Battery L, 1st Artillery Regiment (Light) - George Breck Columns: Chapter 31: “Never Were Marching Orders Hailed With Greater Delight” The Last March May 12, 1865 – June 8, 1865

Headquarters Battery L, Anandale, Va.
May 12, 1865
(Appeared Wednesday, May 17, 1865)

Homeward bound! Such was the interpretation put upon the order, received on the 2nd day of this month, directing the batteries of the Artillery Reserve to be in readiness to move in the direction of Alexandria on the morning of the 2d instant at 7 o’clock. Never were marching orders hailed by soldiers with greater delight than were the above orders, expressive of a speedy muster-out of the service and a return home, orders which involved the absence of all fighting, the non-encounter of an armed foe, a pleasant, peaceful and interesting march. An order previous to the order of march had been given requiring each battery of the reserve to send its ammunition chests with ammunition to City Point for conveyance to Alexandria on board of transports. One commissioned officer, one non-commissioned officer and twenty men from each battery, provided with eight days’ rations, were ordered to be sent in charge of the ammunition. This reduction of weight lightened the carriages very materially, and it was absolutely necessary in consideration of the long march before us and the paucity of horses in some of the batteries. At the appointed hour for the commencement of our homeward movement, we were ready to join the marching column, consisting of twenty batteries and two hundred forage, subsistence and baggage wagons, a column of between five and six miles in length. The following journal briefly describes our march and some of the scenes or incidents connected therewith:

Wednesday, May 3d. – Broke camp near City Point and joined column at 8 o’clock a.m. Crossed the Appomattox river at Broadway Landing, about a mile from the old camp, and moved in a north easterly direction through a poorly cultivated and sterile country, and a long belt of woods where the roads were almost impassable, until reaching the James at Jones’ Neck or Aiken’s Landing, where we crossed the river, and marched along its bank over a good turnpike road to Cox’s farm, arriving here at 3 p.m. and going into camp. Fort Darling can be seen from this point, about a mile distant, and just north of, or covering a portion of Cox’s farm, is the outer line of rebel works defending Richmond. Fort Harrison, a work of immense strength and of commanding position, is near here, a work which our forces wrested from the enemy last fall and which he unsuccessfully attempted to retake at a great sacrifice of life. Our line of march from Aiken’s Landing took us by the Dutch Gap Canal of Butler notoriety. In coming down from Richmond two days previously by boat, we had a good view of this dug-out, which cost almost superhuman labor, not a few lives, and which proved a miserable failure. It has been described so frequently, that a further description of it would be superfluous to my readers. We are at a perfect loss to understand how any possible military advantage could have been derived, had this canal proven a success, so far as the capture of Fort Darling and Richmond was concerned. It would have cut off a certain portion of the river and saved about seven miles of boat travel to and from Richmond, but to pass the works above the Gap, “aye, there would have been the rub,” works extending for miles, including those at Fort Darling and Chapin’s Bluff. (1) The country as soon as we crossed the James assumed a new and beautiful aspect. Rich and broad lands, with a diversity of hills and woods, and many fine sites for residence near the banks of the James. We do not wonder that it was the great ambition of the Virginians to own a place and a home on these beautiful banks.

Thursday, May 4th. – Resumed march at 6 o’clock a.m. A circular from Gen. Meade, addressed to the army, was received, expressing the hope that the Army of the Potomac would evince its discipline in time of peace as well as its valor in time of war. This hope of Gen. Meade’s has been fulfilled thus far and there seems to be no disposition on the part of any of the soldiers to pillage or commit depredations of any kind. A general good and friendly feeling exists towards the conquered “Confederates,” and if they behave themselves, they and their property will not be molested. We passed through the three lines of works approaching Richmond, the first line having outside of it three lines of abattis, and between these two outer lines are torpedoes in one continuous line and not more than a yard apart, each one marked by a little red flag. What a place of slaughter and death this would be to charge upon! A gentle step on one of these torpedoes, the caps of the deadly missiles being just above the surface of the ground, and away it bursts, a twenty pound projectile, causing mutilation of limb, or mangling of body, or destruction of precious life. As we advanced nearer and nearer to Richmond, stronger and more numerous appeared the works defending the fallen rebel capital. We looked hard and earnestly to find any particle of weakness in these forts and fortifications which defied our brave soldiers for nearly four years, but our searching was all in vain. Nay, as we approached the inner line of defences of Richmond and saw cannon after cannon of huge dimensions still frowning from work to work, as we witnessed this network of the most skillfully and impregnably constructed fortifications, we remarked to an officer riding beside us that half a million of the bravest men would be sacrificed in assaulting these fortifications, were they properly manned. They are built on a succession of hills, each one a tower of strength.

By 9 o’clock a.m. we had passed through the last line of works, and made our entree into the late rebel capital. It was a beautiful morning, and the heart of every officer and soldier beat with enthusiasm and delight on seeing the great stronghold from which treason had been thrown down, and on being permitted to make a triumphal passage through its streets. This has been a great and memorable day for us, surely, and the more so because it commemorates the commencement of the great campaign begun May 4th, 1864, for the capture of the very city which is now ours, and the defeat of Lee’s army. One year ago to-day we broke camp at Culpepper and began a struggle which has no parallel in the history of modern warfare, and which in less than a year terminated so magnificently for our cause and arms. But as we gazed upon the city which had cost such a long, arduous, bloody struggle and so much patient waiting to get possession of, as we marched in glorious triumph through its streets, we could not avoid thinking of the thousands and tens of thousands of gallant and noble soldiers who started a year ago when we did with the army, in the exuberance of life and health and with bright hopes, now left behind on the blood-drenched fields of Virginia stretching from the Rapidan to the south of Petersburg and far to the northwest of it, sleeping their last sleep – fallen martyrs to the cause of Union and Free Republican Government. They had not been permitted to witness and enjoy the sight for which they fought and died, and which it was the good fortune of their surviving comrades to behold and rejoice over. Peace to their ashes, and a country’s grateful remembrance of their heroic deeds and achievements. Our march through Richmond was confined to the southeast part of the city. We passed up Main st., going by Libby Prison and Castle Thunder, and then turned off on the street which took us to the Mechanicsville road. (2) The streets were quite thronged with people, consisting of many Confederate soldiers and officers. Our view of the city was not very extensive in detail, but we saw enough to gratify the long cherished wish to see this great centre of the crushed rebellion. In marching out of Richmond over the Mechanicsville road, we passed through three lines of works, almost as strong and perhaps equally as impregnable as those on the south side of the city. Our line of march took us across the Chickahominy just about where it has its rise, a small, sluggish, marshy creek. A march of six miles from Richmond brought us to camp for the night, two miles north of Mechanicsville.

Friday, May 5. – Resumed march at an early hour in a thunder shower. Roads very bad and heavy, and slow and tedious marching in the forenoon. Passed through a hilly and wooded country, but containing some very fine lands. Crops growing nicely and looking finely. Was not a little surprised to see so much land in cultivation, as there seemed to be nobody to cultivate it. We passed over the battle field south of Hanover Court House, where McClellan engaged the enemy. We could discover no traces of the battle. The field of strife and carnage is all plowed and planted with corn or wheat. Arriving at Hanover C.H. at 4 o’clock p.m., we encamped near the south bank of the Pamunkey. This Court House is a very old building, dating its erection in 1731, if I mistake not. It is a brick structure, and is where Patrick Henry made his first public speech, so reported, in America.

Saturday, May 6. – We remained encamped on the south bank of the Pamunkey till three o’clock p.m., when we crossed the river, marched a mile and encamped for the night on Tutsall’s farm. Hanover is one of the best cultivated and handsomest counties I have seen in Virginia. The land is rich and fertile: In consequence of the war, however, and the almost total want of male labor, very little has been produced from the lands, and many of the people are in sad need of subsistence. We have seen women and children along the road begging hard bread from our soldiers. A pitiful sight, and shows to what a condition the war has reduced the people of the great State of Virginia.

Sunday, May 7th. – Resumed march at 4 a.m.. A beautiful day and fine roads. Appeals for something to eat by women and children were made to-day in our course of march. The farmers, or planters, what few we have seen, deplore the want of horses to cultivate their farms. They are eager and very glad to pick up some old abandoned government horse. “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse,” is about the burden of their cry. In our march to-day, we saw a number of Lee’s paroled soldiers at their homes. By three o’clock we reached Bowling Green, having crossed the Matapony near Millford Station by fording. Bowling Green is a small place, and looks poverty stricken, like many other so-called towns in Virginia. The ladies of Bowling Green are by no means cured of secession, notwithstanding Secessia has gone by the board, judging from the free expression of their sentiments. They bitterly bewailed the misfortune which had compelled some of their female friends or neighbors to marry hated Yankees, to save or guard their homes. As for themselves, old maids they would forever live and willingly die, rather than form a matrimonial alliance with the abominable Yankees. We suppose they had no mental reservation in the matter, but are not so sure, after all. These same gentle disciples of Jefferson Davis declared they never wanted to go to Heaven if Yankees went there. No wonder the rebellion thrived so long and flourishingly, with such defenders and advocates on the part of the fair sex in Bowling Green. We encamped for the night a little north of this rebellious town.

Monday, May 8. Our march for the day began at 5 ½ o’clock. Passed over a fine road, lined on either side with beautiful cedar trees. Arrived at Fredericksburg after a march of 23 miles, and proceeded to cross the Rappahannock, when an order from Gen. Meade required us to go back about four miles and encamp for the night at a place known as Harrison’s crossing. This was a little provoking, for we were all very much fatigued after our long and hot march, but there was the order and no questions must be asked. Before we got through with Fredericksburg we saw most of the city, if it can be so called now. No place in Virginia has suffered so much by the war as Fredericksburg. More than half of it is all destroyed, and all of that portion along the river. Many buildings are perfectly riddled by bullets, shot and shell, and the city presents a very sorry and deserted appearance. We saw the famous stone wall near Marye’s Heights, upon which some of Sumner’s brave troops (Wilcox’s division, I think) charged three times in succession and were, of course, bloodily repulsed. This was in the first battle of Fredericksburg, under Burnside. It is but the truth to say that this place of assault was literally a “slaughter pen.” The charge of Balaklava, of the famous “six hundred into the jaws of death,” was no worse. Harrison’s crossing is near where Meade made his assault under Burnside on the memorable 13th day of December, 1862. All the locality about here is full of sad interest as connected with the first Fredericksburg engagement. We encamped for the night almost on the identical spot where Battery L had position and fought at the battle of Fredericksburg. Not far in front of us were the bones and skeletons of Union soldiers lying on the ground and bleaching in the sun. Many portions of the battle field were freshly plowed and cultivated. Rich yields indeed, rich with the blood of brave and loyal men; blood which has secured to us the salvation of our country, the preservation as we have reason to believe, of a loved and cherished Union.

Tuesday, May 9th. – Resumed march at 4 a.m. in a heavy rain storm, which continued till about noon, the rain pouring in torrents at times, creating rivers along the roads and making them miserably bad for traveling. Passed through Stafford Court House, and marched to the north side of Acquia Creek, where we pitched camp for the night.

Wednesday, May 10th. – Moved out at 8 o’clock a.m. Before resuming march, Gen. Meade and staff passed us, en route to Alexandria. The 5th and 2d Corps were behind us, following us up closely. We marched through Dumfries to-day; a place of some colonial historical interest, and formerly of considerable size and population, but now an insignificant settlement. A small creek runs through the place which used to be a river large enough for boats to navigate, or rather it was a large outlet of the Potomac river. Our camp to-night lay near Powels Creek, three miles south of Dumfries. The land in this vicinity is pretty good and can bought now for about five dollars per acre.

Thursday, May 11. – Resumed march at 5 a.m., and moved to Anandale, where we are now encamped, eight miles from Alexandria, and ten from Washington. We passed by Fairfax Station and Fairfax Court House, arriving here at 5 p.m., making a march of about 25 miles. Nine days have been consumed in coming from City Point, a distance of about 150 miles. Men and animals stood the march well, and now the question is, are we to be mustered out of service right away? A few more days and Battery L, we think, will cease to be a military organization. Its services will be needed no longer, the war having come to an end. I am assured that there is to be a grand review of the armies as soon as Sherman arrives here. The 5th and 2d Corps will arrive to-morrow. We trust if there is to be a review, we shall be assigned back to the 5th Corps.

Friday, May 12th. – The 5th and 2d Corps passed us to-day, on their way, it is reported, to Bailey’s Cross Roads. The grand Review of the armies will probably take place in that vicinity. We still remain at Anandale, but may move further on in the direction of Alexandria or Washington, and join the Corps. G.B.

Battery L, 1st N.Y. Artillery,
Camp near Washington, D.C.
May 21, 1865
(Appeared Friday, May 26, 1865)

We left Anandale, where my last letter was written, a week ago yesterday, and moved to our present encampment, about three miles from Washington, and the same distance from Alexandria. The batteries of the Reserve are located in a valley between two high ridges running to the Potomac, on which are several strong forts constituting a part of the defences of Washington. On the ridge in our immediate front is Fort Barnard, a formidable work, and further to the right is Fort Richardson. Fort Reynolds lies in our rear and to the right, near which are Artillery Reserve head-quarters, whence a splendid view can be had of the Capital and Alexandria. Innumerable camps meet the eye in every direction. Every hill and plain is dotted with white tents, and at night the effect of the numerous lights and camp fires is very fine. The Fifth Corps troops are within sight, the 140th regiment being opposite our camp on top of the ridge, and the 108th regiment, I think, on the ridge in our rear. Here, within a circuit of a few miles, are the armies of the Potomac, of Georgia, of Tennessee, numbering 150,000 troops, and if the troops in the city of Washington be included, the number will, perhaps, reach, if not exceed, 200,000 men. As my readers already know, this vast multitude of brave men, the heroic defenders and saviors of their country, are to be reviewed at the nation’s great capital on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. It will certainly be an interesting and imposing spectacle to those who have never witnessed a large army. I was informed this morning that the Artillery Reserve was not to take part in the affair. We are by no means dissatisfied with this arrangement. We can act as spectators if we cannot participate, and personally, officers and men would be the gainers in point of pleasure by this mode of action. Why the Reserve should be left out in the grand review I don’t know. Nearly all the batteries composing it have taken an active part in every or almost every engagement with which the Army of the Potomac has been identified, including the fall of Petersburg. They have never been fully detached from their respective corps with which they operated, but still report to the chiefs of them, and still claim as belonging to the corps. It may be that we shall be ordered to join our respective corps on the day of the review.

The general and engrossing theme of conversation in the army is mustering out of the service. The troops are very much interested in the matter and are eager to gather all the information they can pertaining to their going home. It has been and is difficult to find out anything definite or positive relating to the matter, and I presume the question of reducing the army in the best and most satisfactory manner has caused a great deal of thought at the War Department and among our general officers. It is a task of no small magnitude to properly dispose of the immense armies now in the field and it cannot be done in a single day.

The orders discharging men in hospitals were published some time since, and their provisions have been extended to include all patients who, although requiring further medical treatment, are able to travel and desire to be discharged. A new order has just been published which will take out of service half of the army, if not more. The Secretary of War has directed that all volunteer organizations of white troops in this army whose terms of service expire between the date of the order and September 30th next, inclusive, be immediately mustered out of service. This order will discharge all the three years regiments that were mustered into service under the call of July 2d, 1862, and prior to Oct. 1st of that year. Also three years recruits mustered into service for old regiments between the same dates, and one year men, for new and old organizations who entered the service between May 17th and Oct. 1st, 1864. In a word, this order will discharge all men whose terms of service will expire between now and the first of October next and those whose time will not expire before that period, but who happen to belong to organizations mustered into service as above stated between July 2d and October 1st, 1862. All men in volunteer organizations “whose terms of service expire subsequent to Oct. 1st, 1865, will be transferred to other organizations from the same State, to veteran regiments when practicable, and when not practicable, to regiments having the longest time to serve.” There will be no mustering out of troops under these instructions till the order therefore has been issued from Gen. Meade’s headquarters. Certain preliminaries have to be gone through with before the muster out can take place. I understand that in compliance with certain orders the troops are to be sent to their respective States to be mustered out. The discharge of troops will no doubt begin to take place soon after the grand review.

Under the afore mentioned order, Battery L will lose seventy-six men, leaving about seventy men, of whom twenty-five are veterans who re-enlisted in the Fall and Winter of 1863 and ’64, and the remainder enlisted for three years in the Winter and Spring of 1864. There are twelve batteries in our regiment, two of which are now dismounted and the men are manning forts. Four of the batteries are veteran organizations, but the regiment, as an organization is not, although after all the men belonging to it whose terms of service expire between now and next October, have been mustered out under existing orders, there will still be a sufficient number left to keep the organization a complete regiment of more than minimum strength. Whether the regiment will be retained in the service or not, for the present at any rate, is not known. It is not improbable that it will be, if any volunteer artillery regiment is retained, as no regiment in the artillery branch of the service stands higher, or has received handsomer endorsements from general officers, including Generals Sherman, Barry, Howard, Hunt and others, than the First New York Light Artillery Regiment. The State of New York may well feel proud of this, her first artillery regiment, though perhaps another, in lieu of the writer, ought to say it. He surely feels proud and happy himself, that Battery L is connected with the regiment.

In consideration of the fact that so many men belonging to the regiment are excluded under existing orders from being discharged the service, and to prevent their being transferred to other organizations, an effort is making to keep the organization intact, so long as the troops comprise it are retained in service. Most of the officers of the regiment have expressed their willingness and desire to continue in the service, if their services are needed. This was done before an Examining Board, at the head of which were Generals Hays and Wainwright, the former commanding the Acting Reserve, the latter Chief of Artillery of the 5th Corps, and commanding, as many of my readers probably know, the 1st N.Y. Artillery Regiment. It is the opinion of your correspondent, however, that it will not be long before another order will be issued mustering out the service all men, veterans or otherwise, composing volunteer light artillery regiments, or independent organizations. What, if the war be actually over, will require the continued existence of such organizations? There will be a sufficient regular artillery force, if the batteries of the five regular artillery regiments are properly filled up and manned, and this can be done without much trouble. Were the First N.Y. Artillery regiment to be retained in the army, its batteries would unquestionably be dismounted and the companies would be required to do garrison duty. But a few more days will determine the fate of our battery or regiment. The two extra caissons attached to the battery have been turned in to the Arsenal at Washington, as have those that belonged to other batteries, and instructions are daily looked for directing that the horses, guns, etc., now on hand, be also turned in to the Ordnance Department. There is nothing more for us to fire at in Rebeldom, and so what further need of our “dogs of war?” The “Confederacy” is an extinct institution if anything ever was, and its grand finale in the capture of Jeff. Davis in petticoats completely rounds off this most terrible of tragical farces. (3)

We had the pleasure of meeting Major John A . Reynolds, Chief of Artillery of the 14th and 20 Corps, or of the army of Georgia, yesterday at Gen. (Henry W.) Slocum’s Headquarters in Alexandria. The Major looked exceedingly well for his two years marches and fighting around the late so-called Southern Confederacy. We were glad to see our old commander in the enjoyment of such rugged health, and to welcome him with the high military reputation which had preceded him. He speaks more flatteringly of the State of Virginia than any other southern State in or through which he has traveled. There is certainly great inducement to invest in the farms and plantations of Virginia, which can now be bought for a mere song. These lands with free culture can unquestionably be made to produce as lucrative results as they ever did under slave labor. For a few dollars per acre, the richest and most valuable farms can be bought. I alluded in my last letter to the beautiful country through which we passed in our homeward march from City Point. As “Emigration” is the order of the day, and “agricultural pursuits” are the most aristocratic profession to follow, he would suggest to those with emigrating and agricultural tendencies to stop and take a look at the extensive soil in the Old Dominion, now reclaimed from Rebeldom, en route to Mexico if they have enrolled, or are about to enroll their names and fortunes in that direction.

We are having what the Virginians call the “long or wet season” in this month. Intermittent rain showers, frequent and heavy, accompanied by thunder and lightning have prevailed day and night for the past three days. It is to be hoped that the clouds will become empty before the grand military pageant takes place. G.B.

Battery L, Camp near Washington
May 30, 1865
(Appeared Saturday, June 3, 1865)

The orders, disposing of Battery L as one of the batteries of the Volunteer Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, have been issued and published, and in a few days said Battery will cease to be an organization. The Orders referred to were unexpectedly received here this afternoon, and on making them known to the company were received with tumultuous shoutings and cheers, by those members of the company especially who were not included under the recent orders mentioned in my last letter, mustering out of service those men whose terms of service expired before October next. Not only are such men to be mustered out and discharged, but all officers and veterans and three years men, no matter when they enlisted or when their terms of service expire, if they belong to the Volunteer Artillery branch of the service of this army, they are to go home. The orders to this effect were promulgated by the War Department of Gen. Meade last evening or this morning, and in obedience to these orders the volunteer batteries of the several corps and of the Reserve have been directed to turn in immediately their batteries, ordnance and ordnance stores at Washington Arsenal, and their public horses and means of transportation at the Quartermaster depot. The organizations will be paid off and mustered out of service in the respective States to which they belong. Those of the 1st N.Y. Artillery will proceed to Elmira, the original place of rendezvous, and it is expected that by Saturday of this week we shall be en route to that place.

The batteries are feeling jubilant enough at the prospect of such a speedy return home. – There is wild enthusiasm in the camps of the Reserve to-night, singing and dancing, torch light processions, and there is a happy time generally. Battery commanders and their clerks are engrossed in business, making out the necessary papers preparatory to turning in their guns, horses, etc. To-morrow night will probably see us on a “peace footing.” The “dogs of war” which Battery L was wont to let loose on the would-be destroyers of the great Republic, have done their work, and they are now about to be chained up with thousands of others like unto them, in the nation’s great kennel where are kept these frowning, angry, death-looking war animals. May the nation never have occasion to turn them loose again, except to celebrate over tidings of peace and joy.

My readers have read all about the grand review. We did not participate in it further than to enjoy a sight of the magnificent spectacle. The Reserve batteries were counted out.

The illumination and torch light procession of last Thursday night (May 25) in the Fifth Corps was a grand affair, eclipsing everything of the kind ever gotten up in towns and cities. Myriads of lights were moving and dancing on hill and plain, as far as the eye could reach, presenting a brilliant and gorgeous appearance. It was an impromptu affair, but it couldn’t have been improved had it been long arranged. (4)

The want of time necessitates a brief and dull letter. G. B.

Battery “L,” 1st N.Y. Artillery, Elmira, N.Y.
June 8, 1865
(Appeared Monday, June 12, 1865)

A little more than three and a half years ago, and Battery L began its career as an organization at the same place where this letter is dated. Not far from where your correspondent is writing, the battery, then numbering about ninety men, was mustered into the U.S. service, and shortly afterwards, with increased numbers, it took its departure for Washington and commenced its movements on the “war path.” What its history has been since that period has been pretty faithfully recorded in the Rochester Union. It cannot properly be called a Battery now, as there is nothing to give it that distinction. Its guns and horses and all that gave it a battery appearance have been taken away, and it is reduced to the same footing which it originally possessed when first mustered into service. Its work is done, and the company is now waiting to be mustered out of the service. A few days, perhaps a week hence, and officers and men of Company L will have doffed the livery of Uncle Sam and donned the garb of citizens. As soon as the muster-out and pay-roll are completed, the company will be mustered out of service, and its members will scatter with glad hearts to their respective homes.

We arrived here yesterday afternoon, in company with six other companies of the 1st N.Y. Artillery Regiment, having broken camp near Washington on Monday morning (June 5) of this week. Our journey was a tedious one, but not without some pleasant features. We were warmly greeted along the road. Our mode of traveling was in box cars. At Baltimore we were delayed several hours, rather provokingly so, as the delay was caused by a want of co-operation between the Baltimore & Ohio R. R., and the Northern C. R. R. Companies. The two companies don’t seem to hitch very harmoniously together. If there is any blame in the matter, we are inclined to attribute it to the former company altogether. The agents of the latter were disposed to do all they could to hasten our progress, and were gentlemanly in every respect. We can’t say as much of those of the first named company, which in more ways than one is peculiarly indebted to U.S. troops.

Two more companies of our regiment, I, and M, arrived here this morning. The former started for Buffalo this afternoon, and the latter for Rochester, where they were originally mustered into service.

We are occupying barracks No. 1, consisting of about a dozen buildings, a large mess house, quite a large and well constructed building for head-quarters of the barracks, all surrounded by a high fence enclosure, on which are sentinel houses a few yards apart from each other. The barracks are in command of Major Watson and guarded by a Pennsylvania veteran regiment. A large number of troops have arrived in Elmira preparatory to being mustered out. Among them are the 111th and 189th N.Y. regiments. These troops are already mustered out, I ought to say, but have not been paid yet. But all this my readers know already, I presume.

Of the number of men who originally entered in battery L, about twenty-five are now remaining in the organization. About forty men from Rochester and vicinity, who enlisted in the summer of ’62 and in the winter and spring of ’64 are represented in the company. The rest of the company, about 80 men, belong in different parts of the state. G.B.

Transcribed And Donated By Bob MarcotteTranscribed And Donated By Bob Marcotte
Robert E. Marcotte
Rochester, N.Y.
February 2005