Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 46

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 46

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In the work of procuring volunteers to fill the various quotas of Erie county, the supervisors were supported by their constituents in a policy so liberal that the gross sum expended for the payment of bounties was approximately $2,000,000. A considerable part of this sum was, how- ever, returned by the State. The first action taken by Erie county towards providing money to pay bounties was the adoption of a resolu- tion on October 25, 1862, by the Common Council of the city, that a committee of one from each ward be appointed to appear before the Board of Supervisors and urge the appropriation of a sufficient sum of money to pay bounties to the number of volunteers required to fill the quota under the call before mentioned for 300,000 volunteers. Under

1 A call was issued by the President on August 4, 1862, for 300,000 militia for nine months' service, under which the quota for New York was 39,705; but less than 2,000 were furnished, and only about 87,000 of the whole number were enlisted in all of the States.

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FROM 1860 TO 1870.

that call a draft had been originally ordered to fill all deficiencies on August 15; but a postponement was subsequently ordered to September 1, and a draft was finally not necessary. A committee of the Board of Supervisors had previously been appointed, consisting of James S. Lyon, Francis Fisher, Harrison F. Foster, Seth Fenner and William King, to take charge of the bounty business; this committee, with some changes in its membership, was continued through the war and was designated as the Bounty Committee. On the 9th of October, 1862, the committee reported to the board in favor of paying $100 to "each and every volunteer enlisting in this county from and after the 28th day of October, 1862, to November 10," to which last named date the draft had been again postponed. If the quota was not filled by November 10, the committee advocated the continuation of the bounty. A fund of $150,000 was authorized to be raised by tax to meet the payment of these bounties. This action stimulated enlist- ments and on the 1st of December the Bounty Committee reported that they had paid bounty to 441 volunteers between October 31 and November 30, 204 of whom were credited to the city and the remainder to the towns of the county.

Under the pressure of enlistments during the fall of 1862 companies and parts of companies were raised in Erie county, with the expecta- tion that another full regiment could be organized. As this proved to be impracticable at that time, these men were assigned to various regiments. Two companies were assigned to the 155th Regiment, raised mostly in New York city, and were lettered I and K. The regi- ment was mustered in on November 18, 1862, and mustered out July 15, 1865. Co. I was commanded by Capt. John Byrne, who rose to the rank of colonel; Co. K, by Capt. James McConvey, who was pro- moted to major. On the 19th of November, 1862, the day after the muster of the foregoing regiment, the 164th Regiment was mustered in with two companies of Erie county men; these were Co. C, Capt. Timothy W. Kelly, and Co. D, Capt. Christopher Graham. The colonel was John E. McMahon, of Buffalo; the quartermaster, Maurice Courtney; the surgeon, Matthew F. Regan; assistant-surgeon, John C. Wall; quartermaster sergeant, Stephen A. Callanan; commissary- sergeant, William Bryan, were also Erie county men. This regiment had an honorable career and suffered heavy losses.

Enlistments progressed slowly in the fall of 1862 and the early months of 1863. Dissatisfaction with the war was increasing in the

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

North; losses on the battlefields had been heavy and many patriotic people were becoming discouraged. These conditions were aggravated in this State by the result of the fall election of 1862, in which Horatio Seymour, whose opposition to war measures was well understood, was elected governor over James S. Wadsworth; Seymour's vote in Erie county was 11, 783, and Wadsworth's 9,642. Seymour's majority in the State was only about 10,000.

The next calls for troops were not made until October 17, 1863, and February 1, 1864, which were for 500,000 men (in the aggregate) for three years. Under these calls the quota for this State was 81,000; about 16,000 paid the commutation fee permitted by the regulations. Within the next six weeks and on March 14, another call came for 200,000 volunteers, under which the quota of New York was 32, 794. Down to the time of these calls Erie county had met with no very great difficulty in securing enlistments as demanded, and now strenuous efforts were inaugurated to meet the existing emergency and escape a draft. The Board of Supervisors held repeated special sessions, and after the presentation of various resolutions in favor of raising money for bounties, which were tabled, a regularly appointed committee re- ported to the board in favor of authorizing the bounty committee to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding $500,000, none of which should be payable later than February 1, 1874, and to pay such bounties for volunteers as they should think best, but no more than $330 to each man; of such bounties the city was to be charged with 60 per cent. and the towns 40 per cent. This report was adopted. The bounty committee up to November 30, 1863, consisted of five members; on that date these were H. F. Foster, J. W. Smith, C. E. Young, James S. Lyon and Charles C. Grove. On the date just named the number was increased to seven. On the 1st of December the committee re- ported that they were paying a bounty of $300 and that bonds had been issued as above authorized.

On the 23d of March, a week after the call for 200,000 men, above noticed, the Board of Supervisors met in special session to further con- sider the bounty question. The bounty committee reported that up to date they had paid

$300 to 1,337 men, $416,100

320 (premium).

4,800

925

9,250

150

291 (bounty) 43,650

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$20

to 115 (premium)

$2,300

= 176

4,400

100

.. 190 (bounty)

19,000

777 (premium) 775

Total

$500,275

There was at this time a deficiency in the county's quota of 1,700 men. Under the call for 200,000 the quota was about 1,261. On the second day of the session the bounty committee reported in favor of authorizing the treasurer to borrow $200,000, for which bonds were to be issued payable in 1865, 1866, and 1867, on the basis before stated- 60 per cent. by the city and remainder by the towns.

Under this call a draft was ordered for all deficiencies found on April 15, but it did not take place in this county until June 9. On that date deficiencies were reported of 292 men. There was much suppressed excitement in the city, but the majority of the people philosophically accepted the situation and peacefully prepared to take their chances with their neighbors. The draft took place in the main hall of the Arcade building, under supervision of a committee consisting of Alden Fitzgerald, Edward Slater and Jeremiah Mahoney. On the first day the draft was made for the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth wards-21 men from the First; 19 from the Second; 14 from the Third; 15 from the Fourth, and 23 from the Fifth. Continuing the next day there were drafted from the Sixth ward, 20; Seventh, 18; Eighth, 15; Ninth, 9; Tenth, 10; Eleventh, 9; Twelfth, 8; Thirteenth 3. The draft from the towns was as follows: Alden, 5; Amherst, 7; Aurora, 4; Boston, 2; Brant, 2; Cheektowaga, 4; Clarence, 6; Colden, 3; Col- lins, 4; Concord, 5; East Hamburg, 4; Eden, 4; Elma, 6; Evans, 4; Grand Island, 4; Hamburg, 5; Holland, 3; Lancaster, 8; Marilla, 3; Newstead, 6; North Collins, 3; Sardinia, 4; Tonawanda, 6; Wales, 2; West Seneca, 5.

By this time it was well known that another call for troops was im- minent, while the county was still somewhat in arrears on its former quotas. Another special session was, therefore, called on June 22. A resolution was promptly adopted directing the issue of bonds to the amount of $600,000, under supervision of a committee of nine, to be used by such committee in payment of bounties sufficient to secure en- listments to meet all deficiencies. The committee consisted of Joseph H. Plumb, Philip D. Riley, William Ring, Henry Moshel, H. F. Fos- ter, Benjamin Miller, Hugh Webster and P. A. Matteson. The call

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

came on July 18 for 500,000 men, the quota for Erie county being 3,004. This quota was filled by energetic work and the payment of further large bounties. The average cost of about 1,000 of the recruits was $565 each; the remainder somewhat less; the total paid out for the quota was $652,477.19. On this quota was credited 150 substitutes pro- cured by the committee for men liable to draft, at an average cost of $158 each. Other expenditures raised the amount paid out at that time to about $800,000. Little farther action on the part of the authorities was necessary during the year 1864.

In the mean time, and as one method of raising funds for volunteer purposes, a great Central Fair, as it was termed, was opened in Buffalo February 22, 1864, under the presidency of Mrs. William G. Fargo, and directed by a committee of one hundred persons. It continued about nine days and produced about $30,000 for the cause.

About the middle of August, 1864, exciting rumors of a rebel inva- sion from Canada caused much excitement in this county, as well as elsewhere along the frontier. A messenger was sent from Buffalo to confer with General Dix on the subject, and it was there learned that there was an undoubted plot in progress in Canada for the destruction of cities and villages near the northern boundary of the State. A guard was placed over the arsenal in Buffalo and other protective measures were adopted, but happily the plans of the enemy were abandoned.

With the successful filling of the last quota in this county, as before described, enlistments languished and war topics as subjects of dis- cussion gave way to some extent for the engrossing scenes of presi- dential election, upon the issue of which it was felt depended the most important consequences. Gen. George B. McClellan was the candidate for the presidency against the sorely tried Lincoln, while Horatio Sey- mour was re-nominated by the Democrats against Reuben E. Fenton for governor of New York. Lincoln, as is well remembered, was triumphantly elected, while Fenton received a small majority over Sey- mour. For the fourth time the Democrats carried Erie county by small majorities.

When in the fall of 1864 it became known that another call for troops would soon be made, the county Bounty Committee announced on No- vember 3 that they would begin paying $150 bounty and $25 premium for one-year volunteers, and $200 and $50 premium for three-year men. To escape a draft under this call recruiting had been prosecuted during the preceding month, but with indifferent success; it was be-

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coming more and more difficult, as the war progressed, to obtain vol- unteers. A persistent effort was made at this time to raise another full regiment in Erie county, to be composed chiefly of Germans; many were enlisted in it who had been members of the 65th Militia. It was found impossible to complete a full regimental organization, and in October six companies were mustered into the service for two years, under the number 187. The field and staff officers were as follows: Lieutenant colonel, Daniel Meyers; major, Conrad Sieber; adjutant, Carl Zeny; surgeon, Peter L. Sonnick; assistant-surgeon, E. William Wachter. The organization was sent directly to the front, and became a part of the Army of the Potomac, in front of Petersburg. It par- ticipated in the operations which resulted in driving Lee out of Petersburg and Richmond, and in the battle of Hatcher's Run lost about sixty men killed and wounded. It was mustered out on the 1st of July, 1865.

To fill the quota under a call of December 19 for 300,000 men, which was announced as about 2,000 for the county, the supervisors were again called upon to take decisive action. The Bounty Committee were charged early in 1865 with negligently letting recruits go to other counties, where stronger inducements were offered. On the 3d of January a special session was called and the Bounty Committee re- ported that they had been in session two months (November and De- cember) during which period they had paid to 391 volunteers the sum of $104,464.32. The committee further reported on the following day, that up to that time there had been paid out for the promotion of en- listments an aggregate sum of about $1,750,000, and the number of men called for from the county, exclusive of the call then pending, was 11,910. The committee claimed, and probably justly, that the county had accomplished more in filling its quotas, at less expense, than most others in the State; that since the adjournment of the previous session the committee had been engaged in securing volunteers and had a credit of 391 men. After prolonged proceedings a resolution was adopted by the board on the 19th of January that the sum of $450,000 be raised, and that county orders be issued in anticipation thereof for the pay- ment of bounties. Enlistments now proceeded more rapidly. On the 21st of March the committee reported that up to that date they had paid bounties to and received credit for 529 men; the county deficiency was reported at about 1,000, and a draft imminent. A meeting was called at the court house March 14 to consider ways and means to avoid

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the conscription; it was largely attended and the fact was made known that there was great difficulty in disposing of bonds and county orders. The chairman of the Bounty Committee expressed the belief that $500, - 000 more would be needed. It was found impossible to fill the quota and the draft, which had been postponed from a previous date, began on the 17th of March. Only the First ward was drawn the first day ; the second day the Second ward was drawn, but meanwhile meetings were held in some of the wards and towns and the most energetic ef- forts made to fill up their deficiencies. Some of the wards were suc- cessful and a number of the towns nearly filled their quotas. The draft was now stopped, with assurance that it would be resumed March 31, unless all deficiencies were made up. On the 4th of April the draft again began, and sixty-two men were drawn in the Twelfth ward; on the 6th the towns of Alden, Brant and Cheektowaga were drawn. At this juncture Lee's surrender put an end to the proceedings and not a man drafted was called upon to perform any military duty.

Besides the infantry, cavalry and artillery regiments and companies noticed in the preceding pages of this chapter, Erie county sent to the war hundreds of volunteers who enlisted individually in these and other organizations which drew their membership in many instances from widely separated localities; of these it is manifestly impossible to give any detailed record; it can only be stated that they constituted an important part of the patriotic contribution of this county to the historic struggle for the preservation of the Union.'

The total number of enlistments in the county in the cavalry was 4,837; in mounted rifles, 908; in artillery, 2,276; in engineers, 93; in sharpshooters, 125; and in infantry, 7,010. Total, 15,249. In addi- tion to these were the enlistments in the national guard, naval vet- erans, regular army, and colored troops, to the number of about 7,000. The losses in dead, wounded and captured were, in the cav- alry, 778; mounted rifles, 325; artillery, 350; engineers, 3; sharp- shooters, 50; infantry, 3,195; national guard, 3. Total, 4, 704.

With the close of the war a wave of rejoicing swept over the entire North, mingled with mourning for the martyred Lincoln, in which the

1 Such detailed information as has been gathered and placed in print regarding the various military organizations sent out from this State, may be found in most county clerk's offices; this is, however, almost wholly of a statistical character and lacks information applying specifically to distinct counties. It is to be regretted that county authorities have been so negligent in pre- serving records of their military organizations, which would aid in preparing history the value of which will increase with passing years.

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FROM 1860 TO 1870.

people of Erie county participated. Within a few months, under the revolutionary change from war to peace through which the country passed-a change which was effected with such marvelous facility as to astonish the world-the inhabitants of Erie county, in common with those of other localities, turned their energies to the prosecution of the ordinary affairs of life. So rapidly did the great armies dissolve and retire to civil life that at the beginning of 1866 only seven regi- ments of infantry and two of cavalry of New York remained in United States service. During the war period the population of this State de- creased nearly 50,000. In Erie county the number of inhabitants in- creased from 141,971 in 1860 to 155,773 in 1865; in the succeeding five years the population of the county increased to 178,699. In the city the gain from 1860 to 1865 was from 81,129 to 94, 210, while during the next five years the remarkable gain was made to 117,714, or more than 23,000.

In gleaning the records of Erie county during the war period, little is found of importance to add to the military story. The first street railway company was organized in Buffalo in 1860, although a primitive horse road had been operated some years between the city and Black Rock. On the 19th of May, of that year, ground was broken on Main street for car tracks and a few days later the Niagara street line was · commenced. The first car was run over the Main street line on June 11 and on the 23d of the same month cars began running on the Ni- agara street line. The Main street line was extended to Cold Spring in July.1

1 It was many years before the street railway system of Buffalo was put upon a satisfactory basis, in respect to either good service or remunerative returns. Several companies came into existence and all found it difficult to maintain their lines. By an act of the Legislature, passed April 4, 1866, the grant made in 1862 to Orville C. Scoville and Franklin Sidway, to construct a line of railway in Seneca street, was confirmed. On the 23d of April, 1867, by an act of the Legis- lature, the Buffalo City Railway Company was incorporated, with authority to construct lines of road from the Terrace to Erie street and thence in that street, and in Swan, Jefferson, Exchange, across Main, in Ohio, Prime, Water, Joy, and other streets. On the 24th of April, 1868, this com- pany was given authority by the Legislature to buy the Niagara street line, and about that time the company came into possession of the Main street franchise. In July, 1873, a line was opened to East Buffalo by the East Side Street Railway Company, which was organized chiefly through the efforts of S. V. R. Watson. In 1874 the Exchange street line was built, and in 1879 the Main street line was extended to the park. Prior to this the affairs of the Buffalo City Railway Com- pany became involved; it was found difficult to raise money to keep the roads in operation and extend the lines as demanded by the public. The situation was relieved by Mr. Watson, who as- sumed direction of the whole system, effected consolidations, built new lines, and within a few years placed the affairs of the company on a satisfactory basis. From that time to the present the system has been rapidly extended and in every department has kept pace with the growth of

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

In the year 1862 a new basis of representation was instituted in the Board of Supervisors, as a result of complaint that the city of Buffalo was placed at a disadvantage in the board in comparison with the towns. A law was passed in that year under the provisions of which the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh wards were given three supervisors each; the Third, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth wards, two each, and one in the Thirteenth ward. This gave Buffalo thirty one members of the board, against twenty-five for the towns, and created immediate and energetic opposition outside of the city. Such an arrangement could not continue, and in the following year another law was passed which gave each ward of the city two members, excepting the Thirteenth, which had one, making twenty-five in all, or a number exactly equal to the town representation. This condition was maintained until 1892, when the number of wards in the city was increased, as described in the next chapter. By an act of the Legisla- ture, March 3, 1865, the office of supervisor was made a salaried office, the salary being $200, with $2 for each day of service and mileage in special sessions.

In March, 1862, the following call was published in the city press :

A meeting of those of our citizens disposed to establish a Historical Society for the county of Erie, is requested at the law office of Messrs. Marshall & Harvey, No. 336 Main street, up stairs, on Tuesday next, 25th inst, at 7 o'clock, p. m.

GEORGE R. BABCOCK, HENRY W. ROGERS, O. H. MARSHALL, WILLIAM DORSHEIMER, DR. JOHN C. LORD, DR. WALTER CLARKE, L. F. ALLEN.

Most of these men, and a number of others, were present at the meeting, and after discussing the subject fully, they adopted the fol- lowing resolution :

Resolved, That it is expedient to organize a Historical Society for the City of

the city. There are now twenty-five lines in the city. besides those running to Tonawanda and Niagara Falls, to Depew and Lancaster, to Gardenville and Ebenezer, to Williamsville, and to Blasdell and Woodlawn Beach. The Buffalo Railway Company carried in 1896 58,808, 789 passen- gers, showing an increase of almost 10,000 over the previous year. In 1896 the company paid to the city a percentage of its receipts amounting to $45,613.74. In the same year a new organization with the title of Buffalo Traction Company obtained franchises for the building of street rail- ways in the city, under which operations are now in progress for laying thirty miles of track during the year 1807. Electricity is used as motive power on all the lines.

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FROM 1860 TO 1870.

Buffalo and County of Erie; and that the chairman appoint a committee of seven to to report a plan of organization.

The committee appointed consisted of O. H. Marshall, Rev. Dr. Hosmer, Rev. Dr. Clarke, William Dorsheimer, James P. White, George R. Babcock and George W. Clinton. The committee met on the 8th of April and approved of a constitution and by-laws, which were submitted to a public meeting held on the 15th of April. This meeting was numerously attended; Millard Fillmore was appointed chairman, and O. H. Marshall, secretary. The constitution and by- laws submitted were adopted, with few minor changes. A meeting for the election of officers was held on the first Tuesday in May and the following were chosen : President, Millard Fillmore; vice-president, Lewis F. Allen; councilors, George R. Babcock, George W. Clinton, Walter Clarke, Nathan K. Hall, Henry W. Rogers, William Dor- sheimer. At a meeting of the Board of Managers, held May 13, Charles D. Norton was appointed recording secretary and treasurer, and Guy H. Salisbury corresponding secretary and librarian. On the 10th of January, 1863, the society was incorporated by an act of the Legislature. 1

1 The law office of Mr. Dorsheimer was occupied by the society for the deposit of the books and other collections until a more permanent place could be secured. In the fall of 1862 arrange- ments were made for a series of lectures on local topics by members of the society, which resulted in the accumulation of a large quantity of valuable material. When the need of farther funds began to be felt, Mr. Fillmore suggested that an effort be made to provide sufficient revenue for five years; to effect this purpose fifty men bound themselves to pay $20 a year for that period; this plan was subsequently modified so that each subscriber was allowed to pay $50 at one time, thus becoming a life member of the society, and to pay the remainder of his sub- scription in installments of $10 annually. In 1873 the society occupied quarters in the Young Men's Association building, corner of Main and Eagle streets. Before the expiration of its lease, and in January, 1878, its accumulations had become so extensive and valuable that it was deemed necessary to find more commodious accommodations that would be fire proof. A removal was accordingly made to the upper part of the Western Savings Bank building. The society remained there until the completion of the new building of the Young Men's Association (now Buffalo Library) in 1887, when it removed thither and now occupies the entire third floor. The Historical Society has accomplished a vast amount of good in the collection and preservation of local history and relics. Its library now contains about 9,000 volumes and 7,000 pamphlets. In the fall of 1884 it assumed charge of the reinterment of the remains of Red Jacket and other Indian chiefs in a lot in Forest Lawn set apart for that purpose. In June. 1892, a statue was erected by the society in the memory of the great Seneca orator; it stands near the entrance to Forest Lawn on Delaware avenue, and cost about $10,000. The presidents of the Historical Society have been as follows, those marked with a star (*) being deceased: * Millard Fillmore, from 1862 to 1867; * Henry W. Rogers, 1868; * Rev. Albert T. Chester, D. D., 1869; * Orsamus H. Marshall, 1870; * Hon. Nathan K. Hall, 1871; * William H. Greene, 1872; * Orlando Allen, 1873; *Oliver G. Steele, 1874; * Hon. James Sheldon, 1875 and 1886; William C. Bryant, 1876; * Capt. E. P. Dorr, 1877; Hon. William P. Letchworth, 1878; William H. H. Newman, 1879 and 1885; Hon. Elias S. Hawley, 1880; Hon. James M. Smith, 1881; * William Hodge, 1882; * William Dana Fobes, 1883 and 1884; * Emmor Haines, 1887; James Tillinghast, 1888; * William K. Allen, 1889; George S. Hazard,

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Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 46

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

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