USA > New York > Wyoming County > Perry > History of the town of Perry, New York > Part 14
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Having completed the organization, the company remained at recruiting headquarters (Fort Porter, Buffalo) until about the middle of November. Then they left for Albany with 56 men. While at this post, Major Thomas W. Lion, inventor of a fire rocket, introduced himself to their notice. A description of this rocket is found in an editorial of The Times, Dec. 20th, 1861 :
"Various statements have appeared in the papers relative to the 'rocket gun,' and none precisely alike, vet all represent- ing this arm of the service as a most terrible one. It has never been used on this continent, and experienced artillerists have never seen it. The papers and Government are only in the secret. Its principal purpose appears to be to throw a flame of fire sufficiently large to frighten horses and thus throw the enemy's cavalry into confusion. Of course, the battalion must have the right of the advancing army and take their chances of having their rockets silenced by the picked riflemen of the opposing forces. The rocket gun is represented as having a breech-loading field piece capable of discharging bombs, balls and percussion shots as well as rockets. The rockets are to be used for firing buildings behind which the enemy may seek shelter, or for removing by fire any obstacle thrown out to re- tard the advancement of the troops. The expansive properties of the rocket are wonderful, creating a ball of fire 15 feet in di- ameter, which can be thrown by this breach-loading projectile
217
PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
5300 yards, or over three miles. It is stated that the Government has purchased the exclusive right of manufacturing this terri- ble instrument of destruction and will soon introduce it to the rebels."
As Major Lion desired to form a battalion to use this rocket in the field, a consolidation of several squads of recruits occupying the barracks at Albany then formed "The Rocket Battalion," consisting of companies A and B, 80 men each. Captain Lee's company formed company B. In December the battalion received orders to report in Washington, where, after a delay of nearly four months, the long-looked-for rocket guns were turned over to them. After several weeks of experiment- ing the "guns" were proven an inglorious failure, owing prin- cipally to the fact that they could not be used with any great degree of accuracy. Mr. Merrill relates :
"Upon one occasion, while at target practice, we were shooting at a blanket, and some miserable scamp stole the blan- ket while we were still shooting at it."
At other times it would take a circle similar to the boomer- ang and return quite near the gun which started it upon its mission ; and so it was concluded, as Gen. Burnside was in need of artillery, to give the men some guns and send them on. The. quaint rocket carriages were exchanged for the more substan- tial six-pounder carriage and the sheet iron tubes were turned into rifle cannon.
Battery B then consisted of four three-inch rifled pieces and just enough men and horses to man them. From various causes, each of the two batteries in the battalion had diminshed in numbers. As a whole they would have no more than could properly man one six-gun battery. . About the last of June, 1862, Company B was placed in the third division and Com- pany A in the second division as independent four-gun bat- teries, named respectively, Captain Lee's battery and Captain
218
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PERRY
Ransom's battery. On the 3d of July, 1862, Captain Lee's bat- tery was ordered to outpost duty at Newport Barracks and their duties began to be like those of a soldier. For the present we leave the meleus of the 24th New York Battery and return to Perry to speak of those who were enlisting to go to Newport Barracks and fill up their ranks.
On the 22d of August, 1862, Mr. George S. Hastings, junior member of the law firm of Lee & Hastings, received authority to raise recruits to join Captain Lee's battery. In one week 50 men had volunteered ; another week had increased the number to 60. Mr. Merrill says: "The Union Army was meeting with defeat and loss of men. The President made a call for 300,000 more. The smothered fire of patriotism that was burning in the hearts of the young men of Perry burst forth, and father's commands, mother's warnings, nor sweetheart's pleadings and caresses could avail aught in trying to subdue the flame. 'Twas contagious and spread with such uncontrollable rapidity that in a short time about 60 more of the bravest and best young men of Perry and vicinity had come forward and enlisted in the cause. Full of the ambition and pride of youth, full of patriotic fervor and eager for the strife, believing that we could help to redeem what others had lost, we did not stop to think or realize how true might be our parents' predictions, or the fears and presentiments of our friends. What a blessing to man is ignorance of the future! The men, with but few exceptions were young, and the galaxy of the town in which they lived. Their enlistment seemed a spontaneous outburst of the single thought that had dwelt in many minds with equal power : 'Young men for war, old men for counsel.' Resolution, courage and determination were stamped in the faces of all. Like the clans of the feudal times of old, they meant to show that the flower and the pride of the country would win the crown of victory or death, and like those stories of old, the
219
PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
long, long days passed slowly by; the weary home watchers waited, hoped and feared till finally a remnant few returned in a pitiful plight to bear the sad tidings of defeat, of suffering and death."
The citizens of the town encouraged recruiting in many ways. A great deal of enthusiasm was exhibited throughout the vicinity. Generous bounties were offered and paid. At this time it must be remembered that the Government did not pay bounties to recruits. The town bounty fund raised by the citizens of Perry amounted to about $6,000. In their sphere the women of Perry labored with an enthusiasm fully equal to that of the men, and the hospital stores and comforts for the sick and wounded in the field, which they prepared and sent to the seat of war, solaced the sufferings of many a poor soldier. During the entire period of the war the women of the town were active in their good work.
The men recruited by Mr. Hastings took their departure for the seat of war on Sept, 10th, 1862. The citizens turned out early in the morning to bid a last good-bye to the boys and about 6 o'clock they were on their way to Castile Station, where they boarded the cars for Buffalo. After a few days' stay in Buffalo, during which time they were mustered into the service, the recruits were sent to Newport Barracks by way of Albany, New York and Newberne, N. C., where there were warm- ly greeted by their old friends and acquaintances, who were glad to have their companionship and assistance. On the 19th of October, orders were received designating the company as "The 24th Independent Battery of Light Artillery, New York State Volunteers." After the names of the newcomers had been added to the muster roll, it contained the names of five officers and 126 men. The battery remained at Newport Bar- racks about five months, during which time the boys were called out on one scouting expedition and one trip to New-
220
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PERRY
berne. On the 11th of December, two detachments of the bat- tery went with Gen. Foster and participated in the battles of Kingston, Whitehall and Goldsboro. Soon after the return of the troops from the expedition to Goldsboro, the battery re- ceived six very handsome new six-pounder Napoleon guns, an additional supply of horses, new harness, and new equipment throughout.
They remained at Newberne until about the middle of March, 1863, when a feint was made on that place by the rebels. and soon afterwards they advanced upon Plymouth, N. C. About the first of April the battery was sent to Plymouth, where it remained about a year. Early in 1863, Captain Lee suffered a severe hemorrhage of the lungs, the result of expos- ure and over-exertion, which unfortunate event compelled him to resign his commission on June 13th, 1863, Lieut. L. E. Cady succeeding him in command of the battery. The Winter of that year passed pleasantly with the men of the battery, but the Spring brought the Battle of Plymouth, which ended in bringing them all together as prisoners of war. One of them in an account of this battle has said : "Up to this time the his- tory of the battery had been a pleasant one. We had our petty quarrels and animosities ; we had suffered from jealousies and disappointments ; we had accused and been accused ; but these things were trifles after all, and it needed but a day of gen- uine trouble in common to bring us all to a united sympathy and an interchange of kindly words and kindly feeling. So far, I say, our army experience had been unusually free from hard- ships. At Newport Barracks we had comfortable log houses for our quarters, plenty of food, plenty of clothing, and only enough drill for good gymnastic exercise. At Newberne we had been furnished new tents and new barracks, and there, too, our quarters, food and raiment were excellent, and our duties comparatively light. At Plymouth we used unoccupied
221
POLITICAL DIVISIONS
houses for quarters. Our scouting duty had been but a pleas- ant excitement. The only affliction we experienced was the monotony arising from garrison duty. An inactive soldier's life is a lazy life at the best, and ignorant and thoughtless of that the result might be, we welcomed the attack which was to end so disastrously for us."
On the 17th of April, 1864, the cavalry of the rebels at- tacked the pickets of the garrison, and it soon became evident that something more than a feint or raid was intended. The garrison consisted of 1900 effective men under Gen. Wessells. Non-combatants were removed during the following night and preparations were made to resist the attack. Desultory firing was kept up during the night and the next day it was steadily maintained until about 5 o'clock p. m., when an advance was made and earnest fighting began. The rebel artillery, consisting of about forty pieces, opened fire upon the works, and the artil- lery of the defenders replied with such terrible precision that it was believed that half of the artillerymen of the enemy were put out of the fight. Of course, a detailed account of this bat- tle cannot be given here. It may be briefly stated that during the night of the 18th, the rebel ram Albermarle succeeded in driving away the naval supports of the garrison, and took a position where her guns could be used with effect. During the day and night of the 19th, the forces of the enemy assumed more advantageous positions, and on the 20th made a simul- taneous assault upon the entire Union line; and at the same time sent a column into the town. The guns of the 24th battery were served double-shotted with canister, "hurling death and disaster into the ranks of the enemy, and not until the rebels seized the muzzles of their guns did the cannoneers fail in their work."
For nearly two hours did the fight go on in the streets of Plymouth, the force surrendering only under stern necessity
MAIN STREET, PERRY, DURING CIVIL WAR TIMES
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PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
and in small detachments. The Union loss, notwithsanding their strong breastworks, was about 180. That of the rebels was stated in the Raleigh papers as 2200. When it is remem- bered that the garrison of 1900 men defended the town against a force of 12,000 rebels during four days, no suspicion of a lack of bravery will be entertained.
CHAPTER XIV
Sketch of the Battle of Plymouth and Surrender of the 24th N. Y.
Battery- Horrors of the Prison at Andersonville, Ga., in which Perry Men were Sufferers.
In a sketch of the surrender of the 24th New York Battery at Plymouth, N. C., Mr. Merrill says :
" All loyal citizens of the United States have a pride in our beautiful National banner, and ever is it a pleasure to their hearts to see it fluttering in the breeze. As children we learn to love it, honor and cherish it.
"Two epochs in my life have been strongly marked by the sight of this 'emblem of the free.' First when it was slowly low- ered from the color staff of Fort Williams at Plymouth and the Confederate colors replaced it. Second, when for the first timein seven months I saw it waving from the masts of the vessels that had come to take us from our horrid prison pens. In exper- ieneing the first it was a sad sight to see our pride, our boasted .Stars and Stripes,' falling. We had fought for them, many of our comrades had died for them: but all was lost! Few of the many Union soldiers who stood around me had dry eyes as those colors fell.
"Stripped of our arms, mortified and sick at heart, we were penned by rebel guards and allowed to take a night's rest on the green sward. As the sun lowered we took a view of our onee pleasant and happy camp. How desolate and dreary it was now ! Proud in our own strength, we had been conquered. How much of hate, passion and revenge rankled in the bosoms of even those who would be Christians. Our comrades killed, the battle lost to us, our friends at home frightened, anxious and full of sorrow; our prospects for freedom from this de- grading imprisonment, far in the dim, dim future. Cruel taunts were thrown in our faces, cruel acts were committed on every side of us. We tried to brave it out : we tried to comfort our- selves with the knowledge that we had fought a good fight;
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PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
we endeavored to believe that an immediate exchange of pris- oners would take place ; we consoled ourselves with the thought that none but cowards would taunt a fallen foe; yet heavy hearts and sad minds dwelt with us through that long night."
A few of the men of the Battery were made prisoners dur- in the early part of the battle and were taken to the prisons at Florence and Charleston, from which some never returned.
1860
1915
BENJAMIN H. HOLLISTER
On the morning following the battle, those who had sur- rendered were ordered into line and marched 17 miles. The next morning they arrived at Hamilton. On the 25th of April they reached Tarboro. At this place the officers who were prisoners were separated from the soldiers and were taken to Richmond. The remaining prisoners were loaded on platform cars and sent
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PERRY
south through Charleston, Savannah and Macon to Anderson- ville, Ga. One of them has said :
".It was quite dark before we were allowed to disembark from the cars. The stockade was about half a mile from the depot. We were told that before entering the prison we would be organized into detachments. We were marched to a level plot of ground through which ran the stream that furnished the prison stockade with water, and after a guard had been placed about us we were permitted to furnish ourselves with water and appease our hunger with the bacon and hard tack that had been issued to us a couple of days before. That was the last of hard bread that I ever saw in the Confederacy, and here was my first introduction to Captain Wirz, commander of the Confederate prison. Camp fires had been started about the guard line, and suddenly. as if it had been the Devil himself, this fiend made his appearance through or near one of the fires. Short in stature, stooping figure, ill-shaped head, awkard limbs and movement, a deep-set, ugly eve, and a tongue reeking with profanity-such was Captain Wirz. A glance passed from com- rade to comrade, telling better than the tongue of the fate we feared was in store for us. After mich swearing and many threats to punish or kill, he succeeded in properly organizing us into detachments, and we were then informed that our bar- racks for the night would be the ground. Had we known then what was to be our future camping place, how quickly would our complaints have changed to words of thanks and thoughts of thanks-a practical example of the little we know in this world of the good or the bad that may be in store for us. While in our ignorance, we are merry when we should be sad, and are full of complaints when we should be happy. Fatigue makes a soft warm bed of the cold earth and changes a stick of wood into a downy pillow. We slept soundly ; and what a blessing, it would seem, it would have been had the great majority of our fellows never waked from that sleep. Still, Providence-wise and good-saw fit for them to wake and to enter a trial of life that they had never anticipated. From observations in constant and intimate relations with many of them. I believe the long suffering and continual thought of the past and future did prepare them for a peaceful death, and, I hope. for a blessed
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PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
future. On the following morning we were ordered into line and marched into the prison stockade."
The horrors of Andersonville have been so generally des- cribed that a repetition is unnecessary here. Clara Barton has said :
"After this, whenever any man who has lain a prisoner within the stockade at Andersonville, would tell you of his sufferings-how he fainted, scorched, drenched, hungered. sickened ; was scoffed, scourged, hunted and persecuted-though the tale be long and twice told, as you would have your own wrongs appreciated, your own woes pitied, your own cries for mercy heard, I charge you to listen and believe him. However definitely he may have spoken, know that he has not told you all. However strongly he may have outlined or deeply he may have colored his picture, know that the reality calls for a better light and a nearer view than your clouded, distant gaze will ever get. And your sympathies need not be confined to Ander- sonville while similar horrors glared in the sunny light and spotted the flower girt garden fields of that whole desperate, misguided and bewildered people. Wherever stretched the form of a Union prisoner, there rose the signal for cruelty and the cry of agony; and there, day by day grew the skeleton graves of the nameless dead."
. Of the men who enlisted in the Battery in Perry, a few had been discharged from the service through disability, etc. At the time of the battle of Plymouth, a few others were at their homes on furlough. Fifty-nine were captured; and of these, 46 died in Southern prisons. Those who survived came home broken in health from their experiences.
It was a cold dreary winter day when the remnant of the Battery returned to Perry. Familiar faces crowded about them scarcely able to recognize in those emaciated forms the healthy, robust young men they used to know. Anxious in- quiries concerning the missing ones overpowered the warm welcome, and they felt that to be the bearers of such tidings
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PERRY
was indeed an unenviable lot. Of the survivors, only two are now residing in the town, viz: Benjamin H. Hollister and Al- Fert Richards.
1863
1915 ALBERT RICHARDS
Upon the expiration of the term of service, the original members-except veterans-were mustered out and the vet- erans and recruits were transferred to the Third Regiment, New York Artillery, on March 8th, 1865. These were mustered out on July 7th of that year.
It has not been the intention of the writer to convey the impression that the 24th Battery comprised all or nearly all of the volunteers from Perry in the Civil War. Special mention
229
PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
has been given it because, in reality, it was a local organization. As nearly as can be mentioned at this time about one hundred others enlisted in the Federal Army from Perry and vicinity in other organizations than the Battery, making a grand total of more than 180 from this, the little Perry of 1861-65. No reader of these lines can deny that on the part of these men there was a brave sacrifice to loyalty. Are we as patriotic to- day ? Have we no gratitude for the services of the living and dead who volunteered from our town in the great conflict ? Is there less of generosity ? Let a practical answer to these ques- tions be a strong endeavor to purchase and erect a suitable mon- ument in some sightly position that will be a treasured and elo- quent addition to the beauty of our town and an impressionable sign to all generations of our people of high duty faithfully per- formed and loyally and lovingly remembered.
Roster of Volunteers from Perry, 1861-1865
(This is probably not complete. It may include a few that were not actual residents of the town of Perry, but of this im- mediate locality. Names preceded by # are of those who died in the service.)
Name
Regiment 27th N. Y. Infantry
Abrams, Wm.
Alburty, Francis M.
24th N. Y. Battery
* Alburty, Wm.
24th N. Y. Battery
Alton, Sheldon
17th N. Y. Infantry
Andrews, Mark
24th N. Y. Battery
Andrews, Robert F.
Western Lt. Artillery
*Andrus, Lemuel
Andrus, Merritt
Arnold, M.
* Atwood, George S.
24th N. Y. Battery 4th U. S. Artillery 9th N. Y. Cavalry 24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Dragoons
Austin, Amos W.
* Austin, Charles
1st N. Y. Dragoons
Austin, Frank S.
17th N. Y. Infantry
Austin, Frederick
9th N. Y. Cavalry
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN PERFRY
*Axtell. Abner Avers, Oscar
Babcock. Orso
Baker, Thomas
Barber, John
Barnes, Frank
#Barnes, Roswell *Bartlett. Hartwell *Batchelder, B. Frank Beardsley, Alton
24th N. Y. Battery
24th N. Y. Battery
Beardsley, E. H.
17th N. Y. Infantry
Bentley, David
Birdsall, Hiram
Bishop, I. G.
24th N. Y. Battery
Boies, E. Bolton, Parris
147th N. Y. Infantry Regt. Unknown
Booth, Harrison
Borden. Adelbert
1044th N. Y. Infantry
Borden, Albert
104th N. Y. Infantry
Boughton, Arthur
89th N. Y. Volunteers
*Boughton, Myron
27th Wisconsin Volunteers
*Brayton, Rufus
24th N. Y. Battery
*Briggs, George
104th N. Y. Infantry
*Briggs, Wm.
104th N. Y. Infantry
24th N. Y. Battery
#Brooks, John Broughton. Floyd Buck, Robert
13th N. Y. Infantry
24th N. Y. Battery
Bullard, R. F.
136th N. Y. Infantry 2nd N. Y. Mounted Rifles
Burden. Adelbert
Burden. Albert
2nd N. Y. Mounted Rifles
*Button, James Buttre, C. W.
24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Dragoons
Cady, George E.
27th N. Y. Volunteers
Calkins, Francis A.
2nd N. Y. Mtd. Rifles
24th N. Y. Battery
136th N. Y. Volunteers 24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Dragoons
Camp, E. B. Camp, Wm. S.
Ist N. Y. Dragoons 24th N. Y. Battery
*Calkins. James Calkins, Melatiah *Calteaux, Paul Calvin, Andrew
5th Penna. Cavalry 17th N. Y. Infantry 1st N. Y. Dragoons 89th N. Y. Vols. 9th N. Y. Cavalry 9th N. Y. Cavalry 24th N. Y. Battery
17th N. Y. Infantry
136th N. Y. Infantry 1st N. Y. Dragoons 1st N. Y. Mounted Rifles
231
PERRY'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR.
*Carnahan, Charles Carnahan, Wm. Chapin, Abner B.
Chapin, Willard J. Chapman, John
Childs, Lucius #Childs, Reuben
Clark, C. A.
24th N. Y. Battery
Cofield, Thomas
Cole, Parker
*Comstock, A. W.
Crocker, Chas. H.
Crocker, Emory F.
Crooker, Wm. W. (Capt.)
Cronkhite, Joel
24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Dragoons Regiment unknown.
Curtis, Lorenzo
Dolbeer, Charles H.
24th N. Y. Battery
Dunn, John
89th N. Y. Volunteers
Duryea, George
24th N. Y. Battery
Duryea, Joseph
24th N. Y. Battery
Fanning, Edwin
Fardin, Francis
Ferguson, Daniel
Ferguson, A. T.
Ferrin, J. T.
24th N. Y. Battery
#Filbin, John
*Fitch, Charles W. Fitch, Wm.
*Fitzgerald, Thomas
Regt. Unknown 24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Dragoons
Flint, J. Nelson
Foskett, Milton
Foskett, Wesley
Foskett, Winslow
Francis, J. P. Frayer, Andrew #French, Myron Frost, Enos B.
*Galusha, Jonas E.
Gardner, Albert
Gardner, Avery
24th N. Y. Battery 24th N. Y. Battery Quartermaster's Dept. Surgeon Regt. Unknown Rgt. Unknown
33rd N. Y. Volunteers
8th N. Y. Heavy Artillery 89th N. Y. Infantry 24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Dragoons 1st N. Y. Dragoons
1st N. Y. Dragoons Sth N. Y. Heavy Art. 1st N. Y. Dragoons 24th N. Y. Battery
24th N. Y. Battery 24th N. Y. Battery
136th N. Y. Vols. 9th N. Y. Cavalry
9th N. Y. Cavalry 1st N. Y. Dragoons 8th N. Y. Heavy Art. 136th N. Y. Infantry 11th Regt. Heavy Art. 24th N. Y. Battery 9th N. Y. Cavalry 89th N. Y. Infantry
232
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PERRY
Gardner, Simeon *Grant, Murray Gregg, Wm.
*Griffith, Albert *Griffith, Charles R. *Griffith, Willis
Griggs, Wm. Jr.
Grisewood, Thomas
Hale, N.
Hanna, Nicholas
Hardens,
4th Artillery 1st N. Y. Dragoons
Haskins, Henry
Hastings, Geo. S. (Lieut.)
24th N. Y. Battery
24th N. Y. Battery Asst. Surgeon, Navy
1st N. Y. Mtd. Rifles
Sth N. Y. Heavy Art.
89th N. Y. Infantry
Hollenbeck, Henry
1st N. Y. Dragoons 9th N. Y. Cavalry
Hollenbeck, Wallace
Hollister, Benj. H.
24th N. Y. Battery
Homan, Charles H.
24th N. Y. Battery 24th N. Y. Battery
1st N. Y. Dragoons
27th N. Y. Infantry Regt. Unknown Regt. Unknown
24th N. Y. Battery
36th N. Y. Vols.
24th N. Y. Battery
89th N. Y. Vols.
89th N. Y. Vols.
24th N. Y. Battery 1st N. Y. Mtd. Rifles
1st N. Y. Mtd. Rifles 9th N. Y. Cavalry
24th N. Y. Battery 24th N. Y. Battery Ist N. Y. Dragoons
.
*Keeney, George W. Keeton, John *Lacy, James Lapham, Daniel Lapham, Horace *Lapham, L. H. Law, Charles O.
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