Memorial Record
The Deceased Soldiers of Norwich
Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, May 8, 1872
We continue the Memorial Record of our deceased soldiers, furnished us by Dr. H.H. Beecher.
Isaac Bennett Burch, a native of New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY], was born on the 4th of March, 1838. He was the son of the late Dr. Russel B. Burch, for many years a respectable practitioner of that town. His maternal parent was Hannah C. Blakesly. He descended from Revolutionary ancestors. His grandfather, Isaac Burch, was an officer in the war of 1812. He had several relatives in the late war, one of whom, Joseph Burch, from a private attained the rank of Major, and for upwards of a year was Provost Marshal at Chattanooga.
Isaac obtained a good business education in the common school, and at the Academy in his native village. When quite young, he commenced the printer's trade with Mr. Galpin, of the Oxford Times, sickness for a season compelling him to relinquish his chosen pursuit, we next find him prosecuting his favorite calling with Mr. Fox, in the office of the New Berlin Pioneer. In the summer of 1857, he commenced work for Messrs. Hubbard & Sinclair, of the Chenango Union, and with the exception of an interval of a few months, was employed in that office until his enlistment, a period of some five years.
He was among the first that enlisted under Captain Bockee, in the 114th, N.Y., and immediately entered the recruiting service. For a number of months, he faithfully performed, and with conceded ability, the exacting duties of Regimental Clerk. In June 1863, he was promoted to First Sergeant, and in November following to the post of Second Lieutenant. In August 1864, he was commissioned First Lieutenant, and in the absence of his Captain, was frequently in charge of his Company. He commanded it throughout the Red River Campaign. At Opequan a ball passed through his cap, barely missing his head. Leading his men in the charge at Cedar Creek, he fell mortally wounded, shot with a minnie ball through the left lung. He lost much blood and soon became insensible to pain, which led him to think he might recover. When informed that he could not live, he seemed resigned to his fate, simply remarking, "Very Good; it is all right." With a mind unclouded by the near approach of death, he patiently, even cheerfully, awaited his doom. He lived some twenty-four hours.
Lieut. Burch possessed in a noticeable degree the elements of a true soldier. He was passionately fond of travel, and a close observer of passing events. Many of his letters home contained graphic accounts of the country and scenes through which his Regiment passed, evincing more than ordinary observation and rare descriptive powers.
His remains were sent home for burial, and with appropriate service consigned to their last resting place, in the family grounds at New Berlin.
___________________________________
Norman Mitchel Lewis, a native of Roxbury, Connecticut, was born on the 19th of November, 1833. His father, John Lewis, was of French descent, his mother (Betsey Beardslee) of English extraction. They removed from Roxbury to Morrisville, Madison County, in 1838. Norman learned the carpenter's trade in Morrisville and attended school in the village. In the spring of 1856, a few months before the death of his father, he took up his residence in Norwich.
His father was in the war of 1812, at Sackett's Harbor. His grandfather Beardslee was in the war of independence, leaving a widow, many years a pensioner, who died in 1857, at the advanced age of one hundred years and six months.
When the cry came for more men, the "carpenter boy" left the plane upon the bench to enter the army. He enlisted in Company C., under Captain Titus, 114th, and upon its organization was appointed First Sergeant. In August 1863, he was promoted to Second, and in the November following to First Lieutenant. He was wounded in the right arm at Sabine Crossroads, and against his wishes, sent to New Orleans. Here he received thirty days' leave of absence, visited his friends in the north, and rejoined his Company at Morganza, La., before his leave expired, saying it was too dull at home for him.
Early in the morning of the 19th of October 1864, on the line first formed after the night attack by the audacious Early, he was hit by a ball which badly fractured the right leg below the knee. He was left in the hands of the enemy till the field was re-taken in the evening, when he was carried to a house nearby. The next day he was taken to Newtown, and his leg amputated. The second day after the operation he was removed to a hospital in Winchester. For a time, he seemed to be doing well, and hopes were entertained of his recovery. At the expiration of some two weeks, he was attacked with chills and fever, which prostrated his already enfeebled system.
A member of his Company, who attended him to his death, in a published communication, wrote: "Gradually he kept growing thinner and weaker, his appetite was all gone, and his wound was painful. But never a murmur escaped his lips, always pleasant and uncomplaining." In full possession of his senses, he breathed his last on the evening of the 16th of November. The Surgeon of his Regiment had his body embalmed and expressed to Mr. Hiram Lewis, of Morrisville. His funeral was attended from the residence of his brother, Mr. Romulus Lewis, the service being conducted by Rev. J.R. Lewis, Pastor of the Congregational Church.
_________________________________________
Sergeant George Ballou, son of Zimri and Lenora S. Ballou, was a native of Homer, Cortland County. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, Sergeant Ballou was discharging the duties of dry goods clerk in the store of Clark & Hill in Norwich. In October 1861, he enlisted in the 89th New York, and for some time shared the fortunes of that Regiment, as First Lieutenant. Having been cashiered the service for properly resenting the indignities of a superior officer, when the 114th was recruited, he again enlisted, as First Sergeant of Campany B.
At the battle of Bisland, he was severely wounded in the knee, by a minnie ball. The bullet was extracted on the field by a Surgeon of his Regiment, when he was taken to the rear and placed in the field hospital. A few days thereafter, with all the wounded in that engagement, he was removed on board the steamer Cornie, just captured from the Rebels, and placed in charge of Surgeon Beecher, as a hospital transport, and taken to Berwick City. The espoused condition of the hospitals at that place, and also at Brashear City, opposite, some of them being fired into by scouting parties of the enemy, made repeated removals of the wounded necessary, many of whom were in a feeble condition. Among the number, always hopeful and cheerful, was Sergeant Ballou. Objecting to the loss of his limb till too late to save his life, he sank from exhaustion, on the 7th of June 1863. One beautiful evening, a few devoted comrades laid him to rest, beneath the fragrant magnolia, on the banks of the Atchafalaya, at Brashear City. For his bravery, Lieut. Ballou had been recommended for promotion.
______________________________________
Henry Gartsee was born in Plymouth, near Sherburne Four Corners [Chenango Co. NY], in August 1834. His parents were John M. and Sally. His paternal grandfather enlisted at the age of sixteen in the continental army and served eight years in the War of the Revolution He was at the surrender of Burgoyne and witnessed the execution of Andre.
Henry learned the printer's trade in the office of the Chenango Telegraph, when the late Nelson Pellet was editor and proprietor. In 1861, he married Rose, daughter of the late Dr. Parmelee, by whom he had one child, born in 1862.
In January 1864, he enlisted at Cooperstown, in Company K, 22d New York Cavalry, and mustered in at Norwich.
From private he was promoted ot Commissary Sergeant. In the April following his enlistment, during the battle of the Wilderness, he was taken prisoner. He was marched to Andersonville, where he died, August 8, 1864.
_____________________________________
Nelson C. Main, son of William F. and Submit Main, was born in Guilford [Chenango Co. NY], in January 1846. In the early part of the War, he was engaged as a harness maker, with his brother, Wm. C. Main, of Norwich.
In January 1864, he enlisted in Captain Vaughan's Company L, 22d New York Cavalry. In the succeeding May, at Spotsylvania, he was captured by the enemy. Becoming sick and sore footed, on his march to the prison pen at Andersonville, which was performed without shoes, he was detained for a time at Augusta, Georgia. A few days before his death, he was removed from the prison to a Rebel Hospital, where he died from gangrene, induced by exposure and hard fare, September 20th, 1864.
__________________________________
Joseph L. Crandall, son of Joseph and Prudence Crandall, was born in Norwich, August 10th, 1844. On the 12th of August 1862 he enlisted in Company C. 114th Regiment. He was in the battle of Bisland and siege of Port Hudson. He died of chronic diarrhea, that plague of the army, at Baton Rouge, La., August 6th, 1863
_______________________________________
Silas Crandall, son of Joseph and Prudence Crandall, was born in Norwich, September 8th, 1846. He was a three years volunteer form Norwich, in the 4th New York Heavy Artillery. This soldier died from Chronic Diarrhea, at the United States General Hospital, Annapolis, M.D., February 1st, 1865.
____________________________________
Willam S. Crandall, son of William B. and Julia Crandall, was born in Norwich, on the 27th of January 1841. In August 1862, he enlisted in the 114th New York, and shared the fortunes of the Regiment till after the battle of Bisland, in which he participated, when he was sent to the hospital at Berwick City, where he died of typhoid fever, May 9th, 1863.
__________________________________
Edward E. Crandall, son of Elisha and Amy Crandall, was born in Norwich, July 31st, 1843. He was a recruit in Company C, 114th New York, enlisting August 12th, 1862. He participated in the battle of Bisland, siege of Port Hudson, and met the enemy as a true soldier, at Sabine Crossroads, Pleasant Hill, Cane River and Mansura. After the Regiment had gone into camp at Morganza, on the Mississippi, with a prospect of rest, this soldier sickened with typhoid fever, and died June 24th, 1864.
No comments:
Post a Comment