The Roll Call The Binghamton Civil War Historical Society and Round Table

Transcription

The Roll Call The Binghamton Civil War Historical Society and Round Table
The Roll Call
The Binghamton Civil War Historical Society
and Round Table
We meet third Tuesdays (except July & August)
at American Legion
Located in Hillcrest, NY at 7 p.m.
President
1st Vice President /
Hospitality
2nd Vice President /
Program Director
Secretary
Treasurer
Trustee
Trustee
Roll Call Editor
Email
Cliff Miller
Dick Shiel
725-5654
798-0766
Joe Card
770-7330
John Goodnough
Willis L. Platt
Peg Relyea
Brian Swartz
Willis L. Platt
[email protected]
204-0316
759-1513
240-7167
768-1894
759-1513
U. S. Mail Address:
Binghamton Civil War Roundtable
P. O. Box 2435
Binghamton, NY 13902-2435
TREASURER'S REPORT
June
2014
Previous balance:
Dues/Donations: (+)
Expenses:
Current balance:
$5160.20
$74.50
$ 7.64
$5227.06
Regular Membership – $15.00
Family Membership – $25.00
Student (Junior) Membership – $10.00
Please make out checks to
"Binghamton Civil War Round Table"
Or (BCWHSRT).
Mail your check to
Willis L. Platt, Treasurer,
71 Shaw Road, Conklin, NY 13748
Members Paid for 2014 ………….55
Ackley, Alton, Blakeslee, Bogdasarian, +Buckley, Bundga, Card,
Casella, Chier, Clutz, Crosby Jr, Cuculich, Dueul, *Duff, Edwards,
English, Ferris, Gill, Gillette, Goodnough, Harting, Hotaling, Kline,
Kristek, Marsh, McDonald, McGuire, McNerney Jr., *Meeredith,
*Messersmith, Miller, Moravansky, +Natale, Ondreyko, Patch,
Elieen & Dave, Platt, *Relea, Roth, +Schuster, Shaller, Shiel, +Slama,
Snapp, Swartz, *Till, Wajcs, White, +Williams, Young
Note: (+) Denotes New Member
Note: (*) Denotes Family Membership
Thank you for paying your dues.
Members paid for 2013........52
Willis L. Platt,
Treasurer
www.bcwhsrt.org
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October 21st MEETING
Joe Card
I was very pleased that all seemed to enjoy the
wonderful talk by Dr. Diane Miller Sommerville from
BU last month. I have a feeling we will be seeing her
back again in the future!
Now on to the present beautiful month of October—
now I know that those gorgeous colorful leaves remind
us that it will not be long until those orange and yellow
hues are replaced by a bit of drab gray and dare I saywhite! However, it does remind us that our Round
Table season has just begun, and that we should look
forward to the future. The leaves are old friends to us
here, and it reminds me that old friends are always
welcome back! October gives us a chance to welcome
back a good friend in Sue Greenhagen. We have had
Sue talk to us several times over the years, and
whenever she arrives here in Binghamton, she always
brings two things. First of all, Sue always brings a
program filled with great information and a lot of good
research, and of course the second visitor that Sue
brings is her wonderful and very entertaining sister
Darothy. Now many times these two have both been
part of great talks, but this time Sue says that Darothy
will be assisting her this time as her heckler—a job she
really enjoys! (I imagine that Cliff will welcome the
help-HA HA)
Sue is a retired librarian from SUNY Morrisville. She
has helped the whole state of New York out with her
outstanding website New York State and the Civil War.
Sue is also the historian of the Village of Morrisville.
She is currently involved with a series of talks in
Madison County as a part of their recognition of the
last year of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War. She
will be bringing one of those talks to Broome County.
The program is entitled the “Sesquicentennial of the
Battle of Cedar Creek”. Her talk will actually be two
days after the 150th anniversary of the engagement in
the Shenandoah Valley on October 19, 1864. This
engagement was one of the key victories that helped
ensure the reelection of President Lincoln. The battle
would begin with a massive attack by Jubal Early’s
Confederate forces, leading to a Union retreat, a
famous ride by Phil Sheridan and then a shattering
counter attack by union forces. Sue will give us a talk
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CONTACTS:
OCTOBER 21ST
2014
Page
Volume 16 Issue 8
on this important battle keying on the 114th New York
infantry. The regiment was recruited in Chenango,
Cortland and Madison counties. Five of the companies
were from as close to us as Greene, Oxford and
Norwich. The regiment was formed in Norwich and
went to war in September of 1862 via a canal boat ride
to Binghamton and then to Baltimore. It later was sent
to Louisiana where as part of the 19 th Corps it was
involved in the siege of Port Hudson and the Red River
Campaign. In July of 1864, the regiment was sent back
to Washington where it took part in the 1864 Valley
Campaign. Sue will tell us of the efforts of the men of
the 114th on that October 19th 150 years ago.
I am looking forward to this presentation—and I hope
all of you will join with me on October 21 st to welcome
back Sue Greenhagen!!!!!!!!!!
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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Cliff Miller
I'M PSYCHED!
Yes, I'm psyched. Why? Because I'll be seeing a
couple of long-time friends at this month's meeting,
friends I haven't seen for far too long. I was extremely
pleased when Joe told me who our speaker is this
month.
The great Sue Greenhagen will be talking about
something of local interest - the Battle of Cedar Creek,
two days after its 150th anniversary, with the local
angle being the participation in that battle of Chenango
County's 114th NY. Sue is bringing her sister, the
irrepressible Darothy DeAngelo (she says she needs a
heckler).
I met those two women at the now-defunct Norwich
Civil War Round Table. They are smart and funny,
and a delight to be around. And they are not above
pranking each other, or anyone else. We have been on
numerous battlefield trips with the Norwich group, and
I have worked a table with them at Pederboro in the
past. I always enjoy their company, and I'm looking
forward to seeing them. I hope you all can make it.
Sue's Civil War web site is a wonderful resource http://localhistory.morrisville.edu/sites/ .
See you at the meeting!
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By John Goodnough
As I sit down to write this column, the leaves are
dropping at a good “clip” and the fall colors are just
about at their peak. It’s time to begin putting away the
summer outdoor things, and get the "tools" of winter
ready for use. The first frost of the season hit my part
of the county on Sunday, October 5, and that's an omen
that more sustained periods of colder weather will soon
become the norm.
In the southern war zones 150 years ago, scores of men
from our local hills, rolling farm lands, valleys,
hamlets, towns and villages were serving in "Mr.
Lincoln's Army."
There are still several
commemorative events being held to remember
landmark occurrences from the last months of the Civil
War, and highlights of a few of them are listed below,
in case there are still any of our members who plan on
getting out to visit such far-reaching points before the
annual seasonal limitations discourage safe travel.
Until October 19 at Plymouth Notch, Vermont. Last
days of special programs and exhibits in the former
hometown of past U.S. President Calvin Coolidge,
honoring men from that region who served in the
Union Army. Several buildings at Plymouth Notch
house photos, artifacts, letters, period weapons and
uniforms, and other artifacts from 1861-65. Civilian
and military "living history" portrayals and
ceremonies will round out the series of activities
reflecting on the war's impact on that community.
There's still a lot of opportunities for "leaf peeping"
and some drives through scenic territory of Vermont
and adjoining New England states.
For more
information, visit www.historicsites.vermont.gov.
October 15 - 20 at Fairfax, Va. 150th Anniversary of
the Cedar Creek battle that turned out to be the last
major conflict of arms in the federal Shenandoah
Valley Campaign. A series of programs, exhibits,
Union
and
Confederate
re-enactor
camps,
demonstrations, author researcher presentations, living
history portrayals, sutler stations, period music and
much more awaits visitors to this sesquicentennial
event. On the 18th and 19th there will be a battle
reenactment at Middletown, Va. For details access
www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.
October 24 - 26 at Andersonville, Ga. Park Service
staff and volunteer docents will escort visitors through
exhibits depicting examples of Civil War military
prison life, and re-enactors will discuss the daily
activities and challenges that the incarcerated Union
soldiers had to deal with as they languished in the large
stockade area that proved to be the most notorious of
the southern prison camps. For more information call
(229) 924-0343 or visit www.gacivilwar.org/events.
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FROM THE SECRETARY'S TENT,
2
Committee Chair Bob Blakeslee informed us recently
that circumstances beyond anyone’s control have
forced the cancellation of the cemetery veteran
gravesite illuminations for this year. We look forward
to resuming in November 2015.
Those of you who subscribe to the CIVIL WAR
COURIER may have noted an article in the September
edition that described the significance of Fort McHenry
at the harbor of Baltimore, Md. during 1861-65, and
the role played by Binghamton native and (then)
Captain John C. Robinson as the fort’s commander in
the early weeks of the war, before he went on to climb
the military ladder to regimental, brigade and division
command in the Union Army of the Potomac. We are
clipping the article and will have it sleeved for perusal
of members at a future Round Table meeting.
Several members of the Round Table visited or ook
active roles in the program and exhibits at the Civil
War History Remembrance Day in Coventryville,
Chenango County NY on Sunday, Sept. 28. The
Coventry Historical Association sponsored the 10 th
edition of its annual event on the grounds of the
Coventryville Congregational Church. Weather was
superb (in fact, a little too hot for those of us garbed in
scratchy
wool
reenactor
uniforms).
Exhibits,
demonstrations, period music and historical readings
transpired during the day. The memory of a local
soldier, Private John Shaver of Co. “E,” 89 th NY
Infantry, was honored during a closing ceremony at the
nearby Coventry Union Cemetery, with reenactor color
guard, rifle salute, the blowing of TAPS and a
benediction by the pastor of the church, witnessed by
the public and several family descendants of Mr.
Shaver – an event to cherish and remember by all who
came.
3
Personal sketches, capsule biographies and other data
on numerous Civil War soldiers who lived in Broome
and fringes of contiguous counties are being researched
and compiled by several members of the Round Table.
This is an on-going project, realizing that Broome
County alone processed approximately 4,000 men
during the war, and counties such as Chenango,
Cortland, Tioga and Delaware in New York, and
neighboring
Susquehanna
and
Bradford
in
Pennsylvania contributed likely over 8,000 combined.
We are taking a long-range look at the material, and it
could amount to a sizable product if basic data is
collected to form a central database. We also have not
completely dropped the idea of composing a
documentary at some time later on.
Several ideas for concepts of a memorial to remember
the existence and role of former CAMP
SUSQUEHANNA, on Binghamton’s south side, are
being reviewed. The major drawback at this time is the
availability of funds. Although our treasury has a good
foundation of money reserved for the project, we
remain far short of enough to warrant seeing a suitable
monument procured, installed and dedicated.
OCTOBER 1864
By John Goodnough
In the eastern theater of the war, most attention was
focused on the state of events before Petersburg, Va.,
major railroad and supply center deemed “key” to
accessing the Confederacy’s capital at Richmond. The
siege of the city, initiated by over-all Union
commanding General U.S. Grant back in mid-June,
saw a virtual stalemate between the armies of General
George G. Meade and Robert E. Lee along a front that
had extended for a total distance of well over 30 miles.
Major attempts at breakthroughs had so far come to
nought; the last debacle was along the segment known
to many participants as the Pegram/Elliott Salient, and
after the detonation of approximately 8,000 pounds of
black powder beneath a stretch of it on July 30, quickly
came known under such monickers as “The Mine
Explosion” and “The Crater,” respectfully describing
the action itself and the gaping hole in the landscape
resulting from it. Near the end of September the
principal action had been initiated anew at nearby New
Market Heights and Poplar Springs Church, Va.,
highlighted by intense action that most people from the
north came to know as the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm.
Confederate General A.P. Hill’s troops managed to
barely beat back the Union assaults; however his losses
in manpower further stretched the availability of gray-
3
Other Notes
Officers and trustees of the Binghamton Civil War
Historical Society and Round Table met for a business
session on the evening of Wednesday, September 24.
Attendees gave reports on the various operations such
as secretarial, treasury, programs, membership,
newsletter, research, special projects and events,
website that combine to accomplish our mission. As
readers will see from the treasurer’s notes elsewhere in
this edition, we are on a “sound” financial footing, and
our membership numbers are pleasing.
Treasurer and Membership Chair Willis Platt has
recently informed us that the sponsors of the hockey
games at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena
have invited us back to set up a Civil War theme
exhibit during a game evening late in February 2015.
This will be our second endeavor at that location, and
more details will be forthcoming in these pages as the
date of our participation approaches.
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November 14 - 15 at Gettysburg, Pa. Various sponsors
will hold such events as the annual President's
Remembrance Day, the Lincoln Forum, memorial
exercises, a dinner and ball. Visitors will also be able to
attend the Lincoln Address commemorative at the
National Cemetery, and all exhibits at the National
Park Service Civil War Museum will be open to the
public. As there are several "cooks in the kitchen"
regards sponsorship, we suggest you use "key words"
and access the local Gettysburg tourism and NPS sites
for the latest information.
Virtually every day of the siege saw small arms and
artillery fire exchanged between the opposing sides
along the growing front. As parts of fortifications were
battered by continual hits from shot and shell, details
of men were sent out to scrounge more materials for
restoring integrity of rifle pits, artillery emplacements,
bombproofs and covered ways used by men for
accessing the forward lines.
Occasionally rebel
commanders sent out groups of men on the same types
of missions, and there were several reported incidents
where men of opposing sides collided in the field; often
the encounters resulted in men being wounded, killed
and captured. In the fall of ’64 Union soldiers caught
off guard in the spaces between lines often ended up at
such prison camps as Andersonville in Georgia and
Salisbury in North Carolina. Such had been the lot of
several men from Broome County and vicinity who
were members of the 155th NY Infantry and captured
during the sporadic fighting in the vicinity of the
Petersburg lines back in August. By October they were
“sitting out” the war at Salisbury. Anthony Gillespie of
Co. “F” had been promoted to Sergeant in the spring;
he was captured in action at Reams’s Station, Va. on
August 25th. Other members of the company, Privates
4
After trying to cause as much damage and havoc as
possible against General Sherman’s forces in and
around Atlanta, Confederate General John B. Hood
had decided to completely vacate the region and carry
offensive actions to the precarious federal supply
corridor along the route of the Western & Atlantic
Railroad, that ran for nearly 140 miles between Atlanta
and Chattanooga. Sherman had left token forces at
key locations along the line, so as not to seriously
weaken his supply line for the federal troops in and
around Atlanta. While the 20th Corps occupied the
city, “Uncle Billy” ordered elements of other units to
follow Hood back north, and was present during many
of the ensuing clashes . Hood was not the only direct
contender. Rebel leader Nathan Bedford Forrest and
his mounted men were also wreaking destruction and
nipping at the flanks of Sherman’s troops. Knowing
how vital the railroad was to Sherman’s being able to
hold Atlanta, Hood and Forrest destroyed stretches of
tracks and other railroad facilities at every
opportunity. Early in October there were some
skirmishes and light to heavy actions at such places as
Big Shanty and Acworth, Ga.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who had made
a recent trip to the war’s western theater to encourage
such leaders as General John B. Hood, was on his way
back to Richmond via points farther south. On the 3 rd
he stopped at Columbia, SC, and in an address to a
crowd that had formed there, told the assembly he
predicted Sherman’s efforts in Georgia would come to
failure and ruin. On the 5th, another element of
Sherman’s troops repulsed a heavy assault on a federal
garrison at Allatoona, Ga., inflicting substantial
casualties on Hood’s forces.
On the high seas, another rebel raider was taken out of
circulation during October. The CSS FLORIDA, after
capturing nearly 40 U S. ships since the end of March,
was brought to bay on the 7th by USS WACHUSETT in
the neutral harbor of Bahia, Brazil while the captain
and other key members of the Confederate ship’s crew
were visiting points of interest on shore.
The Lincoln administration realized more heartening
news when they learned, on the 13th, that the Maryland
legislature narrowly passed a new state constitution
abolishing the practice of slavery.
A form of terrorism erupted on the northern home
front when elements of Confederate civilian and
military intruders came down across the St. Lawrence
River on the 19th and raided the Vermont town of St.
Albans. The perpetrators succeeded in “withdrawing”
about $200,000 from local banks, wounded several
citizens and killed at least one before escaping and
4
Grant and his subordinates had also reviewed ways to
deny Lee’s forces vital supplies for waging war. The
Union general ordered several sorties and forays of
infantry and cavalry, accompanied by elements of light
artillery, to sever railroad arteries essential to the
Confederacy’s access to Petersburg and Richmond. In
southwestern Virginia federal forces targeted such
facilities as salt mines and lead shot works, with only
marginal successes.
In many cases, as federals
destroyed rebel manufacturing and supply operations,
local civilians and slaves impressed into manual labor
for the southern war effort rebuilt many of the facilities
and had them running again within weeks after their
damage or destruction.
Michael Golden, and Michael Sullivan, were captured
the same day. Gillespie and Golden managed to escape
in the spring of ’65, but Sullivan died in prison during
January ’65.
All had joined the regiment at
Binghamton in September of 1862.
Page
clad men to occupy the rebel lines. In essence, the
federals gained more ground by October 2. After the
fierce fighting experienced at Poplar Springs Church,
several Broome County soldiers were reported missing.
A check of the rolls of the 179th NY Infantry, for
instance, found several captured in action. They
included Private Charles Baker of Co. “F,” who had
enlisted at Vestal, and Private Isaac B. Hill of Co. “K,”
from the Town of Sanford. Baker and Hill had only
been with the regiment since early September. Baker
was paroled in the spring of ’65, processed as a
returning prisoner of war, and mustered out at Elmira
on June 21, 1865. Hill’s fate has yet to be uncovered.
Other recent enlistees of the 179th were Private John B.
Fisher of Co. “K” who hailed from the Town of Barker.
He had been wounded in action on Sept. 30 th at Poplar
Springs Church and later (Nov. 3, ’64) died in a
military hospital at Beverly, NJ. Private Edward
Higbee had enlisted at Union on August 29 th, and was
in the same company when wounded on Sept. 30 th,
however he recovered and returned to duty, serving
until muster-out on June 8, 1865.
As October wore on in the western theater of the war,
Union and rebel forces clashed at several more points
as Hood marched his army northerly. Actions took
place at New Hope Church, Dallas, Resaca, Buzzard
Roost Gap, resulting in more casualties among the men
of Sherman and Hood. A temporary setback for the
federals resulted during seesaw fighting at Dalton and
Tilton, Ga. on the 13th. For a short time Hood’s men
took a hold on the W&A Railroad in the vicinity, but
were soon driven away by federal reinforcements.
General James Longstreet, known by many as Lee’s
“Old War Horse” and among the most trusted of
subordinates, was lately recovered from his earlier war
wounds, and on the 17th resumed command of his old
corps, now serving in the defenses of Petersburg.
Grant kept up trying to find ways to break through the
rebel lines near Petersburg before winter. Another
attempt at cutting off a major rail line supplying Lee’s
forces fell apart at the running battles described
variously as Jerusalem and Boydton Plank Roads, and
Hatcher’s Run, Va. Assaults on points along the South
Side Railroad included many men from Broome
County, NY and vicinity. At the Second Battle of Fair
Oaks on the 27th, over 100 men (mostly relatively new
recruits) of the 89th NY Infantry were captured in
action. Lack of coordination was blamed for the
cumulative failures during debriefings as the calendar
was ready to flip over into November. The combined
“butcher’s bill” for both sides was nearly 1,800 men.
Occasionally some of the smallest triumphs caused
jubilation in the north. One such was the escapade of
Navy Lieutenant William B. Cushing in the Roanoke
River harbor of Plymouth, NC on the 27 th. The
Confederate ram ALBEMARLE was berthed there with
a portion of its crew aboard when some crewmen on
deck watch detected the approach of an open boat
bearing unfamiliar men in murky darkness. Before
much preventive action could be undertaken, the
5
Near the end of the month, Sherman’s troops had
virtually driven Hood’s forces into northeastern
Alabama. The last skirmishes between elements of
Sherman’s expeditionary force and Hood’s men were
at Goshen and Ladiga, AL on the 28 th. The bulk of the
federals turned east and south to return to the vicinity
of Atlanta; Sherman left nearly 40,000 men for General
George H. Thomas and others as bolsters to the
occupation forces at such places as Chattanooga and
Nashville. Military hospitals were expanded and made
ready to receive more sick and wounded soldiers at
such places as Nashville, TN and Jefferson (aka
Jeffersonville), Indiana.
Politics seemed to be foremost on the minds of many
northern citizens while the October days of the
Petersburg siege and the occupation of Atlanta rolled
by. Lulls in skirmishing and actions allowed many men
from the posts or positions in the field to write letters to
the folks back in Broome County or send unofficial
reports to editors of local newspapers. On the subject
of politics and the coming presidential election, the
BROOME WEEKLY REPUBLICAN carried an item
from the field, written by Captain James Hazely of the
89th NY Infantry. The article was subtitled “A Card
from Capt. Hazely,” in which the newspaper’s editor
makes preliminary remarks, to wit:
“We publish today a card from Capt. Hazley of the 89 th,
denying the statement made by one Mandeville, a fifer in his
Company, that the brave and fighting 89th will vote for
McClellan. The Captain is a fighting man and a gallant
officer. He bears an honorable record in the army. He went
into the army like many others, a Democrat; but he cannot vote
with a party which declares the War a failure (or) is in favor of
an immediate cessation of hostilities and submission to the
rebels. McClellan must stand on that platform along with
Pendleton and Seymour, who have done what they could to
deprive the soldiers of their rights and of their privileges of
voting at all! Capt. Hazley and his regiment will vote as they
fight, for the Union, and will support Lincoln and Johnson, the
friends of the country and the friends of the soldiers. It will be
found that those soldiers who vote for McClellan are generally
sneaks who preferred lying in camp to exposing themselves in
field of battle, and with McClellan were fond of grand parade,
but avers to hurting the rebels or themselves! The true, fighting
men, like Capt. Hazely, don’t go (for) Little Mac!”
Next is a reply from Hazely, received by the
REPUBLICAN:
“I saw in the Binghamton DEMOCRAT a few days ago a
statement signed by John E. Manderville* to the effect that the
89th Regiment would vote for McClellan. Now I would state
that this Mr. Manderville is a member of my Company – that he
is a fifer, never shouldered a musket, and was never under fire
in the Regiment, and furthermore that the 89th Regiment will
not vote for McClellan, but will vote as they fight, for the
Union.
5
That same day down in Virginia saw the intense Battle
of Cedar Creek. The federal commander of the Army
of the Shenandoah, General Phil Sheridan, had been
attending meetings in Washington, D.C., and by the
late evening before the battle had returned to get some
sleep at Winchester. Learning of the heavy fighting at
Cedar Creek, he mounted his famous warhorse, Rienzi
(aka “Winchester”) and galloped the approximately 20
miles to find large elements of his forces retreating near
Middletown, Va. Many men on the fields that day
remembered glimpsing the General waving his hat as
he rode around the troops to initiate a semblance of
order and rationality, causing the tables against the
rebels to be turned late in the day. Out of the annals of
the event came the famous poem “Sheridan’s Ride,”
that many of our grandparents had to learn verbatim
for recitations in school history classes during “kinder,
gentler” times.
federal attackers under Cushing had affixed an
explosive device (then called “torpedoes”) on the rebel
warship’s lower hull, and successfully detonated it.
Cushing and only a small portion of his men escaped.
The loss of the ship was a severe blow to the
Confederacy’s naval effort. On the last day of the
month, Union naval forces occupied Plymouth.
Page
returning to Canada.
INTERIM REPORT ON THE CAMP
SUSQUEHANNA MEMORIAL PROJECT
JAMES HAZLEY
Capt., Co. B, 89th Reg.”
Another ray of happiness came to President Lincoln
and his close federal government officers at
Washington, D.C. as the month closed. On the 31 st
Nevada, until recently a small territory in the west,
became the Union’s 36th state.
*According to his record in the New York State Adjutant
General’s Reports, John E. Manderville (aka
“Mandeville”) was age 21 when he enlisted Sept.10, 1861
at Nineveh, near the Broome/Chenango County line, to
serve for three years. He was mustered in as a musician
in Hazely’s Co. “B” on Sept. 28, ’61, and had gone
through virtually all the campaigns, skirmishes, actions
and battles of the 89th to date. He had reenlisted as a
veteran on January 14, 1864. Apparently he was still
“tootling” his fife when Hazely wrote this missive to the
REPUBLICAN; however many of Manderville’s other
superiors apparently thought enough of him to promote
him to the rank of Sergeant later (May 1, ’65). He served
with the occupation forces in Richmond in his latter days
with the regiment, and was mustered out there with Co.
“B” on August 3, ’65.
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Over the summer the design of the proposed memorial
park has been has been completed and an estimate
obtained .The estimate is appropriately 10,000 dollars.
This is if far more than what we presently have set
aside. So we must now determine how to raise the
additional funds or alter the design.
Anyone who has any idea on how to rise the additional
funding please contact us.
Concept drawings of the current proposal will be
available for review and discussion after the meeting on
the 21st.
*
The Binghamton Senators has again asked us to hold a
Civil War Night display on their hockey game on
February 27, 2015. Last year it was a great success.
Additional will be made available and details are
finalized.
CIVIL WAR VETERAN’S
ILLUMINATION
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
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CIVIL WAR NIGHT
Committee Chair Bob Blakeslee informed us recently
that circumstances beyond anyone’s control have
forced the cancellation of the cemetery veteran
gravesite illuminations for this year. We look forward
to resuming in November 2015.
THOMAS ALTON
With great sadness we need to report the passing of
Tom Alton, at the age of 88 he died unexpected at
Wilson Hospital on October 5, 2014.
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Tom served in the Army Air Corp from 1944-1945. He
graduated from Virginia Tech University and worked
for IBM for 32 years. He was an active volunteer for
many organizations and was a long time member of our
Round Table where he once served as our Treasurer.
The funeral was held on October the 10th.
CIVIL WAR TRUST
Tom will be missed by all who were fortunate enough
to know him.
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www.civilwar.org.
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The money from our BOOK RAFFLE goes to support
the “CIVIL WAR TRUST”.
If you are not a member of the “Civil War Trust” you
should consider joining. Their web site is
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Directions to Hillcrest American Legion
Coming from Binghamton take the Brandywine (Rte. 7) and then onto I-88. .Take the Chenango Bridge Exit
(the very first exit on I-88). Stay in the left lane of the exit and at the light make a left. At the very next light
make a left—this is almost immediately after the turn,( be careful don’t get back on !-88). Once you are on
this rd., the American Legion is less than a half mile on your right.
From Syracuse, take I-81 South to Exit 6 (Rte. 11), take a left at the first light onto Rte. 12, continue on Rte.
12 for about ½ mile and make a right onto Rte. 12a. Continue for about a mile—at you second light make a
right on to Chenango Street(Labeled Service Road) the American legion will be less than a half mile ahead
on your right.*
The primary income to cover the operational expenses of our Round Table comes from
MEMBERSHIP.
It would be great if each current member would sign up a new member.
Binghamton Civil War Historical Society and Round Table
Please make out checks to “Binghamton
Civil War Round Table”. (BCWHSRT)
Mail your check and attached form to:
Willis L. Platt, Treasurer
71 Shaw Road
Conklin, NY 13748
USA
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Annual Dues are $15.00
Student Dues are $10.00
Family Dues are $25.00
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