189th Regiment of the Civil War Co C
Taken from the book by William H. Rogers of Wellsville, NY, 15 Aug 1865.
Re-typed by Annette Campbell
Part of the Steuben Co., NY GenWeb - Judy Allen Cwiklinski coordinator
Company C was enlisted in August, 1864, in the towns of Wheeler, Bath, Avoca, Kanona and Urbana, by Captain Burrahe Rice, assisted by Lieutenants Robison and Warren. Mustered and clothed by September 13th, it was at first assigned to the 175th New York, but a revocation of that assignment was secured by Captain Rice, at Albany, and it was afterward connected with the 189th.
Captain Burrage Rice was born June third, 1829, in the village of Bath, Steuben County, NY, and remained there until he was four years old, when his father, Samuel A. Rice, removed to Michigan with his family. At the age of fourteen, he came to Prattsburgh, and attended school at the Franklin Academy. Prepared to enter college--as an education was his greatest ambition--he was arranging to devote all his energies to completing his full educational course, when unfortunately his plans were frustrated, which has been the regret of his life. In 1850 he returned to Bath, and entered the store of James R. Dudley, as clerk. June eighth, 1853, he married Miss Mary F. Smith, daughter of Orrin Smith of Bath. He was an active man in all public enterprises, and enjoyed in a large degree the confidence of his fellow citizens. He had also made great progress in the study of law. At the breaking out of the rebellion, he was among the first to offer his services to his country. Enlisting as a private in the 1st Vermont Regiment; under the President's first call for three months men, he was stationed near Fortress Monroe. He took an active part in the battle of Big Bethel, in which his regiment distinguished itself for bravery. Mustered out with his regiment, a new one immediately being organized, he was chosen Captain of one of its companies. This position he reluctantly relinquished, in response to an urgent appeal from his family and friends, and accepted the position of Under-Sheriff, in Bath, the duties of which he performed with marked ability for more than two years. Besides his own campany, he helped raise other troops. A general favorite on account of his eminent military qualities and urbanity of character, he was promoted, November fourth, to be Brigade Inspector on the staff of Brigadier-General Gregory, of the Second Brigade, to which the 189th belonged--a position he filled with great ability till January eleventh, 1865, when he was shot dead by ambushed guerillas, who attacked a foraging party under his command, an account of which is found i it's proper place in Part Second of this work. His body was embalmed and sent home to his native village, where it was buried on Thursday, the nineteenth of January, 1865, with Masonic honors. A large procession of his friends followed his remains to their final resting place, mourning the untimely loss of a brave officer and loved commander, an estimable citizen and a worthy man. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.
Captain Silas W. Robison, from the time of his birth January 6th, 1832, in Hornellsville, Steuben County, NY, lived with his parents till his seventeenth year, busied with lumbering. He enjoyed but limited school privileges till at the age just mentioned, he went to Hammondsport, to live with his sister, where he attended school winters, working on the farm during the summer season. He was one of the first volunteers who in 1861 shouldered the musket for right against wrong, freedom against slavery, democracy against aristocracy.
Entering Company I, 34th NY, as a private, he served two years faithfully. He was in the battles of Ball's Bluff, seige of Yorktown, Seven Day's Fight on the Peninsula, South Mountain, Antietam, first and second Fredericksburgh. He wins promotion as Sergeant, and then as Orderly, and is discharged with his regiment at Albany, July, 1863.
Working on the farm for his sister till February, 1864, he married at that date Miss K. T. Dykes, of Hammondsport, and buying a piece of land, pursued his farming avocation, until he entered the service again, as 1st Lieutenant of Company C, and having been in command of the company since Captain Rice's promotion, was commissioned Captain in his place upon the death of that accomplished officer.
First Lieutenant Dwight Warren was born March 21st, 1831 in Bath, Steuben County, NY. His father was a farmer, and for several years was Colonel of the 96th Regiment, New York State Militia. He worked with his father on the farm till his twenty-first year, aquiring, meanwhile, a substantial common-school education. At that age he became foreman for heavy contactor in railroading, on the Buffalo, New York and Erie Railroad, and in November of the same year was married to a daughter of the late Colonel Steven Grant of Bath. Traveling in 1852, he visited most of the Western States, and aquired much valuable knowledge, by which he will ever be greatly assisted in his business enterprises. Having worked at railroading a year, in Michigan, he returned in 1858 to New York, and purchasing a farm, worked thereon till the war was commenced. Selling his farm, he enlisted, August 19th, 1862, as a private in Company F, 161st NY Volunteers, of which he was made Orserly Sergeant, October twenty-seventh. Attacked with the typhoid fever, he was left behind when his regiment sailed, December twelfth, for New Orleans, with Bank's Expedition. Having sufficiently regained his health, he left the city of New York January 17th, 1863, and barely escaping being wrecked on that stormy passage, landed at Key West, January 24th. Re-embarking the twenty-sixth and encountering a severe gale on the Gulf, he safely arrived at New Orleans, and joined his regiment at Baton Rouge on the twentieth of February. He heroically served in the campaign through Louisiana, under General Banks, that terminated so gloriously on the eigth of July, 1863, in the capture of that famous stronghold, Port Hudson. At the close of one year he was obliged by sickness to leave the service, and, being discharged, returned home. In the fall of 1864, having partially recovered, he assisted Captain Burrage Rice to raise Company C, of which he was unanimously elected Second Lieutenant. On the death of the Captain he was made First Lieutenant. His services were always concientious and satisfactory.
Second Lieutenant Mortimer W. Read was born in Urbana, Steuben County, NY, March 16th, 1841. When he was but seven years of age he undertook the responsibility of a "hired man", for wages, at farming, which continued his principal business until treason's first gun shot at Fort Sumter caused the great uprising of the North to rescue the Republic. No braver heart was then fired with patriotism than that of young Read. He promptly responded to the call of "Honest Old Abe," and volunteered for two years in Company A, 23rd NY Volunteers, served out his time, and with his regiment received his discharge, May 26th, 1863. Thereupon he traveled through the West, and returned in time to enlist again under Captain Rice, August 22nd, 1864. Upon organization of Company C, at Bath, he was unanimously chosen its Orderly Sergeant. He rose to the lieutenance in due course, upon the captaincy being vacated by the death of Captain Rice.
Non-Commissioned Officers' and Privates' Memorial--Co C.
Sergeants:
Corporals:
Privates:
Note: No effort has been made to correct spelling of surnames--AC
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