USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 1 > Part 13
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The official statement of the gains and losses of the Second Regiment during its second year's service is as follows:
OFFICERS-Belonging to the regiment May 14, 1862, 35; appointed from civil hte, 3; appointed from enlisted men of the regiment, 18; promoted out of regiment, 4; honorably discharged by War Department on account of disability caused by wounds received in action, 2; resigned, 11; died of wounds received in action, 1; dishonor- ably dismissed from the United States service by order of the War Department, 2; mustered out of United States service with regiment, 86; total, 56.
ENIASIED MEN .- Belonging to regiment May 14, 1862, 874; enlisted by recruiting parties in New York State, 36; appointed commissioned officers of regiment, 18; transferred back to Second Regiment Maine Volunteers, 52; transferred to Seven- tieth New York Volunteers, May 11, 1863 (three years' men), 120. Discharged .- Appointed commissioned officer in Third New York Volunteers, 1; enlisted in regn- lar army, 4; expiration of service, 1; for physical disability caused by wounds, 17; for physical disability caused by disease, 117; by sentence of court martial, 2; total discharged, 142. Died .- Killed and died of wounds received in action, 24; killed accidentally, 1; died of disease, 14; total died, 39. Deserted, 90; reported on muster-out roll as killed, but was taken prisoner (three years' man), 1; mustered out of United Statesservice by order, July 22, 1862 (band), 11 ; mustered out of United States service with regiment, May 26, 1863, 137; total enlisted men, 910.
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GROVETON, BULL RUN AND CHANTILLY.
RECORD OF THE THIRTIETH REGIMENT.
The Thirtieth Regiment, New York State Volunteers, ranked second to none in Rensselaer county in faithfulness of service and valorous deeds in the time of war. It was composed of Co. A of Lansingburgh, Co. B of Troy, Co. C of Schenectady, Co. D of Saratoga, Co. E of Poughkeepsie, Co. F of Saratoga, Co. G of Saratoga county, Co. H of Hoosick, Co. I of Troy, and Co. K of Valatie and Kinderhook. Co. D of Lansingburgh enjoyed a unique distinction, being composed of members of the village fire department, which was mustered in with the recruits attired in firemen's uniforms, consisting of red shirts, black trousers and regulation fire hats. The organization of the regiment was completed June 1, 1861, when it was mustered into the service of the United States for the term of two years.
June 26, they left Albany for the front. The regiment consisted of ten companies which had been sent to Albany to await organization, and were afterward transferred to the Rensselaer county fair grounds between Troy and Lansingburgh. Edward Frisby of Albany was colonel of the regiment and led it in the various marches in front of Washington to Fredericksburg and along the line of the Rappahannock under MeDowell and then under Pope, fighting at Groveton and Bull Run, and losing his life in the battle of Chantilly, August 30, 1862, in front of Stonewall Jackson's division of Lee's army, which was fight- ing protected by a railroad eut. The regiment, which went into the battle with 500 men, could scarcely muster half that number on the following day. Captain Samuel King and Lieutenant Frank Dargen of Co. A, Lansingburgh, were killed in the engagement. Captain Harrison Holliday of Poughkeepsie died in a few days from wounds received and Lieutenant Philip Rice of Co. G, Saratoga, was killed in the night attack at Groveton, August 29. Charles E. Brintnall of Troy, who had been influential in recruiting Cos. I and B, went ont as lieu- tenant-colonel of the regiment. Col. Brintnall subsequently resigned and Major William M. Searing, who was appointed to fill the vacaney, became colonel of the regiment when Colonel Frisby was killed, and remained in command until the close of the term of enlistment in June, 1863. Richard C. Bentley of Albany was adjutant; Charles E. Russ, also of Albany, quartermaster; Francis 1. R. Chapin of the same city, now of Glens Falls, surgeon; Dr. Julius AA. Skilton, assistant surgeon ; Robert W. Cross, sergeant-major: Bernard Gilligan, quartermaster-
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LANDMARKS OF RENSSELAER COUNTY.
sergeant, and Thomas Tilley, standard bearer. The regiment went to the front via the Hudson River and was armed with Enfield rifles.
After the first battle of Bull Run the command marched across the Potomac river into Virginia. When brigades were organized under General MeClellan the Thirtieth was brigaded with the Twenty-second and Twenty fourth regiments and the Fourteenth Brooklyn militia, forming the First Brigade of the First Army Corps under Gen. Me- Dowell. This brigade participated in several heavy engagements and became known as Hatch's iron brigade or foot cavalry, being highly complimented for their behavior under fire. After the battle of Bull Run the regiment went over into Maryland and took part in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam,
October 16, 1862 they went into eamp near Harper's Ferry. At that time the regiment, by hard fighting and marching, had been depleted to seventy-five men. They afterwards served under General Hooker in the army of the Potomac. The regiment came home at the end of its term and was formally mustered out of the service of the United States at Albany a few days before the battle of Gettysburg. A num- ber of the men subsequently joined Colonel Chrysler in organizing the Second Veteran Cavalry.
The Thirtieth was organized under the first call of President Lincoln for 45,000 men to serve two years, The proclamation was issued in April and the quota from this State, consisting of thirty-six regiments, was organized and on the way to the front within two months. The line officers of the several companies of the Thirtieth were as follows:
Co. A. Lansingburgh. Captain Samuel King. Lieutenants John H. Campbell and Francis Pargen,
Co. B, Troy. Captain Walter 1. Lanning, Lieutenants Philip Casey and Sey- mour Scott.
Co. C, Schenectady .- Captain B. M. Van Vorst, Lieutenants M. V. V. Smith and Edward Van Vorst.
Co. D, Saratoga .- Captain Miles D. Bliven, Lieutenants Mervin G. Putnam and John 11. Marston.
Co. E, Poughkeepsie. - Captain Harrison Holliday, Lieutenants Edgar S. Jen- nings and Nathaniel Palmer.
Co. F, Saratoga, -- Captain Albert J. Perry, Lieutenants Andrew M. Franklin and James M. Andrews, jr.
Co. G, Saratoga county .- Captain Morgan II. Chrysler, Lieutenants William 11. Conkling and Asa 1. Gurney.
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THE IRON BRIGADE.
Co. H, Iloosick .- Captain Walter P. Tillman, Lieutenants Lemuel Ball and F. W. Barnes.
Co. I, Troy .- Captain John M. Landon, Lientenants Samuel W. Potts and Alonzo Alden.
Co. K, Valatie and Kinderhook .- Captain Bartholomew Pruyn, Lieutenants Gil- bert W. Becker and Albert Lampman.
The regiment participated in the following battles: Falmouth, April 9, 1862; Massapomax, August 6, 1862; Rappahannock Crossing, August 21, 22 and 23, 1862; Sulphur Springs, Angust 26, 1862; Gaines- ville, August 28, 1862; Groveton, August 29, 1862; Bull Run, August 30, 1862; South Mountain and Antietam, September 4, 1862; Freder- ieksburg, December 13, 14 and 15, 1862; Chancellorsville, April 29 to May 6, 1863. A permanent organization of the regiment was effected at Saratoga June 28, 1886 and the name " Thirtieth Infantry New York State Volunteer Association " was adopted.
The controversy which for years existed as to which brigade was en- titled to be called the iron brigade, was decided in favor of the brigade to which the Thirtieth regiment belonged and it is so recorded in his- tory. The Western regiment which claimed the title is now known as the " Western iron brigade."
On the official list giving the percentage of losses incurred at the battle of Bull Run the Thirtieth stands third with nineteen per cent. The regiment is one of the few which received from the United States government a flag of merit.
OPERATIONS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND SINTS- NINTH.
The nuelens of the One Hundredth and Sixty-ninth New York Vol- unteers was one of the companies recruited for service with the 125th Regiment. When the latter regiment was organized eleven companies reported for duty, one too many. It being necessary to drop one com- pany out the War Committee of the county did not assign this company to a position and when the 125th Regiment left for the front this com- pany, nameless and withont official standing, was left home. The company had been recruited by Captain James A. Colvin, First Lien- tenant Jerome B. Parmenter and Second Lieutenant Bernard N. Smith for the 125th Regiment. When it was found that the company's serv- ices would not be needed by the latter regiment no time was lost in securing from the adjutant-general of the State an order directing that the company should be mustered into service and giving its officers
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LANDMARKS OF RENSSELAER COUNTY.
their proper rank. The determination of the men comprising the company to go to the front created great enthusiasm throughout the county, and as recruiting was still in progress and the war spirit ran high, the war committee decided to organize still another regiment. Company A, Captain Colvin's original company, remained in barracks at Batestown, near the city of Troy. August 29, 1862, the field officers and a part of the staff were named, and by September 20 the remain- ing nine companies were organized. September 25 Companies A and E were mustered in by Captain Hager of the United States army, but the mustering in of the rest of the companies was prevented by the great difficulty experienced in keeping the men together. Few of the recruits, patriotic though they were, had gained a proper idea of the true position of a soldier and the officers of the new regiment experi- enced difficulty in maintaining the proper discipline. Finding it prac- tically impossible to muster in the entire organization in Troy it was determined to change the base to New York, where it was believed the men could be kept under better restraint. Accordingly September 25 the regiment left Batestown and proceeded by cars to New York, going into quarters at the Park Barracks. But city life offered too many temptations to the new soldiers, many of whom were young and fond of diversion, and it was decided to make still another change. The regiment therefore was ordered to New Dorp, Staten Island, where it remained for sixteen days while its ranks were filled up, and the work of mustering in was completed October 6, 1862. Nine days later the 169th Regiment, fully equipped for war, proceeded to Washington, where it arrived October 18, and was quartered at the Soldiers' Rest, near the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad depot. The next day it crossed the Potomac into Virginia and bivouacked near Fort Ethan Allen. Four days afterwards it went into camp near the chain bridge, which was called Camp Abercrombie, so named in honor of the general command- ing the post and the division. Here drills were at once begun by Col- onel Clarence Buel, commanding the regiment. The officers' roster of the regiment at this time was as follows;
Colonel Clarence Buel (Captain 1 !. L. Cavalry August 14, 1861); commissioned September 11, 1862; mustered October 8, 1862.
Lieutenant-Colonel John McConihe (Captain Ist Nebraska Volunteers June 30, 1861), commissioned September 17, 1862; mastered October 6, 1862.
Major Alonzo Alden (second-lieutenant June 1, 1861, and first-lieutenant and ad- jutant May 28, 1862, 30th Regiment New York Volunteers); commissioned Septem- ber 20, 1862; mistered October 6, 156".
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OFFICERS OF THE 169TH.
Adjutant William E. Kisselburgh; commissioned September 1, 1862; mustered September 1, 1862.
Quartermaster Sidney N. Kinney; commissioned September 1, 1862; mustered September 2, 1862.
Surgeon John Knowlson; commissioned September 3, 1862; mustered September 3, 1862.
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First Assistant Surgeon Joseph T. Skinner; commissioned September 18, 1862; mustered September 19, 1862.
Second Assistant Surgeon Porter L. F. Reynolds; commissioned September 22, 1862; mustered September 23, 1562.
Chaplain Joel W. Eaton; commissioned September 23, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862.
Captains .- James A. Colvin, A; commissioned August 21, 1862; mustered Septem- ber 25, 1862. Nathaniel Wood, B; commissioned September 13, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Joseph H. Allen, C; comisisioned September 16, 1862: mustered October 6, 1862. Warren B. Coleman, D; commissioned September 17, 1862; mus- tered October 6, 1862. L. M. Wright, E; commissioned September 17, 1862; mus- tered September 25, 1862. Augustus D. Vaughn, F; commissioned October 11, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. John T. MeCoun, G; commissioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. William H. Wickes, HI ; commissioned September 20, 1562; miustered October 6, 1862. Michael Murnane, I; commissioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Daniel Ferguson, K; commissioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862.
First Lieutenants .- Jerome B. Parmenter, A; commissioned August 21, 1862; mustered September 25, 1862. David P. Benson, B; commissioned September 13, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Frank W. Tarbell, C; commissioned September 16, 1862; inustered October 6, 1862. Robert O'Connor, D; commissioned September 17, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. John F. Croft, E; commissioned September 17, 1862; mustered September 25, 1862. James F. Thompson, F; commissioned Sep- tember 25, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. George H. Gager, G; commissioned September 20 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. William S. Hartshorn, II; commis- sioned September 20, 1862; mastered October 6, 1862. Spencer W. Suyder, 1; com- missioned September 20, 1862; mastered October 6, 1802. Daniel J. Carey, K ; com- missioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862.
Second Lieutenants .- Bernard N. Smith, A ; commissioned August 21, 1862; mus- tered September 25, 1862. Michael Holmes, B; commissioned September 13, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Charles E. Morey, C; commissioned September 16, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. John II. Hughes, D; commissioned September 17, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Charles H. Palmer, E; commissioned September 17, 1862; inustered September 25, 1882. Thomas D. Jellico, F; commissioned Septem- ber 23, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Thomas B. Eaton, G; commissioned Sep- tember 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. William Il. Lyon, HI; commissioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Patrick Connors, I; commissioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862. Edwin R. Smith, K; commissioned September 20, 1862; mustered October 6, 1862.
The boys of the 169th Regiment soon realized that army life was not
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LANDMARKS OF RENSSELAER COUNTY.
one round of pleasure. Though they were located on the very edge of scenes of some of the bloodiest conflicts of the war in which they were soon to participate, the officers of the regiment experienced the great- est difficulty in bringing them down to the stern realities of the situa- tion and in enforcing discipline and a proper amount of respect for their superiors. Soon after the regiment went into camp the War De- partment directed Colonel Buel to designate Major Alonzo Alden reg- imental referee, with powers similar to those of a court martial His decrees often seemed to be unnecessarily severe and for a time the major, who had seen more than a year's service in the 30th Regiment and was familiar with all the details of discipline, was more or less unpopular with the majority of men; but later on, when they began to see what active service meant, this feeling of antagonism turned to ad- miration and respect and the major was as popular before the regiment returned home as he had been unpopular in the early days of camp life.
Little occurred to break the monotony of camp life during the sum- mer and early winter aside from a few changes in the personnel of the officers. Major Alden was appointed as a member of the court-martial for the trial of Colonel Doubleday of the 4th Heavy Artillery, and after serving three weeks he was put in command of the regiment and Col- onel Buel was made president of a new court. Upon its dissolution the latter was given the command of the brigade, then composed of the 169th, the 118th and the 152d New York Volunteers. Adjutant Kissel- burgh was assigned to Colonel Buel's staff and Lieutenant Jerome B. Parmenter succeeded Adjutant Kisselburgh. February 12, 1863, the 169th Regiment was ordered to Washington for provost guard duty, about two weeks later making its headquarters in the new Martindale barracks. Soon afterward Lieutenant Colonel McConthe, who had been absent since November on account of illness caused by the break- ing out of an old wound received at Shiloh, returned to the regiment and Colonel Buel was appointed on a military commission at the Old Capitol prison, Captain Jerome B. Parmenter acting as judge advocate on the same body. About the same time Major Alden was assigned to the command of the district of Georgetown, remaining in that capacity until the regiment left Washington.
April 15, 1863, the regiment left the capital for Suffolk, Va., for the defense of that place. It was there assigned to the brigade commanded by Colonel Robert S. Foster, of the 13th Indiana Regiment, which was
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THE BATTLE ON THE EDENTON ROAD.
a part of the division commanded by Brigadier-General Michael Cor- coran. April 24 General Corcoran started with 3,000 troops, artillery and infantry, including the 169th regiment, to ascertain the position and test the strength of the enemy on the Edenton road. The artillery opened upon the rebel forces, strong in numbers and firmly intrenched, and forced the enemy's skirmishers behind the breastworks. The Union artillery had been at work some time when it was deemed best to pass through the woods in front to a position in sight of the Con- federate breastworks. That position was at once occupied by three pieces of artillery in Major Alden's command, and immediately after- ward Colonel Buel received a bad wound in the hand, which compelled him to leave the field. An hour later the position was abandoned and the artillery was withdrawn and sent to support the other forces. During this brief engagment Major Alden was wounded in the left thigh by a shell and his horse was shot from under him. One of his men was also killed and several wounded. Colonel Buel's wounds were found to be so severe that he was sent to his home in Troy, where he remained for three months before he could return to his command, then stationed at Folly Island. The day following the engagement, April 25, Colonel J. C. Drake, commanding the ed Provisional Brigade, issued a special order presenting his thanks " to the 169th Regiment New York Volunteers for their good behavior in the action of yesterday, and his sympathy to those who sustained injuries."
About this time General Robert E. Lee was making his great march into Pennsylvania-the campaign which resulted in the awful battle of Gettysburg and a victory for the Union. There being no further necessity for a concentration of troops about Suffolk the 169th Regi- ment, with others, was sent to Hanover Court House July 4, under command of General Getty. An unsuccessful attempt was made to destroy the bridge over the South Anna river at that point, but the enemy's force was too strong to permit of any protracted assault. That night the regiment, nearly exhausted on account of the heat, fell back to Taylor's Farm and rested. From that point it marched back to Bower's Hill, near Portsmouth, Va., enduring many hardships on the way. The peninsula, then as now, was covered with luscious blackberries, which grew wild along the roadside. The men, tired and hungry, devoured the berries as fast as they could pick them, many of them being made siek by the unusual feast. The greatest raid made during this brief expedition was upon the blackberries, and from this fact it has always been known as the " Blackberry Raid."
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LANDMARKS OF RENSSELAER COUNTY.
August 2 the regiment left Portsmouth for Folly Island, a few miles south of the entrance to Charleston Harbor, S. C. The troops were transported on the steamer Nelly Pentz. The voyage was a stormy one and most of the men were seasick. Folly Island was reached on the evening of August 5 and the regiment proceeded at once to go into camp with the rest of Foster's brigade, where it remained for six months, doing little but routine eamp duty. At the capture of Fort Wagner the regiment occupied the trenches near the fort and shared with honor in the reduction of that stronghold.
Colonel Buel having recovered from his wounds and returned to his command, Lieutenant-Colonel MeConihe, who had taken his place, was relieved and went back to his old position. A few days later Colonel Buel was stricken with a fever and returned to Troy. Too feeble to continue fighting he resigned his eommand February 13, 1864. In the mean time Major Alden had been assigned to command the station at Pawnee Landing and Adjutant Kisselburgh had been detailed as aid- de-camp on the staff of General Vogdes, which position he held until he left the service in March, 1865. Colonel Buel was by no means the only sufferer at Folly Island. Many men were stricken before Charles- ton, but the 169th probably lost fewer men than any other regiment stationed there. Several men died of disease, however, and a few were killed and wounded during the summer. December 20, 1863, Major Alden was relieved from his post at Pawnee Landing to take command of the regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel MeConihe leaving that day for the north with a recruiting detail. Nothing of moment oc- curred after this until February 8, 1864, when the regiment joined a force ordered to make a demonstration towards the flank and rear of the defenses of Charleston. Nearly two weeks after this, or on Febru- ary 23, the 169th started in light marching order with other regiments to assist General Seymour at Jacksonville. The regiment embarked on a transport, reaching Jacksonville the next day, where it assisted in constructing extensive earthworks just outside the city, After these were completed the regiment went into eamp in a beautiful grove of oaks on the opposite side of a creek which emptied into the St. John's river, where it remained for about a month.
April 1 the pleasures of camp life were brought to a sudden termina- tion when the regiment was ordered out to meet the enemy. Skirmish- ing began on the King's road about two miles from Jacksonville, but as soon as it was found that the enemy had a much superior force and
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THE ADVANCE ON RICHMOND.
were strongly fortified our troops returned to Jacksonville. Ten days later Lieutenant-Colonel McConihe returned to his command with a number of recruits, bringing also his own commission as colonel, one for Major Alden as lieutenant-colonel and one for Captain James A. Colvin as major, all direct promotions cansed by the retirement of Colonel Buel.
The stores left behind on Folly Island and sent on by the steamer Maple Leaf were all lost when that vessel was sunk by a torpedo in the St. John's river and it was necessary at this time to equip the regi- ment again. As soon as this had been done the 169th left Jacksonville April 20 for Fortress Monroe, where it arrived six days later. In the evening it disembarked at Gloucester Point and joined the forces under command of General Butler. May 4 a portion of the troops, the 169th included, quietly sailed for Bermuda Hundred, thence marched seven miles towards Petersburgh, where they constructed rifle pits at Foster's Plantation. A short time later movements were begun against the rebel lines of communication between Richmond and Petersburgh. May 7 there was a brisk action with the enemy, in which the 169th lost a few men. Three days later the regiment, supporting two pieces of the 1st New Jersey Battery, engaged the rebel troops between Rich- mond and Petersburgh, the 13th Indiana hokling a position on their left. The rebels soon massed for action and firing began by both bat- teries and the infantry. An attempt was made to break the centre of the 169th, the rebels attacking in a force vastly superior to our regi- ment. A flanking movement was also tried on the right of the 169th; but was repulsed by Lieutenant-Colonel Alden in a hot engagement. Rebel reinforcements were then thrown forward, overlapping the right wing of the regiment, and om men found themselves fighting a force superior to themselves. Shortly after this a part of Company A were captured and it was necessary to order a retreat. The men continued firing as they retreated, doing good work and maintaining the best of discipline, though they saw at once that they were overpowered. The rebels captured one field piece and our men continued to retreat; but soon reinforcements came up and all returned to the charge, recaptur- ing the gun and gaining a material advantage over the enemy. Colo- nel MeConihe had a horse shot under him and several wounded men were burned to death in the underbrush, which caught fire during the fight. After continuing the action some time firing ceased, neither side being able to claim a victory.
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