in time was lined with batteaux, and as late as 1812 as many as fifty Durham boats would lay in this port, loading or discharging cargoes.
Most of these boats used on the Mohawk and western waters were built at Schenectady. It formed one of the most important business interests of the place.
The boat-yards were located on what is termed the Strand street on the river, then much wider than now, owing to encroachments and other causes. It was no uncommon sight, says Judge Sanders, in his history of this county in . the war of 1812, to see from twenty-five to one hundred boats on the stocks at the boat- yards, extending from near the Mohawk bridge to North street.
The boats that conveyed the army of General Wilkinson down the St. Lawrence were all built at this place, the oak forests of our common lands furnishing the requisite material. The principal boat builders were the Van Slycks, Marselises, Veeders and Peeks.
Time has wrought so many changes in this city that it seems difficult to picture the scenes of busy activity, with the extensive wharves, freighting establishments, and storehouses which lined the Main Binne Kill previous to the year 1819. At this date a destructive fire occurred, which com- pletely destroyed this portion of the city, which never again recovered its business, mercantile or commercial importance, for the contemplated con- struction and subsequent completion of the Erie Canal removed the business seat of our city to its present location.
"Previous to the fire of 1819," says Judge Sanders, " the Mohawk river above the bridge was
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
a broad, deep stream, upon which Durham boats, carrying sails like an Albany sloop and from eight to twenty tons of freight, glided, often under full sail, to or from our then deep and commercial Binne Kill, the miniature golden horn of our city."
At this wharf were the warehouses of the freight- ing firms of Yates & Mynderse, Jacob S. Glen & Co., Stephen N. Bayard, Walton & De Graff, Lusher & McMichael. Some idea of the bus- iness done may be gathered from the fact that 300 families derived their support by carrying in wagons the freight from the storehouses in Sche- nectady to the City of Albany.
The first daily line of boats used for carrying passengers was established by Eri Lusher, in 1815. They were constructed after the model of the Dur- ham boat, with cabin in midship, carefully cush- ioned, ornamented and curtained, expressly calcu- lated for and used to carry from twenty to thirty passengers at a time. They ran between Sche- nectady and Utica, making the passage between the two places down the river in about thirteen hours, and up the river, with favorable winds and high water, within two days.
But we are now coming to the period when the completion of the Erie Canal, the greatest work of internal improvement in the interest of commerce ever accomplished in this country, began to play an important part in the commercial interest of Schenectady. It was commenced in 1817, but was not completed until the year 1825.
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