189th Regiment of the Civil War Co H
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
In the fall of 1864, after Captain's Burrage Rice and John Stocum had each raised a company of men, the quota for the town of Bath not yet being full for the call of five hundred thousand, Hon. D. B. Bryan, of Sonora, John T. Allen, and others of Bath, proposed to Supervisor John L. Smith, that authority be obtained for Professor N. Crosby to recruit a company of infantry. The Professor, for five years connected with the Sonora Academy, was designated by his influence, especially with the best classes of the youth, as the proper leader of another recruiting campaign. Duly authorized from Albany, and assisted by Lieutenants H. F. Scofield and L. G. Rutherford, and Sergeants D. Crosby, R. McCann, and S. P. Teachman, he succeeded so well that in five days were mustered at Elmira, on the 14th of September, over seventy men for this company, who thereupon received furloughs home until the 26th. Punctually they returned, and enough others came to fill the Company's complement, and about a hundred besides. Captain N. Crosby and his Lieutenants were mustered on the nineteenth, and gallant Company H awaited in Barracks No. 1, at Elmira, orders came to move to the front.
Captain Nathan Crosby was born in the year 1833. Working on the farm till his twentieth year, he attended school scarcely any during that most important educational portion of life. Thereupon he determined to seek that culture of manhood and character which a college course is so wisely designed to give to all who faithfully pursue its steep but favored way. Accordingly, he commenced by study to prepare himself, and by teaching winters to accomodate means. In the fall of 1858, he entered the Sophomore Class of Michigan University. He was converted at Olivet Institute, Michigan, in 1857, and joined the Baptist Church, and has since been a true man and Christian laborer, he became assistant teacher in Sonora Academy, which position he occupied, keeping up with his class in the University at the same time, till he graduated in 1862. The fall following, he was made Principal of Sonora Academy, where he labored with distingished success two years more. Commencing the study of law, April 1864, with David Ramsey, Esq., of Bath, he prosecuted the preparations for his chosen vocation--the legal profession--till the next September, when, by the urgent request of friends, he engaged in recruiting a company, was chosen their Captain, and served them conscientiously and nobly, until compelled by severe and dangerous illness to seek, in the quiet and healthful climate of home, that restoration of his vigor and health which was despaired of amid the privations and exposure of army life in the South.
First Lieutenant Hiram F. Scofield is in the prime of life. In August, 1862, he joined Captain Bile's Comapny, then organizing for the 161st Regiment, as a private, and was at once promoted to the position of Sergeant. Upon the organization of several regiments of colored troops at New Orleans, Sergeant Scofield was made a Second Lieutenant of one of the companies, his soldierly abilities and prompness indicating him as well worthy of the promotion. He held this position until, with many other officers, he was mustered out by process of consolidation, sometime in the fall of 1863, and returned home. He remained but a short time, however, being called unanimously to the position of First Lieutenant of Company H, 189th Regiment. Lieutenant Scofield was acting Quartermaster of the Regiment for some time after its organization, and discharged the duties of the office with signal ability and success. He was one of the most active and efficient officers of the regiment, and was a general favorite on account of his bravery and soldierly bearing.
Second Lieutenant L. G. Rutherford was born in Bath, NY, January 2, 1840. From his childhood he had good school opportunities, and always learned easily; but the skates, fish hooks, and the old gun that hung in the kitchen had for him far greater charms than books. At sixteen years of age he was sent by his parents to the Prattsburgh and Sonora Academy. Afterward, at the age of twenty-one, beginning the study of law with C. F. Kingsley, Esq., of Bath, he made good progress therein. When about to be admitted to practice at the New York bar, he volunteered for three years in the 78th New York Volunteers, under the President's first call for three hundred thousand troops. Conspicuous for soldierly merit, he served in the Shenandoah Valley under Generals Siegel and Banks, with great favor among his comrades and officers, until an attack of the typhoid fever, and afterward of inflamation of the lungs, reduced him by a long illness to the very gate of death, whence happily recovering, he reached home, yet more to suffer from chronic diarrhea for ten months longer. Having regained his health sufficiently, he re-enlisted in the fall of 1864, and with great enthusiasm bent his attention to recruiting men, and was made Second Lieutenant by a unanimous voice of his Company. He was a brave and reliable officer in all the vicissitudes of the service.
Non-Commissioned Officer' and Private' Memorial--Co. H.
Sergeants:
Corporals:
Privates:
No attempt has been made to correct spellings--AC
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