Orleans County, New York in the Civil War
The following is taken from Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Military Statistics of the State of New York, Albany: [The Bureau], (C. Wendell), 1866.
On receipt of the President's proclamation, calling for 75,000 men, a meeting was called at the Court House, in Albion, for the evening of the 18th of April. The meeting was largely attended by citizens, irrespective of party. A committee was appointed to organize companies of volunteers, and shops were taken to call a county meeting at Albion, on the 23d of April.
On the 23d, an immense, gathering of the citizens of the county assembled at the Court House Park. The meeting was addressed by several gentlemen, of all parties, and was unanimous and enthusiastic in its patriotic spirit. Resolutions were adopted to stand by the Government and the Union, at all hazards and at whatever cost of blood and treasure. More than $20,000 were subscribed to a fund for the aid of volunteers and their families, and committees were appointed to collect and distribute the sub-scriptions, and to aid in organizing companies of volunteers for the service of the United States.
This was followed by a similar meeting at Medina, on Saturday of the same week, at which like steps were taken; and nearly $20,000 more were subscribed for the same purposes.
The organization of three companies of volunteers was at once commenced ; the headquarters of two of which were at Albion, and of one at Medina. The first company at Albion, completed its organization, by choosing David Hardie as Captain, and James O. Nickerson and Wm. M. Kenyon, as Lieutenants. The second company was organized by electing H. L. Achilles, Captain, and lieutenants Coan and Harrington. The company at Medina competed, its organization at about the same time under Edwin A. Bowen, as Captain, and Lieutenants Davis and Chaffe.
Captain Hardie's company left Albion for Albany, on the 13th day of May, Captain Bowen's company's rendezvoused at the same time. place, and both of these companies were incorporated into the Twenty-eighth regiment, under Colonel Donnelly, of Niagara, and Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, of Orleans. Captain Achilles' company left on the 20th of May for Elmira, and was there incorporated into the Twenty-seventh regiment. Each of these companies was presented with a beautiful flag by the ladies of their respective vicinities ; and their departure was hailed by large gatherings of the citizens of the county.
On the 5th of June, the ladies of Albion organized a ladies' volunteer association, for the aid of the soldiers and their families.
Similar associations were organized at Medina, and in other parts of the county, and became the source of great assistance to the volunteers and their families.
A cavalry company was organized in June, in the eastern towns of this county and the western towns of Monroe county, under Judson A. Downs, of Murray, as Captain, and Lorenzo Ferry and Walter Perry, as Lieutenants.
The company of Captain Achilles was present and took part in the first battle of Bull Run, and suffered severely in that disastrous confict. The twenty-eighth regiment was then with General Patterson.
Numerous volunteers from Orleans county united, singly or in squads, with companies organizing elsewhere, and particularly at Rochester ; and the citizens of the county, with a few exceptions, continued to exert themselves to maintain the government by every means in their power.
The following tables are taken from Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of Military Statistics of the State of New York, Albany: Week, Parsons & Co., 1867.
Thank you to Paul Stambach for transcribing this information.
| ABSTRACT of Reports from Supervisors of Towns and Treasurer of County, showing amount of moneys paid out for Bounties, etc., and for what purposes paid in the years 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865. | |||||||||||
| TOWNS. | EXPENDITURES. | ||||||||||
| Paid for town bounties. | Paid for fees and expenses. | Paid interest on loans. | Paid principal of loans. | Paid support of families. | State bonds on hand. | Cash on hand. | Discount on bonds. | Reimbursed to tax pay'rs. | Total Paid. | Principal of loans out-standing. | |
| Barre, | $50,000.00 | $2,346.00 | $2,000.00 | $54,346.00 | $4,792.23 | $43,484.23 | |||||
| Carlton, | 14,556.00 | 1,893.44 | 840.15 | 10,656.00 | 2,450.14 | $3,650.00 | 34,015.73 | $39,000.00 | |||
| Clarendon, | 20,128.00 | 650 | 1,875.00 | 19,000.00 | 1,497.00 | 43,150.00 | |||||
| Gaines, | 24,820.00 | 321.4 | 1,294.70 | 21,945.00 | 1,250.79 | 49,631.89 | 2,875.00 | ||||
| Kendall, | 22,245.00 | 171.55 | 1,192.63 | 20,670.00 | 117.16 | 44,396.34 | |||||
| Murray, | 27,000.00 | 125 | 800.00 | 27,000.00 | 1,300.00 | 10,447.00 | 66,672.00 | ||||
| Ridgeway, | 58,520.00 | 1,790.00 | 2,507.08 | 63,487.00 | 4,919.00 | 1,332.00 | 132,565.08 | ||||
| Shelby, | 40,365.00 | 2,502.00 | 2,500.00 | 40,365.00 | 3,596.00 | 89,328.00 | |||||
| Yates, | 13,807.00 | 1,578.97 | 15,385.97 | ||||||||
| Sub-total | 271,441.00 | $9,799.39 | $13,009.56 | $257,469.00 | $21,501.29 | $15,429.00 | $588,649.24 | $41,875.00 | |||
| Cty. Orleans | 484,875.00 | 44,450.92 | 57,382.00 | 273,087.00 | 4,119.48 | 863,914.00 | 239,860.00 | ||||
| TOTAL | 766,316.00 | $54,250.31 | $70,391.56 | $530,556.00 | $25,620.77 | $15,429 | $1,452,563,64 | $281,735.00 | |||
| ABSTRACT of Reports from Supervisors of Towns and Treasurer of County, showing amount of moneys received for Bounties, etc., and from what sources in the years 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865. | ||||||||||||
| TOWNS. | RECEIPTS. | |||||||||||
| RECEIVED FROM TOWN TAXES | RECEIVED FROM TOWN LOANS | RECEIVED FROM STATE PAYMASTER GENERAL | Total Received. |
|||||||||
| 1862. | 1863. | 1864. | 1865. | 1862. | 1863. | 1864. | 1865. | In cash. | State bonds. | Interest on bonds. | ||
| Barre, | $196.86 | $38,744.54 | $17,696.83 | $54,346.00 | $2,500.00 | $113,484.23 | ||||||
| Carlton, | $6,920.81 | $8,918.92 | $756.00 | $13,800.00 | $3,650.00 | $31,045.73 | ||||||
| Clarendon, | $225.00 | $1,500.00 | $7,200.00 | $6,650.00 | $19,000.00 | $8,575.00 | $43,150.00 | |||||
| Gaines, | $157.79 | $14,102.53 | $2,685.42 | $24,820.00 | $7,866.15 | $49,631.89 | ||||||
| Kendall, | $20.00 | $1,575.00 | $12,325.00 | $1,465.34 | $20,670.00 | $8,341.00 | $44,396.34 | |||||
| Murray, | $300.00 | $300.00 | $28,325.00 | $300.00 | $27,000.00 | $10,447.00 | $66,672.00 | |||||
| Ridgeway, | $152.33 | $64,017.75 | $2,324.00 | $800.00 | $61,695.00 | $992.00 | $574.00 | $2,000.00 | $132,555.08 | |||
| Shelby, | $400.00 | $25,000.00 | $21,166.00 | $40,365.00 | $2,397.00 | $89,328.00 | ||||||
| Yates, | $123.63 | $13,249.01 | $492.33 | $521.00 | $1,000.00 | $15,385.97 | ||||||
| Sub-total | $545.00 | $4,405.61 | $209,884.64 | $61,698.84 | $756.00 | $800.00 | $261,696.00 | $992.00 | $34,133.15 | $13,738.00 | $588,649.24 | |
| County of Orleans | $2,000.00 | $7,450.00 | $111,912.00 | $79,700.00 | $20,000.00 | $150,000.00 | $199,998.00 | $142,967.00 | $1,100.00 | $140,000.00 | $8,256.75 | $863,914.40 |
| TOTAL | $2,545.00 | $11,855.61 | $321,796.64 | $141,398.84 | $20,756.00 | $150,800.00 | $461,694.00 | $143,959.00 | $35,233.15 | $153,738.00 | $8,256.75 | $1,452,563.64 |
See also: Units recruited in Orleans County during the Civil War