From the August 12, 2014, Elmira (NY) Star Gazette.
The Chemung County Historical Society at 415 E. Water Street in Elmira, New York, has a new exhibit "So Far From Home: Life in Elmira's Confederate Prison Camp" which has opened. It is the last in its four-part Chemung County Civil War Experience series.
Earlier in the war, Elmira had been a military recruiting depot where soldiers trained. Later in the war, Elmira became a draft rendezvous and then a prison.
Just three granite markers showing the boundaries of the camp remain. They were dedicated in 1900 by the Baldwin Post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Two are still outside: Water Street and Hoffman Street (northeast corner), West Water Street east of Gould Street (northwest corner) and one is on display at the Chemung Valley Historical Museum.
You hear so much about the horrors of Confederate prisons, it is good to see that efforts are being made to bring the stories of Union ones to the public. I understand there is a movement to do the same at Chicago's Camp Douglas.
--Old Secesh
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label 13th New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 13th New York. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Rochester Goes to War-- Part 3
Nolte and Taylor were fairly unique among officers. Many companies were recruited by lawyers, politicians and others whose only qualification to lead were their ability to recruit. Some of these "recruiters" turned out to be good; others not so good.
Monroe County had a population of 100,000 and so was able to raise its own regiment. This did not apply to other counties and outlying areas who would raise a company, send it to Elmira. Once there, it would be put into a regiment with companies from other areas.
The 27th and 33rd New York Infantry were from the western part of the state and were "melded" regiments. The 27th had regiments from Rochester, Lima, Mt. Morris, Albion,Lyons, Binghamton, White Plains and Angelica.
The Lyons County company was recruited by Alexander Duncan Adams, principal of Lyons Academy. Of the 105 who eventually served in his company, 41 were under the age of 20. That included 26 who claimed to be 18. Of those, it is believed some were actually more like 16 or 17.
The 33rd had companies from Seneca Falls, Palmyra, Waterloo, Conandaigua, Geneseo, Nunda, Geneva, Penn Yau and Buffalo. After Fort Sumter fell, State Assemblyman Joseph W. Coming returned to Palmyra and turned his law office into a recruiting one.
Getting Ready for War. --Old Secesh
Monroe County had a population of 100,000 and so was able to raise its own regiment. This did not apply to other counties and outlying areas who would raise a company, send it to Elmira. Once there, it would be put into a regiment with companies from other areas.
The 27th and 33rd New York Infantry were from the western part of the state and were "melded" regiments. The 27th had regiments from Rochester, Lima, Mt. Morris, Albion,Lyons, Binghamton, White Plains and Angelica.
The Lyons County company was recruited by Alexander Duncan Adams, principal of Lyons Academy. Of the 105 who eventually served in his company, 41 were under the age of 20. That included 26 who claimed to be 18. Of those, it is believed some were actually more like 16 or 17.
The 33rd had companies from Seneca Falls, Palmyra, Waterloo, Conandaigua, Geneseo, Nunda, Geneva, Penn Yau and Buffalo. After Fort Sumter fell, State Assemblyman Joseph W. Coming returned to Palmyra and turned his law office into a recruiting one.
Getting Ready for War. --Old Secesh
Friday, April 13, 2012
Rochester Goes to War-- Part 2
Nine of the ten companies of the 13th had 77 men, which was standard at this date. Later, the number of soldiers in each company was expanded to 100. They were from both Rochester and surrounding Monroe County towns.
They represented a cross-section of trades and organizations from the bustling metropolitan area surrounded by agriculture.
Sheriff Hiram Smith's company had 30 farmers, 25 mechanics, 5 clerks, 5 lawyers, 2 jewelers, a minister, a professor, a naturalist, artist, sailor, furrier and a professional soldier.
Volunteer fire companies were well represented. Thirty-four from the Red Rover Fire Co. 3 joined Francis Schoefel's company.
The local militia regiment, the 54th, remained behind, but some of the officers resigned to raise companies for Quinby's regiment and were joined by many of the militiamen.
Adolph Nolte, editor of the German-language Genessee Onserver and also a veteran of the french Army, organized a company of German immigrants from the area.
More to Come. --Old Secesh
They represented a cross-section of trades and organizations from the bustling metropolitan area surrounded by agriculture.
Sheriff Hiram Smith's company had 30 farmers, 25 mechanics, 5 clerks, 5 lawyers, 2 jewelers, a minister, a professor, a naturalist, artist, sailor, furrier and a professional soldier.
Volunteer fire companies were well represented. Thirty-four from the Red Rover Fire Co. 3 joined Francis Schoefel's company.
The local militia regiment, the 54th, remained behind, but some of the officers resigned to raise companies for Quinby's regiment and were joined by many of the militiamen.
Adolph Nolte, editor of the German-language Genessee Onserver and also a veteran of the french Army, organized a company of German immigrants from the area.
More to Come. --Old Secesh
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Rochester Goes to War-- Part 1
From the May 9, 2011 Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle "For those called to serve in Civil War, a heartfelt sendoff" by Bob Marcotte.
The May 3, 1861, the Rochester Daily Democrat and American reported the big sendoff of 600 "gallant fellows" from Monroe County's first volunteer regiment,mustered in at the 13th New York Infantry. This even though they did not yet look like soldiers as they hadn't yet been issued uniforms.
One company of mostly volunteer firemen wore red shirts and had their hair close shaven.
They took the train from the station to the recruit depot at Elmira.
The regiment's commander was Col. Isaac Quinby, a University of Rochester math professor, West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran. He was later described as a "heavily built man with a General Grant beard and a logarithmic mind" and an "inveterate chewer of tobacco" who could sit tilted back against the classroom wall and launch an occasional spit "that was a marvel of precision" as it landed in the cuspidor.
More to Come. --Old Secesh
The May 3, 1861, the Rochester Daily Democrat and American reported the big sendoff of 600 "gallant fellows" from Monroe County's first volunteer regiment,mustered in at the 13th New York Infantry. This even though they did not yet look like soldiers as they hadn't yet been issued uniforms.
One company of mostly volunteer firemen wore red shirts and had their hair close shaven.
They took the train from the station to the recruit depot at Elmira.
The regiment's commander was Col. Isaac Quinby, a University of Rochester math professor, West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran. He was later described as a "heavily built man with a General Grant beard and a logarithmic mind" and an "inveterate chewer of tobacco" who could sit tilted back against the classroom wall and launch an occasional spit "that was a marvel of precision" as it landed in the cuspidor.
More to Come. --Old Secesh
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