USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 29
USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 29
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In 1812 a new feature appeared, the Rev. Direk Lansing being appointed chaplain in Col. Thaddeus M. Wood's regiment. They were good neighbors, however. In 1814 the Rev. Levi. Parsons of Marcellus, was made chaplain in Col. Warren Hecox's regiment, almost as curious a conjunction. Both chaplains were Presbyterian ministers. It should have been said above that Captain Asa Wells' Onondaga company first occupied Oswego in 1812. In 1809 he was lieutenant in Captain Robert Swartwout's company, the latter being made brigadier quartermaster general that year.
Some well known names appear in 1814, as David Munro, captain, and James L. Vorhees, ensign in the Eighteenth regiment ; Oliver Teall, lieutenant in the One Hundred and Forty-seventh, and Dr. Gordon Needham, adjutant in Major Moseley's rifle batallion. Cyrus Johnson was also captain of the second squadron in the Eighth regiment of cavalry.
In 1815 the rifle battalion was commanded by Major Charles B. Bristol, with Samuel L. Edwards as quartermaster. Amos P. Granger became a eap- tain of light infantry, and in the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth, Seth Hall of Skaneateles was made a captain. Six companies of grenadiers were in the various regiments.
In 1816 Michael Mead was commander of the One Hundred and Forty- seventh regiment, and Gabriel Tappen colonel of the Sixteenth, with Charles Il. Toll as quartermaster and Seth Warner as a captain. . Truman Adams was the major. Norris Case was lieutenant colonel of the Ninty-eighth, and Azel St. John commanded the Sixty-second. The One Hundred and Seventy-second regiment was also organized from the Sixteenth, James Adams being eolonel.
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A batallion was formed from the One Hundred and Forty-seventh, Major John G. Forbes being in command.
In 1817 Samuel Baker, of Pompey Hill. was paymaster of the Ninety- eighth regiment. Stephen W. Baldwin of Baldwinsville, whose portrait hangs in the public library of Syracuse, was a captain quartermaster, and James 1. Voorhees had become a captain. The One Hundred and Seventy-sixth regiment was organized under Colonel John G. Forbes. Dr. William Taylor was surgeon's mate in this, and Reuben HI. Bangs was a lieutenant. Oliver Teall now became a captain. Nehemiah H. Earll was brigade major and in- speetor of the Twenty-seventh brigade.
In 1818 a new brigade of infantry was formed in Oswego county and part of Onondaga. denominated the Forty-eighth brigade of infantry. Ste- phen Tappen was colonel of the One Hundred and Seventy-second, and John Munro major in the Sixteenth. David Williams became colonel of the Sixty- second, and Amos P. Granger major in the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth. William A. Cook was brigade major and inspector. The Rev. William A. Clark was chaplain of the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth, and the Rev. Ezekiel G. Geer was chaplain of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh, In 1819 the Rev. Amos Pardee was made chaplain of the One Hundred and Fif- ty-ninth. All three were Episcopal ministers. Lyman Cook became colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth in 1818, and James Hall, a carriage maker of Skaneateles. captain in the same. ,Ile was always afterwards familiarly known as "Captain Jim." B. Davis Noxon, later an eminent law- ver, was made an ensign. In the Ninety-eighth Asa Wells became colonel, and John Sprague major. Salmon Thayer was lieutenant colonel of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh. In several regiments this was the highest of- fice. The later ones had colonels. At this time the Twenty-seventh and Forty-eighth brigades were united as the Eighteenth division under Major General John Ellis.
In 1819 Charles H. Toll was made adjutant of the Sixteenth regiment, with John McHarrie, son of a Baldwinsville pioneer, as paymaster. Richard Lusk and John Ingleshee were made captains. In the same regiment James R. and Grove Lawrence were made ensigus. Both were afterward notable men. Levi Mason was now colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth. John Sprague was lieutenant colonel of the Ninety-eighth. Thaddeus M. Wood was brigadier general of the Twenty-seventh brigade, and Alvan Marsh, judge advocate. In the Eighteenth division of infantry Henry Seymour. father of Gov. Seymour. was division inspector, and Amos P. Granger, always prominent in Syracuse, was a quartermaster. Jabish Castle commanded the Ninety-eighth, Garret Van Iloesen, Jr., the Sixty-second, and Elijah Phillips was major of the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth.
In 1820 Dorastus Lawrence became colonel of the One Hundred and Fit- ty-ninth. Dr. Judah B. Hopkins, grandfather of Judge Edward T. Bartlett. was surgeon's mate. Stephen Horton, a Skaneateles merchant, was a new captain. Dr. Samuel Porter, of the same place, became hospital surgeon of the Eighteenth division, and Thaddeus M. Wood was made major general of
-
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the Eighteenth division, General Ellis having died. Phineas Hutchins was now colonel of the Sixty-second, Amos P. Granger of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh, and Ralph R. Phelps of the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth. In the One Hundred and Forty-seventh, B. Davis Noxon, Orrin Hutchinson and John Raynor were now captains. Thomas Wheeler was lieutenant colonel in the same. Samuel Forman was also a lieutenant, and Orrin Tyler ensign.
In 1321 Stephen W. Baldwin was captain of a light infantry company at Baldwinsville, and Richard Smith lieutenant. Jabish Castle became briga- dier general of the Twenty-seventh brigade, John Sprague colonel of the Ninety-eighth, John Monro of the Sixteenth, John Butler of the One Hundred and Seventy-second, and Salmon Thayer of the One Hundred and Seventy- sixth, (really One Hundred and Forty-seventh). In the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth, Freeborn G. Jewett, in later years Judge of Court of Appeals, was captain of a rifle company. In the Sixteenth regiment Squire M. Brown of Elbridge, was captain of riflemen, and James Wells, of Baldwinsville, was captain of light infantry.
In 1822 Lauren Hotchkiss was lientenant colonel of the Sixty-second, and there were five companies forming the Fifteenth regiment of artillery in Madi- son county. In this year the minutes of the Council of Appointment closed. They preserve many names not mentioned above.
In succeeding years the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth had among its col- onels, Samuel C. Wheadon. Augustus Fowler and Alford Lamb, all of Skanea- teles. Payn Bigelow at one time held the same office at Baldwinsville, hav- ing been appointed colonel of the Sixteenth in 1838, but the military spirit was on the decline and the old system passed away.
Bruce's Memorial History of Syracuse, as well as Clark, gives July 4, 1820, as the first celebration of Independence Day in Syraense, but in Cheney's Reminiscences it is placed in 1824, on Monday, July 5, and an account is there quoted, taken from the Syraense Gazette of July 7, then published by Mr. H. W. Durnford. The celebrations differed. The later account follows, in a thoroughly Fourth of July style :
"At the morn's early dawn the day was ushered in by the thunder of can- non bursting upon the stillness of the hour; and at sunrise a National Salute was fired from Prospeet Hill, on the north side of the village. As the spiring columns of the cannon's smoke disappeared the star spangled banner of our country was then seen floating majestically in the air, from the top of a tower- ing staff erected on the summit of this hill for the occasion. At about twelve o'clock, a procession was formed in front of Mr. Williston's Hotel, under the direction of Col. A. P. Granger, marshal of the day. An escort, consisting of Capt. Rossiter's company of Light Horse, an Artillery Company under the command of Lieut. J. D. Rose, and Capt. H. W. Durnford's company of Riflemen, with their music swelling and banners flying, preceded the proces- sion which moved to the new meeting house-(the old Baptist Church). Here the usual exercises took place, and an oration was pronounced by J. R. Sntermeister, Esq., which was received by the large assembly with a
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universal burst of approbation. The procession then formed again and moved through the village to the summit of Prospeet Hill, where under a bower a numerous company partook of a cold collation prepared by Mr. Williston- (landlord of the Mansion House).
"It was a truly interesting sight to see among our fellow citizens who participated in the festivities of this day, about thirty of the remnant of that gallant band of patriots who fought in the revolution. These spared monu- ments of our country's boast honored the company with their presence through- out the day, giving a zest to the festivities rarely to be found in common celebrations of this National Anniversary."
Mr. Cheney added : "The principal object of attraction on that day was the rifle company, composed of the young men of the county, and com- manded by H. W. Durnford, Lieutenant James H. Luther, and Orderly Zophar H. Adams. They were dressed in red Scotch plaid frocks and pants. trimmed on the bottom and sides with a bright red fringe. They wore leather caps with long red feathers. and carried the long Indian rifles, with powder horns and bullet pouches. As they marched through the streets they presented a gay and inposing appearance. Prospect Hill was full forty feet higher than at present (1857). The trees and bushes were removed from its sum- mit for the purpose of the celebration."
It is said that in 1843 there was no military organization in Syracuse. so that ex-President John Qunicy Adams was escorted from Auburn by the Auburn Guards, one of the finest companies of that day. Preliminary steps were taken July 31, 1843. to supply this lack, and the famous Syracuse Citi- zens' Corps was organized September 4. 1843, with Isaac T. Minard as cap- tain. and Elijah T. Hayden as first lieutenant. It was attached to the One Hundred and Forty-seventh regiment. October 14, the Germans organized the Syracuse La Fayette Grenadier Guard. with Jacob Pfohl captain, and Adam Listman, first lieutenant. It has been claimed that this company has the older date; that of February 22, 1843, with John Graff as captain. The uniform in 1844 was a dark blue dress coat and trousers with red trimmings; a tall bearskin cap with brass shield, with white cord caught up at the sides and drooping under the chin; white feather with red at the top. The company was mustered in after the Citizens' Corps, and had likewise a high reputation.
The National Guard, an Irish company, was organized July 25, 1850. Edward Prendergast was captain, and William S. Thompson first lieutenant. July 29, 1851, the Fifty-first regiment was formed. the older arrangement hav- ing been abandoned. Among the regimental officers were Origen Vanderburg colonel. Charles C. Richardson lieutenant colonel, and Henry P. Adams major. Captains I. T. Minard, Jacob Pfohl, Edwin R. Prendergast and Lewis Springer were some of the company officers.
The first regular encampment of the Fifty-first was held October, 1851, near the Messina Springs road. back of the late Charles B. Sedgwick's house, and was called Camp Peek. after Major Peck. October 16, 1852, the regi- ment was called out to meet General Winfield Scott, then visiting Syracuse.
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January 5, of that year, the Onondaga Light Guard was organized, with Chand- ler as captain. He was succeeded in July by Francis P. Minier. April 7. the Syracuse Light Dragoons organized, with Alfred Hovey as captain.
Camp Onondaga was ordered for September 22-26, 1853, on Col. John- son's farm, north of West Onondaga street, known later as the Kellogg traet. A good pieture is preserved of this camp, there being a large gathering. Governor Horatio Seymour reviewed the fine companies there assembled. Those belonging to the Fifty-first regiment were the Citizens' Corps, Grenadier Guard, National Guard, Onondaga Light Guard, Washington Artillery and Light Dragoons. Other companies were the Oswego Guard, Bruce Guard, Cleveland (Ohio) Light Artillery, Rochester City Dragoons, Rochester Union Grays, Rochester Union Guard. Rochester Grenadiers, Rochester City Corps, Canascraga Light Infantry, Truxton Light Guard, Virgil Guard, and Utica Citizens' Corps ; eighteen companies in all.
That year Charles C. Richardson was elected colonel of the Fifty-first; Isaac T. Minard lieutenant colonel, and Jacob Pfoll major. In 1854 I. T. Minard was colonel, and a small encampment was held at Baldwinsvile in the fall. Strict discipline was maintained and thorough work was done.
In 1855, Company F was formed on Pompey Hill as the Pompey Guard. A German company was organized in 1857 as the Hawley Guard. J. Dean Hawley became major in 1858, and Dr. Roger W. Pease adjutant. The Syra- cuse Grays were also organized, and in that year an armory was built, which was dedicated September 16, 1859. The camp was formed at Onondaga Val- ley September 9, 1858.
In 1860 a new company appeared, called the Munroe Cadets, of which Gustavus Sniper was captain. The Zouaves appeared September 24 of that year.
The stirring scenes of eivil war in 1861 drew attention from home organi- zations, and volunteers from their ranks greatly weakened them. Their ser- viees as a body were offered, but the general plans for active operations pre- vented aeceptanee. The honorable reeord made by those in the field required separate consideration, but a few more words may be said of the reserve forees at home.
Changed conditions required a readjustment. The Twenty-fourth bri- gade now comprised Onondaga and Oswego counties, and of this John A. Green, Jr., became brigadier general. In July. 1861, J. D. Hawley was colonel of the Fifty-first regiment, John Sehnauber lieutenant colonel, and Peter Ohneth major. Since then our military companies have been mainly confined to cities, with occasional exceptions for very brief periods. The re-organization was effected in June, 1863, and Gustavus Sniper became lieu- tenant colonel. Four new companies were formed in July. These were the Union and Seymour Guards, Alvord Corps and Woodruff Zouaves. July 14, 1863. Col. Hawley was ordered to have the regiment in readiness to aid in quelling the New York riots. It went to Binghamton on the 17th, but was ordered back next day.
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The Woodruff Zouaves soon became the Westeott Zouaves, the Alvord Corps the Salina Guard, the Grenadier the Comstoek Guard. In 1869 Gus- tavus Sniper became colonel, vice J. D. Hawley resigned. In 1870 the Union Guard became the Bennett Guard, and the Comstock Guard was again the La Fayette Grenadier Guard. A company formed in Liverpool in 1871 was equipped as the Cornue Gnard in 1873. James Randall was eolonel of the regiment in 1871. The armory was burned and the military records were destroyed in 1873, but a new armory soon rose, and was dedicated February 20, 1876.
In 1875 Nicholas Grumbach beeame colonel of the Fifty-first, but it was re-organized in 1877, with twenty-two commissioned officers and eighty-six non-commissioned. Col. Gale was now in command, vice Grumbach resigned. Rev. II. R. Loekwood was chaplain. Among the captains were R. M. Beecher, T. M. Barber, and Henry J. Knapp, captain of a new company at Fayette- ville. The Washington Guards became the Price Cadets. In 1865 a battalion of cavalry had been attached to the Twenty-fourth brigade, and this was eon- solidated in 1876 into one company under command of Michael Auer. In 1882 this was re-organized as Battery A.
W. A. Butler was colonel in 1879. General J. D. Ilawley resigned the Seventh brigade, and Dwight II. Bruce succeeded till his resignation in 1854. The regiment was disbanded January 23, 1882. Out of the remains of this regi- ment there eame forth the Fortieth Separate company, Edson J. Stearns, cap- tain; Forty-first Separate company, W. B. Randall captain; Forty-second Separate company, Theodore M. Barber captain. The latter was disbanded Feb. 15, 1883, at the end of their term of service. In 1907 John B. Tuek be- came eaptain of the Forty-first.
Several independent companies have been prominent in Syracuse. The Syracuse Cadets were organized in 1843, with Timothy Teall as Captain. Their notable aet was in suppressing a small riot soon after.
The Greenway Guards were organized as an Independent Rifle Company in 1869. In July they became the Price Independent Rifle Company; in March, 1870, the Independent Zonaves; Angust 20, the Greenway Guards. An- drew Mahl was the first eaptain.
The Central City Veterans were made up of G. A. R. men of Lilly Post, and were organized in 1873 by Gustavus Sniper, but not equipped till 1876. Continental uniform.
The Sumner Corps was organized Angust 7, 1871, and ealled after General Sumner, under Theodore M. Barber as captain. It was an outgrowth of the old Citizens' Corps, and was attached, August 16, 1877, to the Fifty-first regi- ment as Company G. At the disbanding of the regiment it continued as the Forty-second Separate company till its time expired. Col. Wm. H. Verbeck, of St. John's Military School. has been for some years conspicuous in military affairs, being for a time captain of the Forty-first.
Troop D was organized in Syracuse quite recently. In 1907 Lieutenant Howard K. Brown succeeded Captain Barton Cruikshank in command. Every member is a qualified marksman.
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Beside a rifle company already described in the early days of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth, that regimeut had two fine light infantry companies toward its end. One of these was the Skaneateles Guards, cadet gray uni- form, flint lock muskets and knapsacks. This was commanded and admirably drilled by Capt. Fowler. The other was the Marcellus Grays, differing only in darker clothes.
St. John's Military School. Manlins, stands high in its line, and always has an army officer on its staff. Its well drilled cadets are a familiar and welcome sight in the holiday parades of Syracuse. Colonel Verbeek taking great interest in city affairs of this kind. It may be added that many fra- ternal organizations, whose objects are benevolent and social rather than martial, are as well drilled in evolutions as military companies.
There is usually a United States recruiting station in Syracuse, both for the army and navy, and many men are obtained there for the service.
The old State Armory, after thirty years service, was removed, and on its site a new and more convenient one was built, and completed early in 1908. The Onondaga Centennial addresses were made in the old building. and many interesting events occurred in it. President Grant once made a brief address there.
In January, 1908, a very important step was taken in assimilating the organization of the State National Guard to that of the United States army. This was proposed by the U. S. Government as being more effective in case of war, and readily gained the approval of the State.
CHAPTER XXIIL.
ROADS AND TRAILS.
Aside from lakes and rivers the early routes in our forest land were mere footpaths through the woods, leading in the easiest way to the desired destina- tion. No pains were taken to make these. A marshy place, a fallen tree, simply caused a detour. In many places there was little effort to keep the trail. In a broad valley it was sufficient to follow its course, the eternal hills clearly defining the general route. When Indian towns changed their sites the traiis changed also. There was no law compelling their maintenance. They were made and kept distinct by human feet. When the feet ceased to pass the trail was obliterated.
It is evident, of course, that this happened in many cases. There were groups of Indian forts in Elbridge, Lysander, Van Buren and Pompey, all hav- ing their own trails, of which no one claims to know a trace now. They soon disappeared when no longer used. They were not as distinctly marked as many have supposed. The Indian's bare foot or light moccasin made no great impression. Our modern ideas are of paths trod almost as much by the white man as the Indian, trails along which horses trod and cattle were
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driven. We forget that horses traversed Onondaga county from east to west in 1677, now two hundred and thirty years ago, and were frequently here after- ward. Bartram came here from Pennsylvania on horseback in 1743. Spangen- berg's party followed the same route on horseback two years later. The Onondagas used horses themselves. When they went to a council at Lancaster. Pennsylvania, in 1744, most of the women and children were on horses. The trails they followed thus assumed a new character.
When the historic towns of the Onondagas were in the southern and cen- tral parts of Pompey, and the homes of the Oneidas were high on the hills in Fenner and about Perryville and Muunsville, the trails conformed to the situation. In the first recorded visit of the Dutch to the Oneidas, in 1634, we find that the trail left the Mohawk east of Canajoharie, and went direet westward over the hills to Oneida on the high hillside. This was the general direction sixty years later, as shown by maps. When the Oneidas came to the lower lands the trail changed. Thus it was in Onondaga and everywhere else.
One early trail came to Onondaga from the east. crossing Indian hill, two miles south of Manlius. Thenee a trail led to Brewerton, and another to the salt springs of Onondaga lake. A third went due west to the Cayngas. probably near Skaneateles and Owasco lakes, as in later days. The removal to Butternut creek. in 1681, did not materially change this, and the subse- quent removal to Onondaga valley, forty years later, did not affect it at all. Early travelers often speak of the blackened palisades of the old town. This later trail, affected by Oneida changes of sites in recent days entered Onon- daga county at the Deep Spring.
In 1750 Onondaga was about a mile south of the site of Onondaga Valley, and the trail came from the southwest, partly from the old town, and partly from the village at Indian Orchard. Two trails led to Onondaga lake, the Indians then living on both sides of the ereek. A little north of Dorwin's Spring a trail ran westward to Cayuga, erossing Cedarvale and the ridge on either side, following the route of the eleetrie road to Skaneateles from Nine Mile creek, leaving the lake at the western angle, and taking a direet course to the foot of Owaseo lake. Of course there were trails to hunting and fishing resorts.
Mr. L. H. Morgan, in his League of the Iroquois, gives a different route for this main trail, and it may have been a very modern one. Noting the en- trance into the Onondaga territory at the Deep Spring, he continued: "This spring was known under the name of DE-O-SA-DA-YA-AH, signifying the 'spring in the deep basin,' and was a favorite stopping place of the Iroquois in their journeys upon the great thoroughfare. Leaving this locality, and con- tinuing west, the trail forded the Limestone creek, DE-A-O-NO-HE, at the site of Manlius, and proceeding mostly on the line since pursued by the turn- pike, it crossed the Jamesville ereek, GA-SUN-TO, at the site of Jamesville, and from thenee descending into the Onondaga valley, it crossed the Onondaga river, O-NUN-DA-G.1, and entered the Indian village of GIS-TWE-AH-NA, which oeenpied the site of the present village of Onondaga Ifollow."
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There he falls into some errors of location and history, but continues as follows :
"After crossing the valley, the trail passed up a small ravine to the top of the hill, where it took a northwest direction, and crossing the Nine-mile creek, US-TE-KA, at the site of Camillus, O-YA-IIAN. it went up to a stop- ping place where Carpenter's tavern was subsequently erected, near the site of Elbridge, KA-NO-WA-YA. From thence fording the Jordan creek, HA-NAN-TO, and passing through the town of Sennet. the trail came upon the Owasco outlet, WAS-CO, at the site of Auburn and forded this stream a short distance above the prison, at the point where the 'Red Store' was sub- sequently erected. This locality was in the territory of the Cayugas, and its name signities 'a floating bridge.' "
This specifie account Mr. Morgan had from an intelligent young Seneca. but otherwise there seems nothing to support it. It certainly was not the trail used in the middle of the eighteenth century or that described by early survey- ors. In 1743 at least two trails entered Onondaga valley from the south. Both passed the Tully lakes, but one bore to the east, passing near Labrador pond and thenee to Indian Orchard and Onondaga; the other came directly down the valley to Onondaga from the Tully lakes. There were other obscure trails. The one from Indian hill to the site of Brewerton was much used. and one of importance led from near Jamesville to the fishing place at Bridge- port.
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