F 127 
 
 1915 
 Copy 1 
 
 Onondaga Historical 
 Association 
 
ANNUAL VOLUME 
 
 of the 
 
 Onondaga Historical Association 
 
 1915 
 
 Onondaga's Part in the Civil War 
 
 by 
 
 MRS. SARAH SUMNER TEALL 
 
 These papers were collected by Mrs. Teall as a tribute 
 
 to the courage and faithfulness of the men and 
 
 women of Onondaga County during 
 
 our great National crisis. 
 
 Arranged for Publication by Dr. E. P. Tanner of Syracuse 
 University and Miss Alice E. Northrup. 
 
 Committee of Publication of the Onondaga Historical 
 Association: Franklin H. Chase and 
 ■* Rev. Dr. William M. Beauchamp. 
 
 THE DEHLER PRESS -O^^ 476 S. SALINA ST. 
 
\ 
 
 
 Gins 
 
^ 
 
 CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 
 
 \5 
 
 '^ WAR SCENES IN SYRACUSE AND ONONDAGA 
 
 • COUNTY IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 1861. 
 
 NS 
 
 The call to arms which followed the firing upon Fort 
 t^^ Sumter found an echo in every loyal heart. Thousands 
 
 "^, offered their services. On the 15th of April, 1861, Presi- 
 
 ^ dent Lincoln called for 75,000 militia volunteers for three 
 
 ^. months' service, and it was supposed the rebellion would 
 
 ^ be put down in that time. 
 
 ''^ Within two weeks after the call 350,000 men had offered 
 
 ^> their services to the government, New York furnishing 
 
 ^ 14,000 men under the first call. Of these Onondaga County 
 
 sent her full share of about forty representative young men, 
 some papers say fifty, besides those in Skaneateles who vol- 
 unteered in Auburn. Here is an account I found in an old 
 paper. Nothing better nor more worthy could be said of 
 any men : 
 
 "Certain members of Company D. of the 51st Regiment 
 of N. Y. S. v., left their old company, the Greys, and formed 
 the Syracuse Zouaves, an independent organization. They 
 seem bound to carry out the stringent resolves which they 
 have imposed upon themselves. They show a determina- 
 tion to emulate the famous Chicago cadets in their military 
 discipline. The company has adopted a strict system of 
 drilling. They have a drill at their quarters in the ArmoiT 
 at 8 o'clock every evening. At ten o'clock the lights are 
 put out ; taps' sounded. These soldiers — wrapped in rough 
 blankets — sleep perhaps on the floor in the next room. At 
 5 o'clock in the morning reveille sounds. Everybody is 
 promptly in line for the morning drill, at the conclusion of 
 which each goes to his daily business. This severe dis- 
 cipline is to be continued two weeks, and to be continued 
 at intervals, until the Company reaches the first rank in 
 military art." 
 
 "This Zouave company is composed of some of the most 
 correct, moral and upright young gentlemen of the city. 
 Active, industrious, resolute, they have adopted a system of 
 conduct by which they will be governed, of most rigorous 
 morals and strict self -discipline, and have scrupulously lived 
 
4 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 up to it, until they present an appearance of high health and 
 activity, approaching the perfection of manhood. This 
 example is a valuable one to our young men, and our com- 
 munity should give them every encouragement which such 
 an example merits. Captain John Butler has been the 
 leader of this movement. Courteous, magnanimous and 
 kind, he has attached his associates to him by the strongest 
 bonds of friendship and respect. The citizens will honor 
 themselves by the encouragement they give to so worthy a 
 body of exemplary young men." 
 
 COMPLETE ROSTER OF "BUTLER'S SYRACUSE 
 ZOUAVES." 
 
 Organized July, 1860. 
 
 Capt. Jno. G. Butler 
 First Lieut. Samuel E. 
 
 Thompson 
 Second Lieut. Edwin S. 
 
 Jenney 
 Orderly Serg't . Henry C. 
 
 Thompson 
 Jno. P. Spanier, Bugler 
 Robt. Trowbridge, Judge 
 
 Advocate 
 Thos. McMahon, Reporter 
 Austin, Wm. A. 
 Ballard, Leon H. 
 Belden, Jas. L. 
 Bishop, Alonzo L. 
 Blackwell, Wm. H. 
 Burdick, Chas. H. 
 Chase, Durfee C. 
 Coatsworth, Ed. E. 
 Duncan, Wm. A. 
 Gale, Henry 
 Goss, Henry 
 GrifRn, Rhesa, Jr. 
 Havens, George 
 Hamilton, Henry H. 
 
 Hopkins, Wm. E. 
 Ketcham, F. Douglas 
 Kingsbury, Jno. T. 
 Larrabee, Wm. H. 
 Manchester, Geo. W. 
 Middleton, Hugh 
 Morgan, Geo. 
 Morgan, Robt. 
 Moseley, Wm. H. 
 Mickells, Lovell G. 
 O'Neil, Jas. F. 
 Paine, Robt. 
 Phillips, Jno. J.* 
 Shaver, Frank J. 
 Snell, J. Marvin 
 Stem, Moses 
 Stoddard, Chas. E. 
 Stoddard, Henry 
 Sweeting, J. Henry 
 Tarcott, Henry 
 Tracy, Wm. G. 
 Weaver, F. Wellington 
 Wells, J. Emmett 
 Wicks, Jay M. 
 Williams, Jno. T. 
 
CIVIL WAR REAIINISCENCES 5 
 
 Mrs. A. Judd Northrup describes the departure of 
 Butler's Zouaves from Syracuse, as follows : 
 
 "I recall the scene as I witnessed it, of the departure of 
 Capt. Butler and his company of brave Zouaves, on a 
 pleasant morning in the early spring of 1861. 
 
 "The first N. Y. Central station was yet standing. It 
 covered the tracks and filled in the space between Warren 
 and Salina streets. This structure was a dark grey, either 
 from paint or age, with arched openings at either end. 
 
 "The train had come in from the west, and its engine 
 stood snorting just beyond the eastern opening. Good byes 
 had been said — the soldiers of the company were seated in 
 the train— but on the rear platform were Captain Butler 
 and other officers. I stood on the northwest corner of 
 Salina street when the train began to pull out and the 
 picture is still vivid to me, as that group of brave men were 
 for a moment framed in the arch of the old station house. 
 
 "Captain Butler, in the strength of his young manhood, 
 stood with bared head. His clear-cut features and yellow, 
 curling hair shone with distinctness against the background 
 of the car, while he held in his hand the staff of a large flag 
 which had just been presented to him. The train started, 
 the wind caught the folds of the flag, which fluttered above 
 him and the other brave boys standing with him, and they 
 were gone. It is only like a flash light picture in my 
 memorj^ but as such is distinct and speaks for what it 
 meant, for them and our country." 
 
 The Syracuse Zouaves were incorporated in the Third 
 Regiment, New York Volunteers, as Company D of that 
 organization. 
 
 Here is a newspaper article on the departure of the 
 Third from New York City : 
 
 "After many vexatious delays, they managed to get off 
 in the steamer James Alger. A big crowd collected in State 
 Street, as men filed out of the Battery and marched up 
 Broadway, they were received with loud cheers and great 
 demonstrations of approval. (It is astonishing how ready 
 we all are to urge other people to do their duty.Mr. Beecher 
 used to say, there was nothing he so much enjoyed as sitting 
 in the shade and telling the other men how to mow hay.) 
 After marching up Broadway the regiment wheeled at The 
 Park, and marched through Park Row, down Broadway 
 
6 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 again, and embarked at Pier No. 4 North River. This regi- 
 ment had a fine band." As usual on the departure of 
 troops, much delay was found in mustering the men to- 
 gether, transporting the baggage, etc. (The people here in 
 town used to complain of what they called the slow move- 
 ments of troops. Mrs. Kirby Smith used to say, "Could 
 yod ever get a picnic party all ready at the same time.") 
 
 The newspaper goes on to say, "For marching and 
 soldier-like appearance few regiments equal the 3rd N. Y. 
 Volunteers ; while in a physical point of view. Colonel Town- 
 send has every reason to feel proud of the stalwart fellows 
 by whom he is surrounded." 
 
 Captain James D. Phillips of the steamer Alger said, 
 "Having had much experience in the transportation of 
 troops, I have never yet met with a better behaved or 
 better disciplined body of men, while on shipboard, than the 
 3rd N. Y. Volunteers. Although it numbered nine hundred 
 men, who were very much crowded, besides having very 
 disagreeable weather during the passage, not a complaint 
 was heard; on the contrary the men seemed determined to 
 look on the bright side. When a body of men, of their 
 station and character, are placed in a position where noth- 
 ing but hardships can be expected, and they are firm and 
 steady, it speaks more for them than volumes of praise or 
 days of camp life could ever do." 
 
 This regiment was landed on "the Sacred Soil" of Vir- 
 ginia at an oyster dock about four miles from Fortress 
 3,Ionroe, near what is now known as The Hampton Indian 
 School. The men had been on short rations: a sandwich 
 made of half-cooked pork between two pieces of hard tack 
 was their last frugal meal. They were marched along a 
 sandy beach, wet from the returning tide, each succeeding 
 footstep sinking deeper into puddles of water. But a cheer- 
 fulness spread through the ranks, when Captain Butler's 
 company struck up, in derision, the slogan of the South, 
 which the sandy path had brought to mind : 
 
 " 'Way down South, in the land of cotton, 
 
 Cinnamon seed and sandy bottom, 
 
 Look away, look away, look away; 
 Dixie's land." 
 The regiment was marched into a wide corn field. Only 
 a few tents had been pitched when darkness came as a pall, 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 7 
 
 bringing one of Virginia's blackest thunder storms. The 
 rain fell in torrents. The men, rolled in blankets, had lain 
 down between the old corn hillocks to get some much needed 
 rest, but soon found themselves almost afloat in their hard 
 
 beds. 
 
 They remained in their camp, drilling and doing picket 
 duty, until the 10th of June, 1861, was fought the first battle 
 of the war at Big Bethel. When volunteers were called for 
 as skirmishers, Captain Butler and Captain Jenney offered 
 the services of their companies, the first skirmish line 
 thrown out in the war of the Rebellion. Halej, of Com- 
 pany D, Zouaves, was the first man wounded, losing an arm. 
 After the battle the regiment returned to its old camp, 
 remaining there till just before the first battle of Bull Run, 
 when it was ordered to join the main army. 
 
 The news of the disaster at Bull Run caused a change 
 of orders. The 3rd N. Y. Volunteers were ordered to Balti- 
 more and garrisoned Fort McHenry. Companies were 
 often detailed to watch for small boats, blockade runners, 
 which were certainly carrying supplies to the Southern 
 army, quinine being one of the most needed articles. 
 
 I cannot follow more particularly the history of Com- 
 pany D and the 3rd Regiment. It was that of all other 
 companies. The ranks were thinned by sickness and death, 
 new men took the places of old ones. But a number served 
 through their two years; several were promoted; quite a 
 number re-enlisted for the war, taking their honorable part 
 in the last grand review of the whole army in Pennsylvania 
 Avenue, Washington. A grander sight this world has never 
 seen, perhaps never can again. 
 
 Here is the Roll of Honor which should ever be kept in 
 grateful remembrance in this community: 
 
 Captain John G. Butler, still living in Syracuse. 
 
 First Lieutenant Charles H. Burdick. 
 
 Ensign Jay M. Wicks, killed at Chapin's farm. 
 
 First Sergeant A. L. Bishop. 
 
 Second Sergeant F. Wellington Weaver, lives in Syra- 
 cuse, and was promoted to a Captaincy. 
 
 Third Sergeant H. Middleton. 
 
 Fourth Sergeant J. M. Snell, 
 
 First Corporal R. Griffin, Engineer, City of Syracuse. 
 
 Second Corporal W. A. Austin. 
 
 Third Corporal George Manchester. 
 
 Fourth Corporal William G. Tracy. 
 
THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 PRIVATES. 
 
 J. Allen 
 
 E. H. Alvord 
 
 E. H. Behan 
 M. Breen 
 
 J. Brame 
 Seely Brown 
 T. K. Brown 
 W. Bowers 
 W. Chidister 
 
 C. Cornell 
 A. Cook 
 
 J. Campbell 
 
 T. Cronley 
 
 H. Cullin, a brave soldier 
 
 H. Denning 
 
 Frank Shaver 
 
 T. J. Sheldon 
 
 N. Shirer 
 
 J. H. Smith, re-enlisted 
 
 J. Spalding, deputy marshal 
 
 H. Soules 
 
 H. Turny 
 
 F. Vickerman 
 T. J. Williams 
 W. H. Wright 
 W. Wright 
 
 D. Woodworth 
 Emmet Wells 
 0. Wariner 
 
 G. C. Haven 
 J. J. Heron 
 C. Harding 
 George Bowen 
 
 Geo. Fordham, Captain, etc. 
 
 W. Hale, English soldier, lost 
 his arm at Big Bethel. 
 
 J. Griffin 
 
 William Goodrich, joined N. 
 Y. Artillery 
 
 L. Holmes 
 
 J. Hisley 
 
 William Hamley 
 
 J. Hobert 
 
 H. Jerome 
 
 W. H. H. Jones 
 
 E. D. Ketcham 
 
 E. D. Kinne 
 
 0. Keats 
 
 H. Kelsey 
 
 L. G. Mickles 
 
 William Moriley 
 
 P. Mirtues, a good soldier. 
 
 E. Morgan, a good soldier. 
 
 J. Mitchell 
 
 T. McKay 
 
 T. Nye 
 
 N. Larance 
 
 J. J. Phillips, in Postoffice of 
 Solvay. 
 
 C. A. Phillips 
 
 R. B. Philps 
 
 0. H. Parker 
 
 T. Pickham 
 
 C. Robinson 
 
 Samuel Stapley 
 
 J. H. Fesenmeyer 
 
 A. Fesenmeyer 
 
 The Fesenmeyers with two others came from Geddes. 
 
 Meanwhile the citizens of Syracuse had been taking 
 their full share in the patriotic activities and duties v^^hich 
 the war brought. Let us note a few of the stirring incidents 
 which marked the time. 
 
 On Sunday, April 21st, most of the preachers in the 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 9 
 
 churches spoke on the national crisis, and many men and 
 women wore Union badges. 
 
 On the 22nd of April, 1861, a great war mass meeting 
 was held in Syracuse. The speakers were Judge Charles 
 Andrews, Thomas G. Alvord, Hon. Dennis McCarthy, 
 General B. F. Bruce, Captain Silas Titus, Charles B. Sedg- 
 wick, Major Peck and others. Rev. Mr. Talmadge gave the 
 benediction. 
 
 The next day, April 23rd, the Common Council appro- 
 priated $10,000 for aid to families of volunteers. In the 
 Syracuse Journal of April 24th appeared the appeal: 
 
 "Work for the Ladies. May I be permitted to ask the 
 patriotic ladies of Syracuse for their aid in preparing 
 bandages and lint for those who may be wounded in their 
 country's service? 
 
 "It would be well for the ladies to organize themselves 
 into a society and systematize their labor, thus making 
 it more efficient. The best material from which to make 
 
 bandages are sheets that have been in use The 
 
 bandages (must be) rolled up tightly Lint may be 
 
 made from fine old table-cloths, and napkins (Dr.) 
 
 R. W. Pease." 
 
 There was a club formed, called "The Ladies Flag Club." 
 that met in the committee room of the Salt Company in the 
 Clinton Block. 
 
 On the evening of April 26th, '61, there was a general 
 mass meeting of representative Syracuse women, held in 
 the parlors of the old Syracuse House. At that meeting 
 a society called the "Daughters of Liberty," was organized. 
 
 There were one hundred and fifty women present and 
 the following officers were chosen : 
 
 President Mrs. E. W. Leavenworth 
 
 Vice-President Mrs. H. W. Chittenden 
 
 Secretary Mrs. I. S. Spencer 
 
 Treasurer Mrs. John B. Burnet 
 
 The following committees were appointed: 
 
 1st Ward— Mrs. T. J. Leach, Mrs. T. H. Hinton, Miss 
 Mary Bissell, Miss Nettie Van Vleck. 
 
 No committee for second ward. 
 
 3rd Ward — Mrs. William A. Judson, Mrs. V\^illiam C. 
 Finck, Miss Carrie Wallace, Miss Frances Gilford. 
 
 4th Ward — Mrs. Thomas B. Heermans, Mrs. George 
 
10 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 H. Middleton, Miss Cordelia Cogswell, Miss Amelia Thurber. 
 
 5th Weird— Mrs. E. Augustus Putnam, Mrs. E. N. Har- 
 ris, Miss Kate B. Mickles, Miss Julia Baldwin. 
 
 6th Ward — Mrs. Judge Sanford, Mrs. William Jackson, 
 Miss Mattie Brintnall, Miss Jennie Alexander. 
 
 7th Ward— Mrs. T. B. Fitch, Mrs. George Goodrich, 
 Miss Jennie Shankland, Miss Gertrude Hillis. 
 
 8th Ward — Mrs. James L. Bagg, Mrs. Calvin B. Gay, 
 Miss Stone, Miss Bonta. 
 
 Purchasing Committee — Mrs. B. Filkins, Mrs. Allen 
 Butler. 
 
 On motion of Mrs. Rosa Smith it was resolved — "That 
 the ladies of this Association hold themselves in readiness 
 to fill any position of usefulness to their country and its 
 defenders, and to give all aid and assistance in their power, 
 during the continuance of the war, not in conflict with their 
 duty to home and family." This resolution was adopted. 
 
 A room in the Clinton Block was offered by Mrs. Robert 
 Townsend. The committee for preparing work met there. 
 It was open all hours of the day. 
 
 A call for two shirts and a flannel shirt for each volun- 
 teer of Col. Walrath's regiment, was answered by the mer- 
 chants as well as the ladies, the former agreeing to provide 
 all material that the women would sew. The click of the 
 sewing machine was in the air, and the ladies worked at 
 their knitting as assiduously as men do to color their 
 meerschaums. There was no real strife in their work, for 
 all were interested in the same object. The work was so 
 organized that much was done. 
 
 Work Bags for Soldiers. — An officer writes that needle- 
 cases (he calls them work-bags) are more necessary for 
 soldiers than shirts and uniforms, and gives the following 
 instructions for building a work bag: — "The bag should 
 be made of new calico, (who ever heard of a woman having 
 a calico needle case), with double compartments (we call 
 them pockets) for each article, so that they may be easily 
 got at. It should contain one pair round pointed scissors, 
 (no ripping to be done), one paper carpet needles, two 
 darning needles, one skein blue or grey yarn, three hanks 
 black linen thread, one spool strong brown thread, two 
 skeins black silk, six dozen porcelain shirt buttons, a piece 
 of wax, one piece of grey twilled tape, two pieces of white 
 
CIVIL WAR RExMINISCENCES 11 
 
 tape, a needle case made of new delaine, small, plain and 
 strong, filled with needles and -half a paper of pins." Evi- 
 dently this is not for fancy work. 
 
 This Report of The Daughters of Liberty was made 
 June 26th, 1861 : 
 Flannel shirts made and sent to the Onondaga regiment. 630 
 
 Havelocks made and sent 800 
 
 Towels made and sent 400 
 
 Flannel shirts for Captain Butler's Zouaves 74 
 
 Havelocks made and sent to Captain Thompson's Zouaves 76 
 
 Work bags 300 
 
 Money received $1039.96 
 
 Money expended 1032.96 
 
 Mrs. John B. Burnet, Treasurer. 
 
 All the women who were not sewing were knitting. 
 The knitting needle was as important as the sword. Mrs. 
 Eedfield, although almost blind, knit over a hundred pairs 
 of socks for soldiers. The women all over this county were 
 doing the same things. 
 
 Daily Journal— May 9th, 1861. "What the Daughters of 
 Liberty have done up to last evening. They had finished 
 six hundred and seventy four flannel shirts, made of good 
 flannel, blue and grey. With each shirt was a neat little 
 work-bag. One lady made over one hundred and fifty 
 of these bags. The ladies who have joined in this patriotic 
 and benevolent work are entitled to great praise. It will be 
 a suflicient recompense to them to know that the volunteers 
 fully appreciate their labors. 
 
 To go back a few days. A concert was given by Mr. 
 Ernst Held and his pupils on the evening of April 18th, 
 1861. Just before the close of the concert Mr. Held an- 
 nounced that, instead of the piece on the programme, the 
 *'Star-Spangied Banner" would be sung. He was inter- 
 rupted by rounds of applause and for a few minutes could 
 not be heard, but finally made the audience understand that 
 he wished them to join in the chorus. 
 
 When Miss Lottie McLane appeared, carrying the stars 
 and stripes, she was greeted with thunders of applause. 
 The building rang with shouts and cries of "Hurrah," 
 "Hurrah.'' At the beginning of the song the audience rose 
 en masse and at the end of each verse joined in the chorus. 
 At the conclusion of the song some men proposed three 
 
12 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 cheers for the old flag. The flag was waved, and three 
 such cheers had never before been heard in Wieting Hall. 
 Simultaneously with the appeal for the soldiers came 
 that for interest in the families of volunteers. This work, 
 too, was taken up with vigor by the "Daughters of Liberty." 
 Among the most prominent workers in this society were 
 Mrs. Hamilton White, Mrs. William D. Stewart, Mrs. Har- 
 low Chittenden, Mrs, William Jackson, Mrs. T. B. Heer- 
 mans, Mrs. Seymour H. Stone, Mrs. Charles Davis, Mrs. 
 Oliver T. Burt, Mrs. Matthew Murphy, Mrs. Silas Titus, 
 Mrs. D. P. Wood, and a host of others. In every section 
 of the town, in every church society, coteries of ladies 
 formulated work and labored hard and well for the general 
 good cause. 
 
 A great musical entertainment was given on Wednesday 
 evening, April 24th, for the benefit of the families of the 
 Volunteers. It was a great success. Towards the close of 
 the concert Mrs. Dr. Stuart, in behalf of the ladies of Syra- 
 cuse, presented a beautiful silk flag to Colonel Walrath for 
 the 12th regiment. As she spoke she stood with it draped 
 around her. Col. Walrath received the flag and pledged 
 his regiment to defend it, which they did, and brought it 
 home with them. 
 
 A young lady of that day writes: 
 
 "It was difficult to realize in Syracuse, in the early 
 sixties, that a terrible and cruel civil war was upon us. 
 It was all excitement and enthusiasm, in seeing our bravest 
 and best making ready to start for the scene of conflict. 
 The women were not idle, they met morning after morning 
 to sew, and prepare lint and bandages to send wherever 
 needed. 
 
 "And the younger element made a diversion of the duty, 
 and many afternoons, instead of the four o'clock Tea's of 
 the present day, the gay society girls met to sew for 
 "The boys in blue." The young men would be invited for 
 supper, and the evening would be spent in dancing, and 
 with as light hearts, as if there was no Cruel War in 
 prospect. 
 
 "Each girl opened her house in turn for the sake of 
 patriotism. Many were the surmises of the girls as to who 
 would wear the articles made by them. We spent hours 
 and days in making the white linen Havelocks, which were 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 13 
 
 to protect the heads of our brave soldiers from the intense 
 rays of the sun, but history tells us they were never used 
 by them, except as pocket handkerchiefs or to clean their 
 muskets. 
 
 "The first fruits of our labors were blue woolen shirts, 
 made for Johnnie Butler, our old friend from early dancing 
 school days, who was among the first, with his brave 
 Zouaves, to respond to his country's call in her hour of 
 peril. We purchased the material for the shirts and met 
 to commence work, but, alas, not one of us knew how to cut 
 a shirt, much les^ to set it together. After much discussion 
 as to what we were to do, one of the girls said, we will go 
 
 for Mrs , who was near. She came to our rescue, 
 
 and the shirts were cut, made, approved and accepted." 
 
 Now comes the raising of the flag all over town. The 
 patriotism of the people is getting to the highest pitch. The 
 flag was out upon the Liberty pole in Clinton Square, over 
 the Globe Hotel, Syracuse House, Voorhees House (now the 
 Empire), the Firemen's Hall and many other buildings. A 
 flag was raised on the Unitarian Church, also on the college 
 buildings of the Franciscan Friars on North Salina Street. 
 Father John raised the stars and stripes over the Catholic 
 Church in the 4th ward. On May 23rd the flag was raised 
 over the Dutch Reformed Church. A beautiful one was 
 raised on the Irving School, East Fayette Street. It was 
 a present from Miss Carrie Morris, principal of the school. 
 At the Clinton School, Lodi Street, a flag was raised, the 
 gift of Miss Mercy Slocum, the principal. They were 
 raised over many other schools in the city. 
 
 At a meeting of the women teachers of the public schools 
 in Syracuse, over seventy tendered their services to aid in 
 fitting out volunteers. They gave $12 for materials for 
 havelocks. 
 
 Merchants were generous. Price and Wheeler offered 
 to keep up the salaries of two of their clerks, $600 to $400 
 each, while they were in their country's service. This 
 offer was accepted. Mr. Thomas Rice, who kept a large 
 grocery store, proposed or agreed, that Stephen Estes, his 
 confidential clerk and bookkeeper, should receive his salary 
 of $1000 a year during his absence as a volunteer, and his 
 place should be kept for him. Mr. Edward Rice, dry goods 
 merchant, paid two of his clerks who enlisted. It was 
 
1 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 said, (times being different from what they are now) , if 
 
 the clerks in the stores enlist, there are hosts of girls to take 
 
 their places, "This is the way for women to volunteer." 
 
 Mr. Thomas T. Davis wrote the following 'letter to the 
 
 Editor of the Journal : 
 
 "Mr. Editor — As many of our firemen have enlisted or 
 
 will enlist for the war, it becomes our citizens who remain 
 at home, to fill up their ranks. I was a member of the 
 Fire Department for seven years, am ready to re-enlist in 
 the present emergency. Thomas T. Davis." 
 
 Even as early as this, (April, 1861,) so many printers 
 had volunteered that they were already getting scarce. The 
 Journal said "If this furore for military service increases, 
 publishers will be obliged to employ young boys and girls 
 to do their work." 
 
 A private subscription to raise money for the families of 
 volunteers was started. Almost every well known man in 
 town subscribed $100. 
 
 The doctors were very patriotic and generous. Here is 
 a copy of a paper they signed : "Gratuitous medical service 
 to the families of volunteers. We, the undersigned, mem- 
 bers of the Syracuse Medical Association, desirous of serv- 
 ing our country at home, and on the field as occasion may 
 require, profer our gratuitous professional services to the 
 families of volunteers, who may require such service, till 
 every rebel has laid down his arms, the leaders hung, and 
 none but freemen tread our soil. Signed — Dr. Alfred Mer- 
 cer, Dr. J. P. Dunlap, Dr. A. B. Shipman, Dr. James Foran, 
 Dr. Hezekiah Joslyn, Dr. W. W. Porter, Dr. R. W. Pease, 
 Dr. J. F. Trowbridge, Dr. J. 0. Shipman, Dr. P. 0. Samson, 
 Dr. H. D. Didama." 
 
 Men and women were equally patriotic all over Onon- 
 daga County. On Saturday, April 27th, 1861, there was a 
 union meeting and flag presentation at Pompey Hill. The 
 ladies of Pompey presented the volunteers from that town 
 with a flag. The presentation was made by Miss Fanny 
 Webb, saying: "In behalf of the ladies of Pompey, I 
 present you with this flag under which our fathers marched 
 to battle and to victory, and which no foe, at home or abroad, 
 shall ever trample in the dust with impunity. In the eyes 
 of a traitorous confederacy it has lost its attractions, but 
 we women love it, and you men love it. It is the Stars 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 15 
 
 and Stripes, the flag of the Union, the (Star Spangled Ban- 
 ner, that ever shall wave o'er the land of the free, and the 
 home of the brave.) You go forth to the contest to uphold 
 the honor of this flag. You will suffer no stain of cowardice 
 to disfigure it. Sooner than surrender it, you will baptize 
 it in your blood. We give you no silver or gold, but we 
 place in your hands a treasure compared with which silver 
 and gold are but baubles, the flag of our country. Take it 
 as a token of our affection for you, our deep sympathy in 
 all of your future perils and privations, our highest ap- 
 preciation of your self-denial and patriotism, and our firm 
 persuasion of the holiness of the cause to which you have 
 given your hands, your hearts, your all." 
 
 Mr. Noble, taking the flag, replied as follows: 
 
 "Ladies of Pompey: 
 
 "In behalf of the volunteers of this town I return to you 
 our sincere thanks. We receive it as a true test of your 
 gratitude and affection, and as we receive it, we believe 
 that you are true patriots, lovers of liberty, and as such, 
 will exert an influence to help forward the cause of freedom. 
 In behalf of the friends and companions who have pledged 
 their lives to their country, I would ask your prayers, not 
 only, that we may be spared to return, but that we may 
 come back to you without any loss of moral or religious 
 character (here speaks the old spirit of the first settlers 
 of Pompey) and if called to engage in battle, may we do 
 our duty manfully, never shrinking from danger. And 
 now, as those who expect soon to leave you, we bid you one 
 and all an affectionate farewell. If we are not permitted 
 to return, may we meet in that better world where there 
 shall be no more parting. Again I say farewell." 
 
 A contemporaneous account adds : 
 
 "The ceremony was an impressive one. In the hushed 
 stillness of the moment every heart seemed offering up a 
 prayer for our country, and for the youthful soldiers who 
 stood in our midst. A procession was formed, and preceded 
 by volunteers with their flag, it went to one of the churches. 
 After appropriate remarks by the President of the meeting 
 and a prayer by the Rev. Mr. Southmayd, impressive 
 speeches were made by Rev. Messrs. Kenyon and Grajiey, 
 E. Butler, Esq., Mr. Southmayd and Judge Morgan. The 
 whole audience, with uplifted heads, gave assent to the 
 
16 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 oath administered by Judge Morgan, to support the Con- 
 stitution of the United States and to defend it with their 
 lives." 
 
 THE LADIES OF MANLIUS AWAKE. , 
 
 This same Saturady evening in April, the patriotic 
 women of Manlius held a meeting in Smith Hall for the 
 purpose of providing bandages, lint, etc., for the use and 
 comfort of the sick and wounded soldiers. They organized 
 themselves into a permanent body to exist during the war. 
 
 President, Mrs. A. H. Jerome 
 
 Vice-Presients Mrs. Dr. Nims, Mrs, E. Duell 
 
 Executive Committee — Mrs. H. D. June, Mrs. George Whit- 
 man, Miss Martha Ward, Miss Mary Clapp, Miss Mary 
 Caswell. 
 
 ■'Secretary Miss Frances Safford 
 
 Treasurer Miss Hannah Parry 
 
 Inspired with enthusiasm, patriotism and philanthorpy, 
 they assembled to the number of over two hunderd. Their 
 anxious hearts and busy hands bespeak the determination 
 to do their utmost in the beneficent work of love and mercy 
 they have undertaken. All were deeply impressed with 
 the feeling that their husbands, sons, brothers, should lack 
 none of the comforts which under the circumstances it 
 would be possible for them to provide. 
 
 ONONDAGA VALLEY, MAY 9TH, 1861. 
 
 The people of the Valley assembled on the green to 
 witness the raising of a beautiful new flag on the cupola 
 of the Academy. The flag was made by the students of the 
 Academy. As it floated to the breeze hearty cheers were 
 given, and all the people sang, "The Star Spangled Banner." 
 
 One little boy repeated this poem: 
 
 "Raise the country's tri-hued emblem. 
 Let its blessings proudly fly; 
 It was its like that led our fathers, 
 When the battle tide was high. 
 
 "And we love to do it honor. 
 And we'll rally one and all. 
 To surround it, and support it 
 When our country gives the call. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 17 
 
 "It was bequeathed us, and to keep it 
 We will fight like loyal sons, 
 Who can never learn to tremble 
 At the boom of rebel guns. 
 
 "And though hard may be the struggle, 
 
 When the bloody scene is o'er. 
 
 Every star shall brightly glitter 
 As it ever did before." 
 
 Several addresses were made by the Rev. Mr. Talmadge, 
 General Wm. Cullen Brown and others. A message was 
 received announcing the arrival of the Home Guard. They 
 were invited to enter. Tiventy-five boys from ten to four- 
 teen years of age, under command of Master F. E. Rowe, 
 appeared. The General thought the country was safe, and 
 the Home Guards were enthusiastically cheered. 
 
 Independent and separate companies from all parts of 
 Onondaga County joined other regiments. Quite a number 
 of Germans, belonging to the Turners Society of Syracuse, 
 went to New York to join the Turners' Regiment organized 
 there. 
 
 Patriotism of the Lysander Ladies — 
 
 A correspondent at Lysander writes to the Journal, May 
 16th, 1861 :— 
 
 "The ladies of the sewing circle in Lysander met at the 
 house of their pastor. Rev. J. B. Hall, on Friday of last 
 week. Instead of their usual labors they scraped lint, and 
 made bandages. The patriotism of the ladies of this town 
 is at a high pitch, exceeding that of the men. They say if 
 they wore the breeches there would have been a volunteer 
 force from here before this time." 
 
 What the women of the North will do if necessary, Miss 
 Fanny Kendall writes to the Journal : — 
 
 "And so, some in the South imagine that the agricultural 
 pursuits must be almost entirely abandoned in the North, 
 to furnish men for the war. Don't they know we have 
 some 7vor,2en here, who if the fathers, brothers, husbands, 
 sons, must all leave their farms for the battle field, they, the 
 women, will (with brave hearts and hands made strong by 
 the consciousness that they are working for loved ones), 
 till the land, plow, plant, sow and gather the harvest? We 
 can do it, and will if necessary." 
 
18 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 Journal, May 23rd. Daughters of Liberty. 
 
 "The ladies of Syracuse and vicinity are requested to 
 meet at the Society's rooms in the Clinton Block, tomorrow 
 morning at nine o'clock, to assist in making havelocks for 
 the Onondaga Regiment. It is hoped that the ladies will 
 respond cheerfully to this call. 
 
 "Mrs. Israel Spencer, Secretary." 
 
 We have gone far enough from the bitterness of this 
 strife to acknowledge that the women of the South were 
 just as patriotic according to their ideas, just as devoted to 
 their cause, worked as hard for it as any Northern women. 
 Indeed they threw themselves into "the cause," as they 
 called it, with a passionate vehemence we never knew. 
 They suffered more in loss of homes than anyone at the 
 north. To this day they cherish the memories of the war, 
 revere and honor their soldiers as no one at the North has 
 ever done. 
 
 Journal, May ISth: 
 
 "A full company of volunteers left Fulton. They were 
 escorted to the cars by the faculty and students of Falley 
 Seminary and a crowd of citizens and friends from the sur- 
 rounding country. A flag was presented by the ladies of 
 Fulton. Each soldier was also given a rosette and Bible 
 by the young ladies. Then the people made ample provision 
 for the families of those who had volunteered, who needed 
 it. Some of the students enlisted, ready to go if called for. 
 The girls made another flag and hung it up over their 
 seminary." 
 
 On the 1st day of June, 1861, there was a grand flag rais- 
 ing at Skaneateles, over the Union school house. The same 
 day there was a pole and flag raising at Navarino, crowds 
 were present. 
 
 Cicero, June 10th — Mr. Adam Lucas, a poor but patriotic 
 citizen, a German by birth but a true American, procured 
 at his own expense a fine flag and a splendid pole and invited 
 the citizens of Brewerton and vicinity to assist in erecting 
 the same. The flag was made by the ladies of the neighbor- 
 hood and presented by a little girl of ten years. 
 
 Saturday, June 22nd — Captain John F. Moschell has 
 opened a recruiting station in this city (Syracuse) where 
 men can enroll themselves for cavalry service in Col. 
 James Van Allen's regiment. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 19 
 
 Syracuse, June 28th — The pupils of Seymour school, in 
 the Fifth ward, raised some money and purchased 125 
 yards of materials for tovv^els. After the school session 
 was closed, the teachers and officers of the school formed 
 themselves into a sewing circle, and made up these towels 
 for the Onondaga regiment. 
 
 July 1st — Dr. Pease writes, asking the citizens of Syra- 
 cuse to supply him with twelve cots and wire mattresses 
 for his hospital. He appealed especially to the loyalty of 
 those "good Samaritans," the Daughters of Liberty. I 
 notice it is a fact appreciated in Camp Onondaga that the 
 ladies of Syracuse have done all that has been done for the 
 regiment. 
 
 Friday, August 2nd — Captain Moschell's cavalry com- 
 pany left last night, at ten-thirty, for Washington. This 
 company is composed of a fine lot of hardy young men, most 
 of them fresh from the farms near the city and the work- 
 shops of the city. 
 
 August 8th — "Contributions for the hospitals at Wash- 
 ington to the amount of three barrels and two boxes, have 
 been forwarded this day by the U. S. express, free of charge. 
 Mary E. Leavenworth, President." 
 
 The ladies of Manlius sent a box. 
 
 Generals Slocum and Peck received their commissions 
 as Brigadier Generals on the 9th of August, 1861. 
 
 Butler Zouaves. 
 
 Mr. Augustus Cook, a member of Captain Butler's com- 
 pany, writes to the Baldwinsville Gazette as follows: 
 
 Albany, May , 1861. 
 
 "I am writing this letter on a pile of mattresses eight 
 feet high, with a pie-plate for a desk. Four boys are play- 
 ing cards at my right hand, while ten or twelve are 
 singing, — 
 
 "I wish I was in Dixie!" using a substitute more appro- 
 priate, 
 
 "I wish I was in Baltimore." 
 
 "Five long tables, 80 ft. long, 6 ft. wide, are in our 
 'hotel.' Each man has his rations placed before him ; if he 
 does not like them he must stance. All the companies 
 seemed to be satisfied with the food until the Syracuse 'boys' 
 came down ; then grumbling commenced and finally two- 
 thirds of our company refused to go to the tables. The 
 
20 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 result was, we had a different cook. The meals are decidedly- 
 better. So much for rebellion !" 
 
 Baldivinsville Artillei'ij Volunteers. 
 
 "A detachment of thirty-seven fine appearing men who 
 enlisted at Baldwinsville from the adjoining towns, reached 
 Syracuse this morning (August 26th), on their way to 
 Elmira. Their Captain, R, D, Pettit, is a thorough soldier, 
 who served through the Mexican war. They wish to be- 
 come a light battery. This company took this temperance 
 pledge : 
 
 *' 'We, the undersigned, members of Company A, Battery 
 B, Light Artillery, do solemnly promise not to use any 
 intoxicating liquors, wines or beer, as a beverage, while in 
 the service of the United States.' " 
 
 The departure of this famous organization, which, as 
 'Tettit's Battery," was distined to win glory, by its courage 
 and skill on many a hard-fought field, may fittingly bring 
 to a close this brief account of the stirring days of '61 in 
 Onondaga County. 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE 12th (ONONDAGA) 
 REGIMENT, NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 The Journal, April 18th, 1861, said: 
 
 "At a meeting of the commissioned officers of the 51st 
 N. Y. State Militia last evening, April 17th, a report was 
 received of the action of the several companies. The fol- 
 lowing resolution was unanimously adopted : Resolved, That 
 Colonel Walrath be authorized to inform Governor Morgan, 
 that the 51st regiment is prepared to respond to his call, 
 and ready to serve whenever ordered. This action was 
 telegraphed to Governor Morgan." 
 
 This was the first regiment (not company) organized in 
 Onondaga County for the war, and among the first formed 
 in the State. One company was raised in Canastota; one 
 in Batavia by Captain Root ; part of a company from Cort- 
 land ; one company came from Liverpool ; 25 men came from 
 Pompey. The men who enlisted were from the best class 
 in the community. 
 
 V/ednesday, "May 1st, I find this notice: — 
 
 "Daughters of Liberty. — Ladies who are making shirts 
 for the volunteers are requested to meet at the Syracuse 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 21 
 
 House this, Wednesday evening, at 7 o'clock, to finish the 
 work. As the 12th regiment leaves to-morrow, it is 
 absolutely necessary that the shirts should be all sent in this 
 evening. A prompt and full attendance of the ladies is 
 particularly requested. 
 
 "Mrs. Israel S. Spencer, Secretary." 
 
 The Daily Journal, Thursday evening. May 2d, 1861. 
 
 The Onondaga Regiment : 
 
 "The first full regiment of volunteers sent forward by 
 any one County in the State of New York, in response to 
 the call of the government, left today from Old Onondaga. 
 This is a fact of which our citizens may well feel proud. 
 It is honorable, not only to our city and county, but also to 
 the energetic men who have done the hard work necessary 
 to the attainment of this result." 
 
 This regiment had been ordered to proceed to the rendez- 
 vous at Elmira. At early dawn the members of the various 
 companies began their preparations; the Regimental 
 Armory presented a busy and interesting scene. Thousands 
 of men and women visited the companies at the Armory, 
 and by words and deeds gave cheer and encouragement to 
 the volunteers. Between ten and eleven o'clock, when all the 
 companies of the regiment were drawn up in line a delega- 
 tion of nearly forty young ladies presented them with ros- 
 ettes, fastening them on their coats with their own hands, as 
 a pledge of their interest in the cause which these brave men 
 were going to uphold. When the ceremony was ended, the 
 men with one voice gave thundering cheers for their lady 
 friends. The young ladies also presented each man with a 
 pocket Testament, accompanied by words of good cheer. 
 
 Dr. Canfield addressed them. At one o'clock the com- 
 panies mustered at the Armory, were formed into line, and 
 a national salute was fired. 
 
 Many touching scenes occurred at the leave taking. 
 No words can describe that scene. There were many aching 
 hearts. The Fire Department acted as escort to the depart- 
 ing regiment. Headed by Sutherland's Band they marched 
 through Genesee Street to Jefferson Street. At half-past 
 one they marched to the Central Station, several other bands 
 joining the procession. All along the line of march there 
 were large crowds of people, "still cheering that other fellow 
 on." 
 
22 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 The regiment made a fine appearance, — eight hundred 
 and nine men. They got aboard a special train of sixteen 
 cars, and at precisely two o'clock the train pulled out of the 
 station. As the cars moved off slowly the crowd of spec- 
 tators gave rousing cheers, which were heartily responded 
 to by the volunteers. 
 
 The soldiers of the Old 12th Regiment managed to have 
 some fun on their way to war. In the 12th there were one 
 or two companies made up almost entirely of "Salt 
 Pointers." They were an energetic set of follows. The 
 following incident is told of their departure from Elmira 
 for Washington. Many of the cars in which the troops 
 were transported were freight cars, with rough board seats 
 put up for temporary use. There was a barn door in the 
 center of each car, but no other way to get light or air. The 
 "Salt Pointers" were no sooner seated than they began to 
 illustrate their ideas of ventilation. With vigorous jabs the 
 muzzles of muskets pierced their way through the stout 
 wood boards. In a short time nearly every man had a win- 
 dow of his own. Occasionally a head would be stuck out, 
 and a Salt Point cheer — "One, two, three — red — white — 
 blue, Salt Point tiger," would ring out on the air. 
 
 The car occupied by the Salt Pointers was marked with 
 chalk on the outside: "Salt Pointers, Care of Uncle Sam. 
 Handle with care." 
 
 So it is in the world, Tom and Jack march away to glory 
 with their knapsacks on their shoulders, stepping out 
 briskly to the tune of "The Girl I Left Behind Me." The 
 woman remains behind, and suffers and waits, and has the 
 leisure to think, and brood and fear. 
 
 The wife of Captain Brewer, the wife of Captain Locke, 
 and Captain Brewer's daughter, Ada, who was recognized 
 as the Daughter of the Regiment, went with the regiment, 
 expecting to discharge the duties of nurses. On the way 
 from Elmira to Washington, these ladies and the officers of 
 the regiment were provided with a comfortable passenger 
 coach, trimmed with flowers and evergreen boughs. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 23 
 
 NAMES OF OFFICERS OF THE 12th N. Y. S. 
 VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Ezra L. Walrath Colonel 
 
 James I. Graham Lieut. Colonel 
 
 John Louis * Major 
 
 Silas Titus Adjutant 
 
 Edmund B. Griswold Quarter Master 
 
 Roger W. Pease Surgeon 
 
 Dr. A. B. Shipman Assistant Surgeon 
 
 Charles Sedgwick Quarter Master Sergeant 
 
 Rev. C. S. Percival, of Calvary Church, Homer, was 
 appointed Chaplain of the 12th. 
 
 Company A. 
 
 Morris H, Church Captain 
 
 Ira Wood Lieutenant 
 
 Charles B. Randall Ensign 
 
 Company B. 
 
 Jacob Brand Captain 
 
 Peter Strauss Lieutenant 
 
 John P. Spanier Ensign 
 
 Company C. 
 
 Dennis Driscoll, Jr Captain 
 
 James Randall Lieutenant 
 
 John P. Stanton Ensign 
 
 Company D. 
 
 George W. Stone Captain (from Cortland) 
 
 Lucius C. Storrs Lieutenant 
 
 George Snyder Ensign 
 
 Company E. 
 
 Jabez Mosher Brower Captain 
 
 Frederick Horner Lieutenant 
 
 Samuel J. Abbott Ensign 
 
 Company F. 
 
 Milo W. Locke Captain 
 
 William Gleason Lieutenant 
 
 Stephen D. Clark Ensign 
 
 This company was raised at Liverpool. The ladies of 
 Liverpool sent them a flag. 
 
24 the onondaga historical association 
 
 Company G. 
 
 Joseph C. Irish Captain (Canastota) 
 
 John H. Johnson Lieutenant 
 
 Erskine P. Woodford Ensign 
 
 Company H. 
 
 George W. Cole . . . Captain 
 
 George Triiesdell Lieutenant 
 
 Albert M. Wibom Ensign 
 
 Company I. 
 
 Henry A. Barnum Captain 
 
 Hamilton R. Combs Lieutenant 
 
 Edward Drake Ensign 
 
 Company K. 
 
 Augustus J. Root Captain 
 
 Son of General Israel Root of Jordan, one of the 
 veterans of 1812. From Batavia. 
 
 William P. Town Lieutenant 
 
 Lucius Smith Ensign 
 
 May 3rd. "Information of the arrival of the Onondaga 
 Regiment at Elmira last night has been received. Their 
 journey on the Central was marked by demonstrations of 
 approval at all the principal stations. At Camillus a salute 
 was fired." A soldier of the 12th, writing home from 
 from Elmira, said: 
 
 "Let us pay a desei-ved compliment to Harlow W. Chit- 
 tenden, Esq., Assistant Superintendent of the Central Rail- 
 road, for his most excellent arrangements for our accom- 
 modation. Nothing was wanting his care and foresight 
 could provide." 
 
 There was a most bountiful supply of provisions on the 
 train, enough to feed twice as many men, which the fore- 
 thought and liberality of Captain W. D. Stewart of the 
 Syracuse House, and other friends, had furnished. There 
 were no hungry men on that train. — The Journal, Thursday 
 evening. May 7th, '61. 
 
 The Elm.ira Advertiser says : 
 
 "The Onondaga Regiment, quartered at the Clinton 
 Street barracks, are evidently the kind of stuff that soldiers 
 are made of. They have already been subjected to con- 
 siderable drill, and go through the evolutions quite credit- 
 ably." 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 25 
 
 While in Elmira, the Onondaga Regiment was enter- 
 tained by a Mr. Wm. T. Post, who invited them to his farm 
 at Southport, threw his grounds open, and treated the men 
 to beer, ginger-bread, crackers and bushels of apples. Every 
 man looked and acted like a gentleman. 
 
 A visitor to the Elmira rendezvous says : 
 "The men were dressed in their new uniforms, and 
 looked very 'rich but not gaudy.' At first sight I thought I 
 beheld a large parcel of boys enveloped in their father's 
 clothes, and intermingled with these were a number of 
 undeniable men, who had donned their childhood apparel. 
 But as a whole there seems to have been a great waste of 
 cloth at the country's expense. Colonel Walrath had sent 
 orders to Albany that he had a regiment of able-bodied men, 
 hence the suits were cut after the aldermanic pattern." 
 A soldier of the 12th gave me this account : 
 "While at Elmira our boys received a grey suit of pants 
 and jackets of same color, and coarse army shoes. Our 
 clothes were a poor, shabby lot. Some of the pants alto- 
 gether too big to wear, and the grey jackets were big enough 
 to cover an army mule. Other garments were too small, 
 especially the pants, which did not have to be rolled up to 
 be kept out of the mud, and the jackets of some of the men 
 could not be buttoned, but had to be laced up like a shoe, or 
 hang open all the time. Oh my! How mad some of our 
 men were at these clothes; but we had to take them or go 
 without, and, as a rule, no man wanted to go without, 
 for he would be called down; and most of the men 
 were very modest and careful not to be seen in an undress 
 manner, in these times which tried men's souls and tempers. 
 How to liA^e in peace without the sin of swearing and rough 
 talk not fit to be heard, was hard." 
 
 Our most modest and polite young men soon got over 
 their politeness, and all of the Army chaplains this side of 
 Heaven could not make some men behave. 
 
 Syracuse Courier, May 11th, 1861. 
 
 "Notes from a Volunteer's Knapsack, by George N. 
 Cheney. 
 
 "Barracks, 12th Reg., N. Y. V., Elmira, May 7th, 1861. 
 
 "Dear Aunt: — This is a queer, nondescript sort of life 
 we are leading here, and though I have waited to tell you 
 how I liked it, I cannot do it. It is outlandish, and there 
 
26 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 is nothing to like about it. At the same time, my health 
 is so good I cannot dislike it. I am very glad I came so far. 
 
 "We arrived about two o'clock Friday morning, chilled 
 through and turned into our bunks. These are about seven 
 feet long by five wide : two on a frame, one above the other. 
 There are two narrow straw ticks in each bunk; one light 
 blanket to each tick ; two men sleep in the bunk ; four in the 
 frame. There are six rows of these frames in this room; 
 twelve in each row, making nearly three hundred men who 
 sleep in this big room or story. There are three such 
 stories in this building, which used to be a store house ; the 
 whole regiment is in it. We have got used to our sleeping 
 arrangements now, so that we get along pretty comfortably, 
 though most of the boys have colds. But the first night was 
 a tough one. It was enough to make a horse laugh to hear 
 the boys go on about their beds. 'Don't get any feathers 
 into your ear.' 'Get out of bed with your boots on; you'll 
 muddy the sheets.' 'Here, waiter, waiter, bring me a 
 pillow,' back and forth, a perfect hubbub. We got up early 
 in the morning, washed in the canal, and wiped on our hand- 
 kerchiefs — (no towels, you know). We hadn't slept much, 
 but we laughed everything off, and after breakfast we felt 
 better. 
 
 "Repeated calls were made during the meal for 'oyster 
 soup,' 'chicken pie,' 'Some griddle cakes,' 'Pass the butter 
 this way,' etc., etc., but no such things were to be had. 
 Bread, beef roast or boiled, boiled potatoes are the only food, 
 except at noon, when beans sometimes takes the place of 
 potatoes. Coffee takes the place of all other luxuries. I 
 drink two quarts a day and could not get along without it. 
 I believe some men drink a gallon a day. Our meals are set 
 on long tables; each man helps himself to what he wants. 
 We are waited on, the table set and cleared off, and the 
 dishes washed by men of the company, four different ones 
 being detailed each day for this duty. Each company eats 
 by itself. The contractors get $2.94 a week for each man. 
 They could afford to feed us better than they do for this 
 sum. 
 
 "Our life is as follows : The reveille beats at half -past 
 five o'clock to get up ; six, roll call ; seven, breakfast ; nine, 
 drill till twelve ; twelve, dinner. It is now almost one, and 
 I am writing this letter. From two till four, drill; five 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 27 
 
 o'clock, supper; nine-thirty, roll call; ten o'clock, taps 
 sounded, lights shut off ; silence enforced. We are supposed 
 to go to sleep. 
 
 "We have not yet settled down to rigid discipline, but 
 it grows more strict every day. Sentinels are posted every- 
 where around the barracks. No one can go down town 
 without leave. We expect our uniforms every day. There 
 are about three thousand volunteers in town, more arriving 
 by every train. They are quartered in all sorts of places; 
 some in churches, some in halls, one company in the Court 
 House. None of their quarters seem to be as good as ours. 
 "In haste, yours, 
 
 George N. Cheney." 
 
 Elmira, May 29th, 1861. 
 
 "The Onondaga Regiment, Colonel Walrath, and the 
 Rochester Regiment, Colonel Quimby, left here for Wash- 
 ington at one o'clock today. They were escorted to the cars 
 by all of the other troops here. There was a general turn 
 out of citizens. The departing regiments were in fine 
 spirits and made an excellent appearance." 
 
 On reaching Baltimore the regiment was formed into 
 line and marched through the streets, "surrounded by a 
 crowd of ugly, cross looking rebels, who wanted to anni- 
 hilate us, and we expected a riot; but as we had received 
 our guns and ammunition before we left Elmira, they let 
 us alone." 
 
 The Onondaga and Rochester regiments were met on 
 their arrival at Baltimore by the notorious Marshal Hine, 
 who informed Col. Walrath that he would show them the 
 way through the city to the Washington station. He said 
 they might meet with some difficulty on going through the 
 streets, but that he and his men would give them all the pro- 
 tection in his power. Col. Walrath replied that they were 
 there to shake hands or fight. They had come from home to 
 fight for the Union, and they would just as soon begin now 
 and put down disloyalty in Baltimore as anywhere else. 
 
 The Editorial Correspondent of the Buffalo Express 
 thus describes the march of the Onondaga and Rochester 
 regiments through Baltimore: 
 
 "Standing on the balcony of the Eutaw House, Thursday 
 evening, we saw the Syracuse and Rochester regiments 
 march down the street gallantly and steadily, — the mob on 
 
28 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 either side, awed but ugly. My companion and myself felt 
 that as New Yorkers we would cheer the flags borne by men 
 of our State through Baltimore, so we gave them loud 
 hurrahs. The color sergeant dipped his flag and looked up 
 in surprise, but a Secessionist near us sneakingly drew his 
 revolver, held it partly concealed, and waited to give a 
 coward's shot. He was a dandy in dress, but looked mean 
 enough to commit murder. Another fellow ran out from 
 beneath the balcony, pistol in hand and would have shot if 
 he had dared. Talk about chivalry ; talk rather of cowards. 
 Ke would not have dared to shoot a man who v/as looking 
 at him. 
 
 "We stood there till the troops passed, but soon became 
 convinced that the people about the house did not like us, 
 and so we took our departure for the station. As these regi- 
 ments were marching through the streets of Baltimore, a 
 Secessionist flag was displayed by a lady from a window. 
 A Union flag was immediately put out by another woman, 
 from the opposite side of the street, which was saluted by 
 the regiment. No notice was taken of the Secession flag. 
 The wife of Wilson Gary, the principal of a fashionable girls' 
 boarding school, stood in the door of her dwelling and waved 
 in the faces of the Union, the Confederate flag. This was 
 in direct disobedience of a municipal ordinance." 
 
 A Baltimore correspondent of the New York Tribune 
 wrote: "The people of Eastern New \ork may boast of 
 their soldiers, who may be all that is said of them ; but they 
 are pigmies by the side of the 'Anakims/ the giants ol Syra- 
 cuse and Rochester. Baltimore was thrown into fits of 
 admiration at the appearance of these two regiments, and 
 the rebels could not repress manifestations of wonder and 
 fear." 
 
 A Washin.gton correspondent of the New York Evening 
 Post said of the 12th and 13th regiments, "Both regiments 
 appear remarkably well. The men are large and muscular." 
 
 Here follows Dr. R. W. Pease's letter describing the 
 march of the 12th Regiment (Onondaga) through Balti- 
 more, May 30th, 1861 : 
 
 "Our journey was one continuous ovation until we 
 reached the Maryland line, and even then we were frequently 
 cheered and encouraged by the waving of handkerchiefs and 
 other demonstrations along the way. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 29 
 
 "But directly on reaching the Maryland line we found 
 a picket guard stationed along the road, strongly guarding 
 every bridge and communicating with each other for over 
 forty miles. This convinced us that the loyalty of this 
 section was inspired by a due sense of respect for armed 
 authority, and that only to the true lovers of our country 
 was our presence at all pleasing. Our train was, by order 
 of Col. Walrath, stopped about fifteen miles before reach- 
 ing Baltimore; every musket loaded; every bayonet fixed; 
 every officer armed with his revolver. We arrived in Balti- 
 more at seven o'clock in the evening. Our coming was 
 expected. The people of the city had turned out to see us, 
 not welcome us. Our reception at Baltimore by a large part 
 of the people was sullen, silent, and mean. The silence at 
 times of the immense throng was ominous, but the march 
 of the men was excellent. They knew they were ready for 
 any demonstrations and were ready for any emergency. 
 
 "We were followed closely by the Rochester regiment, 
 and the measured tramp of seventeen hundred men was 
 grand. Our flag was displayed, and the drums beat a lively 
 air, and we passed safely over the same ground consecrated 
 by the blood of the Sixth Massachusetts braves, on that 
 bright April day. At several points on our route we were 
 greeted heartily, by the ladies in particular, in passing 
 through Baltimore. Yet it was evident that the city con- 
 tains a horde of vile fellows who are held in subjection only 
 by fear." 
 
 Mr. George D. Cowles was in Washington when the 12th 
 Regiment reached that city. He says that "Although the 
 men of the regiment were not regularly supplied with food 
 from Thursday evening until the next morning at about 
 eleven o'clock, most, if not all of the companies, received 
 most hospitable treatment at the hands of the Minister from 
 Switzerland and his wife, who threw open their house to 
 the soldiers and provided them with a generous collation in 
 the morning. On Friday evening the Onondaga and 
 Rochester regiments paid their respects to the President at 
 the White House, and to General Scott at his residence. 
 They received a hearty welcome." 
 
 Major Louis, of the 12th, wrote: 
 
 "After a very tedious and protracted journey, we arrived 
 at 12 o'clock last night at the Capital of our unfortunate 
 
30 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 Republic and are quartered at present in some vacant apart- 
 ments of the Capital. I occupy a splendid room which used 
 to belong to a Southern Senator. 
 
 "We were cheered and regaled by the people during our 
 passage through the State of Pennsylvania. Wherever we 
 stopped, the inhabitants gave us hot coffee, cake, milk and 
 eggs. Some of the Pennsylvania Dutchmen brought us 
 sauerkraut and speck. From village to village, from hamlet 
 to hamlet, the people cheered us and gave us their blessing, 
 until we arrived at Baltimore. There the scene changed. 
 The sinister looks of the populace made us aware that we 
 were treading over a volcano, but as we had our muskets 
 loaded, we did not mind their gloomy visages and with a 
 firm step and watchful eye we defiled through the very street 
 where the 6th Massachusetts was attacked. 
 
 At that time General Nye gave his idea of what is 
 needed now. There was no happier man in all Washing- 
 ton when it was certainly known that Northern troops were 
 on their way to defend the National Capital. Meeting an 
 old friend from Syracuse, he said, in his very best style: 
 
 "Old Salt Point! God bless you. We are now redeemed 
 and disenthralled. I have made up my mind that this war- 
 fare life is a damned humbug : What we want now is a few 
 happy deaths." 
 
 When the regiment reached Washington it was quar- 
 tered for a few days at Caspari's House, but soon went into 
 regular camp, "Camp Onondaga," at a point just north of 
 the city. Here it was drilled constantly, getting ready for 
 war. It received visits from many of the principal public 
 men of Washington, President Lincol' ' ?ing among the 
 number to call. 
 
 These citizen soldiers v/ere naturally anxious to get the 
 latest news. There were two men in the regiment who had 
 been telegraph operators. They would go over to the war 
 oflSce, stand around in the crowd, understand the ticks and 
 get the news, until the government found out this little 
 scheme and stopped it. 
 
 While the 12th was stationed at Washington, Lieut. 
 Colonel Graham resigned and General R. M. Richardson was 
 elected Lieut. Colonel. Colonel Walrath sent the proceed- 
 ings of the election to Albany and requested a commission 
 for General Richardson, but was informed that the com- 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 31 
 
 mission could not be issued until General Richardson 
 resigned his commission of Brigadier. 
 
 Letters — Dr. Pease, writing to Dr. Mercer, said: "The 
 12th was for a time in a sad plight. The clothing furnished 
 by the State was worse than a sham. It fell to pieces in a 
 few days. Now, Uncle Sam has been furnishing us pants 
 from his capacious storehouse, and they, like all of his goods 
 and wares, are good. We will soon have jackets, and then 
 a finer looking or better set of men never formed a line of 
 battle. For a week or so after we got here the commissary 
 department was badly managed, but now everything goes 
 well. The rations are regularly served, are ample in quan- 
 tity, excellent in quality. There is abundance of everything, 
 if you know how to get it ; but everything is done by form. 
 A strict system is at the bottom of all proceedings. 
 
 "The discipline and progress of the 12th in drill is won- 
 derful, and good judges say no body of men in Washington 
 equals them in the perfection of their movements." 
 
 Major John Louis, in a letter to a friend, writes: "I 
 must say a word for our friend, Dr. R. W. Pease. A more 
 accomplished gentleman, a truer philanthropist, and a better 
 surgeon cannot be found in the District of Columbia. In- 
 deed I look now to the man, and while I do it, I entirely 
 divest myself of all the prejudice which I formerly held 
 against him for his Abolition sentiments, and find in him 
 more pleasure than all others in discoursing upon the current 
 news of the da5^ I think he may justly be styled the second 
 Sir Astley Cooper. He is ever ready and willing to wait 
 upon the sick, giving the poorest private the same atten- 
 tion as the officer, and, aside from all this, he is always 
 looking after the general welfare of the regiment, thus 
 endearing himself to us all." 
 
 Sergeant-Major George Root had been wounded and 
 sent home on a surgeon's certificate. "We shall miss no one 
 more than George. He has more than done his duty; has 
 indeed been at every one's command. He regrets that he 
 must go home, as much as we regret to have him go." 
 
 One of the soldiers, C. L. Bassett, writes of their 
 reception : 
 
 "Here we were put into tents, and taught to drill and 
 manoeuver in military style, and had a dress parade every 
 night before sun down, which ended the day's duty till roll 
 
32 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 call and taps, when every one had to be in camp and in bed. 
 President Lincoln came to see us one day and shook hands 
 with the men after the review. Some of the men get very 
 homesick, which gave great annoyance and trouble to the 
 officers, and every day was just alike for months at a time." 
 Vv'^m. H. H. Hitchcock, a private in Captain Church's 
 company, writes to a friend : "I can't say I think we have 
 been abused quite as bad as some would like to make out. 
 I have been used first rate by my officers and have not been 
 hungry. We got a new pair of blue pants the other day, and 
 knapsacks, and a nice white blanket, — not like the poor 
 N. Y. State blankets we got at Elmira. Without any joking 
 I think that New York State has not done all that she might 
 for us, but we are now under the United States, and fare 
 better as far as clothing goes." 
 
 On the 4th of July, 1861, Colonel Walrath writes : "We 
 have received a fine uniform from the U. S. government; 
 dark blue blouses and trousers, Kossuth hat, equipments, 
 etc." 
 
 Some letters were written by Webster Ransom, show 
 how he spent his time at Camp Onondaga, Washington. In 
 one of them he said that he was sitting in his tent, writing 
 at the same table with other soldiers. He was on guard 
 Sunday, came off Monday morning, and had permission to 
 leave camp and go where he pleased until half -past three 
 P. M. He visited the Smithsonian Institute, and gives a 
 most interesting description of what he saw. This is a very 
 good illustration of the kind of men that volunteered in 
 most of the country regiments. An ordinary soldier would 
 not be apt to visit the Smithsonian Institute, or appreciate 
 what he saw there. 
 
 The next leave he had he was going to the Patent Office. 
 He writes : "I have not thought of coming home yet. When 
 I started in the soldiering life, I made up my mind to see 
 'he thing through or die trying. There is a feeling in the 
 regiment that when the three months are up they are going 
 home, but if the regiment stays I shall stay. I should like 
 to see all at home now, but I shall trust for the future, be 
 it sooner or later." 
 
 There was a hard rain one night that beat many tents 
 down. Their occupants were without shelter, but the men 
 with this Webster Ransom had dug a ditch around their 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 33 
 
 tent and thrown the earth up, and so the rain ran off that 
 tent. There is a great deal in knowing how to pitch a tent, 
 as they had already learned. 
 
 In a letter July 8th, 1861, Mr. Ransom says, "We spent 
 the Fourth in jubilee and in defence of our country. We had 
 a fine time. Early in the morning there was firing of guns 
 and ringing of bells. As soon as we had got our breakfast 
 out of the way — (these men had to do their own cooking 
 and washing of dishes; no mother or wife to do that while 
 they smoked their pipes) we were marched to the Presi- 
 dent's House, and were reviewed by the President, General 
 Scott and other officers. It was a warm time, but the boys 
 were well and pleased with the tramp." 
 
 Not all of Mr. Ransom's letters tell of such contentment 
 among the men. He writes in September that a part of 
 some of the companies in the regiment took their guns up 
 to the Colonel's tent and stacked them, and said they would 
 not do any more duty for their three months' time was 
 up." This difficulty however was settled and the men staid 
 the two years of their enlistment. 
 
 In November, 1861, Mr. Ransom writes from Fort Craig: 
 "We are to have barracks built, so we will have things 
 pretty comfortable. Mother, I wish you wouldn't worry so 
 much about me. I am well enough off and have no fault to 
 find. V/e have new clothes and blankets. I have enough 
 to keep me warm. I have four thick woolen blankets and 
 a tick with straw, and a bed up from the ground and I 
 sleep as well as I ever did at home. I have a heavy over- 
 coat, four shirts, one I have never had on, four pairs of new 
 socks. So I have all I want at present and enough to last 
 some time. So, Mother, I don't think you ought to worry 
 about me as long as I am satisfied and contented myself." 
 He sends his love to some little girl who had knit him some 
 mittens, and closes his letter to his mother by saying, "I 
 must bid you Goodbye for I want to write a few private 
 words to Ellen." 
 
 On July 15th, the 12th New York was ordered across 
 Chain Bridge into Virginia, and was the first to be under 
 fire at Blackburn's Ford on the 18th of July, preliminary 
 to the first battle of Bull Run. Lieutenant Randall of this 
 regiment, in command of about twenty men as skirmishers, 
 was the first to attack the enemy. George N. Cheney, 
 
34 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 Company A, was the first man of this regiment killed in 
 this engagement. 
 
 The 12th New York was in the first battle of Bull Run 
 and formed part of the brigade that was the rear guard 
 of the retreating army. 
 
 On the 30th of July, the 12th went into camp again and 
 constructed Fort Craig, one of a link of forts from Alex- 
 andria to the Chain Bridge. On the evening of August 
 26th, three companies, under Captain Barnum, were detailed 
 on picket duty. 
 
 Here is what Webster Ransom says of his experience 
 at Bull Run : 
 
 "We left our camp at Chain Bridge about three o'clock 
 in the afternoon of July 15th, returned to our camp on the 
 morning of the 22d. I did not sleep but two nights while 
 we were gone. Then I had to lie on the ground with noth- 
 ing but a blanket to put over me. The rest of the time 
 I was on the watch with my gun in hand. We got to a 
 place called Centerville the second day, and camped, or laid 
 out in a lot at night. The next morning we were called 
 early to eat our breakfast; then we were marched about 
 two miles and had an engagement at Blackburn's Ford. I 
 am one of the lucky ones who escaped unhurt, but I am 
 sorry to say we had to retreat and lose the battle. We 
 were the first regiment engaged in this fight; we lost out 
 thirty killed, wounded and missing. The bullets flew pretty 
 thick and fast, but they were not well aimed. When they 
 began to fire, we would lie down and fire. We loaded our 
 guns lying on our backs on the ground. We marched all 
 Sunday night, and moved our camp from Chain Bridge 
 to a place called Arlington Heights." 
 
 In the battles of the Peninsula this regiment fought 
 splendidly. 
 
 At Groveton Colonel Weeks commanded a brigade, and 
 was badly wounded. At Malvern Hill Major Henry A. 
 Barnum, while leading the regiment, was shot through the 
 body and left for dead on the field. After he recovered he 
 re-entered the service, and raised the 149th regiment. He 
 was elected Colonel and promoted to Brigidier General. 
 He said of his old regiment, the 12th, "General Richardson 
 sent especial thanks to the 12th, for saving the left wing 
 of the Army during one of the Peninsula battles." 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 35 
 
 While the 12th was lying at Gaines' Mill, just before 
 the Seven Days' battles, Rev. Samuel J. May came to the 
 White House, on the Pamunkey river, with a large con- 
 tribution of stores for the sick from the ladies of Syracuse. 
 He could get no further, and the poor 12th never even 
 got a lemon. 
 
 While lying at Gaines' Mill, the regiment was called on 
 for a detail for an outside picket. John Gardner, now 
 living in this city, was on this detail. While on his picket, 
 half a mile from Woodbury Bridge, he saw the whole 
 army cross the bridge on its change of base to Harrison's 
 Landing. Stuart's Cavalry arrested Gardner. He was 
 asked where the Yankees had gone. He said: "To the 
 White House" just the opposite direction, seventeen miles 
 out of the way. He was taken along with the cavalry, 
 escaped that night, and rejoined his regiment the next 
 day. This regiment was engaged in many battles. 
 
 After the 12th had been about nine months in the field 
 it had been reduced by death, wounds and sickness to 450 
 men. It was prepared to leave this remnant in Washing- 
 ton to do garrison duty, but this arrangement did not suit 
 Colonel Richardson. He obtained a leave of absence, went 
 to New York and found Henr^'- A. Weeks with 556 recruits. 
 He arranged for the consolidation of these recruits with the 
 remnant of the 12th, agreeing that Mr, Weeks should be 
 the Colonel of the consolidated regiment, which was still 
 called the 12th. The Companies of the 12th, that retained 
 their original organization were A, G, H, I, and K, 
 Captains Root, Randall, Wood, Truesdell, and Combs. 
 
 The regimental officers were : Colonel Henry A. Weeks, 
 Lientenant Colonel R. M. Richardson, Major Henry A. 
 Bamum. 
 
 In the second battle of Bull Run the 12th formed part 
 of General Butterfield's Brigade. It marched twenty one 
 days without change of clothing, and went into battle in 
 this fatigued condition. The regiment lost heavily. Colonel 
 Weeks, Captain Root and Lieut. Baker were wounded. The 
 muster of the regiment next morning showed only 106 
 men, one staff officer, and six line officers. 
 
 At Fredericksburg the 12th was again conspicuous for 
 its gallantry, and lost many valuable officers and men. 
 
 On the 27th of April, 1863, the two years service of 
 
36 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 the 12th being finished, it was ordered to return to Elmira 
 to be mustered out. 
 
 Mr. Babbitt says they had a more pleasant reception 
 in Baltimore than when they went through in 1861. "We 
 were given a supper by some ladies of Baltimore. We 
 marched this time without guns or equipments and were 
 delighted to see the American flag flying on the public 
 buildings, and to be met by pleasant looking people. In 
 due time we arrived at Elmira. After being mustered out 
 and paid, we went to Canandaigua, where we got on the 
 New York Central for Syracuse. We were greeted with 
 cheers all the way from Baltimore to Syracuse. The regi- 
 ment was received in Syracuse by the 51st National Guard, 
 and "Syracuse honored us by a big reception and a dinner, 
 and old Glorj^ was fluttering from all the public buildings 
 and from the old Liberty Pole." 
 
 This soldier writes, "God bless the ladies is my prayer, 
 especially those who stood by the soldiers in the days that 
 tried men's souls and patience, and who now do not forget 
 the Boys in Blue." 
 
 MILITARY RECORD AND RECOLLECTIONS 
 OF MAJ. WILLIAM G. TRACY. 
 
 In April, 1861, he was a bookkeeper in a bank in Syra- 
 cuse, eighteen years of age, and a member of Butler's 
 Zouaves. When Fort Sumter was attacked, the services 
 of his company were offered to the country, and accepted. 
 
 About April 19th, 1861, he enlisted in Captain Butler's 
 Co. D, 3rd Regiment, New York Volunteers. The company 
 immediately thereafter left Syracuse, inspiring the greatest 
 enthusiasm, ar^d joined its regiment at Albany, N. Y., where 
 they remained in barracks, drilling and preparing for war 
 about three weeks, were then in encampment on the Battery 
 in New York for about two weeks, and then moved to 
 Fortress Monroe, Va., going into camp there about June 
 4th, 1861. 
 
 On June 19th, 1861, he participated in the battle of 
 Big Bethel, Va., the first engagement of the war in which 
 a rebel soldier Yv^as killed. On July 30th, 1861, he was 
 promoted to be First Lieutenant' in the 12th N. Y. Vols, 
 and served as such near Washington until February 3rd, 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 37 
 
 1862, when his regiment, which was much depleted, was 
 consolidated with another, and he was mustered out as a 
 supernumerary officer and honorably discharged. 
 
 On February 7th, 1862, he again enlisted as a private 
 soldier at Lebanon, Kentucky, in Company H, 10th Indiana 
 Vols, of Buell's army. He served in that army, marching 
 twice across Kentucky and Tenessee, and through the 
 northern part of Mississippi and Alabama with gun and 
 knapsack, reaching Louisville, Ky., October 1st, 1862, where 
 he was honorably discharged to accept promotion in a 
 New York regiment. 
 
 On November 3rd, 1862, he was commissioned Second 
 Lieutenant of Co. 1, 122nd N, Y. Vols., and appointed Aide- 
 de-Camp on the Staff of Major General Henry W. Slocum, 
 then commanding the 12th Army Corps of the Army of the 
 Potomac. 
 
 He was severely wounded at the Battle of Chancellors- 
 ville, Va., May 3rd, 1863. Upon May 9th, 1863, he re- 
 ceived a commission as Captain and Aide-de-Camp from 
 the United States. He returned to duty on his recovery 
 from his wound, August 25th, 1862. 
 
 He afterwards served in the east and west on the Staff 
 of General Slocum, while commanding the 12th and 20th 
 Army Corps and the Army of Georgia, going through with 
 Sherman to the sea, and riding from Atlanta to Washing- 
 ton, by way of Savannah. He was slightly wounded at the 
 Battle of Bentonsville, N. C, May 19th, 1865. 
 
 He was brevetted Major of Volunteers March 19th, 
 1865. "For efficient services rendered during the recent 
 campaign in Ga. and S. C." 
 
 He was subsequently awarded a medal of honor. "For 
 gallantry at Chancellorsviile, Va., May 2nd, 1863." 
 
 He was honorably mustered out of service, October 18th, 
 1865. 
 
 At the time of his re-enlistment in the 10th Ind., he 
 wrote the following letter to his mother, giving his reasons 
 therefor. 
 
 "Louisville, Ky., Feb. 9, 1862. 
 "Dear Mother : 
 
 I arrived here last night and shall leave tomorrow 
 for Somerset. I shall enlist in some one of those regiments 
 that were engaged in the fight at T^Iills Spring, probably 
 in the 10th Indiana, or the 19th Illinois. 
 
38 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 "As soon as I reached the 12th regt. and saw how 
 matters stood, I determined if I could ever get out of my 
 Lieutenancy honorably, that I would do so, and that I would 
 never again accept an appointment in a regiment to which 
 I did not belong. If I possessed any great military talents, 
 it would be another thing, but being, if anything, below 
 the average of Lieutenants — in the volunteers incapability 
 as an officer, — it is not right to take an appointment away 
 from some man, who will make as good an officer as I 
 would, and who is entitled to it by services faithfully per- 
 formed in the company. So if any of my friends are trying 
 to get me an appointment, you must tell them to stop, for 
 I will not accept a commission until I have fairly earned 
 one in my own judgment. 
 
 I am determined to stay in the service as long as the 
 war lasts, and would not be contented at home as long 
 as there were any soldiers left in the field. So that I think 
 it much better not to go to Syracuse at all, for it would 
 only make both you and myself feel worse when I left 
 again. 
 
 "I shall enlist here, because I think there is more pros- 
 pect of seeing active service, and because it is not pleasant 
 to be in the ranks where you have many friends to come 
 and see you, for a private is looked down upon by the rules, 
 and good rules too, of military discipline. As a common 
 soldier I enlisted to fight against the rebels. I was made 
 a Lieutenant simply because I had influential friends, al- 
 though there are hundreds of others who have proved them- 
 selves more worthy, but are still left in the ranks. Into 
 the ranks I shall go again. I can certainly do my part 
 there, as well as anyone, and if I deserve promotion, I 
 shall rise, and if I do nothing special to merit a com- 
 mission, it is certainly better for me to stay in the same 
 position, than to cheat someone out of that which is his 
 just reward. Do not think that this is a hasty or rash 
 decision, for I have thought it over and looked at the ques- 
 tion on all sides, and to me my duty is plain and clear. 
 
 "I have said nothing about it beforehand because I 
 knew it would only worry you, and cause you much anxiety 
 needlessly. The lot of a common soldier physically is not 
 much worse than that of a line officer, and there are just 
 about as fine men in the ranks as in the list of fellows 
 with gilt on their shoulders. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 39 
 
 "Please thank my friends who were so kind as to pro- 
 cure my commission for me. I am sorry I did not do more 
 honor to their exertions, but I have always strived hard 
 to do the best I could, 
 
 "Yours affectionately, 
 
 "WILLIAM G. TRACY." 
 
 He was wounded in a rather dramatic manner, and gives 
 this account of the same. 
 
 "At the time of the Battle of Chancellorsville, although 
 I had been two years in the war, I was still a boy, only 
 twenty years old, with no particular thought in my then 
 red and curly head, except that I must not flinch under any 
 circumstances in which I might be placed. I had recently 
 been promoted and appointed an Aide-de-Camp on the 
 Staff of Maj. General Slocum, then commanding the 12th 
 Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac, a body of about 
 15,000 men. This was a change from physical discomfort 
 and social penury to intellectual and physical luxury. 
 Brigadier generals now stopped to chat with me, and offer 
 me a drink and cigar. 
 
 "In April, 1863, Lee's Army was encamped about 
 Fredericksburg, Va., on the south bank of the Rappahan- 
 nock and Hooker's Army opposite on the north bank. In 
 the last four days of April, 1863, Hooker moved a large 
 portion of his Army thirty miles west up the Rappahan- 
 nock, crossed the Rappahannock and Rapidan. This un- 
 covered the lower fords and other corps joined him, so that 
 he had massed on the morning of May 1st, about 90,000 
 men at Chancellorsville, about twenty miles from Freder- 
 icksburg. This was a magnificent army in high spirits and 
 with great hopes. It was a finely planned campaign, 
 promptly executed by his corps commanders, our advance 
 under fire, wading the Rapidan in water up to their arm- 
 pits. 
 
 "In front of the Chancellorsville House, facing south, 
 and to the west, were cleared fields, a mile in extent, 
 bounded by heavy dense woods, on the east, west and south. 
 A plank road ran east and west, turning south at the 
 Chancellorsville House. This road also ran east to Freder- 
 icksburg. Our line of battle was formed in the edge of 
 these woods, some six miles in extent, prolonged on the 
 west through the woods to the plank road and beyond, and 
 
40 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 on the east through the woods to the road to Fredericks- 
 burg and beyond, with reserves in the rear of the line. 
 
 "On the morning of Friday, May 1st, an advance was 
 ordered by Hooker, and a considerable portion of his troops 
 had moved forward and formed a line of battle beyond the 
 woods, when Hooker, to the surprise of everyone, ordered 
 them to return to their original line. The reason he vouch- 
 safed to his astonished corps commanders, was that he 
 had secret information that Lee was coming to attack him 
 and he would await him there. His information was true, 
 Lee was coming, and did come with a vengeance. During 
 the rest of Friday, the troops threw up entrenchments, 
 the 11th Corps, on the extreme right, doing little in that 
 way, and not properly refusing their flank. 
 
 "On Saturday, May 2nd, Stonewall Jackson's Corps, 
 screened by the woods, marched past the entire front of 
 our army and were massed in the woods at the end of 
 the 11th Corps. It was reported to Hooker, early in the 
 morning, that large masses of the enemy were moving in 
 his front towards the west. He thought they were retreat- 
 ing to Gordonsville ! He did nothing until afternoon, when 
 General Williams' division on the right of the 12th Corps 
 and a part of Sickles' Corps on their right were ordered 
 to advance, and did cut off a part of the rear of Jackson's 
 column. 
 
 "I was with Gen. Slocum at Hooker's headquarters, 
 after this order had been given, and was being executed. 
 Gen. Slocum and his Aides then left the Chancellorsville 
 House, riding west. As we neared the woods, across the 
 plank road, the terrible attack of Stonewall Jackson com- 
 menced, striking the 11th Corps, unsuspecting and unpre- 
 pared, on end and crumpling it up like paper. Gen. Slocum 
 remarked 'Those troops will never stand that,' and dashed 
 down the road to the west, sending me for our headquarters 
 cavalry, camped nearby, to stop the soldiers already fleeing 
 to the rear. When I got back to the road in a few moments, 
 it was a choked mass of ambulances, wagons and fugitives, 
 while the roar of musketry from Jackson's attack was ter- 
 rific. I met our Adjutant General, riding frantically down 
 the road. 'Tracy,' he said, 'The 11th Corps is broken, 
 go to Williams at once, tell him to get his division across 
 the plank road as soon as he can.' Gen. Williams was 
 then about two miles away. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 4i 
 
 "I started ahead, and presently overtook another Aide 
 charged with the same order. He was better mounted, 
 got ahead again and turned to the left; thinking it was 
 no use of both going the same way, I kept on, and finally 
 struck Gen. Knipe, commanding the right Brigade of Wil- 
 liams' Division. His troops were then advancing, engaged 
 with the enemy in dense woods. I told him the condition 
 of affairs, not to advance further; that he would at once 
 get orders to fall back across the Plank Road, and turned 
 to the left and rear in the woods to find Gen. Williams, 
 supposing that lines of battle connected. Unfortunately 
 for me. Gen. Knipe's Brigade had advanced further than 
 the rest of the division, and I rode through the gap created 
 thereby. In my haste and excitement, I soon lost my bear- 
 ings, met no one and the sound of firing in my vicinity 
 ceased. Before I realized it, I was completely lost. 
 
 "Riding hither and thither wherever I could see an 
 opening, I finally came to a partial clearing of about fifty 
 acres where the trees had been cut into cord wood, and 
 piled up, leaving the stumps still standing. It was on the 
 side of a hill, upon the top of which a piece of artillery was 
 in action. Although it seemed to me to be pointed in a 
 rather singular direction, I breasted the hill in good faith, 
 came around behind and by the side of the piece, checked 
 my horse about twenty feet therefrom, and was about to 
 inquire where Gen. Williams was, when suddenly I realized 
 by their moon faced appearance that the gunners were 
 rebels. 
 
 "I was completely taken by surpise, my heart dropped 
 to the bottom of my boots. Never before or since have 
 I realized the feeling of such complete despair. 'Sent with 
 an important order — lost in the woods and captured !' What 
 a tale for my General! My first thought was to escape. 
 If I hesitated or turned back, I would certainly be captured. 
 Then I saw where I was. An open, narrow, corduroy road 
 ran down the side of the hill and up another, the valley 
 thus formed and the hill beyond being heavily wooded. 
 Upon the crest of the opposite hill I saw a blue line which 
 I knew must be our troops. The road was open and com- 
 manded by our troops. In the woods, at the bottom of 
 the hill, I knew there must be a force of rebel troops. 
 
42 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 They do not generally place artillery in advance of infantry. 
 
 "In an instant my mind was made up, and my heart 
 seemed to go back with a thump to my breast, I resolved 
 to ride down that narrow road to death or freedom. I 
 walked my horse past the piece of artillery to the front, 
 gazing at the rebels as unconcernedly as I could. Although 
 I was in uniform with shoulder straps, my blouse was 
 covered with dust and they did not spring for me, ap- 
 parently not realizing that I was a Union officer. As soon 
 as I had passed, I struck into a gallop, not too fast to 
 attract attention, yet ready for a burst of speed. In a 
 moment I passed another piece of artillery; they didn't 
 attempt to stop me there. Then I came down to the woods, 
 at the edge of which some horses were tied, and I knew 
 the time was come. 
 
 "Just as I reached the border of the woods, some one 
 cried out: 'Shoot him!' and I dug the spurs in and rode 
 for my life. I was riding a captured rebel horse, said 
 to have been ridden at one time by Gen. Stewart, a fine 
 charger, but a little weak in the knees. Down we went 
 along the incline with no sign of a stumble, my horse at 
 first shying from side to side at the pattering of the bullets. 
 He knew what they were as well as I did. Instantly from 
 both sides of the road came volleys of musketry, while 
 all through the woods the shouts resounded: 'Shoot him! 
 Kill him!' V/hile it was still light, it was just dark enough 
 to see the flash of the muskets and the bullets seemed mostly 
 passing over me. Then the firing ceased on one side and 
 was dropping on the other, and I thought that I might get 
 through, when suddenly I felt a sharp blow on my right 
 arm, which instantly became numb, and looking down saw 
 that it was fractured. We rode in the army with our left 
 arm. The latter part of the time my horse ran like a deer. 
 He was wounded in three places. In a few moments I was 
 iiiside our lines. I afterwards learned that I had blundered 
 through both lines, and behind a brigade of the enemy 
 thrown in advance of their line, and that I rode through 
 this brigade and passed the headquarters of Rebel Gen. 
 A. P. Hill. 
 
 "After the war, I met a rebel soldier in Mississippi, 
 who recollected the incident, and said I passed so near 
 him that he could almost have touched me with his musket. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 43 
 
 but that I was by before he could fire, and that I was hit 
 by some of their men who got in the road and fired from 
 behind me." 
 
 Maj. Tracy also gives the following account of how 
 a great disaster to Sherman's Army was prevented by 
 John T. Williams of Syracuse. 
 
 "When Sherman moved from Atlanta to Washington, 
 through Georgia and the Carolinas, his Army consisted of 
 four corps, each 15,000 strong. Kilpatrick's Brigade of 
 Cavalry, and two pontoon trains. The 14th and 20th corps 
 were the left wing, the Army of Georgia, commanded by 
 Gen. Slocum; the 15th and 17th Corps made the right 
 wing, the Army of Tennesee, commanded by Gen. Howard. 
 As this force swept through the country, each of the corps 
 took a separate road, so that the front of the army was 
 often thirty to forty miles broad. When a river was 
 reached, two of the corps united, passed over their pontoon 
 bridge, and then debouched again on their separate roads. 
 Scarcely any opposition was met with, except from Hamp- 
 ton's Brigade of Cavalry, with whom Kilpatrick had en- 
 counters from time to time. Sherman was sometimes at 
 the headquarters of the one wing and sometimes at those 
 of the other. 
 
 "As we approached Averysboro, N. C, March 17th, 
 1865, the Army was moving in the following order : 
 
 "On the left and west road were two divisions of the 
 14th Corps and two of the 20th Corps; on the next road 
 to the east the remainng two divisions of those Corps, with 
 the wagon trains; on the next road east two divisions of 
 the 15th and 17th Corps with their wagon trains; on the 
 next road east the remaining four divisions of the 15th 
 and 17th Army Corps. 
 
 "At Averysboro on the 17th, we encountered a brigade 
 or more of the rebels, and after a brisk little fight we drove 
 them off. They retired to the northwest, leaving their 
 dead and wounded. The next daj% we marched about 15 
 miles towards the east. 
 
 "The next morning, March 19th, 1865, our forces on the 
 left and west road, commanded by Gen. Slocum, started 
 a little north of east with the troops on the other roads 
 for Goldsboro, N. C, 20 miles distant. Schofield was then 
 moving up from the coast with another army to join our 
 
44 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 forces there. Sherman who had been with our Wing for 
 a few days, left early that morning to join the right Wing. 
 No one in our army believed there were any rebel forces 
 within two hundred miles of us, other than the troops 
 we had met at Averysboro and Hampton's Brigade of 
 Cavalry. 
 
 "In the course of the morning of the 19th, our skirm- 
 ishers moving in our front met with opposition. Carlin's 
 Division of the 14th Corps leading our advance, was de- 
 ployed in their support. They found themselves opposed 
 in force and over-lapped. Just then a deserter came into 
 our lines from the rebels. He said there were large forces 
 of the enemy directly in our front, and begged to be taken 
 to the commanding officer at once, as he had important in- 
 formation for him. He was brought back to the rear to 
 Gen. Slocum, standing under a tree with Gen. Davis, com- 
 manding the 14th Corps. Ke told them that Gen. Joe 
 Johnson was directly in their front with an army of 40,000 
 men; that his name was John T. Williams; that he was 
 a Union soldier and had enlisted in the rebel army to keep 
 out of the rebel prisons with the intention of escaping at 
 the first opportunity. These officers thought his tale per- 
 fectly incredible; galvanized Yanks as they were called, 
 union soldiers who had enlisted in the rebel army, were 
 looked upon with suspicion and distrust. Just then I came 
 up. The deserter jumped up from the ground, stretched 
 out his hand and said: 'How are j^ou, Tracy, don't you 
 remember me? I am John T. Williams who went to the 
 war with you from Syracuse in Johnny Butler's Zouaves.' 
 Terribly freckled, with a shock of fiery red hair, and a 
 rough suit of gray, I should not have recognized him, if 
 he had not spoken first, but remembered him perfectly 
 when he did so. I vouched for his character, his integrity, 
 and the probable accuracy of his information. Even then 
 Gen. Davis scouted the idea of giving any credence to his 
 tale, and I had some warm words with him on the subject. 
 Gen. Slocum wisely decided otherwise. Sending orders for 
 the troops behind to hurry up as fast as possible, and the 
 troops in front to hold their ground but not to try to 
 advance, he said, 'Davis, you take the right of the road 
 with the troops of the 14th Corps as they come up, and 
 I will take the left with those of the 20th.' 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 45 
 
 "Soon after the rebels charged, driving back the troops 
 there, and taking a couple of pieces of artillery. 
 
 "Our forces so driven back, formed in the edge of the 
 woods across the road, hastily throwing up entrenchments, 
 with open fields and a mound behind, on which artillery 
 could be placed. 
 
 "It seems as if our men marching in loose order behind 
 would never come up, and I was glad indeed when I saw 
 Gen. Cogswell, our best division commander of the 20th 
 Corps, coming over the crest behind, with his troops press- 
 ing forward almost at double quick. I felt that we were 
 saved. As the troops came up, the line was prolonged to 
 right and left, Kilpatrick's Cavalry turning up and forming 
 on our left. 
 
 "Johnson did not follow up his successes immediately, 
 but waited an hour or two before advancing again, and this 
 was a fatal mistake. When he did so, he found a stout 
 line of battle-scarred veterans behind entrenchments await- 
 ing him. Seven times the rebels charged our works that 
 afternoon, the rebel yell sounding uncomfortably near, but 
 they could not break through. I was glad to see the sunset. 
 We were re-inforced at midnight, and the next day John- 
 son's Army retreated. The next morning, I found the 
 ground in the woods in front of our line thickly strewn 
 with rebel dead, not over ten or fifteen feet therefrom. 
 
 "The information that Williams brought, and the fact 
 that he chanced to meet almost the only man in Sherman's 
 Army to whom he was well known, prevented a great dis- 
 aster to our cause and saved many lives. As it was, our 
 loss and killed and wounded at the battle of Bentonsville 
 was 1500. 
 
 "Williams had been captured while on a scouting expedi- 
 tion. There was some talk of hanging him as a spy. To 
 keep out of rebel prisons, which had then become infamous, 
 or escape a worse fate, he enlisted in the rebel army with 
 the intention of escaping and bringing valuable information 
 at the first opporuntity. Characteristically, he waited until 
 he had some information to bring." 
 
 Samuel Storrow Sumner, Major General, U. S. Army. 
 
 Samuel Storrow Sumner, Major General, U. S. Army, 
 
 was son of Major General Edwin Vose Sumner, U. S. Army, 
 
 and was born at Carlisle Barracks, Penn,, February 6, 1842. 
 
46 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 His early life was passed at various stations where his 
 father was on duty. At the age of twelve he was sent to 
 school at Geneva, N. Y,, remaining there until he was seven- 
 teen, when he entered a bank in Oswego, N. Y., and re- 
 mained until the spring of 1861, as clerk. He received the 
 promise of an appointment to West Point from President 
 Lincoln ; but the Civil War coming on, at his father's request 
 he was commissioned on the 11th of June, 1861, as second 
 lieutenant in the 2nd (now the 5th) U. S. Cavalry. His 
 first service was with a squadron of the 5th Cavalry, at the 
 Treasury Building in Washington, on provost duty. 
 
 In November, 1861, he was assigned to duty on the staff 
 of General E. V. Sumner as an aide-de-camp, and accom- 
 panied General E. V, Sumner to Camp California, near 
 Alexandria, Virginia. In the spring of 1862 General E. V. 
 Sumner was assigned to command the 2d Army Corps, and 
 accompanied the Army of the Potomac to Fortress Monroe. 
 
 General S. S. Sumner remained with the 2nd Corps until 
 June 28, 1862, being present at the battles of Williamsburg, 
 Fair Oaks, and Seven Pines, and was breveted 1st lieu- 
 tenant, U. S. Army, for gallant and meritorious service in 
 the battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia. He took part in the 
 battles of South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg, 
 being breveted Captain, U. S. Army, September, 17, 1862, for 
 gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Antietam, 
 Maryland. 
 
 He served, at various periods, on the staff of Gen. Wood 
 and Gen. Burnside. When the 9th corps of General Burn- 
 side's command was ordered South to join in the Vicksburg 
 campaign, he was assigned to temporary duty, at his own 
 request, on the staff of General Parke, who commanded the 
 9th Corps, participated in the latter part of the campaign 
 against Vicksburg, and was present at the surrender of that 
 place to General Grant. He was breveted Major, March 13, 
 1865, for gallant and meritorious conduct during the cam- 
 paign against Vicksburg, Mississippi. He then accom- 
 panied the 9th Corps to Jackson, Miss., and remained with 
 it until its return to Knoxville, Tenn., where he again 
 reported to General Burnside for duty on his staff. 
 
 He was relieved from staff duty in October, 1863, and 
 rejoined the 5th Cavalry in the Army of the Potomac at 
 Culpepper Court House, was present with the Army of the 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 47 
 
 Potomac during the short campaign of Mine Run, and re- 
 mained with the regiment until February, 1864, being then 
 ordered to mustering duty at Springfield, 111. 
 
 In April, 1865, he joined his regiment at Washington, 
 D. C, as a captain ; was on duty in Washington at General 
 Grant's headquarters until November 1, 1865, then pro- 
 ceeded to Nashville, Tennessee, with a squadron of the regi- 
 ment, remaining there until 1867 ; proceeded to Vicksburg, 
 Mississippi, with troop, and was stationed at Jackson, Miss., 
 on reconstruction duty until the spring of 1869. He 
 rejoined his regiment with his troop at Fort McPherson, 
 Nebraska, in May, 1869, and participated in the campaign 
 of that summer against the Sioux Indians. He was brevet- 
 ted lieutenant colonel, February 27, 1890, for gallant 
 service in action against Indians at Summit Springs, 
 Colorado. 
 
 He commanded a troop during the campaign against the 
 northern Indians in the summer of 1876, and was present 
 at the battle of Slim Buttes, returning to Sidney Barracks, 
 Nebraska. In the summer of 1877 he participated in the 
 campaign against Joseph, the Nez Perce Chief. Returning 
 in the fall he left again in May, 1878, for the summer cam- 
 paign in Northern Wyoming. He was promoted Major of 
 the 8th Cavalry in April, 1879. Reporting for duty in 
 October, 1879, at Fort Mcintosh, Texas, he remained in 
 command of that post until the spring of 1884, and was then 
 assigned to duty as inspector general of the Department 
 of Texas. The following year he rejoined his regiment, 
 serving at San Antonio, Texas, and commanded a squadron 
 of the 8th Cavalry in New Mexico in the summer of 1885, 
 during the campaign against Geronimo, returning to San 
 Antonio in the fall of 1885. In the summer of 1886 he was 
 detailed to command the Cavalry Recruiting Station at 
 Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1887 he was again made 
 inspector general and assigned to the department of the 
 Columbia, where he remained until the summer of 1891, and 
 was then ordered to duty as lieutenant colonel of the 6th 
 Cavalry at Fort Niobra, Neb. In 1893 he was again selected 
 to command Jefferson Barracks, and remained at that place 
 until the summer of 1894. He then reported at Fort Leav- 
 enworth, Kansas, as Assistant Commandant of the Infantry 
 and Cavalry School and as Commanding Officer of a 
 
48 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 squadron of the 6th Cavah-y. In May, 1896, he was pro- 
 moted colonel of the 6th Cavalry and joined the head- 
 quarters of the regiment at Fort Myer, Virginia. 
 
 On the breaking out of the Spanish War, in the spring 
 of 1898, he accompanied his regiment to Chickamauga in 
 April, 1898, and being appointed Brigadier General of Vol- 
 unteers, was assigned to command of the 1st Cavalry at 
 Chickamauga. This brigade was later removed to Tampa, 
 Fla., and formed part of the expedition of the Santiago 
 campaign. 
 
 General Sumner commanded this brigade during this 
 entire campaign, and during the battle of San Juan on July 
 1st, owing to the illness of General Wheeler, he commanded 
 the Cavalry Division, which included all of the regular 
 cavalry and the 1st Regiment Volunteer Cavalry (Rough 
 Riders) . Returning with the brigade to Montauk Point in 
 August, 1898, he was promoted Major General of Volun- 
 teers, September 7, 1898. On the breaking up of the camp 
 at Montauk Point, he was assigned to duty in Philadelphia 
 for several weeks, and then assumed command of the 1st 
 Division of the 2nd Army Corps at Augusta, Georgia. 
 
 He was mustered out of the volunteer service as Major 
 General on the 15th of April, 1899, and detailed for duty as 
 Military Attache at the Court of St. James, London, where 
 he remained on duty until July, 1900. During this time he 
 witnessed the departure of the English Army for South 
 Africa, and by invitation of the German Emperor was 
 present at the Autumn manoeuvers of the German Army in 
 the south of Germany. 
 
 At his own request he was relieved from duty in London, 
 July, 1900, in order to assume command of his regiment in 
 China. He served in China until November, 1900, com- 
 manding the brigade of the United States troops held in 
 reserve at Tiensin, China, then reported for duty in the 
 Philippine Islands in December, 1900, and was assigned to 
 command of the 1st District of the Department of Southern 
 Luzon. This District was later enlarged by the absorption 
 of the 2nd District. He was promoted Brigadier General 
 U. S. Army, February 4, 1901, and retained command of 
 the 1st District until relieved in the fall of that year. 
 
 During this time there was much activity in the Dis- 
 trict, encounters with Phliippine Insurrectos being frequent. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 49 
 
 A large number of guns and other material of war were 
 captured by the troops, and finally the organized forces 
 under General Cailles, in the Province of Lagima, surren- 
 dered to General Sumner at Santa Cruz, in June, 1901. 
 
 His next assignment was to command the 1st Brigade in 
 Northern Luzon, with headquarters at Dagupan, He re- 
 mained in command of this Brigade until June, 1902, when 
 he was temporarily assigned to the command of the Depart- 
 ment of Northern Luzon, and was assigned to the command 
 of the Department of Mindano, July 7, 1902 ; remaining in 
 command of the department of Mindano until July 1, 1903. 
 The two militaiy roads from the sea to Lake Lanao were 
 constructed; expeditions against refractory Moros were 
 made from Camp Vicars and Illigan; several expeditions 
 were made to points on Lake Lanao, and finally the expedi- 
 tion around the lake was accomplished, during General 
 Sumner's command of the Department of Mindano. 
 
 Returning from the Philippine Islands in August, 1903, 
 he was promoted Major General, U. S. Army, on August 6, 
 1903. On reaching the United States he was assigned to 
 duty as Commanding General Department of the Missouri, 
 and in January, 1904, was assigned to command of the 
 Southwest Divison, with headquarters at Oklahoma City. 
 He was relieved from duty in Southwestern Division May 
 1st, 1905, and ordered to command Pacific Division, head- 
 quarters at San Francisco, Cal., where he remained until 
 his retirement by operation of law on February 6th, 1906. 
 
 FIREMEN AS VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Benjamin L. Higgins, for many years chief of the Fire 
 Department of Syracuse, recruited a fine rifle company, 
 manj^ of the men from the ranks of the firemen. They left 
 Syracuse August 2, 1861, going to Elmira to join the 86th 
 N. Y. Volunteer regim.ent, then commanded by Colonel B. I. 
 Bailey. 
 
 Before leaving Syracuse this company received a great 
 ovation. The firemen formed a grand parade; after march- 
 ing through the streets they formed a hollow square opposite 
 the City Hall, fronting Engine House No. 6. The Mayor, 
 Judge Andrews, and Common Council were in a room in the 
 second story of the City Hall. The Mayor delivered an 
 
50 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 eloquent and fitting address, and presented Captain Higgins 
 with a sword, sash, epaulettes, belt and a pair of Colt's 
 Army revolvers from the firemen of Syracuse. Mayor 
 Andrews paid a just and well deserved eulogium to the 
 Fire Department in whose ranks, he said, "the true mate- 
 rials for soldiers could be found on account of their peculiar 
 organization, training and the efficient service they gave 
 to the public." The new Chief Engineer, Walter Welch, 
 called for three cheers for the Union with a tiger. Captain 
 Higgins thanked the firemen from his heart, and assured 
 them that if a kind Providence should permit him to return 
 to the scenes of the firemen's life that he loved so well he 
 would bring back to them those epaulettes and sword 
 untarnished by any act of his. 
 
 Captain Higgins walked through the open ranks of the 
 firemen and shook hands with each man, bidding them a 
 sincere and effectionate farewell. At one o'clock the train, 
 with Captain Higgins and his company aboard, pulled out 
 of the station amid the cheers of crowds of citizens. 
 
 Then comes in the story of his wife. He had been talk- 
 ing for weeks about going ; his wife said she would go with 
 him, but he declared she should not. Her mother-in-law 
 would say: "That is right, Jane, stick to it. If he goes I 
 want you to go with him ; I would feel safer about him." 
 
 After that train left Syracuse Captain Higgins found his 
 wife seated in one of the cars, all unbeknown to him, but, 
 as she says, "I had a good lunch with me, so he did not object 
 very much." The only thing she can remember about the 
 camp at Elmira is that "The boys were all broke, and very 
 anxious to get their government clothes. Some of them had 
 no shoes." 
 
 Mrs. Higgins stayed with a friend in Elmira. The 
 night before that regiment left for Washington, she and her 
 friend stayed up all night frying doughnuts and gave Cap- 
 tain Higgins's company a good breakfast before they 
 started. They left Elmira, November 1, 1861, went direct 
 to Washington, and were ordered to load their guns, going 
 through Baltimore. They camped in Washington a few 
 days. Mrs. Higgins boarded near the camp : "Street, mud 
 up to your neck." She says, "My first experience of a camp 
 was to visit some of the Captain's men who were sick. The 
 mud was so deep I had to put on soldier's boots to get to 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES SI 
 
 the Hospital. The company was camped in a pine grove. 
 Sometimes in the evening the boys would get out into the 
 company avenue and dance. Some would turn their caps 
 around, to tell they were girls. So you see the boys were 
 jollier than their friends at home could imagine." 
 
 The Regiment crossed into Maryland and built a fort 
 called Good Hope in the winter of 1861. Mrs. Higgins went 
 to visit her husband at that camp. The driver of the 
 ambulance would meet her and take her to the camp. She 
 would walk in and surprise the Captain. Sometimes she 
 would be the one to be surprised, for she would find the com- 
 pany packed up to move. Once she had to sleep in the 
 ambulance all night. Her husband found her there the next 
 morning at five o'clock, drinking a cup of coffee. 
 
 In April, 1862, Captain Higgins was detailed to take 
 charge of the Old Capital Prison at Washington. He man- 
 aged the military affairs of that institution with so much 
 ability and success that he received the highest commenda- 
 tion from his superior officers. Eight hundred rebel pris- 
 oners were confined in that prison, prisoners of State. 
 Among them was the famous Belle Boyde, the spy, and Mrs. 
 Greene and daughter. Miss Boyde had been captured when 
 on her way to Europe with a quantity of gold currency sewed 
 up in her skirts. Belle Boyde and Mrs. Greene were treated 
 better than the men prisoners. More dainty food was pro- 
 vided for them. The guards in front of the prison had strict 
 orders to arrest any woman waving her handkerchief to a 
 prisoner. Some were arrested every day, and taken to the 
 Provost Marshal's office. 
 
 Captain Higgins, with his company, took 800 prisoners 
 from Washington to the James River, in sight of Richmond, 
 to exchange for a like number of our men. Captain 
 Higgins not only discharged his duty to the satisfaction of 
 his own superior officers ; he also gained the good will of the 
 prisoners. "\¥hen they were leaving they drew up a series 
 of resolutions, thanking him for his kindness and considera- 
 tion. "Resolved, That it is with regret we part with these 
 gentlemen (there was a Lieutenant Miller, also) inasmuch 
 as they have exemplified that urbane and respectful bearing 
 is not incompatible with the faithful discharge of a soldier's 
 duty." 
 
 This paper was dated: "Old Capital Military Prison, 
 July 4th, 1862." 
 
52 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 Belle Boyde told Captain Higgins that if ever he was 
 taken a prisoner he was to let them know, and they would 
 do all they could to return his kindness. 
 
 At his own request, Captain Higgins was relieved from 
 guard duty and sent with his company to the field. They 
 were in the second battle of Bull Run, August 30th, 1862. 
 The 86th Regiment returned to camp near Washington and 
 remained there guarding fortifications, until after the battle 
 at Antietam, September, 1862, This regiment belonged to 
 Sickles' Third Corps, was in the battle of Fredericksburg, 
 and went into camp near Falmouth. It remained there dur- 
 ing the winter of 1862-63. 
 
 Mrs. Biggins wanted to go to this place, and said: "I 
 went to the Provost Marshal's office in Washington to ask 
 for a pass to my husband's camp. I did not much expect 
 to get it, for there were Generals' wives at the hotel who 
 could not get passes. The officer in the office asked me 
 many questions. One was 'What would you do if your hus- 
 band was ordered away?' I answered promptly: 'I would 
 fall back on the Hospital, and return to Washington in any- 
 thing that could take me there, if it was a pork barrel, if the 
 head was fastened tight.' He filled out a pass and gave it 
 to me." The Provost Marshal probably thought that was 
 a woman quite capable to take care of herself. 
 
 Mrs. Higgins stayed in camp a week. There was a tent 
 put up for her; "a bed m.ade of pine twigs, just as much 
 spring to it as a good mattress ; new bedding from the Hos- 
 pital; a stick driven down with a board nailed on for a 
 washstand; a looking glass and a rubber blanket for a 
 carpet. I could hear the picket guards answering each 
 other all night, and the reveille at daylight. I had the privi- 
 lege of making cough remedies for the boys who kept me 
 awake by their coughing. I took my meals with my hus- 
 band at the Quarter Master's tent, drank coffee out of a tin 
 cup, and ate pork, though I never could touch it at home." 
 
 In May, 1863, the battle of Chancellorsville was fought. 
 I find these notes in a history, though I cannot vouch for 
 their truth : "There was a house called the Chancellor House. 
 General Hooker, the commander of the Union Army, was 
 leaning against a pillar of the veranda of this house. The 
 pillar was struck by a cannon ball. The General was 
 stunned, and for more than an hour, in the heat of the 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 53 
 
 battle, the Union Army was without a commander. Stone- 
 wall Jackson, a favorite and famous Confederate General, 
 was killed in this battle in a most unfortunate way. In the 
 evening, after his most gallant and successful attack on the 
 right flank of the Union line, while riding back to his camp, 
 he was fired upon by his own men, who mistook his escort 
 for Federal cavalry." 
 
 This battle is interesting, for here Captain Higgins, who 
 had been promoted to a Major, was wounded, and it was 
 during this battle that Captain Tracy made his celebrated 
 ride. Captain Higgins was promoted to the Lieutenant 
 Colonelcy of his regiment, for gallant conduct at Chan- 
 cellorsville. After this battle the Union Army returned to 
 Falmouth, remained in camp till June, then marched for 
 Gettysburg. Colonel Higgins, who had been on leave, 
 joined his regiment on the way to Gettysburg, was severely 
 wounded, and taken to a field hospital. He was transferred 
 to Frederick City, Maryland, and sent for his wife, who was 
 in Washington. She went immediately, arriving at two 
 o'clock at night and found her husband in a private house, 
 men lying all around on the floor. "I knew a doctor of the 
 regular Army, who had been born and brought up at Cul- 
 pepper, Virginia. During the war his father's house was 
 turned into a Federal Hospital; and he had charge of 
 wounded soldiers in the very room where he had played and 
 slept as a child, the nursery of the house." 
 
 Colonel Higgins was promoted to the Colonelcy of his 
 regiment, The 86th N. Y. V., for gallant conduct at Gettys- 
 burg. I copy this official paper : 
 
 "Head Qrs,, 2nd Brigade, 1st Div., 3rd Corps, 
 "Camp near Sulphur Springs, Va., August 2, 1863. 
 "Gen. T. S. Sprague, 
 
 "Adjt. Gen., N. Y. S. 
 "Sir: "I have the honor to state, that Colonel Benijah 
 P. Bailey, 86th N. Y. V., was mustered out of service by 
 reason of disability. As the 86th is a part of my command, 
 I take the liberty of recommending to his Excellency, the 
 Governor of New York, as a proper person to fill the 
 vacancy, Lt. Colonel Benjamin L. Higgins of that regiment. 
 Colonel Higgins possesses superior qualifications and re- 
 markable ability as an officer, and is one of the most gallant 
 soldiers in our army. He has been twice wounded, at Chan- 
 
54 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 cellorsville and Gettysburg, and unlike many others, 
 remained with his regiment instead of taking leave of 
 absence, to which he was entitled. Believing that Colonel 
 Higgins richly merits this promotion and that the interest 
 of the service and his regiment will be benefitted thereby, I 
 am induced to make this recommendation. 
 "I am, Sir, 
 
 "Your obedient servant, 
 
 T. N. Robert Ward, 
 "Brigadier General." 
 
 "Head Qrs., 1st Division, 3rd Corps, 
 
 Springs, August 7th, 1863. 
 "These recommendations of General Ward are eminently 
 fit and proper; and I trust his Excellency, the Governor of 
 New York, will concur in the opinion. 
 
 D. B. BURNEY, 
 
 "Major General." 
 
 Colonel Higgins, who had been in a hospital, rejoined 
 his regiment, November 7th, 1863. The Third Army Corps 
 fought a battle at Locust Grove, November 27th, 1863, 
 
 Here Colonel Higgins was again severely wounded. A 
 minie ball went through both thighs, and fell into his boot. 
 The ball tvas poisoned. He was taken to Alexandria. 
 His wife was again sent for (she was staying in Wash- 
 ington) . She found Colonel Higgins in a freight car, lying 
 on the floor. He was put in a hospital at Alexandria. His 
 wife boarded with a northern woman near by; went to the 
 hospital every morning at six o'clock, and stayed till nine 
 o'clock at night. The doctor thought Colonel Higgins could 
 not live ; so his brother, Albert Higgins, was sent for. The 
 Colonel said, "I wish I was at home on a big bed." Mrs. 
 Higgins measured the height of his cot, went through the 
 hospital till she found another to match, tied the two 
 together, sewed two mattresses together, also some sheets 
 and a spread, and so made a comfortable double bed. That 
 is what he got for having his wife with him. (I have had 
 to urge Mrs. Higgins to give me these particulars.) I wish 
 more people had kept as accurate an account as she has. 
 (She said at first, "Don't ask me, Mrs. Teall. The most I 
 can remember is the hardship and the suffering, but they 
 were not as bad as if I had stayed here in Syracuse.") 
 
 When Mrs. Higgins was in this Hospital she saw two 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 55 
 
 young boys, one with both legs cut off at the knees, the other 
 with both arms off at the elbow. They did not seem to 
 mind it as much as some people would losing a finger. The 
 men in the wards would play cards, and these boys would 
 sit up and watch them, and enjoy the game. Mrs. Higgins 
 went through the wards every morning, to care for and 
 cheer the men. She says, "I found them generally cheerful 
 and patient; it made me ashamed when I thought what a 
 fuss some of us made over trifles.") 
 
 As soon as Colonel Higgins could be moved, he was 
 brought home to Syracuse, and was received with a great 
 public demonstration by the nremen. But he was too ill 
 to make any formal acknowledgment of this generous wel- 
 come. Re was afterwards mustered out for disability for 
 active service, but held several important positions under 
 the government. 
 
 After the battle of Locust Grove, the 86th N. Y. V. 
 returned to Brandy Station, and re-enlisted for three years 
 or during the war. Company A., which was the one Cap- 
 tain Higgins had taken from Syracuse in August, 1861, con- 
 tained about half of the original men. They all re-enlisted, 
 and remaining to the end of the war, fought through from 
 The Wilderness to Appomattox. Mr. Jerry Ryan was pro- 
 moted to the Captaincy of A. Company, July, 1864. He 
 was present at the surrender at Appomattox, April 9th, 
 1865, but did not see anything but General Meade and his 
 staff, as they returned from the surrender. When the men 
 heard the good news they threw up their caps, and cheered 
 as the General rode by." 
 
 The 86th regiment took part in the grand review in 
 Washington, May 22nd, 1865. This regiment was mustered 
 out of service in Washington, June 27th, '65; returned as 
 a regiment to Elmira ; was paid off there, July 4th, '65 ; and 
 disbanded. Company A. came home as it chose. 
 
 Some well known men belonged to this company. 
 Thomas Ryan, ex-Mayor, enlisted in 1865, and stayed with 
 the regiment until it was disbanded. Chief Reilly, of the 
 Fire Department, belonged to this company. Other mem- 
 bers of this company, who had lived in or near Syracuse, 
 were: Lieut. Nicholas Longstreet, Lieut. Ernest T. Rapp, 
 George A. Hammond, and Elen T. Scenten, living in Fay- 
 etteville. There were two very tall Indians in this com- 
 
56 THE ONONDAGA HIS1T>RICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 pany who attracted great attention as they passed through 
 Washington; one was killed at the second battle of Bull 
 Run; the other, Thomas John, returned safely to the 
 Reservation. 
 
 Captain Ryan married after the war, went to Pennsyl- 
 vania, and lived there 24 years. He had two sons. The 
 eldest died ; the second, Edward Ryan, now lives in Syracuse. 
 
 There has been erected on Sickles Avenue at Gettysburg 
 a superb monument for the 86th N. Y. V. It is the only 
 one where a woman is represented ; her sacrifices and suffer- 
 ing commemorated. On one side is a bas relief, a mother 
 weeping over the body of her son, with this motto, "I yield 
 him to his country and to his God." When this monument 
 was unveiled the greatest emotion was expressed by the 
 women present. It was the first public recognition of 
 Women's Service, Loyalty, Devotion and Patriotism. 
 
 Pettit's Battery. 
 
 Battery B., 1st N. Y. Light Artillery, was mustered into 
 State service at Baldwinsville, August 21, '61, and into the 
 United States service at Elmira, a week later. It parti- 
 cipated in 22 engagements, and was mustered out June 18, 
 1865. It acquired a fine reputation. General Walker spoke 
 of its "peerless gunners," and in his account of the engage- 
 ment at Falmouth, said that Pettit "had cannoneers who 
 could hardly be matched in any battery in the regular 
 army." Hazard spoke in similar terms of the repulse at 
 Fair Oaks, saying, "The firing of Pettit's Battery has never 
 in my observation been excelled." Its monument at Gettys- 
 burg was dedicated July 3rd, 1888. Thirteen of its mem- 
 bers were present, and the Rev. Dr. W. M. Beauchamp, then 
 of Baldwinsville, made the address. 
 
 The monument is on Cemetery Ridge and bears the bad^o 
 of the Second Corps, with four inscriptions, one for each 
 side of the stone. On the front are the words, "Battery B., 
 1st N. Y. Light Artillery, Artillery Brig., 2d Corps." On 
 the reverse, "Position held afternoon of July 3d, 1863. 
 Casualties: Killed 10, wounded 16." On the left side, "Or- 
 ganized at Baldwinsville, Onondaga Co., New York." Right 
 side, "Mustered into service, Aug. 31, 1861. Participated 
 in 78 days of battle. Mustered out of service, June 18, 
 1865." 
 
 Without further mention of this famous Company, some- 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES" 67 
 
 thing may be said of its commander, under whom the bat- 
 tery acquired its skill. The following account comes from 
 one of his old friends : 
 
 At the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the village 
 of Syracuse, M, H, Jacobs, orderly sergeant of the Syracuse 
 Cadets in 1842, Capt. Timothy H. Teall, gave an account of 
 his experiences, mentioning some of the men. 
 
 "Rufus D. Pettit, an apprentice with Elijah T. Hay den, 
 learning the carpenter trade, joined this company after it 
 had been organized some little time. It fell to my lot to 
 break him in. He was perfectly willing to do everything 
 that was required, but he tried so hard to learn that when 
 put in the position of a soldier he seemed as stiff as a stake ; 
 he was round shouldered. I mounted a chair, put my knee 
 in his back and drew his shoulders back, put his hands down 
 with little fingers on the seams of his pants, and let him 
 stand awhile, then put him through his facings, but when I 
 came to teach him to march time and march to count, I 
 learned there was no time in him, and I actually took hold 
 of his feet with my hands, so as to aid him to keep step in 
 time ; but he was so willing that he soon mastered it all, and 
 became one of the most thoroughly disciplined men in the 
 company. He enlisted in the United States army for the 
 Mexican war. 
 
 "I was told of a very interesting incident concerning 
 him in the siege of the capital. A battery was engaged 
 trying to shoot down a flag on the Mexican Capitol building. 
 Mr. Pettit's captain, who also commanded a battery, said, 
 "I know a man who will bring that flag down.' 'Well,' said 
 the captain, whose battery was firing, 'Trot him out and he 
 shall have a chance.' Pettit was called and asked if he could 
 do it. He replied, 'I can try.' And he did try. He took 
 his time to calculate the distance with his eye, then to 
 elevate the gun so as to hit the object at that distance; all 
 ready (bang) and down came the flag. There was some 
 cheering and praise, and he was given charge of a battery." 
 
 He said little of his exploits, but his men often told of his 
 coolness and skill. In ingenious ways he drilled them before 
 they had guns. Some fun was expected when on a field day, 
 they were ordered to fire a salute for the first time. He 
 stood, watch in hand, and it was done with the precision of 
 veterans. 
 
58 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 At the close of the Mexican War he received a silver 
 medal from the city of New York, and in the Civil War one 
 from Napoleon III. A French officer was with his company 
 for two months, observing his methods, and this favor came 
 through him. 
 
 He was born near Bridgeport, Conn., July 4th, 1825, and 
 died in Baldwinsville, October 24, 1891. At Chancellorsville 
 he was disabled and assigned to staff duty at Washington, 
 serving through the war. It was my privilege to say the 
 last words at his grave, being also an honorary member of 
 this famous battery. 
 
 (Prepared by Rev. Dr. W. M. Beauchamp.) 
 
 Mr. John T. Williams was one of the original members 
 of the Zouave company that left Syracuse in April, 1861, to 
 join the 3rd Regiment, N. Y. S. Volunteers at Albany. He 
 went to Port Byron, found three friends who enlisted, and 
 returned to Syracuse. They joined the company on its way 
 to the station, the morning it left Syracuse. Mr. Williams 
 served with his company until he was sent by General Butler 
 as a scout from Bermuda Hundred on the 23rd of May, 1864. 
 General Butler ordered him to go into the Confederate lines 
 and get all the information he could. He was captured by 
 a Captain Smith, sent to Andersonville, and stayed there 
 till September, 1864. Then the prisoners were divided and 
 sent to different prisons, fearing a rescue by General 
 Sherman. 
 
 Mr. Williams was sent to Savannah; from there to a 
 camp near Millen. He was put in a hospital outside the 
 prison, but escaped and reached Augusta. Here, to avoid 
 suspicion, he procured a Confederate uniform and reported 
 to the Provost Marshal as a Confederate straggler from 
 the army of the Tennessee. He served as one of the Provost 
 guard for two weeks. During that time he went into a 
 cotton field, to try to find out how the negroes talked and 
 felt. He told an old negro that the Yanks were coming and 
 would take him. 
 
 "I'm not afraid," said the old man, "Yanks won't hurt 
 me. 'Pears that boy Billy (General Sherman) can go where 
 he pleases." 
 
 Mr. Williams made application to be allowed to join what 
 he pretended was his old command, then in front of Sher- 
 man. He hoped to pick up some valuable information and 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 59 
 
 escape to the Federal Army. He marched with the Con- 
 federates through the Carohnas on Sherman's left flank, 
 often seeing his watch fires at night. 
 
 At Charlotte about a hundred of these stragglers were 
 put on a train and taken to Kingston, where there was a 
 battle. There Mr. Williams was arrested as a suspicious 
 character, because he had not reported to the command to 
 which he said he belonged. He was tried, but as nothing 
 could be proved, he was given permission to join any regi- 
 ment in the Alabama brigade. The Confederate army was 
 gathering to march on Bentonville; it was forty thousand 
 strong. It attacked the left wing of Sherman's army, com- 
 manded by General Slocum, at Bentonville. 
 
 The remainder of the story of Mr. Williams is soon told : 
 
 Sergeant John T. Williams at Bentonville. 
 
 In the Journal on March 19, 1915, on the fiftieth anni- 
 versary of the battle of Bentonville, the following article, 
 written by James A. Cruthers, was published. 
 
 Fifty years ago to-day — March 19, 1865 — one Syracusan 
 planned and fought successfully the battle of Bentonville, 
 N. C, in acting upon the information furnished to him by 
 another Syracusan, after a third Syracusan had penetrated 
 the second's guise as a Confederate and had vouched as 
 to his integrity and reliability to the first. In this way 
 perhaps the most decisive of all the 2,147 engagements 
 of the Civil War was won in the defeat of the adroitly 
 laid plans of the Confederates to stop the northward move- 
 ment of Sherman's Union army through the Carolinas by 
 destroying it. 
 
 About 18 months before the battle of Bentonville, 
 Sergeant John T. Williams of Company D. Third New York 
 Infantry, entered the Confederate lines near Petersburg, 
 Va., on a secret mission for Major General Benjamin F. 
 Butler, then commanding the Army of the James. Sergeant 
 Williams' instructions were doing, discover their intentions 
 and return at the earliest possible moment. 
 
 When he returned to the Union lines it was at Benton- 
 ville, just as the battle was beginning, by "deserting" from 
 the Confederate skirmish line. During the intervening 
 months he had been a prisoner of war for the greater part 
 of the time, having been captured before he succeeded in 
 getting far within the Confederate lines at Petersburg. 
 
60 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 From one military prison to another he was transferred, 
 until at last he reached the stockade at Andersonville, Ga. 
 From there he finally managed to escape, when sent out 
 under guard with a detail to cut wood. 
 
 Evaded the Hounds. 
 
 Sergeant Williams succeeded in evading the bloodhounds 
 placed upon his trail by wading streams, wallowing through 
 swamps and climbing from one tree to another. In escaping 
 he possessed himself of the ragged garb and accoutrements 
 of a slain prison guard. Miles and miles away he fell 
 into the hands of a small Confederate force, engaged in 
 conscripting recruits for the Southern army. 
 
 He now claimed to be a Confederate, recovering from 
 illness, and professed to belong to the Nineteenth Alabama 
 Infantry. He was somewhat chagrinned when told that 
 that regiment was but a few miles away, and that he would 
 be sent to it. In conversation with soldiers of the Thirty- 
 ninth Alabama, the make-believe Confederate ascertained 
 something about that regiment — so much, in fact, that when 
 he reached the camp of the Nineteenth Alabama he insisted 
 that he had been misunderstood, and that he had been 
 ordered to the wrong regiment. 
 
 His was the Thirty-ninth Alabama, Company K, com- 
 manded by Captain Thomas J. Brannon, Williams claimed. 
 He had been left behind, sick, he said. But when he reached 
 the Thirty-ninth Alabama, Captain Brannon absolutely re- 
 fused to recognize Williams as one of his men returning 
 from sick leave. Some of the other officers of the regiment 
 quickly suspected Williams, and suggested that he be hanged 
 as a Yankee spy. He stoutly maintained that he was not 
 a spy, defied them to prove their charge, and calmly went 
 on talking with the men of Company K of home and impell- 
 ing from them the information that was to stand him well 
 in hand later. 
 
 Accepted as Confederate. 
 
 Williams finally satisfied Captain Brannon that he was 
 a Confederate and the captain was disposed to believe that 
 the soldier's mind had been weakened by disease and ex- 
 posure. Captain Brannon became sponsor for Williams, 
 and consented that he might serve in his company until 
 his own might be discovered — possibly in another regiment. 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 61 
 
 From then on until Bentonville, the name of John Williams 
 was borne on the first sergeant's roll of Company K, Thirty- 
 ninth Alabama. 
 
 On the night before Bentonville, Williams was on guard 
 at the head of a bridge over which the Confederates were 
 crossing a river to attack the left wing of General Sher- 
 man's army next morning. While Williams was counting 
 the passing cannon and mentally calculating the number of 
 men in the column, he overheard an argument between two 
 mounted officers. One, evidently a quartermaster, was de- 
 manding the right to use the bridge in order to cross over 
 wagons loaded with rations. He stated the number of 
 thousands of men he would have to provide breakfast for. 
 
 Hardee and his men were up, Williams heard the officer 
 say, and Cheatham and his were already across, while Hoke 
 and his force were at that moment going over. Right be- 
 hind them was Bragg's Division of freshly arrived troops. 
 Other commands were mentioned, specified by commander 
 and number, and Joe Johnston himself was in command 
 of them all. The sickly-looking, apparently unconcerned 
 bridge guard let none of the information get away from 
 him. 
 
 Dropped His Bullets. 
 
 Early next morning Company K, Thirty-ninth Alabama, 
 deployed and was ordered forward as skirmishers. This 
 brought Williams nearer the Union lines than he had been 
 before in months. As he advanced puffs of smoke from 
 the rifles of the Union skirmishers indicated their exact 
 position. Further back in the rear he could see the Stars 
 and Stripes — his first glimpse of them in a long time ! 
 
 As the Union line was forced back and the Confederate 
 skirmishers advanced, Williams was congratulating him- 
 self upon getting so near his old comrades in blue, although 
 they might not recognize him in gray, and that as yet 
 nobody had apparently observed that he was dropping the 
 bullets as he reloaded his musket after firing. Suddenly 
 the voice of Captain Brannon, pitched in tones of anger, 
 
 reached his ears. 
 
 "Man, if you value your life as much as a dog's, don't 
 drop any more bullets," was the warning. "I half believe 
 you are a damned Yankee spy after all. One more false 
 move on your part, and I'll shoot you down in your tracks !" 
 
62 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 Just then the Confederate line a^ain surged forward. 
 Williams dashed on, throwing away his gun as he ran to- 
 ward the Union line. Above the cracking of firearms he 
 could hear Captain Bannon shouting: "Kill that man!" 
 As he neared the Union skirmishers they ceased firing at 
 him, and he passed through to the rear without having 
 received any injury more serious than a slight flesh wound. 
 
 Threatened by Slocum. 
 
 The supposedly deserting Confederate skirmisher re- 
 vealed to a Lieutenant Joseph B. Foraker, afterward 
 governor of Ohio, his true identity and asked to be con- 
 ducted to the general commanding the Union forces. This 
 was Major General Henry W. Slocum, whose force con- 
 sisted of the Fourteenth and Twentieth Army Corps. Gen- 
 eral Slocum was known by sight to Sergeant Williams. 
 The information that the Confederates had concentrated 
 so large an army, commanded by Joe Johnston, to annihilate 
 Slocum's two small corps and then whip in detail Sherman's 
 center column and right wing seemed incredulous. 
 
 General Slocum assured Williams that, if he had entered 
 the lines to deceive him, he surely would be hanged. 
 General Davis, commanding the Fourteenth Corps, im- 
 patiently suggested that there be no time wasted about 
 having the "neck-tie party." About that time Major Wil- 
 liam G. Tracy, serving as an aide-de-camp on the staff 
 of General Slocum, appeared on the scene, recognized Wil- 
 liams and vouched for him. 
 
 Major Tracy and Sergeant Williams had gone out from 
 Syracuse together as soldiers with Butler's Zouaves — ^the 
 first company of volunteers raised in the state west of 
 Albany in response to Lincoln's first call for troops to de- 
 fend the national capitol. Tracy had been discharged as 
 an enlisted man of Company D, Third New York Infantry, 
 to enable him to accept commission as lieutenant in the 
 One Hundred and Twenty-second New York. Promotion 
 to captain had followed and assignment to staff duty. 
 
 Finally Was Believed. 
 
 Artillery was already in action, and desultory skirmish 
 fire had been succeeded by crashing volleys of musketry, 
 story, placed the Fourteenth Corps in battle array and or- 
 dered the Twentieth Corps up in support. Couriers were 
 
CIVIL WAR I^EMINISCENCES 63 
 
 sent.t(^ inform General Sherman of the danger confronting 
 jM'&'wifSely separated wings. Slocum's men handsomely re- 
 pulsed the Confederate attack, but not until 11 officers 
 and 181 men had been killed, 70 officers and 1,047 men 
 wounded and 4 officers and 291 jngn-captured on the Union 
 side — a total loss of 1,604. 
 
 The Confederate loss approximated 2,000, and never 
 again did the Confederates assume the offensive and seri- 
 ously dispute the progress of Sherman's campaign in the 
 Carolinas. General Slocum personally thanked Sergeant 
 Williams for his deed of valor immediately after the battle 
 of Bentonville and sent him to his own company and regi- 
 ment. There he was restored to duty and with rank from 
 April 25, 1865, was soon afterward mustered in as first 
 lieutenant of the company in which he had originally served 
 as a private soldier. 
 
 The hero of Bentonville steadfastly refused to accept 
 a purse of $700 raised for him, and saw another claim his 
 congressional medal of honor. After being mustered out 
 of service as a volunteer officer — Aug. 28, 1865 — Lieutenant 
 Williams entered the regular army as an enlisted man and 
 soon attained the rank of sergeant and then commissary 
 sergeant in Battery M, Third United States Artillery. 
 Eventually he returned to Syracuse, and here died at his 
 home, 1527 Burnet ave., on July 13, 1912. 
 
 Tributes of Fellow Soldiers. 
 
 Maj. W. G. Tracy — "Sergeant Williams was being ques- 
 tioned by General Slocum and the second in command — 
 Maj. Gen. Jeff C. Davis, commanding the Fourteenth Army 
 Corps — when I came up. General Slocum asked me if I 
 knew Williams. He was wearing a ragged Confederate 
 uniform, and his hair and beard were long. 'Hello, Tracy; 
 don't you know me?' he said as I approached. As soon 
 as I recognized him, I assured General Slocum that he 
 could be believed, but General Davis still insisted that Wil- 
 liams' story was simply incredible and probably nonsense. 
 I was afterward told that General Slocum had said he would 
 hang Williams if he found that he was trying to deceive 
 him. Williams prevented a great disaster at Bentonville, 
 Without the information he furnished to General Slocum, 
 we would undoubtedly have been defeated there, and that 
 would have endangered General Sherman's whole army. 
 
64 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 After I had vouched for Sergeant Williams, General Slocum 
 heard his story again and then planned and successfully 
 fought the battle." — Brevet Major William G. Tracy, cap- 
 tain and aide-de-camp, United States Volunteers, on the 
 staff of General Slocum. 
 
 Col. John S. Butler. — "John Williams was one of the 
 first to volunteer as a soldier in the city of Syracuse. He 
 was absolutely fearless, and disposed to be adventurous. 
 As a duty man he was one of the very best of soldiers. 
 If memory serves me right, he went out first as a scout for 
 General Butler from Camp Hamilton, Va. Several times 
 to my knowledge he undertook such hazardous secret mis- 
 sions, taking his life in his hands in every instance." — 
 Col, John G. Butler, originally captain, Company D, Third 
 New York Infantry. 
 
 Capt. T. J. Brannon. — "I have reason for remembering 
 that man. ... If one ever completely deceived another, 
 Williams deceived me. Of course, I knew well enough 
 that he did not belong to my company, but I was firmly 
 convinced that he was a Confederate, recovering from seri- 
 ous illness. . . . Not until that morning at Bentonville, 
 when I observed that he was dropping his bullets on the 
 ground in reloading his gun did I suspect him. We did our 
 best to kill him when he fled from our skirmish line, de- 
 serting to the Yanks." — Capt. Thomas J. Brannon, late of 
 Company K, Thirty-ninth Alabama Infantry. 
 
 Major Tracy was most kind. Mr. Williams wished to 
 change his Confederate suit, cut his hair and shave his 
 beard, which had grown to his waist. Major Tracy handed 
 him the key to his trunk and said, "Help yourself," But 
 when he got to headquarters everyone wanted to do some- 
 thing for him ; each supplied some article. General Slocum 
 sent for him that evening. When he entered the tent, the 
 General said: "I want Williams." "I am Williams, Sir." 
 "You need not be afraid anyone will recognize you," said 
 the General. 
 
 After this battle of Bentonville, Mr. Williams re- 
 joined his old company in the 3rd Regiment, N. Y. S. 
 Volunteers, and found some of his friends still in it with 
 whom he had left Syracuse nearly four years before. The 
 3rd Regiment was left with Terry's command to garrison 
 Raleigh, and remained there till some time in August. It 
 
CIVIL WAR REMIN7SCENCES 65 
 
 was ordered to Albany in September, 1865, paid off and 
 disbanded. Mr. Williams afterward lived in Syracuse 
 and died quite recently. 
 
 Up in the northeast corner of Oakwood, on a beautiful 
 hill, lies the earthly body of as brave and true a man (and 
 his father) as Onondaga County has ever sent forth to 
 maintain her honor and good name — J. L. Kirby Smith, 
 Colonel of the Forty-third Ohio Regiment, who fell at the 
 head of his command in the battle of Corinth, Mississippi, 
 October 4, 1862. 
 
 Kirby Smith was of distinguished Revolutionary descent. 
 His great-grandfather, Ephraim Kirby Smith, enlisted at 
 the age of 17 in the Revolutionary army; his father and 
 three brothers were in the army at the same time. His 
 great-grandfather, Elnathan Smith, served in the French 
 and Indian war; his grandfather, Joseph Lee Smith, dis- 
 tinguished himself in the war of 1812; he was afterward 
 appointed by President Monroe United States Judge for 
 Florida, immediately on the change of flags, when our gov- 
 ernment purchased that territory from Spain. His son, 
 Ephraim Kirby Smith, was appointed to the Military 
 Academy at West Point from Florida, though he was a New 
 Englander by birth ; he was always known in the army as 
 E. Kirby Smith. 
 
 E. Kirby Smith married Mary Jerome, who belonged to 
 one of the most distinguished Onondaga County families. 
 Her grandfather, Timothy Jerome, moved from Connecticut 
 to Pompey in 1794; his son, Isaac, who settled in Geddes, 
 was a man of remarkable energy. Mary Jerome was his 
 daughter. 
 
 Major E. Kirby Smith was in the Mexican war, fell in 
 battle at the head of his battalion at Molina del Rey, a battle 
 in which 59 officers were killed (one-third of all engaged) 
 and 800 men. 
 
 J. L. Kirby Smith, his son, was bom in Syracuse, July 
 25, 1836. This son heard the story of his father's heroism; 
 he knew how highly that father was honored, and from his 
 youth determined to devote himself to that service to which 
 his father had given his life. He entered West Point in the 
 class of 1853, graduated in June, 1857; was commissioned 
 second lieutenant, topographical engineers; served on the 
 western frontier. Here is an extract from a letter which 
 
66 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 shows Kirby Smith as a son as well as a soldier. He writes 
 from a boat between St. Louis and Leavenworth : 
 
 "Some gamblers came on board ; took all the money the 
 passengers had. I never was so utterly sickened with any 
 practice as I am with that gambling, after what I saw oh 
 that boat. Console yourself, my dear mother, that it is 
 owing to your blessed care that I am preserved from the 
 temptation to spend money and character on dissipation. 
 On reading your last letter I came to a page or two that I 
 cannot read without tears, and longing for words that came 
 not; to express my gratitude to you, my best and nearest 
 friend on earth, for the many hours of anxious, devoted, 
 unselfish care that shielded my babyhood and boyhood from 
 evil ; for the uncalculating, inexhaustible love, that time and 
 absence seem only to increase; that asks no reward, and 
 that watches my manhood with the same sleepless devotion 
 that guarded my infancy. May God reward and bless you 
 forever." 
 
 Kirby Smith's chivalrous devotion to his widowed 
 mother was one of the most beautiful traits of his noble 
 nature ; his love was not manifested in words alone, for he 
 was most generous with his pay in her behalf. 
 
 I will let a companion soldier, John M. Fuller, brigadier 
 brevet major general, U. S. V., tell the rest of this story: — 
 
 "It is not an easy task, I know, to interest a listener in 
 the story of one who fell so young, no matter how highly 
 esteemed nor how beloved by his immediate comrades ; for, 
 though he gave promise of a brilliant career, he died too 
 soon to A^erify the promise. His service in the field covered 
 merely eight brief months, and he was but 26 years old when 
 he fell in battle. So young that only a few could realize 
 that a born soldier had been lost; so soon, that only his 
 kindred, and a few who loved him, would keep his memory 
 green. Perhaps, when asking you to listen to the brief 
 story of this young soldier, it may be well, at the outset, to 
 show that I am not alone in thinking his memory worthy 
 of preservation, and to this end will quote a few lines from 
 a letter written by a General, who once commanded the 
 Twelfth and afterwards the Twentieth Corps. General A. 
 S. Williams, who knew Colonel Smith perhaps even better 
 than I did, speaks thus of him: 'He was my beau-ideal of 
 
: CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 67 
 
 a young man. Cheerful, religious, faithful and sincere; 
 frank, brave, affectionate and dutiful, he combined all the 
 severer virtues of mature age, without illiberality, prejudice, 
 bigotry, envy or malevolence. There was a daily beauty in 
 his life that won the hearts of all who knew him.' And 
 again the same General says: 'His heart was so given to 
 the cause of his country, and he was so free from selfish con- 
 siderations ; he was so capable, so brave, so self-reliant with- 
 out vanity, so patient and so persevering in the line of duty, 
 that I have looked confidently — though not without appre- 
 hensions for his personal safety — for splendid services and 
 rapid and well earned advancement.' When the Civil War 
 broke out Smith was a lieutenant in the corps of topograph- 
 ical engineers, and stationed at Detroit under Captain 
 George G. Meade, who afterward became Commander of the 
 Army of the Potomac. Both Meade and Smith were afraid 
 the great rebellion would be put down while they were 
 measuring the shores and sounding the depths of that inland 
 sea. But it was not long before every soldier would find 
 enough to do. 
 
 "Our Kirby's first war service was on the staff of Gen. 
 Patterson; then on that of Banks. But he was restive 
 while doing merely topographical dut\% and longed for a 
 regiment he might lead to the field. After some disappoint- 
 ments he was offered a cavalry regiment, which he declined, 
 as he once told me, merely 'because he could not shoe a 
 horse.' Then the Forty-third Ohio was offered him by 
 Governor Dennison, which he promptly and gladly accepted. 
 On reaching Camp Chase, near Columbus, he found a mere 
 squad of men, all like Artemus Ward's company, 'willing to 
 be brigadiers.' Re removed headquarters to Mt. Vernon. 
 Speedily the ranks were filled, and so thoroughly were the 
 men drilled that the Firty-third was soon known as one of 
 the finest regiments Ohio sent into the field — and this is 
 saying a good deal. He, with his regiment, joined the 
 Army of the Mississippi at Commerce, Mo., where General 
 Pope was organizing his force preparatory to the movement 
 upon New Madrid. General Pope's army was ordered to 
 immediately join the forces of Grant and Buell, then 
 approaching Corinth. At the battle of Corinth, Colonel 
 Smith was ordered to 'charge front forward.' This man- 
 oeuver Smith proceeded to execute, just as if his regiment 
 
68 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 was on parade, aligning his right company on the markers 
 before giving the order for the other companies to advance. 
 This movement was not fully completed when Smith was 
 shot down. 'These fellows are firing at you, Colonel,' said 
 one of the Forty-third's men. 'Well, give it to them,' 
 answered the Colonel, and immediately thereafter fell from 
 his horse. When Colonel Smith, his adjutant, and officers 
 of the Forty-third were shot down, that regiment seemed 
 dazed and liable to confusion, but Lieut. Colonel Wagner 
 Swayne immediately began to steady the ranks, and General 
 Stanley galloped up just in time to help. Stanley was a 
 host in battle, and always seemed to be where the strife was 
 fiercest. Just as our boys were moving for the charge, 
 which broke the rebel column in the road, I was astonished 
 to see Stanley rushing in between the file closers and the 
 line of battle of the Eleventh Missouri, his arms out- 
 stretched, to touch as many men as he could reach, pushing 
 them forward to reach the head of the rebel column. Very 
 soon after the charge — when the exultant shout of victory 
 was so quickly followed by that revulsion which came with 
 the whispered names of the dead — occurred the scene touch- 
 ingly referred to by General Stanley in his official report of 
 the battle : 'I have not words to describe the qualities of this 
 model soldier, or to express the loss we have sustained in 
 his death. The best testimony I can give to his memory is 
 the spectacle I witnessed myself in the very moment of 
 battle, of stern, brave men weeping like children as the word 
 passed : "Kirby Smith is killed." '. 
 
 "It seemed a singular coincidence to us, and I think also 
 to Smith, that his wound was identical with that which 
 struck down his honored father, years before, at the gates of 
 Mexico. A shot entered just under the right nostril, pass- 
 ing somewhat upward until deflected by a bone, when it 
 passed out at the left ear. That evening I went with 
 General Stanley to the hospital. It will be readily under- 
 stood that the nature of Kirby's wound prevented speech, 
 but as soon as he saw us he indicated a desire to write. I 
 took out a memorandum book and pencil, when he imme- 
 diately wrote: 'How did my regiment behave?' General 
 Stanley commenced to write a reply, when a quizzical look 
 of the Colonel's reminded us he could hear well enough, and 
 Stanley answered: 'Most gallantly.' This seemed to please 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 69 
 
 Smith greatly, and he at once acknowledged it with one of 
 his graceful salutes. 
 
 "There is one other word to say, which I could wish were 
 said by some one better fitted to say it. Colonel Smith was 
 more than a soldier ; he was a Christian. He never made a 
 parade of his religious ideas. No man ever saw in his the 
 least particle of cant. Yet in and through the soldier there 
 shone forth in the life of our Kirby Smith the evidence of 
 that life which is eternal." 
 
 The following letter was received from General 
 Stanley : 
 
 Washington, D. C, May 20, 1898. 
 
 Dear Mrs. Teall : I was intimately associated with Col. 
 L. Kirby Smith in the spring and during the year 1862, until 
 he received a mortal wound at the Battle of Corinth, October 
 4 of that year. He was a recruiting officer at Columbus, O., 
 in 1861 ; and his gentlemanly deportment and attractive 
 manners so far won the confidence of those he met in the 
 pursuit of his duties that he was urged upon the Governor 
 of Ohio for Colonel of the Forty-third Ohio Volunteers. He 
 devoted himself to this regiment, and when he reported to 
 me at New Madrid, Mo., he had one of the best drilled and 
 best equipped regiments in our army of the Mississippi. He 
 was a man of most amiable character and attractive 
 manners, young, handsome and modest. Before the battle 
 of Corinth his regiment had been in several sharp engage- 
 ments, and I remember his saying to me one day : 'General, 
 I want to pass through one big battle, and be exposed to a 
 shower of bullets; then I will, if I survive, know myself 
 better." Alas ! he had his wish ; he behaved like a hero and 
 received his mortal hurt. 
 
 He mounted his horse as the enemy charged his line, to 
 lead his men by his example, was shot through the lower 
 part of his face and survived six days. 
 
 I am sorry I cannot write more for you of this pure, 
 brave, brilliant and pious young man, but the cares of this 
 war tak^ all my time. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 D. H. Stanley. 
 
70 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 Charles E. Fitch writes of Lieut, D. Duncan Hillis : 
 
 Lieut. D. Duncan Hillis was a native of Syracuse, and 
 the eldest son of the late distinguished advocate, D. D. Hillis. 
 He inherited much of the bright talent and suave urbanity 
 which made Mr. Hillis a leader at the bar and chief orna- 
 ment of the social circle. He received the advantages of a 
 liberal education in the select school of the city and at 
 Hobart College. He chose the profession of civil engineer- 
 ing, and was for several years on the canals of this State, 
 giving eminent satisfaction to the authorities in the several 
 grades in which he was successively promoted. In January, 
 1863, he received a commission as second lieutenant in the 
 Third New York Artillery, and for nearly a year was 
 stationed on Forest and Morris Island, during the severe 
 siege operations of General Gilmore against Charleston. 
 
 In October, 1864, he was advanced to the rank of first 
 lieutenant, in the same regiment, and was shortly after- 
 wards ordered to Newbern, N. C. The terrible pestilence 
 which swept over that devoted city found him at his post of 
 duty and claimed him for its victim. Such is the brief 
 record of a life spanning but 24 years, but luminous with 
 manifold graces of character, nobleness of resolve and 
 beauties of action. 
 
 For this young hero who died in his country's service 
 there is indeed regret, but it is tempered with the assurance 
 that he did his full duty in this hour of his country's 
 extremity. Syracuse mourns her honored dead indeed, but 
 she sets them in her crown of glory to be worn with rejoic- 
 ing when grim visaged war shall shake the land, and out 
 of all the blood of her noble sons, a lasting and righteous 
 peace shall issue. 
 
 There was a boy of only a little over 17 years of age, 
 who was also a victim of that dread fever — George Sumner 
 Jenkins, a grandson of General E. V. Sumner. He died at 
 Newbern on October 19, 1865. A friend says: 
 
 "We happened to be in the Provost Marshal's office when 
 young Jenkins came from the surgeon's examination, and 
 fully consummated, by a solemn oath, his resolve to become 
 a soldier of the Union. By name a stranger, though we 
 had often noticed him in every day life, his fresh rosy cheeks 
 and youthful appearance, and his dignified and cheerful 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 71 
 
 bearing, attracted our especial attention, and as he turned 
 away we remarked to the Marshal that that young man, if 
 he lived, would do honor to his country and to his friends. 
 But he has fallen a victim to a power greater than man, 
 when he had but just entered upon the service of his coun- 
 try." He was a son of Leonidas Jenkins, a graduate of 
 West Point, and an officer of the First Dragoons, U. S. A., 
 who served in the Mexican war, and died of yellow fever at 
 Vera Cruz, October 18, 1847, having been attacked with that 
 disease while on horseback drilling his regiment. We copy 
 the following sketch from the Journal: 
 
 "Young Jenkins was only 17 years of age, yet inspired 
 with the military spirit of his gallant father, and his still 
 more eminent grandfather, he had been desirous of entering 
 the service of the United States for the last two years. But 
 he was prevented by the remonstrances of his friends and 
 relatives and especially by those of his mother, whose only 
 child he was; his extreme youth was the only motive for 
 this opposition to his wishes. Fired with the spirit of the 
 times, and inspired by the military ardor which he had 
 inherited, he resisted all importunities and enlisted as a 
 private in the Third New York Artillery, then recruiting 
 in this city, its headquarters being at Newbern, N. C. On 
 the 18th of September last he, with other recruits, left for 
 Elmira, where they remained a few days and then proceeded 
 to Newbern. The first tidings his relatives received from 
 him was a brief note in pencil to his mother, written at 
 Baltimore, on a cannon attached to his battery, and glowing 
 with all the hope and pleasure of a young soldier's life. 
 While at Elmira General Diven proposed to detail him out 
 of the field. Thankful for the kindness intended, he how- 
 ever begged that it might not be so, and that he might be 
 permitted to join his regiment, as he had entered the service 
 as a private to do his duty and to earn by honest effort that 
 promotion most sacred and valuable to the heart of a true 
 soldier. He was accordingly permitted to proceed to the 
 headquarters of his regiment. 
 
 "When he arrived at Newbern the yellow fever was 
 raging to a fearful extent, from 30 to 60 dying daily; yet 
 he quietly and assiduously entered upon the discharge of the 
 duties assigned to him, and received the warm commenda- 
 tions of his Colonel, who took him at once to his own quar- 
 ters to live with him. 
 
72 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 "On the 28th of September last General Sprague, the 
 adjutant general of the State, enclosed to Mrs. Sumner a 
 commission for him, from Governor Seymour, as second 
 lieutenant of the First New York Mounted Rifles, then be- 
 fore Richmond and commanded by his uncle, Edwin V. 
 Sumner, U. S. A. This commission reached him at New- 
 bern on October 2nd. Thus commissioned and promoted, 
 he was, of course, to proceed without delay to join his new 
 regiment in front of the rebel capital. At the earnest soli- 
 citation, however, of his late commander, who had lost all 
 his officers but three, to remain with him and aid him until 
 he could secure new officers in their stead, he cheerfully, 
 with the magnanimity of a generous soul, consented to do 
 so, though so manj^ others hastened in utter dismay to escape 
 the ravages of the terrible pestilence. This was a display 
 of moral courage higher than that demanded by the duties 
 of the battlefield — a nobleness of purpose greater than that 
 which even the most devoted patriotism generally excites. 
 He sacrificed to the welfare of the Republic not only his 
 life, but what promised to be a brilliant and distinguished 
 future. Can the Nation perish, having such sons?" 
 
 This is a letter which will interest many friends still in 
 Syracuse : 
 
 Headquarters, 149th Regiment, N. Y. V., 
 Brook's Station, April 14, 1863. 
 
 Dear Sat: This is probably the last time I shall ever 
 commence a letter with the heading, "Brook's Station," for 
 we are under orders to march, and shall be off, I suppose, 
 to-morrow morning. There is to be a grand movement 
 immediately, and we are to be called upon to join the great 
 army which is so soon to go out to victory or death. 
 
 The next ten days will probably decide our fate, and 
 that of Richmond, from this direction; for the army is in 
 splendid condition now, and we can, if ever, make an impres- 
 sion at this time. The Lord grant that we may succeed; 
 but, oh, at what a cost ! for many must fall ; and how many 
 poor hearts will bleed for lost sons, husbands, fathers, 
 lovers. Who knows but what I may be among the honored 
 ones who will fall in defense of their loved country; and 
 if so, then may I meet my fate with the calmness with which 
 I speak of it now to you. I have not, as I have often told 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 73 
 
 you before, the least idea that I shall survive a great battle, 
 for it is mine to fall, I most seriously believe, and so be it. 
 
 Give my best regards to all my friends, and believe me 
 ever your friend, 
 
 Jos. A. Davis. 
 
 He fell at Chancellorsville. He was severely wounded 
 in the action, and his death on the field was witnessed by 
 one of our soldiers who was taken prisoner, and these facts 
 were reported by Lieut. Eckle on his return to his regiment. 
 Lieut. Davis was the eldest son of James Davis, formerly of 
 this city, and now of Northboro, Mass. He entered the 
 service as quartermaster sergeant, and proved very faith- 
 ful and efficient. He was promoted to be second lieutenant 
 a few weeks later. Lieut. Davis was heart and soul engagea 
 in the national cause. He was courageous and ambitious, 
 and it was while in a hand-to-hand fight with rebels that he 
 fell. He was in his twenty-first year. 
 Lest we forget, 
 Lest we forget. 
 
 Reminisences of C. G. Baldwin, 101st N. Y. S. V., from 
 Counties of Deleware, New York and Onondaga. 
 
 In the early part of the year 1861, after Fort Sumter 
 had been fired upon by the Confederates at Charleston, the 
 war spirit broke out and extended throughout the Noerthrn 
 States, and into every city and village and country farm 
 in the State of New York. Patriotism and enthusiasm ran 
 riot in every portion of the State. 
 
 The writer, then a boy, was living on a farm in the 
 Town of Camillus with his adopted parents. 
 
 In September of that year, I was working in a field on 
 the farm. In an adjoining field of another farm another 
 boy, John Doran, v/as at work with a team. He called to 
 me to come to the division fence, and we fell into a talk 
 about the war. We finally decided that we would run 
 away from home and enlist. So the next morning, at day- 
 light, we stole quietly away ; walked to Syracuse, a distance 
 of about ten miles, called at a recruiting office, gave our 
 names and a false statement as to our ages; and were 
 duly mustered into the service. We camped on the old Fair 
 Ground in the southern part of the city, were supplied with 
 
74 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 a blue uniform and a gun, and then and there imagined we 
 were soldiers in the great Army of the United States. 
 
 A few days thereafter, while I was on guard duty, 
 entertaining the notion that I was a man, I discovered my 
 adopted parents driving into the camp. I was called by the 
 Lieutenant in charge; was informed that I should imme- 
 diately exchange my uniform for my old clothes, and go 
 home — which, of course, I did v/ithout demur. 
 
 The statement has been made that the records show that 
 I left the camp without leave and did not return, intimating 
 that it was a case of desertion. I do not blame the writer 
 for the misstatement, but rather the imperfect records made 
 at that time. 
 
 In October my parents, perceiving that I was discon- 
 tented and unhappy in not being allowed to serve the 
 country, consented that I might go as a drummer, in the 
 band which was then being organized to accompany the 
 101st Regiment of Volunteers. I, therefore, "joined the 
 Band," and was duly enlisted as a private in Company 
 I, 101st New York Volunteers and assigned to the Drum 
 Corps. 
 
 We were sent to Washington, and spent the winter 
 manning one of the numerous forts that protected the 
 Capitol. My duties at that time consisted in pounding a 
 drum from early dawn till dewy eve. 
 
 In the spring of 1862 we were ordered into Virginia, 
 and in the middle of a dark night I recollect crossing the 
 long bridge into Alexandria and the- enemy's country. 
 
 Soon thereafter our Band was dissolved and we were 
 given muskets and placed in the ranks, where, I take it, we 
 were more useful. 
 
 My first experience in real war commenced with the 
 second Bull Run Battle. My Captain was Peter McLennan, 
 a sturdy, young Scotchman, and as brave as he was sturdy. 
 In manouvering for this battle we were passing through 
 a wood where the fighting had been severe. I remember 
 that the dead were lying so thick over the ground that 
 it required caution to avoid stepping on the bodies. Coming 
 into the actual conflict, we were confronted by General 
 Jackson's Division — the finest body of fighting men the 
 world has ever had. Captain McLennan, sword in hand 
 ard raging back and forth, said to me : "Fire low, Char- 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 75 
 
 ley, and give them the devil." Soon after he was hit and 
 received a hurt from which he never recovered. Our losses 
 were great; our army was sadly defeated, but it was not 
 the fault of the men in the ranks. Our soldiers were as 
 brave and efficient as any, but they were not well com- 
 manded at that battle. 
 
 Other battles in which I took part were Fredericks- 
 burg, under Burnside ; Chancellorsville and Chantilly, under 
 Hooker ; Antietam, under McClellan, and finally Gettysburg, 
 under Meads. 
 
 My regiment was then the 40th N. Y. V., commended 
 by Colonel, afterwards General Eagan. We were a part 
 of the Third Corps commanded by General Sickles. Our 
 heavy fighting was on the second day of the battle, July 
 2, 1863. Our location was the "Valley of Death," at the 
 foot of Little Round Top Mountain. The fighting at this 
 point was very severe. Our regiment went into battle 
 with about three hundred and fifty men. It lost in killed 
 twenty six ; wounded one hundred and twenty men. Other 
 regiments suffered losses equally heavy, and the place was 
 well named the "Valley of Death." 
 
 I was wounded at this fight; was sent to the Baltimore 
 Hospital and there remained until mustered out of service 
 in 1864. 
 
 Looking back over the years to that experience, it seems 
 to me like a dream, and I say to myself: "Could that 
 reign of pain, destruction, death, waste and bitter enmity 
 have been real?" Is it possible that civilized, educated, 
 enlightened men can find no better v/ay of settling their 
 little differences than by killing each other wholesale?" 
 
 I served the army as drummer, then as private and 
 ended by being 2nd sergeant of Company I, 40th N. Y. C. 
 
 I sincerely hope that the United States will never have 
 another war, either foreign or domestic. It don't pay, and 
 with the exercise of comon intelligence, Christian charity 
 and a spirit of love, it would seem an easy matter to avoid 
 war in the future. 
 
 C. G. Baldwin. 
 Syracuse, Dec. 12, 1914. 
 
76 the onondaga historical association 
 
 Recollections of Mr. Lincoln's First Inauguration. 
 (Written by Mrs. Teall, March 4, 1913.) 
 Ruskin said, "The best thing anyone can do is to see a 
 thing clearly and then tell it in the simplest words." 
 
 I will try to recall, though in a dim uncertain way, some 
 of the soul stirring events which "transacted themselves" 
 in this country in the years 1860-61. 
 
 My father, Colonel E. V. Sumner of the regular 
 army, was stationed in St. Louis in 1860, in command 
 of the department of Missouri. Ke was ordered by General 
 Scott to accompany Mr. Lincoln east, as his military escort. 
 I remember that in some old letters he wrote, he gave an 
 account of a visit to Mr. Lincoln at Springfield, and he was 
 much impressed by Mr. Lincoln's quiet dignity of manner, 
 and evident strength and ability. 
 
 On the journey east Mr, Lincoln sat holding his little 
 son, T^^d, in his arms, most of the time, as if he were his 
 greatest comfort. 
 
 The scenes at Harrisburg have been so often described 
 that I will pass over this part of the story. I am like Hab- 
 berton's children, I want to be "where the wheels go 
 around," so I persuaded my husband, Mr. Teall, to take me 
 to Washington to attend the Inauguration. I was the only 
 woman on that train going to Washington, for no one knew 
 what to expect . The Presidential party was at Willard's 
 Hotel. Colonel Sumner, one of his daughters, Mrs. McLean, 
 and his two sons-in-law, Capt. McLean and Lieut. Long, 
 officers in the army, were at the same hotel. When we 
 joined them I saw "the wheels go round," many little ones 
 inside the big ones. In the midst of the anxiety and dis- 
 tress that was shaking the whole nation, nice little points 
 of etiquette had to be strictly considered. It was the proper 
 thing for Mrs. Lincoln to write a note to Miss Lane, the 
 then Lady of the White House, appointing an hour when 
 she would call on Miss Lane. But Mrs. Lincoln would not 
 do it. That was not according to her ideas of what was 
 due to her. Mr. Seward had to be sent for and insist that 
 she should. 
 
 The Inauguration was to be on Monday, the 4th of 
 March, 1861. The Sunday before was a day I can never 
 forget. Willard's Hotel was filled with an anxious, restless 
 crowd. No one thought of going to church ; men went about 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 77 
 
 looking grim and determined, meeting their best friends 
 with a glance of suspicion, not knowing whether the next 
 day would find them friends or enemies. Women were 
 frightened and tried to conceal their fears under hollow 
 laughter. In the afternoon there was a large circle sitting 
 in one of the parlors, the Southern men talking in the most 
 aggressive manner, the Northern men quiet, watchful. 
 Finally a young fellow just out of West Point, with light 
 hair and blue eyes, looking like a boy, threw himself back 
 in his chair and with a laugh said, ''Massachusetts's good 
 enough for me." I have often wished I could remember 
 his name and could know what became of him. 
 
 In the evening there was another group, watchful, 
 anxious. It was so important to know whom Mr. Lincoln 
 would appoint in his Cabinet. It was known that Mrs. 
 Lincoln was violently opposed to some decided Northern 
 men, fearing to offend the South. She said, "I don't want 
 my husband to be President of a few Northern States." 
 Finally Mr. Chase came out of Mr. Lincoln's parlor. He 
 was besieged for news, but he took a seat on a sofa beside 
 a pretty woman, and tried to appear indifferent. At last 
 hs said, "Can't tell. Lincoln has taken the bit in his teeth." 
 
 The 4th of March, 1861, saw Mr. Lincoln successfully 
 installed as President of the United States, despite all pre- 
 ditions to the contrary. For the first time in the history 
 of the United States it had been found necessary to conduct 
 the President-elect to his Capitol, surrounded by bayonets 
 and with loaded cannon at different points on the route, 
 where it was feared his passage might be obstructed — all 
 of which added to the display, if it detracted as much from 
 pre-conceived ideas of the Inauguration of the President of 
 a free Republic. 
 
 From early in the morning the tramp of troops could be 
 heard, and dashing Aides, in showy uniforms, were seen 
 urging their horses almost to full speed, and looking as if 
 the fate, not only of the United States, but of the universe, 
 depended upon their individual efforts. Masons and Odd 
 Fellows with Marshals of the City and Marshals of the day 
 were running against each other at every corner, while 
 occasionally a Light Artillery troup would sweep down 
 the street, sublimely unconscious of everything but its 
 destination. 
 
78 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 By nine o'clock the street in front of Willard's Hotel was 
 lined with troops, as far as the eye could see, and there they 
 remained under arms until Mr. Lincoln appeared, leaning 
 on the arm of Mr. Buchanan, who had previously driven 
 down the avenue in his own carriage and unattended. As 
 soon as Mr. Lincoln stepped into the carriage that was 
 to convey him to the Capitol, the troops presented arms, the 
 band struck up "Dixie," and the sun which had been under 
 a light cloud all the morning, shone with undiminished 
 splendor, as if nothing should be wanting to give effect to 
 the moment. It was a scene never to be forgotten and 
 seemed to make an unwonted impression on the spectators, 
 hushing into silence for the instant every dissenting voice. 
 As the carriage, which might be said to convey the destiny 
 of the United States, disappeared, the troops filed after it, 
 followed by an immense throng of people of all ages and 
 both sexes, eagerly hurrying to the Capitol, where a plat- 
 form had been erected outside of the building, from which 
 Mr. Lincoln, after taking the oath of office as President of 
 the United States, addressed them. 
 
 I wanted to go to the Senate Chamber to see the two 
 Presidents come in together, before the incoming President 
 took the oath of office. This is generally an easy enough 
 thing to do; just to walk up to the Capitol and go into the 
 Senate Chamber, but it was not so that day. First, one had 
 to get a pass from a Senator, then walk through a narrow, 
 long, boarded up pasage way, room only for one to pass at 
 a time. Sentinels were stationed at short distances, each 
 examining the pass. When we finally reached the Capitol 
 there were but two other women, besides myself, in the 
 gallery of the Senate Chamber; Mrs. Lincoln and the wife 
 of one of the Foreign Ministers. 
 
 It was a most impressive scene. The Judges of the 
 Supreme Court came in in their robes of office. The mem- 
 bers of the House of Representatives were on the floor. 
 Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Lincoln walked in together. Mr. 
 Breckenridge, Vice-President, presided in the chair. He 
 made such an impressive elegant speech that, strong Repub- 
 lican as I was, I could not but sympathize with him. 
 
 After Mr. Breckenridge concluded his speech, Mr. Lin- 
 coln and Mr. Buchanan walked out to the platform. We 
 followed but were not near enough to hear what Mr. Lincoln 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 79 
 
 said, but on that sea of faces turned towards him, could 
 read every variety of expression, from exultation to despair, 
 for it was evident that there was no hope for the South. 
 
 The remainder of the day was a gloomy one for all 
 parties. The excitement of the morning had passed away, 
 leaving everyone to reflection, that enemy to all present 
 enjoyment. 
 
 The Inauguration Ball was the dullest of all balls — 
 scarcely a familiar face to be seen — the Washingtonians did 
 not come out, because the "Lincolns" were not yet "the 
 Fashion." The strangers who patronized the affair tried 
 to make the most of it, but the room or tent, was arranged 
 with so little taste and so badly lighted, it required a 
 brilliant imagination to fancy enjoyment in such a scene. 
 
 Mr. Douglas opened the ball with Mrs. Lincoln, who 
 looked extremely well in a light blue "Moire," but did not 
 seem to be in good spirits. It is said she remarked that it 
 had been the most unhappy day of her life. 
 
 Tuesday morning, March 5th, my sister, Mrs. McLean, 
 and I went up to the White House to see how Mrs. Lincoln 
 liked her new home. She wasn't very well satisfied and 
 didn't seem to think she could make herself comfortable. 
 
 Then we went over to the War Department and sat in 
 one of the windows, watching the officers of the Army 
 assemble to make their first formal call on Mr. Lincoln. 
 General Scott stood at the head, but I was more interested 
 in watching a fiery young Southerner, who stood kicking 
 his sword in a rage that he had to call on "Old Abe Lincoln." 
 
 It was either that evening or a day or two after, that 
 Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln gave their first public reception at the 
 White House. They stood in front of the big bay window 
 in the Blue Room. Seated in that bay window were Mr. 
 and Mrs. Stephen Douglas, Mr. Chase, Mr. and Mrs. Law- 
 rence of Boston, Mrs. McLean, myself and a few others. I 
 watched the Douglasses and wondered what their feelings 
 were. 
 
 There was a big crowd, and I can only remember that 
 my father had to lift me over a table to get me out. 
 
 It was either on Wednesday or Thursday that Mr. Lin- 
 coln promoted my father to be the Brigadier-General in 
 place of General Twiggs, who had gone south. Mr. Lincoln 
 said, "Colonel Sumner, I consider this the best office I have 
 
80 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 in my gift," showing that he had no idea that in a few 
 weeks he would be appointing Brigadier-Generals by the 
 hundred, so little could anyone realize even then that there 
 would be a war. But the Cabinet had been appointed, and 
 the extreme Radicals carried the day, which meant war, the 
 prophets said. 
 
 General Sumner was sent under secret orders to Cali- 
 fornia, to supersede General Albert Sydney Johnston, then 
 in command of that Department, who was suspected of a 
 design to turn the forts and arms over to the Secessionists. 
 
 How California was saved to the Union a California 
 correspondent of the Chicago Tribune tells: "General A. 
 Sydney Johnston was in command at San Francisco when 
 the Rebellion broke out. He connived with the Secession- 
 ists to deliver over the forts at the entrance of the harbor 
 and to seize the 60,000 stand of arms which Buchanan's 
 Secretary of War, Floyd, had sent there for that purpose. 
 The city was swarming with cut-throats and traitors. John- 
 ston had privately sent in his resignation to the Department. 
 The hour for the consummation of the treachery had almost 
 arrived, when the unexpected advent of General E. V. Sum- 
 ner frustrated the scheme. He went on board the Cali- 
 fornia steamer at sea, so no intimation of his coming had 
 reached California. When he landed, on his arrival, he 
 walked up from the steamer to the headquarters of the 
 Pacific Department and inquired for the Commanding 
 Officer. Having been shown into his presence, he 
 announced himself to the established traitor as his suc- 
 cessor in command, showed his papers and demanded 
 immediate possession. In half an hour he had control of 
 both forts, and ran out their guns, double-shotted, on the 
 ^and side. 
 
 "That same evening the 60,000 stand of arms at Benicia 
 was secured and California was saved. But for that Cali- 
 fornia would have been lost." 
 
 Here is an order which speaks for itself: 
 
 "Headquarters of the Department of the Pacific. 
 
 "San Francisco, September 5th, 1861. General orders 
 et 20. 
 
 "No Federal troops in the Department of the Pacific will 
 ever surrender to Rebels. 
 
 E. V. Sumner, 
 Brigadier General Commanding. 
 Richard W. Drum. 
 Ass't. Adjt. General." 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 81 
 
 Captain McLean resigned from the Army of the United 
 States, and with his wife went directly to Montgomery to 
 report to Mr. Davis and offer his services. 
 
 Lieutenant Long, who was General Sumner's other son- 
 in-law, went with him to California as his Aide, but when 
 his State, Virginia, seceded, he also resigned, came to Syra- 
 cuse to get his wife and child, who were staying with her 
 family, and they went south. 
 
 I returned to an anixous, saddened home, where, with 
 my mother and elder sister, we lived through the next 
 terrible four years. My husband went into the Northern 
 Army, and my two brothers. 
 
 After all these long years, whenever I feel inclined to 
 criticize younger women for what seems frivolity or want 
 of knowledge, I remember that I didn't appreciate Mr. 
 Lincoln, when I could have talked to him every day. I 
 shared the general opinion, that Mr. Seward and Mr. Chase 
 were the greater men of the party, Mr. Lincoln, an uncouth 
 Westerner, knowing nothing of statesmanship. 
 
 Sarah Sumner Teall. 
 
 Scenes in Charleston During the Bombardment of 
 
 Fort Sumter. 
 
 (By An Eye- Witness.) 
 
 Charleston, April 12th, 1861. 
 "The echo of the last stroke of four from the historic 
 chimes of St. Michael's had scarcely died away, when a 
 group of soldiers, gathered around a mortar in Fort John- 
 son, Charleston Harbor, and waited, as the commander, with 
 watch in hand, looked for the signal to sound the first note 
 of Civil War. (The first gun of the war was fired at half- 
 past four o'clock, Friday morning, April 12th, 1861.) No 
 pen, tongue, or canvas, can accurately portray the scenes 
 of that April morning in the City of Charleston, when its 
 inhabitants were startled from their slumbers by that first 
 gun. Lights flashed as if by magic from every house, and 
 soon an agitated mass of people were rushing toward the 
 harbor. Grave citizens, usually distinguished by their 
 dignity, hurried along the streets, dressing while they ran 
 and madly shouting hurrahs. There were men without 
 coats, women without hats, children in their night gowns, 
 all hastening to the same point of view. 
 
82 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 "There, with pale faces and eyes sharpened by the strange 
 fascination of the scene, multituds remained hour after 
 hour, peering into the darkness, watching the progress of 
 the fight by the flashing of the guns. In five minutes all of 
 the batteries that surrounded Fort Sumter had opened fire, 
 or to use the words of Gneral Ripley, then commanding on 
 one of the islands, 'rung their breakfast bell for Major 
 Anderson.' " 
 
 (Strange feeling the officers of the old army had for 
 each other.) 
 
 It was two hours before Major Anderson responded to 
 this call ; then suddenly there poured from the parapet and 
 casemates of Fort Sumter a storm of iron hail. The tidings 
 instantly rang through the city, "Fort Sumter has opened 
 fire." (I believe it was thought Major Anderson would not 
 fight.) 
 
 Now the battle raged with fury; the fiery messengers 
 from both sides followed each other with spiteful hate. 
 Short, sharp spurts of flame told of bursting shells in and 
 around the beleaguered fortress, over which floated the only 
 flag of the Stars and Stripes to be found on the soil of South 
 Carolina. 
 
 A curious blending of humanity was to be observed 
 among those who manned the Confederate fortifications. 
 In their shirt sleeves, with heads bared, and faces smoke 
 begrimed, working heavy guns, were the gentlemen who 
 only a few days before met at the Charleston Club, types of 
 wealth and leisure. Here was a clergyman and some of 
 his deacons ; a bank president, and his clerks ; and yonder a 
 group of planters. 
 
 Many of these gentlemen had never seen a shotted gun 
 iDefore that day, but, with a mixture of chivalry and reck- 
 lessness, would spring to the crest of the earth-works after 
 each fire, to watch the effect of their aim, and then cheer 
 for Major Anderson as his answering missiles came shriek- 
 ing back. All of the old historic names of South Carolina 
 were represented among these soldiers; the grandson of 
 the Colonel Sumter, for whom the fort was named, was there 
 as a private. The venerable Edmund Ruffin of Virginia, 
 almost eighty years of age, had traveled from Virginia, 
 served as a private, and was allowed to fire the first shot 
 against Fort Sumter from the main battery (and he thought 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 83 
 
 he was patriotic). Fires were kept blazing in the harbor 
 all night to detect the launches of the distant fleet, if an 
 attempt should be made to relieve the garrison. 
 
 The second day was ushered in, clear and bright; the 
 air was laden with the perfume of the early spring flowers. 
 The flags of both the combatants were flying with stately 
 defiance ; and, as the first sunbeams touched their folds, the 
 thundering intonations of the heavy artillery told the listen- 
 ing multitude of the renewed strife. 
 
 The garrison at Fort Sumter were on their last rations ; 
 their breakfast that morning consisted of pork and rice, 
 the last of the rice being served at that meal. 
 
 From Fort Moultrie General Ripley was throwing hot 
 shot. About eight o'clock of this second day, a tall, steadily 
 ascending column of smoke was observed on the southern 
 portion of Sumter. First it was thin and pale, but every 
 moment it grew darker, until, shooting out from the base 
 of the black pillar, great yellow tongues of flame could be 
 seen, lapping the tops of the barracks and officers' quarters. 
 The first impression was that Major Anderson was signal- 
 ing the fleet, (consisting of eight war vessels and 1,380 
 men) , which had been sent to the rescue, but remained idly 
 at anchor and made no sign of help. 
 
 At ten o'clock the fire reached a magazine of shells and 
 grenades ; and a terrific explosion ensued that caused many 
 a heart to stand still ; for the men in that beleaguered and 
 burning fort had many friends in Charleston, who were 
 watching it with the keenest interest. When the explosion 
 occurred, a young girl, who was standing with a party of 
 her schoolmates, was seen to throw her arms wildly in the 
 air, and exclaim, "Oh! God; my brother." 
 
 She was the sister of Lieutenant Jeflf C. Davis, who 
 afterwards was a Union General. 
 
 During all of this trying period (while the fort was in 
 flames and the air like a blast furnace). Major Anderson 
 continued to send occasional shots to the different batteries 
 around him, as if determined to show to the world that he 
 died game. At every flash from the muzzles of his guns the 
 Confederates would send up cheer after cheer for the gallant 
 defender of the fort. Three times the flag was lowered as 
 a signal of distrss to the Federal fleet, but no response came ; 
 and it was left to Beauregard to offer the merciful assist- 
 ance for which a call had been made. 
 
84 THE ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 
 
 At one o'clock a shot from Sullivan's Island severed the 
 flag-staff and brought down the Stars and Stripes. They 
 were run up again in less than fifteen minutes by Private 
 Hart of New York under circumstances of great daring 
 At the reappearance of the flag, the boat that Beauregard 
 had send with his aides to offer assistance, turned back ; but 
 meanwhile ex-Senator Wigfall of Texas, accompanied by 
 Private Gourdin of the Palmetto Guards, pushed off from 
 Morris Island in a small boat and, showing a white hand- 
 kerchief on the point of his sword, proceeded to Fort Sumter. 
 Being conducted to Major Anderson, he complimented that 
 officer on his gallant defence, but urged that to continue the 
 conflict under the circumstances would only unnecessarily 
 risk the lives of the men under his command, without 
 adequate gain. Colonel Wigfall said the Charleston troops 
 would cease firing as soon as the flag was lowered, and he 
 offered the terms of surrender submitted by Beauregard. 
 
 "Then," said Major Anderson, "I must surrender. I 
 have no other resources; we are in flames; the men will 
 soon suffocate." 
 
 Accordingly, at five minutes past one o'clock A. M., on 
 the 13th of April, 1861, the Stars and Stripes were lowered 
 and Sumter passed into the possession of the Confederates. 
 The appearance of the fort defies description ; it was beaten 
 to pieces. Moultrie also bore evidence of the sure aim of 
 the Federal artillerists. 
 
 Strange to say, not a man ivas killed in this storm of 
 shot and shell. The evacuation of Fort Sumter took place 
 about noon on Sunday, April 14th. Dressed in full uniform 
 and wearing their side arms, the soldiers marched out of 
 the fort, to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." The flag had been 
 saluted by the discharge of fifty guns. An officer asked 
 Major Anderson if thirty-four, the usual number, was not 
 sufficient. "No," replied Anderson, "it should be a hundred, 
 and that would not be enough." 
 
 The officers and soldiers left on a steamer. Every avail- 
 able site and every kind of craft had its full number of 
 guests. The strictest churchmen forgot their afternoon 
 services and watched and shouted with the noisiest, while 
 old men and maidens, young men and children, hurrahed 
 until they were hoarse. 
 
 People stopped and shook hands who had never before 
 
CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCES 85 
 
 exchanged civilities ; and fine wines were drunk at clubs and 
 dinners, that had been held in sacred keeping for great 
 occasions. 
 
 So ended the first battle of the Civil War. 
 
 In an extract from a private letter General Scott says, 
 "Anderson has performed the greatest feat of artillery- 
 generalship in the history of the world, in holding out as 
 long as he did ; keeping his guns going for thirty hours, with 
 so few men. Without relief, without sleep, he was forced 
 to yield from sheer exhaustion." 
 
 Major Anderson said himself, "Until a man is half 
 starved, half smothered, almost poisoned to death, and on 
 the verge of eternity, he never can know what men I had 
 or understand the measure of the valor that made surrender 
 the last thought with them." Major Anderson, and every 
 officer with him, says, "I did not surrender Fort Sumter, but 
 evacuated it, under our own terms, under more favorable 
 and honorable circumstances than the commander of a fort 
 so situated was ever accorded before. A parallel case is 
 unknown in military annals." 
 
 The following may be the explanation why the fleet in 
 Charleston Harbor did not go to the relief of the men in 
 Fort Sumter: 
 
 "The result at Fort Sumter was anticipated by the 
 Federal Government ; everything came to pass, according to 
 the programme marked out by the War Department. It 
 was never intended the fleet should enter Charleston Harbor, 
 for it would in all probability have fallen into the hands of 
 the Confederates. But it was intended the rebels should 
 believe that such was its destination, and should muster 
 their utmost force to accomplish its capture. They were 
 led into this belief that they might be induced to postpone 
 an attack upon Washington, which was intended, and for 
 which General Scott was not prepared. 
 
 "While the commander of the rebel army was concen- 
 trating his forces for the capture of Fort Sumter and the 
 fleet supposed to be sent for its relief, the Federal govern- 
 ment was energetically putting Washington in a state of 
 defence and re-enforcing Fort Pickens. It got its few men 
 unharmed from Fort Sumter and blockaded Charleston 
 Harbor." 
 
 Sarah Sumner Teall. 
 
General Index 
 
 Abbott, Samuel J 23 
 
 Alexander, Miss Tennie 10 
 
 Allen, J 8 
 
 Alvord, E. H 8 
 
 Alvord, Thomas G... 9 
 
 Andrews, Judge Charles 9-49 
 
 Austin, W. A 4-7 
 
 Bagg, Mrs. James L.-. 10 
 
 Baker, Lieut. ___. 35 
 
 Baldwin, C. G., ReminiBcence8.-.73 
 
 Baldwin, Miss Julia 10 
 
 Baldwinsville Artillery Volunteers 
 
 .20 
 
 Ballard, Leon H 4 
 
 Barnum, Henry A._ 24-34-36 
 
 Bassett, C. L 31 
 
 Beauchamp, Rev. Dr. William 
 
 M 66-58 
 
 Behan, E. H. 8 
 
 Belden, James L 4 
 
 Bishop, Alonzo L 4-7 
 
 Bissell, Miss Mary 9 
 
 Black well, William H 4 
 
 Bonta, Miss........ 10 
 
 Bowen, George 8 
 
 Bowers, W -8 
 
 Brame, J 8 
 
 Brannon, Capt. T. J 60-64 
 
 Breen, M 8 
 
 Brewer, Ada 22 
 
 Brewer, Capt. Mrs 22 
 
 Brintnell, Miss Mattie 10 
 
 Brower, Tabez Mosher 23 
 
 Brown, Seeley 8 
 
 Brown, T. K 8 
 
 Brown, Sen. William CuUen 17 
 
 Bruce, Gen. B. F. .9 
 
 Burdick, Charles H 4-7 
 
 Burnet, Mrs. John B 9-11 
 
 Burt, Mrs. Oliver T ...12 
 
 Butler, Mrs. Allen 10 
 
 Butler, John G. ...4-5-7-13-64 
 
 Butler, Zouaves Roster 4 
 
 Butler, Zouaves 19-36-44 
 
 Campbell, J 8 
 
 Canfield, Dr 21 
 
 Caswell, Miss Mary 16 
 
 Chase, Durfee C 4 
 
 Cheney, George N 24-27-33 
 
 Chidester, W 8 
 
 Chittenden, Harlow W... ..24 
 
 Chittenden, Mrs. H. W 9-12 
 
 Church, Morris H 23 
 
 Cicero Flagg Raising 18 
 
 Clapp, Miss Mary 16 
 
 Clark, Stephen D 23 
 
 CoatBworth, Ed. E 4 
 
 Cogswell, Miss Cordelia 10 
 
 Cole, George W. ..24 
 
 Combs, Hamilton R 24-35 
 
 Cook, A.... 8-19 
 
 Cornell, C. 8 
 
 CowlcB, George D 29 
 
 Crowley, T ..8 
 
 Cruthers, James A 59 
 
 Cullin, H 8 
 
 Daughters of Liberty. 9-1 1-18-19-20 
 
 Davis, Mrs. Charles 12 
 
 Davis, Joseph A. ..73 
 
 Davis, Thomas T 14 
 
 Denning, H 8 
 
 Didama, Dr. H. D 14 
 
 Drake, Edward ...24 
 
 Driscoll, Dennis, Jr 23 
 
 Duell, Mrs. E 16 
 
 Duncan, William A. 4 
 
 Dunlap, Dr. J. P. 14 
 
 Eighty-sixth Regiment 55 
 
 Estes, Stephen .13 
 
 Fesenmeyer, A. 8 
 
 Fesenmeyer, J. H 8 
 
 Fifty-first Regiment 3 
 
 Filkins, Mrs. B. 10 
 
 Finck, Mrs. William C 9 
 
 Firemen as Volunteers 49 
 
 Fitch, Charles E 70 
 
 Fitch, Mrs. T. B 10 
 
 Flag Raisings 13 
 
 Foran, Dr. James 14 
 
 Fordham, George 8 
 
 Fuller, Gen. John M 66 
 
 Fulton Volunteers .18 
 
 Gale, Henry 4 
 
 Gardner, John 35 
 
 Gay, Mrs. Calvin B 10 
 
 Gifford, Miss Frances 9 
 
 Gleason. William 23 
 
 Goodrich, Mrs. George 10 
 
 Goodrich, William -8 
 
 Goss, Henry ..4 
 
 Graham, James I 23-30 
 
 Greys, Syracuse 10 
 
 Griffin, J 8 
 
 Griffin, Rhesa, Jr. .4-7 
 
 Griswold, Edmund B 23 
 
 Hale, W ...-7-8 
 
 Hall, Rev. J. B 17 
 
 Hamilton, Henry H 4 
 
 Hammond, George A.. 55 
 
 Harding, C 8 
 
 Haroley , William 8 
 
 Harris, Mrs. E. N. 10 
 
 Haven, G. C 8 
 
 Havens, George — 4 
 
 Hayden, Elijah T 57 
 
 Heermans, Mrs. Thomas B 9 
 
 Held, Ernst... 11 
 
 Heron, J. J 8 
 
 Higgins, Albert. 54 
 
 Higgios, Benjamin L 49 
 
GENERAL INDEX-Conlinued 
 
 Higgina, Mrs. Benjamin L 60 
 
 Hillis, Mrs. Gertrude 10 
 
 Hillia, Lieut. D. Duncan 70 
 
 Hinton, Mrs. T. H ..9 
 
 Hitchcock, WiUiam H. H 32 
 
 Hialey, J - 8 
 
 Hobart, J 8 
 
 Holmes, L 8 
 
 Homer, Frederick 23 
 
 Hopkins, William E 4 
 
 Irish, Joseph C. 24 
 
 Jackson, Mrs. William 10 
 
 Jacobs, M. H... 57 
 
 Jenkins, George Summer 70 
 
 Jenney, Edwin S 4-7 
 
 Jerome, Mrs. A. H 16 
 
 Jerome, H. .8 
 
 Jerome, Mary 65 
 
 Jerome, Timothy 65 
 
 John, Thomas 56 
 
 Johnson, John H 24 
 
 Jones, W. H. H 8 
 
 Joslyn, Dr. Hezekiah 14 
 
 Judson, Mrs. WilUam A. 9 
 
 June, Mrs. H. D 16 
 
 Keats, O -8 
 
 Kelsey, H.. .-8 
 
 Kendall, Miss Fanny 17 
 
 Ketcham, F. Douglas 4-8 
 
 Kingsbury, John T 4 
 
 Kinne, E. D 8 
 
 Ladies' Flag Club 9 
 
 Larance, N 8 
 
 Larrabee, William H. 4 
 
 Leach, Mrs. T. J 9 
 
 Leavenworth, Mrs. E. W.. 9-19 
 
 Lincoln's First Inauguration 76 
 
 Locke, Capt. Mrs 22 
 
 Locke, MiloW... 23 
 
 Long, Lieut .76-81 
 
 Longstreet, Nicholas, Lieut.- 55 
 
 Louis, John 23-29-31 
 
 Lucas, James 18 
 
 Lysander Meeting. . _ -.17 
 
 Manchester, George W... .4-7 
 
 Manlius Meeting 16 
 
 May, Rev. Samuel J... 35 
 
 McCarthy, Hon. Dennis -.9 
 
 McKay, T 8 
 
 McLane, Lottie 11 
 
 McLean, Capt 76-81 
 
 McLean, Capt Mrs 76 
 
 McMahan, Thomas 4 
 
 Mercer, Dr. Alfred 14 
 
 Mickells, Lovell G. 4-8 
 
 Mickles, Miss Kate B.. 10 
 
 Middleton, Mrs. George H 9 
 
 Middleton, Hugh 4-7 
 
 Mirtues, P 8 
 
 MitcheU, J... 8 
 
 Morgan, George 4 
 
 Morgan, E 8 
 
 Moriley, William.. ..8 
 
 Morris, Miss Carrie 13 
 
 Moschell, John F. Capt 18-19 
 
 Moseley, William H. .4 
 
 Miuphy, Mrs. Mathew 12 
 
 Nims, Mrs. Dr 16 
 
 Northrup, Mrs. A. J. Reminiscence 5 
 Nye, T 8 
 
 O'Neil, JamesF 4 
 
 One Hundred and Twenty-second 
 Regiment 37 
 
 Onondaga Regiment 25-27 
 
 Onondaga Regiment Departiu-e.-21 
 Onondaga Valley Meeting 16 
 
 Paine, Robert _4 
 
 Parker, O. H 8 
 
 Parry, Miss Hannah 16 
 
 Pease, Dr. R. W. .9-14-19-23-28-31 
 
 Peck, Major 9-19 
 
 Percival, Rev. C. S. . . . 23 
 
 Pettit.R. D. Capt 20-57 
 
 Pettit's Battery 20-58 
 
 Phillips, John J 4-8 
 
 Phillips, C. A 8 
 
 Philips, R. B. 8 
 
 Pickham, T 8 
 
 Pompey HUl 14 
 
 Porter, Dr. W. W 14 
 
 Price & Wheeler 13 
 
 Putnam, Mrs. E. Augustus 10 
 
 R andall, Charles B 23 
 
 Randall, James 23-33-35 
 
 Ransom, Webster 32-33-34 
 
 Rapp, Ernest T 55 
 
 Reilly, Chief 55 
 
 Rice, Thomas 13 
 
 Richardson, R. N 30-34-35 
 
 Robinson, C 8 
 
 Root, Augustus T 24-35 
 
 Root, George 31 
 
 Root, Israel 24 
 
 Ryan, Jerry 55-56 
 
 Ryan, Thomas 56 
 
 Safford, Miss Frances 16 
 
 Samson, Dr. P. O 14 
 
 Sanford, Mrs. Judge 10 
 
 Scenten.Elen T 55 
 
 Sedgwick, Charles B .9-23 
 
 Seymour School.. 19 
 
 Shankland, Miss Jennie 10 
 
 Shaver, Frank J 4-9 
 
 Sheldon, T. J 8 
 
 Shipman, Dr. A. B. 14-23 
 
 Shipman, Dr. J. O. 14 
 
 Shirer, N 8 
 
 Skaneateles Flag Raising 18 
 
 Slocum, Gen. 19-37-39-40-62 
 
 Smith, E. Kirby 65 
 
GENERAL INDEX-Continued 
 
 Smith, J. H . 8 
 
 Smith, J. L. Kirby 65-66 
 
 Smith, Lucaa 24 
 
 Smith, Mrs. Rosa 10 
 
 Snell, J. Marvin 4-7 
 
 Snyder, George 23 
 
 Soules, H 8 
 
 Spalding, J 8 
 
 Spanier, John P 4-23 
 
 Spencer, Mrs. I. S 9-18-21 
 
 Stapley, Samuel 8 
 
 Stanley, Gen. D. H 68-69 
 
 Stanton, John P 23 
 
 Stern, Moses 4 
 
 Stewart, William D 24 
 
 Stewart, William D. Mrs. 12 
 
 Stoddard, Charles E 4 
 
 Stoddard, Henry ._4 
 
 Stone, George W 23 
 
 Stone, Miss 10 
 
 Stone, Seymour H. Mrs.. 12 
 
 Storra ^Lucius C 23 
 
 Strauss, Peter 23 
 
 Stuart, Mrs. Dr.. 12 
 
 Sumner, Edwin V 72-76-80 
 
 Sumner, Samuel S. 45-46-47-48 
 
 Sumter, Story of Firing on 81 
 
 Sutherland's Band 21 
 
 Talmadge, Rev. Mr 9-17 
 
 Tarcott, Henry . 4 
 
 Teall, Mrs. S. S. Recollections 76 
 
 Teall, Timothy N. Capt 57 
 
 Third N. Y. Volunteers 5-7 
 
 Thompson, Henry C 4 
 
 Thompson, Samuel E. 4 
 
 Thurber, Miss Amelia 10 
 
 Titus, Silas 9-23 
 
 Titus, Silas Mrs 12 
 
 Town, William B 24 
 
 Townsend, Col. 6 
 
 Townsen d, Mrs . Robert 10 
 
 Trowbridge, Robert 4 
 
 Trowbridge, Dr. J. F 14 
 
 Truesdell, George 24-35 
 
 Turny, H 8 
 
 Twelfth N. Y. Volunteers 
 
 20-21-22-34-35-36 
 
 Van Allen, Col. James, Regt. IS 
 
 Van Vleck, Misa Nettie 9 
 
 Vickerman, F. 8 
 
 Walrath, Col. E. L 
 
 10-12-23-26-27-29-32 
 
 Wallace, Miss Carrie 9 
 
 Ward, Miss Martha 16 
 
 Wariner, O 8 
 
 Weaver, F. Wellington 4-7 
 
 Webb, Miss Fanny 13 
 
 Weeks, Col 34-26 
 
 Welch, Walter 50 
 
 Wells, J. Emmett 4-8 
 
 White, Mrs. Hamilton 12 
 
 Whitman, Mrs. George 16 
 
 Wiborn, Albert M. 24 
 
 Wicks, J. M 4-7 
 
 Williams, John T 4-43-58-59 
 
 WiUiams, T. J 8 
 
 Wood, Mrs. D. P 12 
 
 Wood, Ira ..23-35 
 
 Woodford, Er skine P .24 
 
 Woodworth, D. 8 
 
 Workbags for Soldiers 10 
 
 Wright, W. H 8 
 
 Wright, W... 8 
 
 Zouaves, Syracuse 3-4-6-6-7-19 
 
LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 nil 
 
 014 221 382 5 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 014 221 382 5 
 
 Hollinger 
 
 pH 8^ 
 
 MOl Run F03.2193