USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The heroes of Albany. A memorial of the patriot-martyrs of the city and county of Albany, who sacrificed their lives during the late war in defense of our nation 1861-1865 > Part 53
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The funeral services were held in the Lutheran Church, at Bern, on Saturday, Feb. 18th, in presence of one of the largest audiences ever there assembled. The Rev. Dr. LINTNER preached an eloquent and deeply affecting sermon from Phillippians, i, 2, 3: "I am in a strait betwixt two." The Rev. E. BELFOUR, of the Lutheran Church at Schoharie, and the Rev. E. MILLER, of the Dutch Reformed Church at Bern, each followed with an ex- cellent address, all paying a warm tribute to this young and noble soldier of Christ, of whom it has been fittingly said: "He was carly at the cross, early in the grave, and early in Heaven." His life was no doubt sacrificed in his desire to do his duty as a
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CORPORAL ALONZO G. LUDDEN.
soldier in defence of his country. But God mercifully spared him to return to his home and die peacefully upon his bed, amidst the sympathies and ministrations of those who loved him most tenderly, to bequeath his parting blessing to his parents, his sisters and brother, and to leave a legacy of sweet and hal- lowed memories, which will be forever sacred and precious, and whose blessed influences will never be lost.
" Death should come Gently to one of gentle mould, like thee, As light winds, wandering thro' groves of bloom, Detach the delicate blossoms from the tree. Close thy sweet eyes calmly and without pain, And we will trust in God, to see thee yet again."
BRUNSWICK CENTRE, March 1, 1865.
P. A. S.
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JOHN H. CONLEY
PRIVATE SOLDIERS.
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XCIV. JOHN H. C "LEY.
JOHN H. CONLEY was born in the city of New York on the 22d of October, 1815. He was at an early age ~ prived of a mother's care, and was dependent upon his own exc. +jons for a support. At the age of sixteen he commenced learnin _, the mason's trade, but employed every opportunity to obtain usetu 1 knowledge. At the age of twenty he experienced religion, and ever afterwards made the Bible his principal study. At twenty- two he was a tract distributor in New York, and in 1843 moved to Albany. Here he joined the Methodists, and was made local preacher by them. He was for four years chaplain of the Alms- house. In 1855 he moved with his family to Ogdensburg. There he joined the Baptists, and was chosen by them to preside over a small parish at Stockhohn. In 1859 he was ordained a Baptist minister.
After laboring at Stockholm some two years, he returned to Albany, and on account of the state of his health, followed his trade until the fall of 1862.
Carried away by a patriotic enthusiasm, he resolved to sacrifice business, home, family, and the comforts of a peaceful life, to engage in the great struggle for the Union. Failing to secure the position of chaplain, he enlisted as a private in the ranks of Company G, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment New York State Volunteers. On reaching home the following Tuesday evening, he told his family that he had enlisted. and expected to start South at once. It was very sad to them to think he must leave them so suddenly, and with no other hopes than those of a private. But he remarked he had fully counted the cost, and had made up his mind to go, and to fulfil every duty assigned
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him, to the end. His friends said, "the Lord's will be done," and bade him a tearful adieu.
He left that same night, and on the following morning he joined his company at Troy, and left that day for New York. After remaining there a few weeks, they started for Washington. Having there passed a review, the regiment encamped at Fort Abercrombie, and remained there all winter. From that time he was with his regiment always on duty; always at his post, and always foremost in battle.
He shared with his regiment the battle of Chancellorsville. As the men were quite tired after arriving at the scene of action, having come at double quick for the last five miles, they were put on the reserve. While in that position, General CORCORAN rode up and asked the Colonel of the regiment, if he could capture such a battery and support it. He replied in the affirmative, and turning to his men he ordered them to the front; and they were soon in the hottest of the fight. After making a grand and successful charge, they succeeded in taking the battery, and supporting it nobly until the engagement was ended.
During the severest of the fight, the Colonel, while swinging his sword and cheering his men on to victory, was wounded severely through the hand, and was carried to the rear. Afterwards he was taken to his tent, and at the close of the battle and of the day, the men being almost exhausted, pitched their tents, took their blankets, and were soon fast asleep.
Moving from there, they composed a part of the army that was to march on Richmond. But after a short march they found ·their number was small compared with that of the rebels, and the officers resolved to retreat. As night had just set in, they laid on their arms, facing the enemy, who had also encamped not far from them, ready for pursuit the next morning. But in the deadness of the night, their expectations were foiled; for the order silently came to every car, to muffle artillery, and retreat in silence, which order was promptly obeyed. In the morning, the rebels, seeing how they had been foiled, immedi- ately pursued, and thus began their longest march, it being fifteen days before they encamped, which was then on Folly
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Island. A large number of their men gave out by the way, and some died of exposure.
Mr. CONLEY participated in the bombardment of Charles- town and the forts, and was at the taking of Fort Wagner and Gregg. While there he experienced two very narrow escapes. After a hard day's work in the entrenchments, being relieved, he, with two or three others, went outside the works, and as they supposed, out of all danger. There they threw themselves down on the ground to rest, and soon were all asleep. While lying there, a shell from one of the forts, fell between him and his comrades and exploded, killing one comrade and severely wounding the other. But it did not harm him in the least. The noise awoke him, and after the dust had cleared away, he saw what had happened, and fully realized the danger he had been exposed to, and from which he had so miraculously escaped. With deep sorrow for his companions and gratitude to God for sparing him, as he hoped, for some future good, he knelt down and offered a fervent prayer to his Heavenly Father.
At another time he exposed himself in a case of real necessity. The men, on leaving the island to work in the intrenchments, generally carried water enough with them to last until they returned. But, as at this time they remained there much longer than they expected, their water became exhausted. When the time came again to be relieved, General GILMORE made his appearance and told them they would have to remain on duty for the present, as no relief could be spared. The men remarked that they had no water, for which they were suffering. The General told them there was a beautiful spring outside the bomb proof, but that they would probably meet death before reaching it, for, as the rebels knew it was greatly needed by us, they watched it very carefully. But Mr. CONLEY, preferring to die by the bullet than by the slow torture of excessive thirst, resolved to venture, and just as the sun was setting and its last rays were tinging the works around him, you might have seen his form gliding softly outside the works, and, as he rounded the corner of the bomb proof, he went in a straight line to the spring. He knew that he was exposed to the keen eye of the sharpshooters,
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JOIIN H. CONLEY.
who were unseen by him, and he expected every moment to feel the sharp pangs of a bullet, and to receive his death wound. Hc saw, just ahead of him, in a low spot of ground, the spring, and also, heard its silent murmur. He saw, also, two other men who were risking their lives for the same object. As they were all making quickly for the spring, they suddenly heard a report, then another, and another followed in quick succession. It was at once evident that they were cach separately shot at but all narrowly escaped. One had his button hole torn out and another had marks on his coat where the ball had touched. After hastily filling their cups, and partially slaking their own thirst, they retreated behind the bomb proof, and bore the precious fluid to their suffering companions.
The regiment, after the taking of Forts Wagner and Gregg, marched for Florida, where they were held as skirmishers. On one occasion, when Mr. CONLEY was ordered to do, on Sunday, some- thing that he knew was not necessary, he refused, remarking that it was the Sabbath and that he always observed that day, to rest, and to render prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God. The officer answered that there were no Sundays with a soldier, and, with upraised bayonet, he ordered him to follow him. But Mr. CONLEY said, if it was necessary he would go, for then it would be his duty; but as it was not, he positively refused to work on the Sabbath. He then said to the officer: "You may pierce me through and through; that will only affect my frail body, but my soul belongs to God." After this the officer withdrew and left him to his own meditations.
After leaving here they took up their line of march, to aid in the siege of Petersburg. On the way he was for the first time taken seriously sick, and when they landed at Hilton Head, he was left, where for some six weeks he continued sick, and at times was expected to die.
When he was rational he was very anxious about his family, and requested the Doctor to write for him, stating that Mr. CONLEY was very sick, and not expected to live. The letter, however, was delayed, and his family did not receive it until some two weeks after its date. It was to them very sorrowful
4
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JOHN II. CONLEY.
news, and that night they retired with heavy hearts, supposing, by this time, he had gone to be with his God. But the very next morning their deep sorrow was turned into extreme joy. Looking out of the window, who should they see coming slowly up the road, laden with his knapsack, but the father, whom they, ere this, supposed to be dead. With what delight he was ushered in, can be better imagined than described. He was received as a father alive from the dead! Soon he related the circumstances connected with his return home.
After the surgeon had written that he was not expected to live, the fever turned for the better, and he slowly began to recover. When just able to walk out, he was asked if he thought he would soon be able to join his regiment, which was at that time busy before Petersburg. He said he hoped so, for he would much rather be there than here. In a few days he began to feel as well as usual, except being a little weak. When he was asked again if he was now able to go, he replied in the affirmative. " Well," said he," if you are able to join your regi- ment, you are more able to enjoy a furlough," and, much to his surprise (as he had never expressed a wish for one), the surgeon handed him his papers for three weeks' absence. But he hesi- tated about receiving it, for he said, before leaving home, that he would never ask for a furlough, unless there was sickness or death in the family, as he wanted to stay until his time was out, and then come home to remain. For the idea of a second part- ing was to him worse than the first. But as he knew his regi- ment was soon to be engaged in deadly strife, he thought the furlough was sent by God, for him to see his family once more on earth. He therefore accepted it, and expressed his thankful- ness for the same.
After enjoying himself to the uttermost, for over two weeks, he again had to part from those he held so dear, and evidently this time with a heavier heart than before. For as he went to the boat he remarked to his son that he had appreciated home more than ever before. When they parted, it was in tears. Although he still had that same patriotic feeling, yet he also retained his deep love for his family. When the boat loosened
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from the dock, he said it was deeply impressed upon his mind that he would never step upon Albany shores again; and he never did. As his son watched him until he had passed from his sight, it was the last time that he looked upon those features that were so dear to him.
After returning, he joined his regiment in the intrenehments before Petersburg, and soon after was engaged in battle. When the first charge was made upon the rebel fortifications, his regi- ment was then in the reserve, and was ordered to make the sec- ond, which they did, at a loss of nearly two-thirds of their company. When it was ended, he found himself alone with his dying comrades around him; but after retreating to the rear, he found those that, like him, had survived. As he saw they were feasting from their haversacks, he reached for his, but it was gone. It had been shot away, as also his cartridge box. That same night, while he and two others were in a rifle pit, a shell from the city fell in their midst, killing one and mortally wounding another. Again was he miraculously preserved, and again did he thank God for so providentially sparing him.
Soon after the great assault on Petersburg, while he and three others were out scouting, he, with the rest, was taken prisoner, and confined in prison at Richmond. Believing starvation awaited him, and preferring to dic a more speedy death, he determined to attempt an escape. In about three weeks he suc- cecded in digging through the walls, swimming the river, and making his escape. After reaching our lines, his first thought was for his family, and, still dripping with water, he wrote them a few lines to allay their anxiety.
After remaining a few months before Petersburg, he accompa- nied his regiment on the unsuccessful Fort Fisher expedition, under BUTLER. He also engaged in the second attack, which proved his death. He was on guard over the main magazine of Fort Fisher, at the time of its fearful explosion, and whether blown to pieces, or buried beneath the ruins, none can tell.
After passing unharmed through nearly three years of terrible fighting, and when all were quietly resting after the fatigues of
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a hard fought victory, he is, without a moment's warning, called into the presence of his Maker.
Ile is gone! No fond family, or group of tearful friends, watched with silent anguish his last breath; no tolling bell or mutlled drum followed him to the grave; no marble monument marks his last resting place. Death found the soldier at his post. The stars alone beheld the fearful rending of his poor shattered body; and the stifled thunder of the exploding maga- zine, and the shrieks of the wounded, alone rang his funeral knell. The memory of his kind words and noble acts is his monument, and the recollection of his sad yet honorable death, will ever hold a most honored place in all our hearts.
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XCV. WILLIAM C. CADY.
WILLIAM C. CADY was born in Albany the 2d day of November, 1841. He was the son of DENICE C. and ELMIRA B. CADY, and was by these pious parents dedicated in infancy to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Having been carefully reared in the principles and duties of religion, he early showed in his life the fruits of careful culture. He always obeyed his parents, and was very particular to do that which was exactly right.
Very early WILLIAM manifested a great taste for reading, and his memory was remarkably retentive. His superior talents and rigid conscientiousness, gave to his parents high hopes for his future usefulness and success in life.
He was very fond of his Sabbath school and of religious meetings, and when he was sixteen years of age he was hopefully converted to Christ. Having given good evidence that he was a child of God, he was admitted to the membership of the Arbor Hill Methodist church of this city. He was exceedingly fond of singing, and with his fine voice, and with his heart tuned to the melody of praise, he greatly aided in this department of divine
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worship. At the time he enlisted in the army he was connected with the choir of St. Peter's church.
The guns fired upon Fort Sumter not only aroused his patriotic ardor, but led him at once to desire to give his services to his country. On account of his youth and the feeble state of his health, for he had never been strong, his parents at first objected. But he said that duty called and he must go. He enlisted that same month, April, 1861, in the Third Regiment of New York Volunteers, as Second Sergeant of Company F. He was first stationed at Fortress Monroe. In June, 1861, while expecting a visit from his mother, he was ordered to the field, and the very day I think, before he received the fatal shot that resulted in his death, he wrote to his mother a letter from which we make the following extracts:
" Dear Mother- * On Sabbath night I received the telegram stating that you would be down on the steamer " Rip Van Winkle" on Monday morning. Consequently I went down to the wharf and waited until half-past eight o'clock, and found that you were not on the boat. I was much disappointed at not finding you there; I supposed that you would come the next morning; but I could not do anything to let you know that we had gone. I should have been so glad to have seen you and Brother STRATTON, and to have taken one last good look at one, whom I have learned to love best of all on earth.
" Now, dear parents, you need not have the least fears about my getting into any bad habits while I am here; because in the first place, I love you both too much, to pain you by the know- ledge that I was doing wrong. Secondly, as any habits which I might form would react upon myself in the end, and as I expect to see you and home once more, I have too much pride and self-respect, to show myself again in Albany with anything at all derogatory to my character or reputation. As I told you before, I did not join the army to get away from restraint, but because I wanted to do my duty, and to rest perfectly con- tented with regard to myself. The scenes in the camp are always exciting, as there are scouting parties going out all the while, to make observations in the enemy's country.
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WILLIAM C. CADY.
" Day before yesterday, a part of the Troy regiment were attacked by the secessionists, and one of the rebel Captains was captured. Yesterday our whole regiment was called out, and formed in the line of battle, with arms loaded, and plenty of ammunition ready for them at a second's notice. We were also out one night, from twelve o'clock until morning, waiting for the enemy. We are soon to have some warm work about here, and it will be short work too. We have plenty of men, and a Gen- eral whose coolness and firmness are only equaled by his cour- age. As to our field officers they are trusted by all; and what is more the men all work together, as one man, which is in itself a great feature."
" Now, father and mother, I am living daily as I hope to die, and I feel that we shall yet be 'all at home' in Albany, once more, and that before a great while. Please write to me often, and believe me ever, yours, WILLIAM C. CADY."
With such feelings and hopes the young christian patriot went forth to his first and his last battle. The engagement took place near Little Bethel, and at four o'clock Monday morning, June 10, 1861, he was shot in the abdomen. He fell and was for some time unconscious. On recovering his consciousness, he remarked, "I am mortally wounded." Shortly before he expired, the chaplain asked him, if he thought he had done wrong in enter- ing the army. He replied, "No, I have only done my duty. If I had to live my life over again, I would do the same thing." While dying, he dictated a letter of which the following is an extract :
"I die in a great deal of bodily misery. I want Sergeant LORD to take my body home. I leave seven dollars with Lieut. LORD. My watch is at No. 80 Houston street; my father's name is D. J. CADY, No. 12 Lark street, Albany. I die perfectly happy. I want to be sent home in a good, plain, substantial coffin; tell GEORGE to telegraph to my father what train my body will arrive on, and to telegraph him to meet him with a hearse at the depot. Tell my father that I died doing my duty, and that I was excellently taken care of, and bid him good-bye. I
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hope I will meet you in heaven. I hope you will come out safe. Good-bye, Captain. God bless you. I have nothing more to say. W. C. CADY."
He died at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, on Wednesday morning, at one o'clock, aged nineteen years, six months and seventeen days. He was the second patriot to fall for his country after the rebellion broke out, young ELLSWORTH having been the first. He was an only son, and only child, and his parents in giving him, gave their all.
The Hospital Chaplain at Fortress Monroe, in a letter written to a New York paper, gives the following account of his inter- view with the parents of the noble boy :
"There have been several arrivals of citizens to-day, looking after friends in camp. I notice among them Rev. J. H. SMITH and B. GRIFFITH, of Philadelphia. There came also two strangers whose appearance was deeply touching. They were the father and mother of Sergeant WILLIAM CADY, of Albany, whose death from a wound in the abdomen I named in a recent letter. Young CADY was a member, with his parents, of one of the Methodist churches in Albany, and the pastor accompanied them to Fort- ress Munroe.
All the way on the journey, notwithstanding the report in the papers, the mother clung to the fond hope that her son-her only child-was not wounded. On her arrival, it was my mourn- ful duty as the Hospital Chaplain, to inform her that he was dead. I never saw a more mournful scene than followed. The father sought the buried body, while the mother remained with me at the hospital to hear all the details of the sad tale. It was an hour for consolation such as seldom comes to a faithful minis- ter. But the fact that the dear boy had died happy, that he was calm and collected to the last, that he died in hope of a glorious immortality, calmed the agitated and afflicted parents, and enabled them to say 'all is well.'"
His remains were brought to Albany, and funeral services were held in Arbor Hill Methodist church, where three years before he had professed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A large con-
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course of people bore testimony to the high esteem in which he was held, and to the public admiration for his character, and grati- tude for his patriotic services.
The sad bereavement was too much for the fond mother. She never fully rallied from the blow that deprived her of her only and beloved child. Gradually her health failed, and on the 16th day of January, 1866, she left this earth to meet her child in Heaven. Ere her departure she spoke fondly of meeting him, and shortly before she expired she looked up and exclaimed, "I see him. He is in full health and vigor, and stands waiting for me to come to him." They have met, to part no more.
XCVI. ROBERT HENRY KING.
ROBERT HENRY KING, son of SAMUEL W. and SUSAN KING, was born in the city of Albany, November 8, 1844. His mother died when he was just one month old. He was a Sabbath school scho- lar from his youth, and was universally esteemed as an affection- ate, noble minded and strictly moral young man.
The death of his father, June 18, 1864, left ROBERT an orphan, and he enlisted in the naval service of his country in the month of September, 1864. In a short time after his enlistment, he was on board the receiving ship " Vermont." From that vessel he was drafted as one of the crew of a small but unique craft, which was registered in our navy as "Picket Boat No. 1." This vessel was forty feet in length and ten in width, carried one gun, a twelve-pounder, and was furnished with a long projecting tim- ber, called torpedo boom, and which was designed to run tor- pedoes under rebel vessels. Her commander was Lieut. CUSHING. The vessel sailed from the Brooklyn Navy Yard September 22, 1864, and proceeded immediately to her place of destination, which was Plymouth, North Carolina. On the 28th of the next month (October), one of the most perilous achievements of the whole war was accomplished by this little craft. She blew np
Robert H. King.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
ROBERT II. KING. 689
and entirely destroyed by her torpedoes the rebel ram " Albe- marle," that had already inflicted serious injuries upon us.
In this enterprise, though not until it was perfectly successful, ROBERT H. KING, together with almost all of the little crew of the picket boat, were taken prisoners. From Plymouth he was immediately sent to Salisbury, North Carolina, where already thousands of our brave men were imprisoned, and where multi- tudes died by exposures or starvation. From early in November, 1864, to March, 1865, a period of little more than four months, Mr. KING was an inmate of that prison; and because he had been with others the instrument of inflicting a very severe injury upon the confederacy, he was treated with even greater severity than many of the other prisoners. Being exchanged about the middle of March, Mr. KING returned immediately to his home, but with his constitution so completely shattered by the severity of his imprisonment, as to survive his return but a few days. Reaching his home April 1, he died on the 10th of the same month.
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