CIVIL WAR INFORMATION

Infantry: Regts., 21st, 49th, 72d, 90th, 100th, 112th, 154th, 156th, 179th, 183d, 187th, 188th, 194th.

Cavalry: Regts., 9th, 15th, 22d.

Artillery: Regts., 13th, 14th.

Engineers: Regts., 15th .

Sharpshooters: Companies, 7th, 8th

Surely Chautauqua men served in other NY units and in other states, the Navy, Regular Army, and possibly the Marine Corps. But the largest concentrations were in the above named units.

Was formed during summer of 1862. All 10 companies were filled with men from Chautauqua County. Altogether a total of 1009 men were enlisted in the 112th, and it was fittingly named " The Chautauqua Regiment."

The 112th was mustered in on Sept. 11, 1862 and left Jamestown on the 12th. It took part in numerous battles and campaigns beginning in Nov. of 1862 and ending in April of 1865. It was honorably discharged and mustered out at Raleigh, North Carolina on June 13, 1865.

During its three-year term the regiment recorded 636 casualties, including: 79 killed, 49 mortally wounded, 269 wounded who recovered, 177 who died from disease, 40 missing, and 22 who died while in enemy captivity.

"History of the One Hundred Twelfth Regiment, New York Volunteers" written by William L. Hyde. Published 1916 by McKinstry and Company. Fredonia, New York.

Copies available at Barker Library and Barker Library Museum; Special Collections- Reed Library- SUNY Fredonia; Fenton Historical Center; Patterson Library, Westfield, NY and other locations throughout the county. See list of archives.

After the forming of the 112th Regiment there were enough volunteers left to fill two companies in the 154th Infantry (being formed in Cattaraugus County); and to form the 7th Sharpshooters**, a company of expert marksmen.

**Sharpshooter Companys were "1st Battalion Sharpshooters NYSV". Consisting of the 7th Company organized at Jamestown Sept. 12, 1862. The other companies were organized at NYC. ref Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. [Thanks to Dean Willoughby.]

was organized in September, 1861, with volunteers from Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Wyoming counties in New York and from Warren county in Pennsylvania. It assembled in Westfield in Sept. and Oct. of 1861 and left the state soon after.

Known as "the Westfield Cavalry" this unit took part in over 150 battles and campaigns. During its term it recorded 633 casualties including: 63 killed, 34 mortally wounded, 270 wounded who recovered, 111 who died of disease, 139 missing and 16 who died in captivity.

" History of the Ninth Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry, War of 1861-1865." written by Newell Cheney. (unit historian) Published 1901 by Martin Merz and Son, Jamestown, NY.

Copies of this volume may be found at Barker Library Museum, Fenton Historical Center and other county archives.

was mustered into service during June to November of 1861. It was known as "the Third Excelsior" Chautauqua county contributed five companies to the regiment: Co. B from Jamestown, companies D, E and H from Dunkirk and company G from Westfield.

During its term it sustained 762 casualties (61% of the total of 1250 men enlisted) including: 120 killed, 54 mortally wounded, 354 wounded who recovered, 86 who died of disease, and 10 who died in captivity.

This compilers great great uncle James Marvin Young, was one of four from this unit who received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Although he was proud of his medal- he was most proud of the fact that he was never wounded and never had even one day on sick call.

"History of the Third Regiment, Excelsior Brigade, 72nd New York Volunteer Infantry." by Henri LeFevre Brown. Published 1902 by Journal Printing Company, Jamestown, NY.

In July of 1861 nine companies were recruited to form this unit. Companies A, G, I and K were from Chautauqua county, company A from Fredonia, company G in Westfield, company I in Forestville and company K in Jamestown.

During its three-year term this unit with a total of 1312 men, sustained 610 casualties including: 96 killed, 46 mortally wounded, 244 wounded who recovered, 157 who died of disease, 44 missing and 23 who died in captivity.

" History of the 49th New York Volunteers " by Frederick D. Bidwell. Published 1916 by J.B. Lyon and Company Albany, New York.

1). " New York in the War of the Rebellion " 5 vols. compiled by Frederick Phisterer. Published 1912 by J.B. Lyon and Company, Albany , New York.

2). Chautauqua County Regiments and Soldiers in the Civil War. by Donald K. Ryberg Jr. Published 1986 by Chautauqua County Historical Society, Westfield, New York.

Many times researchers find references to the G.A.R. and do not know to what this refers. The following is a brief summary on the Grand Army of the Republic.

A Civil War Union veterans organization, which at its peak had over 400,000 veteran members. Had chapters, called Posts in most states. Each year reunions (called encampments) were held in different cities throughout the country. The encampments lasted from three to five days. Veterans renewed their friendships and reminisced about their war time experiences. National officers were elected at these encampments and served for one year terms. The first encampment was held in 1866 in Indianapolis, Indiana, where also was held the 83rd and final encampment in 1949. Thousands attended the first encampment- 6 of the 16 remaining G.A.R. members attended the last encampment.

Each Post had a roster of members and a synopsis of a members service record and date and place of death are recorded in this roster. The Jamestown post roster is at Fenton Historical Center. The Westfield post roster is at Chautauqua County Historical Society. The Fredonia post roster is at the Barker Library Museum. The Dunkirk post roster is at the Dunkirk Histrical Museum. The Forestville post roster is at Hanover Historical Center.

Chautauqua county also had the distinction of being the National Headquarters of the G.A.R. from 1945 to 1956. The headquarters were maintained at Governor Reuben E. Fenton's home in Jamestown, now the Fenton Historical Center, a room is preserved there in honor of the G.A.R. In that room, Miss Cora E. Gillis, National Secretary of the organization, made the final entry in the register when she recorded the death of the last union survivor, Albert Woolson, of Duluth, Minnesota on August 2, 1956.

The number of men furnished for the War of the Rebellion (Civil War) by Chautauqua county was about 4,400. More than 3,000 of these survived the war.

CIVIL WAR FACTS
-- Chautauqua County's last physical link with the Civil War was severed on May 17, 1949 when Robert McKean Round of Ripley, the Country's last surviving member of the G.A.R. died at the age of 104 years.
-- 500 Soldiers in the Civil War were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and only two from Chautauqua County: Captain Edgar P. Putnam - Co. I. 9th Regt. NYVC Private James Marvin Young - Co. B. 72nd NYV See Note
-- 26 blacks joined with the town of Stockton men. ["Military Record of the Civil War Veterans" by Mary E. Seymour, Mem. Free Library]
-- The observance of Memorial Day, or as it was called, "Decoration Day" was started in the North by the G.A.R. in May 1868 and National Commander Logans' orders concerning Memorial Day were read as part of each subsequent Memorial Day observance until recently.
-- Nationally, about 40% of the Union servicemen became members of the G.A.R. forming a united front for Veterans interests.

GRADUATES of the State Normal College who Served in the Civil War of 1861-1865

[Not all are from Chautauqua County.] Class of 1846: Atwood, Israel G.; Brown, Charles L.; Canfield, Charles T.; Jenkins, Jeremiah W.; Laurence, Charles D.; Stevens, G. Herman Class of 1847: Collins, Henry W.; Dexter, James E.; Remington, Julius T.L. Class of 1848: Haskins, Alexander L.; Thompson, John H. Class of 1849: Beardsley, Lewis; Hughes, Henry D.; Miller, John N.; Read, Stephen S.; Rust, Pulaski Class of 1850: Booth, Ansel J. Class of 1851: Dickson, William G.; Gilmore, Hiram; McMillan, James Class of 1852: Guffin, James Class of 1853: Cheney, James; Dominy, Levi S.; Hannahs, Harrison; Mills, James H.; Smith, Abram P. Class of 1854: Butts, Edmund G.; Carmichael, Richard D.; Lyttle, Lafayette; Miller, J. Henry; Wilder, Lyman C.; Wood, Jared G. Class of 1855: Chase, David E.; Fry, E. Austin; Hogan, Henry H.; Husted, Albert N.; Parker, Charles H. Class of 1856: Bangs, Isaac F.; Case, John Henry; Huested, Sylvanus B.; Smith, Gann M.; Trevet, Albertus C. Class of 1857: Barrett, Hubbard H.; Fox, Joseph G.; Gregory, William B. Class of 1858: Fitch, John H.; Fox, George W.; Richardson, James Class of 1859: French, Walton W.; Hollis, William C.; Kimball, Amos S.; Palmer, William H.; Snyder, Charles E.; Sprague, James R. Class of 1860: Ayer, Henry; Barnum, Joseph P.; Barrick, John L.; Cochrane, Samuel D.; Farnsworth, Charles H.; Garrett, Frederic E.; Hubbard, Eli B.; McCormick, Chauncey A.; Ostrom, John H.; Wilder, Franklin A. Class of 1861: Barrick, Thompson; Bayer, Frederick A.; Hamlin, Charles W.; Howard Asa L.; McBlain, Samuel; Richards, John R.; Shoales, George A. Class of 1862: Blakely, James O.; Cogswell, Franklin; Colwell, Seaman A.; Darling, Robert B.; Hard, Wallace B.; Hull, Andress B.; Moore, Orrin G.; Morrison, Francis A.; Olmstead, Hiram F.; Traver, Elbert; Willett, Consider H. Class of 1866: Ackerly, Nathaniel S. Class of 1868: Jones, William V.; Washburn, Alonzo Class of 1870: Bentley, Philetus P.

1). "New York in the War of the Rebellion" 5 vols. compiled by Frederick Phisterer. Published 1912 by J.B. Lyon and Company, Albany , New York.

2). Chautauqua County Regiments and Soldiers in the Civil War. by Donald K. Ryberg Jr. Published 1986 by Chautauqua County Historical Society, Westfield, New York.

John M Scofield was born in the Town of Gerry in Chautauqua County on September 29, 1831. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for action at Wilsons Creek, Mo., August 10, 1861.

Ted LeBaron

Sinclairville, NY, 2005