History of the Dewitt guard, company A, 50th regiment National guard, state of New York - Part 7
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Part 7

T. H. GRIFFITH, Miller, enlisted September 1st, 1864. A particular favorite with all the members at Elmira. Was Company cook, and no man could make army rations taste better than our friend Griffith. He served as a member until some time after the Company returned from Elmira, when, on account of his residence being in another district, he was honorably discharged.

H. L. MILLER, Farmer, enlisted September 1st, 1864. Harley was well liked by all the men at Elmira--and withal he was a first rate soldier.

Although a resident of another district, is still connected with the Company.

J. W. BROWN, Clerk, enlisted September 1st, 1864. Brother of M. M.

Brown, M. D., whose subst.i.tute he was. Served faithfully with the Company through the Elmira campaign; was a good soldier, and a young man of much promise.

CHARLES R. SHERWOOD, Clerk, enlisted September ----, 1864. Charley was a good young man, and was just as good a soldier. Served the full term of his enlistment with the Company at Elmira. Upon his return, removed to the city of Buffalo.

MARTIN BESIMER, Student, enlisted December 26th, 1864. A good soldier and a very fine young man. Served with the Company until very recently, when he removed from the district.

AARON OSBORN, Clerk, enlisted February 27th, 1865. Mr. Osborn is one of the very best members at the present day; always present and always prompt to meet his dues and other obligations, and as a soldier is excelled by very few; as a citizen he is respected by all. He is connected with the large Boot and Shoe manufactory of C. Christiance & Son, of this village.

W. V. WOOD, Farmer, enlisted February 27th, 1865. Discharged June, 1866.

W. H. HALL, Clerk, enlisted February 27th, 1865. Volunteered from the Company in the United States Navy.

CHARLES A. PHILLIPS, Clothing Merchant, enlisted February 10th, 1865.

Mr. Phillips is one of the most active members; is its present Secretary; every body likes Charley. Is one of the firm of A. Phillips & Sons, extensive Clothing manufactures. The large and increasing business of their House is their best recommendation.

D. N. JOHNSON, Book-Keeper, enlisted February 27th, 1865. Son of Captain Johnson and brother of E. K., whose history has already been noticed.

One of the most respected and esteemed young men of the village. A good soldier and a good member of the Company. Is confidential clerk and book-keeper with Messrs. Seymour & Johnson, merchants and general dealers.

C. L. TABER, Clerk, enlisted April 5th, 1865. Charley is a first rate boy; just as good a soldier, and equally as good a member of the Company.

WILLIAM HATCH, Steam-Boat Steward, enlisted February 10th, 1865. Any person who has traveled the waters of Cayuga Lake, and not heard of Billy Hatch, and not regaled themselves with the luxuries provided by him, is probably the very one who would deny the existence of any such sheet of water, or would astonish us no more were they to deny their own existence. To confine ourselves to Mr. Hatch's qualifications as a soldier, however, would be more proper in this connection; but where a man is as good in one position as in another, we are frequently apt to digress from our subject.

The time he is obliged to be away from the drills and meetings, he makes up by doing for the Company very much in other directions. One of the most prompt, as well as one of the most generous members, has frequently paid fines and dues or other obligations of other members, who he thought could not afford to pay for themselves. Although at many of our drills we miss Mr. Hatch, still he is a member we should be as unwilling to have leave us, as would Captain Wilc.o.x, Captain Goodrich or the traveling community at large, to have him resign his position on the Kate Morgan.

M. J. BARKER, Express Clerk, enlisted May 4th, 1865. A very stirring and energetic young man, and a soldier of ability. Is properly appreciated by the Company he represents.

CHARLES F. CLARK, Clerk, enlisted May 4th, 1865. Is a young man of promise, a good soldier and first cla.s.s salesman. Is employed in the large dry-goods house of J. S. Granger & Company.

GEORGE POLLAY, Carpenter, enlisted February 1st, 1865. Served with the Company through the term of their enlistment in the United States army.

Was there a good soldier; was discharged from the general service with the Company, and discharged from the Company soon after.

FRANK LUCAS, enlisted February 1st, 1865. A short time thereafter was discharged. Has served in the United States army.

GEORGE M. KING, Student, enlisted May 31st, 1865. A perfect gentleman, and as good a member as ever enrolled himself with the DeWitt Guard. He joined with a full determination to become as good a soldier as there was in the Company. He has applied himself most thoroughly, and we leave for those who see the Company on parade to judge how near he has reached the goal of a soldier's ambition. Is a very fine shot, and has taken prizes at the various target practices.

WARREN H. LEWIS, enlisted June 7th, 1865. Soon after left to seek his fortune in the oil regions of Pennsylvania.

CHARLES W. CONOVER, Farmer, enlisted June 7th, 1865. Although Mr.

Conover has belonged to the Company but little over a year, still by strict attention, and a determination to learn, he has become a soldier of merit. No member is more regular, or manifests a livelier interest in the Company than he. A stranger to many of the members when he enlisted, but soon he gained their well wishes, and to-day no one stands higher in the estimation of the Company than Mr. Conover.

FRANK BAKER, Farmer, enlisted June 7th, 1865. All that was said in relation to the last named soldier, is perfectly in place in this instance. Mr. Baker is a very attentive and active member; very few drills or meetings that he is not present, although he has further to come than any other person connected with the Company. Such members as these will in due time receive the promotion they have earned and are ent.i.tled to.

THEODORE J. SMITH, Cigar-Maker, enlisted June 17th, 1865. Mr. Smith is a good soldier, having served a long time in the United States service, a history of which we have been unable to obtain.

S. W. PURDY, Barber, enlisted June 20th, 1865. Was a much better barber than soldier; and although a sufficiently good marksman to take the first prize, still not generous enough to pay his Company obligations before leaving the place.

GEORGE L. CLAPP, enlisted June 20th, 1865. A fine young man and a good soldier, served his country during the late war. An account of his war history we have been unable to obtain.

FITCH R. CURRAN, Book-Keeper, enlisted June 20th, 1865. After a very short membership, our friend discovered that he had not yet reached the age of eighteen. Taking advantage of his age he withdrew.

JOHN F. YOUNG, Jeweler, enlisted June 20th, 1865. Mr. Young is a gentleman of much promise and an excellent soldier. Is one of the most active members of the Company. Is employed in the large establishment of Burritt, Brooks & Co., the oldest House of the kind in Western New York.

CHARLES E. FISK, Book-Binder, enlisted June 28th, 1865. Is one of the most respectable members at the present time, and is in all respects a fine young man. Is an employee in the establishment of Andrus, McChain & Co.

FRANK B. WYCKOFF, Clerk, enlisted September 6th, 1865. Mr. Wyckoff has been, and we hope will continue to remain, a good member of this Company, notwithstanding a little informality in his muster. Is employed in the Dry-Goods House of Morrison, Hawkins & Co.

M. B. APGAR, Turner, enlisted September 6th, 1865. Mr. Apgar was a fine soldier, and it was one of the misfortunes that the Company are constantly liable to, that he retired therefrom by reason of changing his residence to the city of New York. He was a United States soldier and was connected with Company G, 15th New York Cavalry. Was engaged in all the battles that the Regiment partic.i.p.ated in. Enlisted at Ithaca, July 30th, 1863, and was mustered in at Syracuse, August 26th. He alone captured a number of prisoners at the charge on Martinsburg, August 21st, for which he was promoted to Corporal, and November 9th was again promoted to Sergeant. Was taken prisoner December 21st, 1864, but was soon exchanged. Received the farewell address of General Custer, May 23d, 1865, and was mustered out soon after. We are sure Sergeant Apgar was engaged in over fourteen battles. He is remembered as one of the defenders of the country.

NORMAN JOHNSON, Jr., Carpenter, enlisted September 6th, 1865. Mr.

Johnson served in the United States army, but we have been unable to procure his history for publication.

JOHN S. HULBERT, Painter, enlisted August 24th, 1865. Mr. Hulbert withdrew from the Company and was discharged soon after his enlistment.

He enlisted in Company D, 137th Regiment New York Volunteers, August 16th, 1862, and was with the Regiment until the capture of Atlanta, at which time he was detailed as wagon guard at Head-Quarters. Was mustered out of the service June 9th, 1865. Was engaged in the following battles: Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wauhatchie Valley, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringold, Resacca, Dallas Woods, Pine k.n.o.b, Kenesaw Mountain, South Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta. Another of the brave soldiers who served our Union in the recent civil war.

S. L. BAKER, Tin-Smith, enlisted September 6th, 1865. Mr. Baker is respected by all the members of the Company; is always punctual at the parades, drills and meetings, and is an industrious and worthy young man. Is employed in the extensive works of Messrs. Treman, King & Co.

Took the first prize at the July target shoot.

HARLAN HILL, Rail Road Agent, enlisted September 8th, 1865. Mr. Hill is the gentlemanly Ticket Agent at the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Rail Road Depot in this village, a position which he fills with ability.

Although not long connected with the Company, still he has well perfected himself in the tactics, and is a prompt and active member.

R. W. DODD, Cigar-Maker, enlisted October 4th, 1865. Mr. Dodd was one of the first soldiers that enlisted from this village. Joining Company A, (Captain Jerome Rowe) 32d New York Volunteers. He well and faithfully served the full term of his enrollment, and again re-enlisted. We regret being unable to give a full history of Mr. Dodd's military life.

THEODORE QUICK, Cigar-Maker, enlisted October 12th, 1865. Mr. Quick has succeeded in perfecting himself as a soldier to a degree that but few attain. Few men can excell him in the tactics. Is an invaluable member of the Company. He enlisted in the United States army August 11th, 1862, in Company I, 109th Regiment, and served with the Company and Regiment until they were mustered out. Was engaged in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, Welden Railroad and a number of lesser engagements.

On account of illness contracted in the army, was three months in the hospital.

W. S. MANDEVILLE, Clerk, enlisted October 12th, 1865. Considering the time he has served Mr. Mandeville is one of the best soldiers we know of, prompt, energetic and capable, we think, of commanding a Company or a Regiment. Immediately upon joining the Company, he manifested an interest, and with a determination to learn he attended every drill, and aside from this would by himself study the tactics, until he became perfectly posted in the science of military. He is a young man of much promise, and is the exemplification of a perfect gentleman. Is employed in the large Drug Store of Messrs. Schuyler & Curtis, and enjoys the confidence and respect, not only of his employers, but of the whole circle of his acquaintances, and the very many patrons of the House with which he is engaged.

J. J. MITCh.e.l.l, Merchant, enlisted October 12th, 1865. Mr. Mitch.e.l.l beareth the same similarity to the last named member, that one pea beareth to another. As long as he was a resident of the village he was invariably present at the parades, drills and meetings of the Company.

He is now a citizen of Lansing, but retains his membership in this Company, and meets with them on all parades. He is engaged in the Dry-Goods trade at Ludlowville, and is probably doing the greatest amount of business of any house of the kind--outside of the village of Ithaca--in Tompkins County.

CLARK FRALICK, enlisted October 5th, 1865. He enlisted July 20th, 1862, in the United States army, in which he served three years in Company D, 143d New York Volunteers; was engaged in six battles; was not sick a day while in the service, nor ever lost an hour from his Regiment.

E. M. THOMPSON, enlisted October 10th, 1865. Mr. Thompson removed from the place soon after his enlistment.

W. H. BROWER, enlisted October 31st, 1865. Signed the Roll, but never appeared at a meeting or drill.

E. G. FOSTER, Boat-Builder, enlisted November 6th, 1865. Soon removed to Minnesota.

LUKE BERGIN, Tailor, enlisted November 10th, 1865. Manifests but a slight degree of interest in the Company.

ARCHE DRESSER, Harness-Maker, enlisted November 10th, 1865. Soon removed from the district. Was a soldier, and a good one, in the United States army.