USA > New York > Oswego County > Landmarks of Oswego County, New York > Part 21
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200
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY
Co. H-Sanford Alsavor, died in Florence, South Carolina ; John Granger, July 10, 1864, at Andersonville, Georgia; David H. Johnson, December 29, 1864, after exchange, at Annapolis; Thomas Wright. May 28, 1864; Samuel Bowen, July 20, 1864, Anderson- ville, Georgia; Wesley Brock, September 18, 1864; James A. Castle, June 10, 1864 ; Noah L. Myers, August 7, 1864; James Spoor, July 18, 1864.
Co. I-John Dooley, after exchange, at Annapolis ; Griggs Holbrook, August 22, 1864; Joseph Lemoreaux, August 21, 1864 ; Elijah Chappel, October 12, 1864, at Ander- sonville ; John H. Leach, September 11, 1864.
Co. K-Silas B. Taylor, September 29, 1864, Andersonville, Georgia; Jabez E. Spaulding, Co. E, date unknown ; Chas. Jennings, date unknown.
The One Hundred and Eighty-Fourth Regiment .- This regiment was constituted of about 200 men from Madison and Cayuga counties, and the remainder from Oswego county. Over 1,400 volunteers were re- cruited for it, and it was authorized by Governor Seymour upon per- sonal application of Elias Root, of Oswego. It was generally felt in the summer and autumn of 1864 that, if one more determined effort was made and the ranks of the armies were kept at the maximum, the re- bellion would soon be crushed. To aid in this work, W. G. Robinson and William I. Preston held a series of war meetings throughout the county, assisted by D. G. Fort, Cheney Ames, A. B. Getty, Henry Fitzhugh, and A. Van Dyck. The hopes that had sometimes flagged and military enthusiasm that had waned were rekindled and recruiting went on rapidly. The regiment was mustered into the service during the months of August and September, 1864. Following is a list of the regimental and line officers :
Colonel, Wardwell G. Robinson ; lieutenant-colonel. William P. Mckinley ; major, W. D. Ferguson ; adjutant, Howard M. Smith ; quartermaster, John Dunn, jr. ; surgeon, Tobias J. Green ; assistant surgeon, T. Y. Kinnie ; chaplain, Jacob Post.
Co. A-Captain, Joel S. Palmer ; first lieutenant, C. P. Strong ; second lieutenant, M. L. Branch.
Co. B -- Captain, W. S. Morse ; first lieutenant, J. N. Root; second lieutenant, C. H. Pavey.
Co. C -- Captain, J. W. Parkhurst ; first lieutenant, George A. Leonard; second lieu- tenant, Daniel Bothwell.
Co. D -- Captain, S. R. Town ; first lieutenant, Augustus Phillips; second lieutenant, Joel H. Warn.
Co. E -- Captain, John Sheridan ; first lieutenant, J. M. Francis; second lieutenant, J. H. Loomis.
Co. F -- Captain, Wn. Dickinson ; first lieutenant, I. W, Darrow; second lieutenant, S. H. Brown.
201
THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
Co. G -- Captain, J. T. Outerson ; first lieutenant, J. H. Grant ; second lieutenant, T. W. Smith.
Co. H -- Captain, H. W. Ramsey ; first lieutenant, G. W. Woodin ; second lieutenant, T. M. Watkins.
Co. I -- Captain, George Wetmore ; first lieutenant, E. F. Morris ; second lieutenant, John H. Gilman.
Co. K -- Captain, S. Scriber ; first lieutenant, M. G. McCoon; second lieutenant, Jerome H. Coe.
Going into service so late in the war, the history of this regiment is brief. It left Elmira for the front in September, and proceeded to City Point via Washington, but later went into camp about two miles from Bermuda Hundred. It should be stated that four of the companies left Elmira September 14, in advance of the remainder of the regiment ; they were A, B, D, and F. The active history of the regiment is almost wholly confined to the records of these companies, and they did not re- join the main body until just previous to their discharge. On the 23d of September they marched for Winchester, halting four days at Har- per's Ferry, whence they guarded a provision train to Harrisburg. They participated in the operations of General Sheridan in the valley of the Shenandoah, marching 104 miles in three days, and burning and destroying property. They were subsequently ordered to Martinsburg, and thence again up the valley to Cedar Creek. Early in the morning of October 19 orders came to fall into line immediately, and the battle of Cedar Creek followed. At the close of the engagement the regiment camped on the ground they had left in the morning, with their ranks lessened by a list of sixteen killed (among them Lieutenant Phillips), and forty wounded.
The four companies were later ordered to Winchester, where, in works known as Camp Russell, they remained about four weeks, when they were ordered to City Point, and thence to Harrison's Landing, and there joined the remainder of the regiment, where it had been in comfort- able quarters meanwhile. The entire regiment remained here several months, Colonel Robinson acting as post commandant and in charge of the separate brigade in garrison at Harrison's Landing, Forts Pocahon- tas and Powhatan, and Major Ferguson as provost marshal. Later Colonel Robinson with the regiment was ordered to City Point, and remained there until the 30th of June, 1865, when he received
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202
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
orders to embark the regiment, which was done on two steamers, by which they reached Baltimore on the Ist of July. Thence on the fol- lowing day they were sent to Elmira. The regiment was subsequently paid off and mustered out at Syracuse.
Besides the foregoing regular organizations, Oswego county sent several companies in different regiments, and many volunteers in squads or individually into numerous other organizations. Of these, two com- panies, A and B, commanded respectively by Captains Cyrus and Simeon Church, were raised in this county for the 12th cavalry, (" Third Ira Harris Guard "), which was mustered in between November 10, 1862, and September 25, 1863. The regiment was in camp on Staten Island to March, 1863, and after breaking camp March 8, embarked for New- bern, and remained there during the war, in the performance of much active service. In an action near Tarboro, the Oswego companies met the enemy and Capt. Cyrus Church was killed in a charge at the head of his company. Lieutenant Hubbard was wounded and taken prisoner, and was subsequently killed in March, 1865. Ephraim Mosier, second lieutenant of Co. A, was taken prisoner and died in Charleston. The two companies lost twenty men in this charge. Two companies of a detachment on scouting duty at the battle of Plymouth, April 20, 1864, were all taken prisoners, and eighty-five men were sent to Anderson- ville, where most of them perished. Among the number captured was Lieut. Alonzo Cooper, now living in Oswego. The regiment was mus- tered out in July, 1865.
A battery of the First Light Artillery was recruited in Oswego county, the regiment being mustered in between August 30 and No- vember 19, 1861. The battery proceeded to Elmira and thence, about November I, to Washington. The term of service of the regiment ended June 16, 1865, during which it performed the duties assigned to it with honor. Early in May, 1862, while a portion of the army under General Hooker was engaged, this was one of the artillery organizations that opened the battle. While forming for the purpose a number of the Oswego battery were wounded, among them Lieutenants C. P. Aiken and H. P. Pike. After, this battle the regiment camped near Williamsburg. Near Petersburg, Va., Lieut. Albert N. Ames, son of Cheney Ames, of Oswego, was killed by sharpshooters, September 26,
203
MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
1864. The list of engagements in which this regiment participated was as follows : Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Peach Orchard, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Glendale, Malvern Hill, Freder- icksburg. Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomoy, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, and Chapel House. The Oswego battery never failed in its long term to acquit itself with bravery and fortitude.
Three companies of the 24th Cavalry were recruited in Oswego county. This regiment was mustered into the service in January, 1864, and went out under command of Colonel William C. Raulston. The regiment left Auburn in February, 1864, for Washington, where they remained until March, and were then sent to the front dismounted. The regiment was on picket duty during the battle of the Wilderness, and its loss was consequently slight. In the battle of Cold Harbor the regiment supported the 14th Heavy Artillery and suffered severely. Thirty men of Co. E were taken prisoners and sent to Andersonville, where most of them died. After this battle the regiment crossed the James River and marched to Petersburg. On the 17th of June the grand charge on the enemy's lines was led by this regiment, and the command lost heavily. A similar charge was made on the following day with like results. Captain Burch, of Co. I, was killed, and Captains Taylor and Martin wounded. In the engagement at Peeble's Farm in September, 1864, Colonel Raulston, Captain Thomas and Lieutenant McGraw were cap- tured and taken to Danville, Va. In an attempt to escape soon afterward Colonel Raulston was killed. After participating in the fighting on the Weldon Railroad the regiment received their horses at Camp Yellow House, and joined the mounted troops, under the brigade commanded by Gen. Henry E. Davies, of New York. In the spring of 1865 the regiment joined in the general advance of the army and shared in the trying duties and the glory of the final scenes of the war. The 24th partici- pated in the grand review at Washington, and was afterwards consoli- dated with the 10th Cavalry, and became known as the Ist Provisional N. Y. Cavalry. The regiment was mustered out at Syracuse, June 19, 1865.
The 2Ist Battery, known as the 21st New York Independent Battery,
204
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
was raised in Oswego county and mustered into service September 2, 1862. This battery left New York with the Banks expedition about the middle of December, and arrived at New Orleans in January, 1863 The commissioned officers who went out with the battery were: Cap- tain, James Barnes ; first lieutenant, Henry H. Cozzens ; second lieu- tenant, George Potts. At New Orleans the battery was armed with four three-inch steel guns, and was stationed near that place until May. It was actively engaged in the siege of Port Hudson and was stationed at that post for nearly a year after the place surrendered. On the 7th of April, 1864, one gun, under charge of Lieutenant Potts, was sent to Baton Rouge, where it was attacked by the enemy and captured with seven men: Corporals James Campbell and Charles Barnard, and privates Alonzo Dunham, Charles Dexter, Daniel Robers, jr., John Walker and Moses Potter ; who were sent to Andersonville. February 28, privates Daniel McSweeney and John S. Cozzens were captured by guerrillas and taken to Andersonville, where Cozzens died. Moses Potter died at his home in Hastings from the effects of his prison life. Lieutenant Cozzens died in New York, February 18, 1864, and Lieu- tenant Potts was made senior lieutenant. Near the close of 1864 the battery was ordered to New Orleans to refit for service. During the investment of the works defending that city the battery occupied an exposed position, and John Wilson was killed on the 27th of March, and John Daly on the 29th. After the surrender of Mobile the battery was stationed in that city, and fired a salute on the 4th of July. The battery was mustered out at Syracuse, September 8, 1865. Of the 212 men who went out with it, 149 returned. Besides the deaths before men- tioned, the following members of the battery died of disease in camp or hospital :
Quartermaster-Sergeant James Munger, Artificer Jay Jewett, Bugler Aaron Van Antwerp, and Privates Orvin Bundy, Luther O. Dodge, John Dwyer, Wallace Holden, Henry Shrader, Timothy Beebe, Horace Benedict, William H. Huested, Adam Sixberry, Jacob Smith, Elmer P. Burt, William H. Mitchell, Alvin S. Miller, Matthew Thompson, George H. Millard, Daniel Mayne, George W. Betsinger, Peter Dunham, Michael Daidy, and Henry Hopkins. John Wilson and John Daily were killed in action ; and twenty-two were discharged for disability on surgeon's certificate.
205
THE DRAFT.
Two companies of the 193d Regiment were recruited in Oswego county. It was mustered into the service from April 6 to July 6, 1865, and mustered out January 18, 1866. The captains of the Oswego companies were A. H. Preston and William L. Yeckley. The regiment saw little active service. Besides these, this county had men in the 15th Engineers, and in the 59th, 93d, 94th, 149th, 186th, 189th Infantry ; the 2d, 3d, 4th, 14th, 16th Artillery ; and in the 7th and 20th Cavalry, while ninety-eight men enlisted in the Regular army.
At a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors, held July 24, 1862, the County War Committee addressed the board, advising that provis- ion be made to pay each volunteer from the county $50, as had been done in other counties. In response a series of patriotic resolutions were adopted by the board, one of which authorized petitioning the Legislature for an act under which $55,000 might be raised by tax from which to pay $50 to each three years volunteer in the new (1 10th) regiment then being recruited. On the 20th of August another special meeting was held to consider measures for encouraging enlistments under the call of the president of August 4, 1862, the number of recruits to be raised being about 1,330. A resolution was adopted similar to the foregoing one in its provisions, except that the amount raised should be $67,400. This sum was to be and was obtained on promissiory notes signed by the War Committee and members of the Board of Su- pervisors, in sums of $5,000 each.
At the annual session in December, 1862, the board, through a spe- cial committee, reported a proposed bill authorizing towns to raise bounty money, which became a law in February, 1863. Another bill was sent to the Legislature, authorizing the supervisors to issue county bonds for the moneys already raised on promissory notes.
Following is a record of the number of men drawn in the draft of August 4, 1863, in the towns and wards of Oswego county, with the number that furnished substitutes, and the number that served :
City -- Ist and 3d wards, " -- 2d
310 28. 6
117 9 2
" __ 4th 66
89 16. 3 Oswego (town). 73. 6. 3 Scriba
78. 4. 3 Hannibal 74 2. 4
1
206
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
Granby
104
3
Volney
164
5.
5
New Haven
55.
6.
1
Palermo
46
2.
3
Schroeppel
98
1. 3
Mexico
103
2 .: 2
Hastings
94
1 3
Sandy Creek.
63
1
1
Richland
101
3.
1
Albion
50
3
Parish
54.
2
West Monroe
36.
Boylston and Redfield
42.
3
Orwell
27.
Williamstown
33.
1
Amboy
39
1
Constantia
75.
2
4
Total
1910
88
57
Out of 1,910 men drawn, eighty-eight furnished substitutes, and only fifty-seven served ; the remainder all either paid the commutation fee to the government, $300 each, or were thrown out for physical disability. It was the last time this kind of an experiment was tried during the war.
Further action in relation to bounties was not had until the meeting of the Board, November 30, 1863, when a resolution was offered that a petition be sent to the Legislature, asking the passage of a law author- izing the board to raise by tax moneys sufficient to pay each volunteer $300 under the then existing call of the president, and up to the 5th day of January, 1864, and to defray other necessary expenses connected with raising the quota.
This resolution was laid over until December 3, when it was with- drawn, and in its stead were adopted a series of resolutions, which, in brief, established a bounty of $300 to each volunteer " under the im- pending draft of the 300,000 men," called for by the proclamation of the president; authorized the county treasurer to borrow on the county's credit the necessary sum to meet this demand, not to exceed $270,000; and that a committee, consisting of Avery W. Severance, John H. Woodin, Elias Root, A. P. Grant, Daniel L. Couch, and B. B. Burt, be appointed to act with the treasurer in carrying out these arrangements. The quota to be raised at this time was 974 men; and
207
BOUNTY LEGISLATION.
on the 26th of January, 1864, the board in special session adopted a res- olution that the following lists should be considered as the quota of the several towns and wards under the call of October 17, 1863; and the various sums opposite ; the amount each town and ward must raise :
1 1st and 3d wards 143 $42,900
2 2d ward.
60. 18.000
3 4th ward
45 13,500
4 Oswego town.
39 11,700
5 Scriba
40. 12,000
6 Hannibal
38. 11,400
7 Granby
51 15,300
8 Volney
80. 24,000
9 New Haven
29. 8,700
10 Palermo
25.
7,500
11 Schroeppel
49. 14,700
12 Mexico
51 15,300
13 Hastings
47 14,100
14 Sandy Creek
31 9,300
15 Richland
51 15,300
16 Albion
28.
8,400
17 Parish
29
8,700
18 West Monroe
20
6,000
19 Boylston and Redfield
23 11,700
20 Orwell
15
4,500
21 Williamstown
19 5,700
22 Amboy
22
6,600
23 Constantia
39 11,700
974
$292 200
ยท
.
At a special meeting held February II, 1864, at the city clerk's office, the Common Council of the city acted upon a resolution to pro- vide for raising upon the credit of the city, for the sole use of the city, money for the payment of bounties and other incidental expenses, to the amount of $60,000, to be paid by an annual tax of $3,000 and interest. This was temporarily laid on the table.
At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors, February 12, 1864, reso- lutions were adopted providing for the payment of a bounty of $300 to each volunteer credited on the call of February 1, 1864, the sum not to exceed $195, 000, and the number of volunteers not to exceed 650. Re- cruiting progressed until in the latter part of March, when a special ses-
208
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
sion of the board was held (March 30), at which a resolution was adopted providing that $60,000 be levied and appropriated to paying $300 to " each volunteer to be enlisted to fill the quotas of the several towns and wards in the county that are now deficient under all calls of the president to this date."
Again in July, 1864, after the call of the 18th for 500,000 volunteers, the Board of Supervisors took prompt action for filling the quota. A special session was held on the 27th of July, at which a resolution was adopted providing for levying and collecting $330,000, to be made pay- able in twelve equal annual installments, beginning in March, 1868, and continuing the bounty of $300, at the same time offering a premium of $15 for each volunteer secured.
On the 13th of August, 1864, the Common Council acted upon the matter of filling the quota of the city, separately from the county, by the adoption of a resolution similar to that presented in the preceding February, providing for raising $52,500 for bounties to volunteers credited to the city. Meanwhile town bounties had been provided for, so that the volunteers of the period under consideration received $600.
A tabulation of the quotas made under this call shows that, after deducting the surplus, there were required 1,219 volunteers in the county, 206 of which number were wanted in the city.
A special session of the board was held August 29, at which a com- mittee reported the amount of the war debt as then existing, provided bounties were paid as then provided for sufficient volunteers to fill the quotas, to be $1,430,685. An effort was made at this meeting to add $300 to the bounty, but a resolution was finally adopted, recom - mending that the towns and wards of the county pay either by town or private bounty, "a sum sufficient to raise volunteers to fill their quotas."
On September 9, Co. D of the 19th Veteran Corps arrived in Oswego to superintend the threatened draft, the quota in some of the towns in Madison county, which was then in this Congressional District, not yet being filled. A telegram reached the city from Gen. A. S. Diven, of Elmira, to begin the draft on the 19th of September, which was done, amid a good deal of excitement and anxiety.
A statement was received from the provost marshal on the 3d of December, 1864, showing a deficit of volunteers in the county of eighty-
209
BOUNTY LEGISLATION.
five. No part of this deficit was in the city, the towns of Mexico (21), Williamstown (13), and Amboy (29), lacking the larger part of the number. In pursuance of resolutions adopted at special town meetings, there was a motion made and passed at a meeting of December 14, 1864, that certain sums be levied upon the various towns for bounties. This action cleared up the war matters to the last call of December 19, for 300,000 men. While the news from the South had been very en- couraging to the North during the fall of 1864, there were many who still believed the end of the rebellion was far away; and this last call nearly deprived them of all hope. Hundreds of volunteers had been paid in the neighborhood of $1,000 each, and the money had been raised for that purpose only by the most persistent and untiring efforts. It was, therefore, thought almost impossible to further impoverish the county. The city, however, attacked the problem promptly. The Common Council met on the 27th of December, and authorized a loan of $105,000, payable in one, two, and three years, and the payment of $600 to each volunteer. A special election was held January 6, to vote upon the question of paying this amount, and 775 votes were cast in favor, and only 75 against it. About the same time the supervisors met and resolved to pay $500 for one year volunteers; $600 to two years, and $700 to three years men; these sums were afterwards changed to $300, $500 and $700 respectively. The towns held meet- ings and made requests to the supervisors to levy the various sums necessary for bounty purposes, and enlistments proceeded. Major D. Farling and A. B. Getty were appointed recruiting agents for the First and Third wards, and Capt. C. H. Lewis and D. C. Buel for the Second and Fourth wards of the city. January 24 a recommendation was sent to Governor Fenton to the effect that Captain Lewis was a proper per- son to raise a new regiment in the district. The quota in the district was 1,522, and in this county 1, 142. This was reduced a little later by 25 per cent., leaving it 857. War meetings were held frequently and the War Committee held daily sessions. While the credit of the county was still good, it was. found almost impossible to obtain currency with which to pay the volunteers. The city quota was filled much more rapidly than in the towns, and when the city had a surplus, which it soon did, some of the towns had not a single credit. The draft to fill
27
210
LANDMARKS OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
the deficiencies began on the 27th of February, when the following figures from the provost marshal's office showed the numbers to be drawn in the county : Constantia, 49; Williamstown, 21; Orwell, 12; Redfield, 9 ; Boylston, 9; West Monroe, 15; Parish, 25; Albion, 25; Richland, 39; Sandy Creek, 25 ; Hastings, 21 ; Mexico, 47; Schroep- pel, 37 ; Palermo, 23; New Haven, 17; Volney, 60; Granby, 57; Hannibal, 36; Scriba, 19.
The draft passed off quietly, but before the men drawn could reach the scenes of the war, the great rebellion was in its dying throes, and few of the drafted men saw much, if any, actual service.
Following is a statement of moneys raised and expended for war purposes by the county from April 15, 1861, to December 6, 1865 :
For bounties. $1,884,300.00 51,414.66
For expenses.
$1,935,714.66
For interest on county loans
144,864.08
For principal of county loans
140,400.00
For discount on State bonds
8,990.46
Total
$2,229,969.20
The various towns of the county, in pursuance of an act passed Feb- ruary 21, 1863, contributed from first to last the following sums for bounties to volunteers :
Albion.
$11,340.91
Amboy .
11,133.51
Boylston.
5,406.43
Constantia.
22,083.83
Granby
32,378.93
Hannibal
8,264.20
Hastings
26,309.17
Mexico
2,968.20
Orwell .
7,800.00
Oswego
1,441.80
Palermo
1,800.00
Parish
10,591.30
Redfield
3,643.25
Richland ..
23,751.52
Sandy Creek
9,294.00
Schroeppel
9,516.72
Scriba.
2,038.36
Volney
12 603.33
West Munroe
7,146.29
Williamstown
3,922.88
211
REVIVAL OF PROSPERITY.
CHAPTER XIII.
After the War-A New Era of Prosperity-Local Improvements-Construction of Railroads -- Oswego and Rome Railroad-Midland Railroad-Syracuse and Northern Railroad -- Lake Ontario Shore Railroad -- Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg System -- Oswego Harbor Improvements -- Bonding of the Towns -- Decline of the Commerce and Milling Interests of Oswego -- Canal Tolls.
The general history of Oswego county since the close of the war, so far as it is not embraced in succeeding chapters of this volume, can be briefly written. During the war period public improvements and im- portant public acts almost wholly ceased in all Northern cities, while in villages and rural districts, the frequent calls to arms, the great sacri- fices demanded in men and money, the pitiful news that came up from scores of bloody battlefields, all served to distract public attention from the ordinary affairs of life. With the coming of peace all this was changed. The welcome event was properly celebrated in all com- munities, and the people, so long oppressed by the terrors of civil war, turned joyfully and full of hope to the energetic prosecution of public improvements and private business. In spite of the enormous cost of the war-a financial drain that reached every hamlet in the land-there was seeming prosperity throughout the North during several years after the close of the conflict. The great demands of the government for war materials, which had for five years promoted many industries and afforded various avenues for speculation and wealth- making, and the abundance of money which had poured from the national treasury by way of payments for supplies, and to the vast armies whose rank and file seldom hoarded it, with the high prices ruling for all products incident to the inflated currency, were all causes of an era of prosperity such as the country had not before experienced. The five years succeeding the memorable surrender at Appomattox were prolific in new private business undertakings and the inauguration of public improvements. In these Oswego county had its proportion-
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