Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 45

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

USA > New York > Erie County > Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1) > Part 45

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adjournment was made to Kremlin Hall, where the gathering soon overflowed into the street in front of the American Hotel. After a number of fiery speeches had there been made it was announced that a roll was waiting for signatures in the court house, whereupon hundreds hurried away in that direction, and 102 names were signed to the roll that evening. Similar scenes were enacted on succeeding days and on the 18th Gen. Gustavus A. Scroggs called a meeting of those who had volunteered, at which the first company from Erie county was organ- · ized; its officers were William H. Drew, captain; R. P. Gardner, first lieutenant; E. R. P. Shurley, second lieutenant.

In the mean time the militia regiments prepared for whatever service might be demanded. Col. Chauncey Abbott, replying to an inquiry from the governor of the State, stated that he had 250 men ready for duty, and recruiting offices for the 74th and 65th Regiments were opened in the city.

A company calling themselves the Union Continentals was organized within a few days after the call for troops, for local duty; it was com- posed of about one hundred elderly men of the city, adopted the old Continental uniform, and elected Millard Fillmore captain. Relief societies were promptly formed, in which patriotic women were most active, and within a short time subscriptions for the relief of families of volunteers were made to the amount of $30,000, to which sum $50,- 000 was added by the Common Council. While volunteering during the early months was almost wholly done in the city, war excitement and enthusiasm rapidly extended into the outer towns and young men began to hurry to the recruiting offices. By the 3d of May three com- panies, in addition to the one above mentioned, were raised and the four prepared to leave for Elmira. Then ensued one of those memo- rable scenes, so frequently witnessed during the next four years in every large community. The Union Continentals turned out as escort to the departing soldiers, who assembled in Niagara Square and were greeted by an immense assemblage. They were presented with a flag by Miss Julia Paddock, in behalf of Central School, and then, amid cheers of encouragement, marched to the station and left for their destination. The six other companies needed to constitute a regiment were quickly enlisted, and on the 11th of May they also departed for Elmira, where the ten were organized into the 21st Regiment of New York Volunteer Infantry-the first regiment raised in the county for that war. Its field and staff officers were as follows: Colonel, William F. Rogers;

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lieutenant-colonel, Adrian R. Root; major, William H. Drew; adju- tant, C. W. Sternberg; surgeon, H. P. Clinton; assistant-surgeon, J. A. Peters; chaplain, John E. Robie.

The unnecessary and wholly impracticable task of giving a detailed account of the experiences of each military organization that went to the war from this county will not be attempted for this work. For such details the reader must be referred to the many excellent histories of the war as a whole which are found in all libraries. For these pages it must suffice to present such facts connected with the great conflict as possess paramount local interest.

The 21st Regiment left Elmira for Washington on the 18th of June and was stationed near Washington during the fall and winter. In the ensuing summer and fall it participated in the second battle of Bull Run, in which it suffered heavy losses; the battles of South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. During the latter part of its two years' term it was acting as provost guard, and was sent home at the last of April, 1863. A grand reception was tendered the regiment in Buffalo. Many of the rank and file of this organization re-enlisted and served through the war.

While the 21st Regiment was being enlisted, and very soon after the fall of Sumter, Theodore B. Hamilton, of Buffalo, raised a company of infantry, which was at first known as the Richmond Guards, in honor of Dean Richmond. The company proceeded to Elmira under Captain Hamilton; First Lieutenant Alexis E. Eustaphieve, and Second Lieuten- ant Ira V. Germain. It became a part of the 33d New York Infantry, organized May 21, 1861, for two years of service. The career of that regiment was an honorable one.

During the summer of 1861, also, what was known as the Ellsworth Regiment was raised in various parts of the State and mustered into the service between August 30 and October 15, under the number 44. Company A of this regiment was enlisted in Erie county and went out with Edward P. Chapin, captain; George M. Love, first lieutenant ; Benjamin K. Kimberly, second lieutenant. The regiment formed a part of the Army of the Potomac during the war and participated in all of the principal engagements. It was mustered out October 11, 1864. Captain Chapin was promoted to major in January, 1862, and in August following resigned to accept the colonelcy of the 116th New York Regi- ment, as noticed farther on.

While these infantry organizations were hastening to the front, steps

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were taken for the organization of the 10th Cavalry, known also as the Porter Guard. Maj. John C. Lemmon raised the regiment and went out as its colonel. Four companies of this regiment were almost wholly from Erie county ; the first under Capt. Albert H. Jarvis and Lieuts. Henry Field and John C. Hart; the second under Capt. John Ordner and Lieuts. Barney L. Luther and John Werick; the fourth under Capt. Norris Morey and Lieuts. Layton T. Baldwin and William A. Snyder; the fifth under Capt. Wilkinson W. Paige and First Lieut. William H. Whitney. The regiment was mustered into service between Septem- ber 27 and December 23, 1861, and was consolidated June 17, 1865, with the 24th Cavalry, forming the 1st Provisional Cavalry, and was soon afterward mustered out. The list of engagements in which the regiment participated includes Leesburg, Brandy Station, Middleburg, Gettysburg, Shepherdstown, Stoneman's Raid, Sulphur Springs, Todd's Tavern, Trevillian Station, St. Mary's Church, Hatcher's Run, Charles City, Reams Station, Vaughn Road, and Boydton Road. Captains Ordner and Paige, from Erie county, were killed in action.

Company M of the 11th New York Cavalry was raised in Buffalo; its first officers were John Norris, captain; first lieutenant, Ira W. Allen; second lieutenant, James S. Bennett. The regiment was mustered into service in the winter of 1861-62, and was on duty principally in Louisiana. Samuel H. Wilkeson was appointed lieutenant-colonel. and later received a colonel's commission. Captain Norris resigned in February, 1863, and. Lieutenant Bennett in January, 1865.

Two companies of the 12th Cavalry were raised in Erie county; they were lettered K and M, the former under command at the time of mus- ter of Second Lieut. Andrew T. Pierson; the latter of First Lieut. William H. Ashford, with Edward M. Ketchum second lieutenant. The regiment was mustered in detachments between November 10, 1862, and September 25, 1863. Its service was principally in North Carolina. The regiment was mustered out July 9, 1865.

The 14th Cavalry was mustered into service between November, 1862, and July, 1863, and contained one company from this county, commanded by Capt. Albert W. Metcalf. In August, 1863, the regi- ment was consolidated with the 18th New York Cavalry, and was mus- tered out in that condition in May, 1866. Captain Metcalf was dis- charged in May, 1863, but again commissioned in June, 1864. Dyer D. Lum, who was mustered as first sergeant of the Erie county com- pany, was commissioned adjutant in February, 1864, and as captain in October.

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Although a little out of chronological order, the cavalry enlistments from Erie county in two other regiments may be properly noticed here. In the 16th Regiment were four companies from this county, as follows: Co. B, Capt. John Nicholson; First Lieut. William J. Keays. Co. C, Capt. Joseph Schneider; First Lieut. Francis M. Baker; Second Lieut. Julius Winsperger. Co. D, Capt. A. L. Washburn; First Lieut. G. H. Grosvenor. Co. E, Capt. Charles E. Morse; First Lieut. W. H. Wells. The regiment was mustered into service between June and October, 1863, and served chiefly in North Carolina. It was con- solidated with the 13th New York Cavalry June 23, 1865, becoming the 3d Provisional Cavalry, and was mustered out September 21, 1865. Captain Nicholson was promoted to major February 4, 1865; and Lieutenants Baker, Keays and Winsperger were promoted to captains.

Three companies of the 24th Cavalry were principally enlisted in Erie county and mustered in with the regiment in January, 1864. At the time of the muster the officers of the three companies were as fol- lows: Of the first, Leland Doolittle, captain; Willard S. Silliman, first lieutenant. Of the second, Charles B. Coventry, captain; Benjamin F. Street, first lieutenant. Of the third, Morris H. Alberger, captain ; H. J. Tucker, first lieutenant; William W. Cook, second lieutenant. The regiment joined the Army of the Potomac and performed an active part in the great campaign of 1864-65. Captain Alberger was appoint- ed quartermaster with rank of captain in December, 1864, and subse- quently was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. Captain Doolittle was ap- pointed surgeon in February, 1864. First Lieut. Abram Tucker was promoted to captain in December, 1864. The regiment was con- solidated with the 10th Cavalry and made the 1st Provisional Cavalry in June, 1865, and was thus mustered out.1

1 No adequate history of the operations of our cavalry in the Civil war has yet been written. When this task is accomplished, if it ever is, the fact will be made clear that the men who rode horses did their full share in putting down the Rebellion and are, therefore, entitled upon equal terms with their comrades in other branches of the service to the gratitude and admiration of the nation. From the beginning of the struggle until well along in 1862 the government not only systematically and persistently discouraged the formation of cavalry organizations, but in many cases refused to muster them into the service after they had been raised and offered by the various States. General Scott was in command of all of our forces until November, 1861. A let- ter from him to President Lincoln under date of March 3, 1861. shows that he realized quite clearly the seriousness of the oncoming conflict. He had used mounted troops and had testified to their usefulness. From the breaking out of hostilities our armies were everywhere confronted by Confederate cavalry, from three to five thousand of which were operating in Virginia alone. All of the ablest commanding officers of the Northern armies in the field constantly urged the necessity for mounted troops and asked for them. When that arm of the service was ultimately given its well known strength, the reader of the history of the war is inevitably impressed with

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An organization that acquired considerable fame in the history of the war and helped to swell the long roll of enlistments in Erie county in 1861, was known as Wiedrich's Battery, which was organized in Au- gust, 1861, as Battery I, of the 1st New York Artillery; it served as a sepa- . rate battery during the greater part of the war. When organized it was composed of 140 men and the following principal officers: Cap- tain, Michael Wiedrich; first lieutenants, Nicholas Sahm and Diedrich Erdmann; second lieutenants, Christopher Schmidt and Jacob Schenk- elberger. Its membership was wholly of German birth or parent- age and bravely upheld on many fields the reputation of that national- ity for heroism. The battery left Buffalo October 16, 1861, and during the ensuing winter was most of the time in camp. During the re- mainder of its term it was actively engaged, participating in battles at Cross Keys, Freeman's Ford, Second Bull Run (where Lieutenant Schenkelberger and thirteen men were wounded out of about 100), Chan- cellorsville (four killed and fourteen wounded), Gettysburg (three killed and seventeen wounded), Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Lost Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, siege of At- lanta, and marched northward with Sherman's troops. In February, 1863, Captain Wiedrich was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 15th Cavalry. Lieutenant Sahm was promoted to captain, but soon died, and Captain Winegar took command. Sixty of the men re-enlisted as veterans. It was mustered out with a most enviable record early in 1865.

The 27th Light Battery was raised in Erie county and mustered into service for three years December 17, 1862. Its captain was John B. Eaton, promoted to lieutenant colonel and mustered out with the bat- tery; first lieutenant, William A. Bird; second lieutenant, Charles A. Clark, promoted to first lieutenant in February, 1863, and to captain of the 12th Battery in January, 1865. This battery joined the Army of the Potomac and gained distinguished honor for bravery in the battle of the Wilderness, at Cold Harbor, and before Petersburg. It was mustered out June 22, 1865.

The 23d Light Battery was raised in Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties, with Alger M. Wheeler, captain; J. D. Woods and Orville S. Dewey, first lieutenants; Otis S. Drake and William G. Burt, second

the story of its effective deeds on many fields. It is difficult to account for the attitude assumed by the government toward this branch of the service in the early months of the war; but what is still more remarkable is the fact that, under the circumstances, the mistaken policy was adhered to so long.

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lieutenants. The battery served principally in the defenses of Wash- ington and was mustered into service August 31, 1863.

Three companies of the 2d Mounted Rifles were raised principally in Erie county; they were lettered D, H, and K. The regiment was organized in the summer and autumn of 1862 at Buffalo and served to the close of the war. At the time of muster the principal officers of the three Erie county companies were as follows: Co. D, Henry Wells, captain; Augustus Budd and Franklin Rogers, lieutenants. Co. H, Jams T. Hall, captain; Harlan J. Swift, second lieutenant. Co. K, Samuel D. Stevenson, captain; John V. Bedell and John F. Numan, lieutenants. The regiment became a part of the Army of the Potomac and fought at Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Bethesda Church, Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run and Poplar Spring Church.

Early in the progress of the war there was appointed in Buffalo a Committee on the Defense of the Union, which was active and efficient in promoting enlistments. Under the midsummer call for volunteers before mentioned the State quota was more than filled. The Buffalo committee held a meeting at which were present Major F. A. Alberger, H. W. Rogers and Jason Sexton, from the citizen's branch of the com- mittee, and Aldermen A. S. Bemis, E. P. Dorr, James Adams, Ed- ward Storck, A. A. Howard and C. E. Felton, of the Common Council. The committee adopted a resolution that they would provide subsistence and other material aid toward the formation of a second regiment, and requested Major Daniel D. Bidwell to begin taking en- listments. On the 30th of July Major Bidwell' sent out his first re. cruiting papers and enlistments went rapidly forward. Early in Sep- tember the companies and parts of companies assembled in Buffalo and on the 16th, though not entirely filled, the regiment departed for New York, where a Westchester company was added and the regiment took the number 49. Following were the field and staff officers: Colonel, Daniel D. Bidwell; lieutenant colonel, William C. Alberger; major, George W. Johnson; adjutant, William D. Bullymore; quartermaster, Henry D. Tillinghast; surgeon, James A. Hall; assistant-surgeon, William W. Potter; chaplain, Rev. John Baldwin.

On the 21st of September the 49th proceeded to Washington, was assigned to the 3d Brigade in the division commanded by Gen. W. F.

1 Major Bidwell was a son of the early shipbuilder. Benjamin Bidwell, and had long been an active militia officer. His company had acquired a State reputation for its high grade of drill and discipline.

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Smith, where it remained during its term of service. In March, 1862, the 49th accompanied a portion of the Army of the Potomac to Fortress Monroe, and after that date participated in the following principal en- gagements: Siege of Yorktown, Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, Antie- tam, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Fort Stevens, Opequan Creek, and many other engagements. During two weeks in May, 1864, the 49th lost in killed or mortally wounded its major and five captains, while the rank and file suffered in proportion. Two days after the engagement at Opequan Creek, eighty-nine men, all that were left of the original regiment who had not re-enlisted, were sent to Buffalo and discharged. An examination of the rolls on the field at that time showed that they had contained in all 1,550 names and that there were 410 men in the field; these were formed into a battalion of five companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Holt; Capt. George H. Sel- kirk, of Buffalo, was commissioned major, and the old number 49 was retained. From that time until the last shot of the war was fired this organization was engaged in the most arduous service and shared in many notable engagements. Lieutenant Colonel Holt was mortally wounded as late as the 2d of April, 1865. The battalion was mustered out on June 27 and arrived in Buffalo July 3. Out of more than 1,500 men whose names had been on the rolls, eighteen officers and 274 were mustered out. Sixteen officers had been killed or mortally wounded.

On the 22d day of August, 1861, less than a month after enlistments began for the 49th Regiment, Gen. Gustavus A. Scroggs received authority from the War Department to raise and organize a brigade of four regiments of three years men. He immediately set about the task, but owing to the constant demand for troops and the necessity for hastening every regiment to the front as soon as it was filled, the full purpose of forming the proposed brigade was not effected. During the first half of September recruiting orders were issued to various captains and enlistments proceeded, the first company from Concord being filled by October 1. When this company appeared in Buffalo Gen- eral Scroggs established a camp at Fort Porter, named it Camp Mor- gan, in honor of the patriotic governor of New York, erected barracks and provided rations for the men. Other companies succeeded and in January, 1862, the regiment was given the number 100. On the 7th of February the regiment was so nearly filled that the officers received their commissions, the field and staff being as follows: Colonel, James M. Brown; lieutenant-colonel, Phineas Staunton; major, Calvin N.

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Otis; adjutant, Peter R. Chadwick; quartermaster, Samuel M. Cham- berlain; surgeon, Martin S. Kittenger; assistant surgeon, William D. Murray. Many of the volunteers of this regiment were from towns in Erie county outside of Buffalo; for example, Co. A was from Concord; Co. D principally from Tonawanda and Grand Island; while nearly every other town in the county had ten or more representatives in the ranks of the 100th. The regiment left Buffalo on the 7th of March, 1862, and arrived at Washington on the 12th, where they were placed in the First Brigade of Casey's Division. Leaving Washington on the 29th, they arrived at Newport News on the 1st of April. The prin- cipal engagements in which this regiment participated were Yorktown, Fair Oaks (in which the regiment suffered severely), Malvern Hill, Charleston, Fort Wagner, Drury's Bluff, Deep Bottom, and in the ope- rations around Petersburg and Richmond and the pursuit of Lee after his evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond. By the last of July, 1862, battle and disease had reduced the number of men fit for duty in this regiment to about 440 When this fact reached Buffalo and fears were expressed that the regiment might be consolidated with another and its identity lost, the Buffalo Board of Trade took the organization under its especial charge, and by its prompt and efficient action sent forward before the 1st of October, 345 recruits. Among the notable losses of the regiment was Colonel Brown, who disappeared in the heat of battle at Fair Oaks and his particular fate was never known; Lieutenant Kel- logg and Lieutenant Wilkeson, both killed in the same engagement; Adjutant Haddock and Lieutenant Runckle killed and Lieutenant Brown mortally wounded at the siege of Fort Wagner. During its period of service ten of its officers were killed in action or mortally wounded; these were Col. James M. Brown, Maj. James H. Dandy, Capt. William Richardson, Lieuts. Samuel S. Kellogg, John Wilkeson, jr., Herbert H. Haddock, Charles H. Runckle, James H. French, Azor H. Hoyt and Cyrus Brown. In July, 1865, the remnant of the 100th was con- solidated with what was left of the 148th and 158th Regiments, and this organization was mustered out at Richmond on the 28th of August.

The fall election of 1861 was an unimportant one as far as related to the character of the offices to be filled, and scarcely attracted attention from the exciting events of the war. Although the Republicans swept the State by more than 100,000 majority, the Democrats were partially successful in Erie county, and elected John Ganson State senator.

On the 7th day of July, 1862, Governor Morgan issued an order

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directing the raising of a new regiment in each of the thirty-two Sena- torial Districts of the State, to aid in filling the quota under the call of the president of July 2 for 300,000 volunteers for three year's service. By this time it had become far more difficult to procure enlistments than it was in the spring of 1861; the gravity of the war and its hardships and fatalities were beginning to be appreciated, and and this State had already sent nearly 150,000 men into the field. But there remained in Erie county sufficient patriotic energy and liberality to successfully meet the emergency. A long series of war meetings was inaugurated in Buffalo and spread into all the towns, at which elo- quent speakers inspired the assembled people with military enthusiasm ; liberal bounties were provided by the State and national governments, and generous subscriptions by individuals, and in Buffalo a general aid society was formed in the summer of 1862, which gave volunteers assurance that the wants of themselves and their families would not be neglected. Among other means adopted for raising money for boun- ties and other purposes was the inauguration of a great festival at Moffitt's grove on July 25.

Erie county constituted the 31st Regimental District, and the follow- ing men were appointed a committee to supervise enlistments for the new organization: Henry M. Lansing (brigadier-general of State militia), George W. Clinton, Nathan K. Hall, William G. Fargo, John Ganson, Jacob Beyer, Henry M. Kinne, John D. Deshler, Philip Dor- sheimer, Asaph S. Bemis, E. S. Warren, S. G. Austin and Alexander Harvey. The colonelcy of the regiment was tendered to John Wilke- son, Henry W. Rogers, and finally to Maj. Edward P. Chapin,' who accepted, and at once took command at Camp Morgan and sent throughout the county the proper authority for beginning enlistments. The work was pressed forward with such energy that, notwithstanding the fact that three regiments had been raised in the county within about a year, by the 3d of September, 929 men had enlisted and the regi- ment was mustered into the service as the 116th, with the following field and staff officers: Colonel, Edward P. Chapin; lieutenant-colonel, Robert Cottier; major, George M. Love; adjutant, John B. Weber; surgeon, C. B. Hutchins; first assistant-surgeon, Uri C. Lynde; second

1 Major Chapin was a lawyer and had practiced about nine years in Buffalo. Soon after the beginning of the war he raised a company for the 44th Regiment, and was promoted to the post of major. His presence in Buffalo at the time when the 116th was being raised was owing to a wound received by him at Hanover Court House in May of that year.

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assistant-surgeon, Carey W. Howe; quartermaster, James Adams; chaplain, Welton M. Moddesit. The new regiment left Buffalo on the 5th of September, halted at Baltimore until November 7, and pro- ceeded by boat to Fortress Monroe. Thence it went early in December to join the celebrated Banks expedition and was stationed in the vicinity of New Orleans. Early in February, 1863, the 116th was transferred to Baton Rouge and assigned to the 1st Brigade of the 3d Division. There Colonel Chapin was placed in command of the new brigade, in which all the regiments excepting his own were nine months men. The principal engagements in which the 116th partici- pated were the following: Plane Store (thirteen killed, forty-four wounded); Port Hudson (106 killed and wounded, the killed including Colonel Chapin and Lieut. David Jones); Cox's Plantation (Capt. David W Tuttle and four privates killed, and twenty-two wounded); the Red River expedition; Sabine Cross Roads and Pleasant Hill (thirty three killed and wounded); Opequan Creek (nine killed, forty wounded); in Shenandoah Valley on the day of Sheridan's celebrated ride (fifty-one killed and wounded). After this date the 116th was employed on pro- vost guard duty near Washington until June 8, 1865, when it was mustered out, and arrived in Buffalo June 13, where they were publicly welcomed. Although the regiment did not suffer in battle so severely as many in the Army of the Potomac, yet eighty-nine of its officers and men were killed or mortally wounded, and eighty-four died of disease during its term of service; 203 officers and men were wounded in action. 1

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Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 45

Author: Truman C. White Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017