Otsego 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.
As Cherry Valley is the oldest town in Otsego county, and distinguished for her suffering in the revolution, so she was the first to respond to the call for 75,000 men after the fall of Sumter. She raised a company and tendered its services, but it was not accepted owing to the organizations of what was known at Albany as skeleton regiments. The company, after being in barracks for some time, were disbanded, and several of the men enlisted in other organisations. Two of the young men active in raising this company, Olcott and Campbell, and who were the lieutenants, subsequently enlisted as privates in the Forty-fourth (Ellsworth), and by successive promotions became Colonels—the former of the famous One hundred and twenty-first New York, and the latter of the Twenty-third United States Colored troops, and a member of the Army Board at Washington. In the course of the summer of 1861, large numbers of young men enlisted both in the infantry and cavalry— especially in the Mix (3d) and Ira Harris (5th) cavalry. Eight or ten young men, representing some of the principal families in Cherry Valley and Cooperstown, enlisted as privates in the Forty-fourth. With one or two exceptions; all rose to be field or line officers, and all thus promoted, were either killed, wounded or prisoners in Southern prisons. The bodies of more than half of them were brought back for sepulture in their native valleys. In the fall and winter of 1861-'62, there was a recruiting station at Cherry Valley and three companies wereraised for the Seventy-sixth New York--one company, of Berdan's sharpshooters was also organized at Cherry Valley, and most of the men enlisted in that vicinity. The First and Second Lieutenants, both afterwards captured, and brothers, were killed in battle, and their remains, lie in the Cherry Valley burying ground. Up to the time of the establishment of the senatorial or military districts, Otsego county, had furnished about one thousand men. In 1862, Otsego and Herkimer raised the One hundred and twenty-first and One hundred and fifty-second, the former under the command of Colonel now Major-General Upton, was known in the army of the Potomac as Upton's regulars, and was a regiment greatly distinguished in that grand army. It proved its gallantry and left its blood in profusion on almost every battle-field. Of the One hundred and twenty-first and One hundred and fifty-second, Otsego furnished nearly fifteen hundred men. Before, the first draft she had sent about 2,500 men to the field, almost all of them native-born sons of the county. This was a large contribution from an agricultural county, with no cities and no floating population. She responded to all the orders for drafts.
Index to Newspaper Articles from Albany County periodicals.
Indexed by David Moore.
An Excel spreadsheet with this data is here.
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Cherry Valley Gazette |
|
| City: | Cherry Valley |
| County: | Otsego |
| Frequency: | Weekly |
| Date |
Title |
| 1861:04:24 | Volunteers! Recruiting office of E. Olcott, at H. Nelson’s Saloon. |
| 1861:04:24 | Report in paper that Capt. [Abner] Doubleday, a native of Cooperstown, went insane after fall of [Fort] Sumter is unfounded. |
| 1861:05:01 | Judd’s Hall, in this village, converted to barracks. |
| 1861:05:01 | [Ed.]. Stand by your colors! |
| 1861:05:01 | [Order], Burnside’s Division [ , N.Y.S.M.]. G.O. #3. |
| 1861:05:01 | Company of volunteers being raised in this town by Capt. George S. Tuckerman. |
| 1861:05:08 | Volunteer company forming – a few more wanting. |
| 1861:05:08 | Patriotic meeting at Clinton Hall [Desc.]. |
| 1861:05:08 | [Ed.]. Although war is a great evil, yet it brings with it to some, an increase in business. |
| 1861:05:15 | Capt. A.A. Bingham, of Ontario Light Guards, has been drilling 40 men at Burgess Hall, Cooperstown. |
| 1861:05:15 | Meeting for aiding volunteers here [Desc.], 5/10 at [Boys’?] Academy Hall. |
| 1861:05:15 | Union meeting at Milford [Desc.]. |
| 1861:05:15 | Ladies are busy making red flannel shirts. |
| 1861:05:15 | [Notice]. William S. Johnston, Sidney Plains, has papers to recruit company. |
| 1861:07:24 | Adelbert D. Nellis of Fort Plain [pt. 1] ; J.[ohn] H. Wagner of Canajoharie |
| 1861:07:24 | Union Guards to meet at the Armory in Cherry Valley every Wednesday at 7 p.m. until further notice. |
| 1861:07:24 | Adelbert D. Nellis of Fort Plain [pt. 2] ; H.[enry] M. Galpin of Little Falls and Edward Easterbrooks of Herkimer have been chosen for the Ellsworth Avengers. |
| 1861:07:24 | Ladies of the village will hold a refreshment sale at Clinton Hall on 7/26. |
| 1861:07:31 | Nicholas H. Van Everea, of Spraker's Basin, Michael Kerin, of Amsterdam, and P. P. Harter, of Warren, chosen to be members of Ellsworth's Avengers. |
| 1861:07:31 | Citizens are requested to meet at H. B. Palmer's house, 8/1, to choose a member of Ellsworth's Avengers. |
| 1861:07:31 | [Letter], from "late townsman" Dr. David Little [Surg., 13th N.Y. (Inf.)], dated Fort Bennett, near Washington, D.C., 7/24/61. |
| 1861:07:31 | We hear a young man named [Pvt. George J.] Waterhouse, formerly of Cooperstown, and brother of N. W. Waterhouse of this village, and in Capt. Beverly's Company [K], 34th Infantry, was accidentally shot in camp last week. |
|
Freeman's journal |
|
| City: | Cooperstown |
| County: | Otsego |
| Frequency: | Weekly |
| Date |
Title |
| 1861:04:19 | Military companies being organized in Cherry Valley and Oneonta. |
| 1861:04:19 | Any "Wide Awakes" of this village who desire to "enlist for the war" are requested to meet at their old quarters this evening at 9 PM, to make necessary arrangements. |
|
Oneonta herald |
|
| City: | Oneonta |
| County: | Otsego |
| Frequency: | Weekly |
| Date |
Title |
| 1861:04:24 | Union meeting in this village last Mon., at Free Will Baptist Church. |
| 1861:04:24 | Will be a grand rally of the patriots this Friday, [4/]26th. |
| 1861:05:01 | [Letter] fr. James M. [S.?] Cook., to son., dated 4/22/61, Ballston Spa [N.Y.]. |
| 1861:05:01 | [Order]. G.O. #4, fr. MG S.S. Burnside. |
|
Republican and Democrat |
|
| City: | Cooperstown |
| County: | Otsego |
| Frequency: | Weekly |
| Date |
Title |
| 1861:04:20 | [Ed.]. Railing against Freeman's journal; [Albany] Argus a "traitor" and Journal of Commerce "cotton". |
| 1861:04:20 | A company in Oneonta is ready and recruiting is going on in Cherry Valley. |
| 1861:04:20 | [M]G [S.S.] Burnside has tendered his command to Gov. Morgan, but what steps have been take to make the command receivable, we are not advised. |
| 1861:04:20 | [Order]. G.O. #3, fr. MG S.S. Burnside, HQ 5th Dev. [N.Y.S.M.], 4/22/61. |
| 1861:05:04 | George S. Tuckerman is organizing company in Cherry Valley. |
| 1861:05:04 | Averell Guards rifle company being raised here. |
| 1861:05:04 | Union meeting at Morris. |
| 1861:05:04 | [Order]. G.O. #4, fr. MG S.S. Burnside, 4/29/61. |
| 1861:05:04 | Horatio D[ ]s, formerly of this village, in 7th N.Y.S.M. |
| 1861:06:01 | [Letter to Ed.]. "Capt." [George S.] Tuckerman did not get a commission in Albany; abusive in letter of State Mil. Bd. and vols. at Albany. Involves Judge Turner, whose letter to Tuckerman was pub. in Cherry Valley Gazette. |
| 1861:06:01 | A military company [List of officers & non-coms], to be attached to 39th Regt. [N.Y.S.M.] was org. |
|
Unadilla Times |
|
| City: | Unadilla |
| County: | Wayne |
| Frequency: | Weekely |
| Date |
Title |
| 1861:04:25 | [Order]. Gen. HQ, N.Y.S. Adj. Gen. Office, fr. J. Meredith Read, Jr. |
| 1861:04:25 | [Order]. HQ, 5th Division, N.Y.S.M. G.O. #3, [fr. MG S.S. Burnside], Oneonta, N.Y., 4/22/61. |
| 1861:05:02 | Col. Chase, of Unadilla in town with various orders. |
| 1861:05:02 | Volunteering going on rapidly in Oneonta and Cherry Valley. |
| 1861:05:02 | [Notice]. Dated 4/27/61. Capt. [F.A.] Bolles of our village reorganizing Co. A, 43rd N.Y.S.M. |
| 1861:05:02 | It is said that Capt. Tyrrel [James Tyrrell] of Norwich Artillery, has been ordered to Utica to join the regiment there. |
| 1861:05:02 | [Order]. HQ, 5th Division, N.Y.S.M. G.O. #4, [fr. MG S.S. Burnside], Oneonta, N.Y., 4/29/61. |
| 1861:05:02 | Union meeting at Morris last Friday [4/26]. |
| 1861:05:02 | Union meeting at Deposit Tuesday [4/29]. |
| 1861:05:02 | Union meeting to be held at Canonsville on 5/4. |
| 1861:05:09 | Contains a quote from the New Berlin Pioneer. |
| 1861:05:09 | At a Union meeting at Morris on 4/26 [Resol.]. |
| 1861:05:09 | [Corres., pt. 1] Fr. "Fides.", dated Albany, N.Y., 4/30/61. |
| 1861:05:09 | [Corres., pt. 2] Fr. "Fides." "The regular State Militia are entirely ignored in the org., except where they have been ordered out for temp. purposes, viz. 3 months service … ." |
| 1861:05:09 | Capt. [F.A.] Bolles of our village reorganizing Co. A, 43rd N.Y.S.M. [still]. |
| 1861:05:16 | Election of officers in Tompkins' Company; Capt. Bolivor Radeker (fr. Deposit Democrat). |
| 1861:05:16 | A fine company has been formed in Cherry Valley; ordered to be 'ready' to go to Albany. |
| 1861:05:16 | Union meetings in Cherry Valley [Desc.], 5/4 and Milford, 5/3. |
| 1861:05:16 | Gen. Russell W. Humphrey, Bainbridge, el. 12th Brig. Insp. |
| 1861:05:16 | A company has been formed in Walton; Col. N.C. Marvin is Capt. |
| 1861:05:16 | [Report]. HQ, 5th Division, N.Y.S.M |
See also: Units recruited in Otsego County during the Civil War