Part 4 (1/2)
The beautiful Armory and Drill-Room now occupied by the Company, are mainly due to his indefatigable efforts.
One prominent feature in the history of the Company, and one which we fear the historian may, from feelings of delicacy, omit, was the splendid supper given, soon after the return of the Company from Elmira, by Captain Esty and lady--an entertainment which was a high testimonial of the Captain's generosity, and the skill and hospitality of Mrs. Esty.
The supper will long be remembered by the happy partic.i.p.ants.
Captain Esty, in civil life, is no less esteemed than as a soldier, having been for a number of years the confidential clerk and book-keeper in the extensive Leather establishment of Hon. E. S. Esty, an establishment which owes its success in no small degree to his energetic and business qualities.
CHARLES HAUSNER, Carpenter, enlisted October 6th, 1855. Served his full time in the Company. Enlisted Sept. 10th, 1861, in the United States army, in which he served until the 6th day of Sept., 1862, when he was honorably discharged by reason of being totally unserviceable on account of wounds received while in the army. He partic.i.p.ated in the battle of Fair Oaks, and received in that one engagement six wounds, while his clothes were pierced by fourteen bullets of the enemy. Probably no soldier ever received the same number of wounds and lived. Upon his return home he was elected Captain of Company E, 50th Regiment National Guard.
A. T. JARVIS, Clerk, enlisted March 19th, 1856. Was a member but a short time.
O. BINGHAM, Boot and Shoe Merchant, enlisted April 2d, 1856. Served his full time, and was honorably discharged from further service in the militia. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in Company D, 137th N. Y. Volunteers. August 16th, 1862, was mustered into the United States service at Camp Susquehanna, Binghamton. Soon after the Regiment was ordered to Was.h.i.+ngton, and from thence to Harper's Ferry, Va., in October, 1862. The Regiment was soon attached to the 12th Army Corps; after a few weeks in camp were ordered to join Gen. Burnside in front of Fredericksburgh, Va. On account of the almost impa.s.sibility of the roads, the Regiment did not arrive in time to partic.i.p.ate in the fight. Were here ordered into camp at Fairfax, Va., from thence to Aquia Landing, on the Potomac.
The Regiment remained in this camp, perfecting themselves in all the arts of war, until Gen. Hooker had perfected the plan for the battle of Chancellorsville, to which place the Regiment was ordered in the latter part of April, 1863, under command of Gen. Sloc.u.m. In this engagement the 137th Regiment did some very hard fighting, and the hero of this sketch came near losing his life while performing acts of kindness to his comrades. He was returning from a spring near by with a number of canteens of water, when he was attacked by a number of rebels who gave him chase through the woods; but our soldier escaped unharmed, although at one time it seemed that nothing short of a miracle could save him.
After the battle the Regiment recrossed the Rappahannock and were again in camp.
On the 13th of June Mr. Bingham was promoted to the office of Chief Musician of the Regiment by Col. Ireland for meritorious conduct, and no member of the Regiment or Brigade was more competent to fill this position. This office he held until mustered out of the service.
June 14th the Regiment started for Gettysburg; arrived on the 1st of July and immediately took position on the right of the line. In this battle the Regiment was engaged three days; Chief Musician Bingham had his cap shot off his head as he was carrying a wounded Sergeant from the line; he lost five men of his drum corps, three being wounded and two captured.
In September the 11th and 12th Corps were detached from the army of the Potomac and ordered to Tennessee. The men were transported in cattle cars, and reached the city of Nashville after about ten days travel; from thence were moved to Wauhatchie Valley. In this valley one Brigade, composed of the 137th and other Regiments, in all about one thousand men, were attacked by the rebel General Hood with four thousand picked men; the enemy finally withdrew to Lookout Mountain. In this fight our Chief Musician had his bugle, which was hanging by his side, pierced with a bullet and destroyed.
After several other engagements in this vicinity, the enemy were routed, and the men ordered to prepare for the taking of Atlanta, which city was captured by the Union forces Sept. 2d, 1864, Chief Musician Bingham marching in command of the drum corps of his Division playing the familiar tune Yankee Doodle, to the disgust of the inhabitants of that city.
From this time comparative quiet reigned until November 14th, when commenced the great ”March for the Sea Coast,” which was so successfully accomplished, as also the march from Savannah to Richmond, from which point the army were moved by easy marches to Was.h.i.+ngton, at which city they were mustered out of the service as fast as possible. Our Chief Musician was mustered out near Was.h.i.+ngton June 9th, 1865, and immediately sent with the Regiment to Elmira, where they were paid and honorably discharged June 20th.
He was in the service nearly three years; never lost a day's duty from his Regiment; he partic.i.p.ated in every engagement of the Regiment from the time it entered the field, and fully proved himself to be a soldier of ability and courage, possessing all the qualities that are requisite to make a first-cla.s.s American soldier.
Now that he has returned to his home and friends, we all unite in bestowing upon him the honor he so dearly bought, and respect and cherish him as one of the defenders of our common country.
H. W. BISHOP, Druggist, elected May 31st, 1856. Doctor Bishop was an excellent member; served the Company as Treasurer for two years; filled most of the non-commissioned offices, and was esteemed highly by all the members, as he was by the community at large. He was Orderly Sergeant at the time he left the Company and joined the United States army. Very soon after his enlistment in the service of his country, he was promoted to hospital Steward, which position he filled until removed by death.
Many there are, besides his near relatives and the Company of which he was a member, who mourn the loss of Doctor Bishop.
E. S. CONKLIN, enlisted June 9th, 1856. The writer is wholly unacquainted with the history of this member.
E. B. TORREY, Banker, enlisted September 10th, 1856. No member ever connected himself with the DeWitt Guard who took more interest in the Company than did Mr. Torrey; and although his profession was such that it would seem impossible for him to spend any very great amount of time with the Company, still through the kindness and leniency of President J. B. Williams, and Cas.h.i.+er, Colonel Hardy, he almost always answered to his name at all the drills and parades of the Company. At the business meeting he was particularly useful, always lending his advice, and eager to do any thing that would increase the interest of the members. Always scrupulously prompt in meeting his obligations, and we believe during the several years of his members.h.i.+p, he never allowed his dues to run over one month; he filled most of the non-commissioned offices; as a soldier he liked every other soldier, and every other soldier liked him; and the only way he could ever dissolve his members.h.i.+p, was by the expiration of his term of enlistment. He most creditably served his time and received an honorable discharge. He retired from the Bank a short time since, and secured a patent for ”Torrey's Patent Artesian Wells,”
which is a most valuable invention, and is being universally used wherever introduced. We extend to him our hearty congratulations for the success he has already attained, and earnestly hope that our friend will realize his full antic.i.p.ations in his new enterprise.
M. R. BARNARD, Princ.i.p.al of Public School, enlisted Sept. 10th, 1856.
Mr. Barnard served his full time and was honorably discharged from further service in the militia. He served the Company as Secretary for a year or more. He is still represented by his son, Corporal E. E.
Barnard; is brother of John Barnard, the hero of Lookout Mountain. Has been for many years Princ.i.p.al of our Public School, having some times as many as eight hundred scholars. In this situation, as well as every other one, he gave the most perfect satisfaction, and the regrets were many that we heard expressed when he determined to withdraw from the school, and still many more when it became known that he had fully determined to change his residence to Louisville, Ky.
Prof. Barnard is a thorough scholar, a man of great and comprehensive mind, fine intellect, and a man in every way qualified to hold the very first position in society wherever he may go. When in his new home he becomes as well known as he is here, we know he will be equally respected. Success and prosperity ever attend him.
MARCUS LYON, Lawyer and District Attorney, elected January 20th, 1857.
Mr. Lyon soon discovered that it would require more of his time than he could possibly devote to this purpose, and furnished a subst.i.tute in the person of the lamented Wager.
LUTHER LOSEY, Harness-Maker, enlisted June 27th, 1857. Mr. Losey served his time, was a good soldier and a fine mechanic, else he could not have found employment so many years in the establishment of Colonel Millspaugh. He is now a resident of one of the Western States.
HENRY S. KRUM, Shoe Merchant, enlisted May 18th, 1858. Mr. Krum served but a very short time as a member of this Company, but sufficiently long to prepare him to a.s.sume command of a Company upon his entering the United States service. He was in the service for some time, and upon his return home was elected Captain of the Caroline Company, National Guard, which position he still holds.
JOHN C. HAZEN, Merchant, enlisted May 18th, 1858. We have very frequently, through this History, mentioned instances where the Company were indebted to individual members for some particular acts, or the interest they have manifested in the general good and prosperity of the Company. In this instance, however, we have the contrary. We believe Lieut. Hazen is more indebted to the DeWitt Guard, than any person now living, and on this point we are sure we shall satisfy the reader.