Oneonta Herald, Oneonta, NY, October 9, 1861
Civil War Letter - Roswell P. Bishop
Camp Casey, Washington, D.C. Saturday, Sept. 26th, 1861
Friend Carpenter: We left Albany Sept. 15th for Washington and stopped three days in New York, where quite an accident happened to one of the Shutters. He was standing on guard back of the barracks and there had been quite a row on the inside, and the Capt., getting up suddenly and going out, caught up his revolver, which was in the scabbard. When putting his hand on the fence the pistol fell out and as it struck the ground it went off and as Shutter was standing near, the ball passed into his left nipple and lodged in the left shoulder, about two inches from the upper edge of the shoulder blade, injuring him seriously but not fatally.
We went aboard the cars at New York at 2 o'clock Sunday morning and arrived in Philadelphia about 3 p.m. in the afternoon, where we sat down to a first-rate dinner which had been got up for us by the citizens. Long live the patriotic people of Philadelphia. May their noble city ever stand as a memento of freedom and prosperity.
The land along the line of the railroad is rather poor, but the farther we came, it grew more fertile. At Baltimore we got off the cars and were marched thru the streets for about two miles, but the inhabitants showed no hostile intentions. There are four regiments quartered in Baltimore now.
We arrived in Washington at 3 o'clock in the morning, having been twenty-five hours on the road with only one meal and no sleep. In the morning we saw the statue of Washington, also the capitol of the United States. It is a magnificent building, worthy of so great a Republic. It has cost an immense sum and will cost much more before it is finished. The city has not the life and prosperity that the cities of the Free States seem to have.
We were marched to our present quarters, Meridian Hill, [several lines unreadable]
The Rebels try every way to destroy the lives of our men by poisoning our water and our food, but there is a day coming when these things will be straightened out. May Heaven hurry up that day and give our army success.
I presume you will hear from the New York 43d.
Yours Truly, Roswell P. Bishop.
P.S. This afternoon two men in our regiment were poisoned to death by buying pies and cakes of a woman.
__________________________
Adjutant General Report: BISHOP, ROSWELL: Age, 19 years. Enlisted, August 6, 1861, at Oneonta [Otsego Co. NY] to serve three years; m,ustered in as private, Co. C, august 25, 1861; discharged, December 11, 1862, for wounds received at Yorktown, Va.
Obituary
The Peninsular Review & Pacific Grove Daily Review, Pacific Grove, CA, March 4, 1920
Another Civil War Goes Over the Top; Roswell P. Bishop Mustered Out at 6:30 This Morning
Roswell P. Bishop, a veteran of the Civil War, one of Pacific Grove's best-known and honored citizens, died this morning at 6:30 o'clock, aged 78 years, one month and 28 days. His service record is printed below, written by himself. His wife proceeded him about two years ago. There survives him a son, Roswell F. Bishop, a grandson, Roswell G. Bishop, a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Hallock of Woodstock, New York, and a brother, Charles E. Bishop of Templeton, Wisconsin. Mrs. Sylvia Hamilton of 512 Ninth Street, is a sister-in-law.
The funeral services will be held from his late residence tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at 2 o'clock, under the auspices of Lucius Fairchild Post No. 179, Grand Army of the Republic, with burial in El Carmelo Cemetery. Dr. Orville Coats, pastor of the New Monterey Baptist church, will assist in the ceremonies. Comrade Bishop was a member of the local Methodist church. A military service will be conducted at the grave by a detail of soldiers from the Presidio of Monterey.
Service Record of Roswell P. Bishop
"Was born in Sidney Center, Delaware County, New York, January 6th, 1842. Had a limited early education. Worked as farm laborer until I enlisted July 28th, 1861, in Co. C, 43rd New York Infantry Volunteers. Place of enlistment, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York. Rendezvoused at Albany, New York, where the regiment was formed and mustered into the United States service, August 6th, 1861, for three years as a private.
"We started for the front about August 20th, 1861. Stopped over in New York City four days, and then proceeded to Washington, D.C. Camped a short time at Meridian Hill, D.C., then crossed the Potomac River into Virginia just after the battle at Balls Bluff. We went into winter quarters at what was known as Camp Griffin, and there our Brigade was formed consisting of the 43rd New York, 4th Pennsylvania, 5th Wisconsin, and 6th Maine, commanded by Brigadier General Winfield S. Hancock, later a Corps commander. All of these regiments served through their three years terms of enlistment and then re-enlisted for the period of the war in 1863. Then the 119th Pennsylvania Volunteers were added to the brigade, and it became known as the Light Brigade. Recruits were added to the 43rd to the number of over 3,000 to cover losses during the war. A Sergeant of our Company when we went out, came home at the close of the war as Colonel in command of the regiment.
"During the winter of '61 and '62 we were only in one small fight at Daviesville, Virginia. during our stay at Camp Griffin, our spring campaign began. In March we took boat for Fort Monroe and entered the Peninsular campaign almost at the beginning at Lee's Mills. On the left at Yorktown, in a sharp skirmish I was hit by a Minnie bullet in the elbow of my right arm, compelling an amputation near the shoulder. I was sent to Yorktown, and from there to New York City by boat for treatment. I was gone from the regiment about one month, and again rejoined the regiment at Harrison's Landing, but too late to take part in that battle. I continued to serve with my regiment when they marched back to Washington and out to Centerville to stop the retreat from the second battle of Bull Run.
"At Bull Run I made my only capture of the war - a horse, saddle and saber. When our corps stopped at Centerville, I with a few others pushed on to the Bull Run Field. A cavalry charge was made by the Confederates on our retreating forces, which was sharply met, and a horse, riderless, came galloping near us. I got the horse at some risk and taking a wounded officer on his back, returned to Centerville, where I stayed with the officer until he died the next day. I kept this horse and rode him back through Washington into Maryland and took part in the battle of South Mountain and Antietam. There I had my horse taken from me for use in the artillery, owing to losses in the Antietam battle.
"I found I could load and fire my gun as quickly and shoot as accurately as any of the boys, and I was excused from all fatigue duty. I continued with my command until the Burnside campaign at the first Fredericksburg battle in December 1862. Here on the urgent advice of many of my offices I consented to accept my discharge and go home and try to get an education, which I sadly needed. I wanted to stay and see it through. I left the Army with regret, but others with two hands could perform the service better.
"I reached home Friday night, and Monday morning I began a new life - a fight for an education - which lasted until I had graduated from the University of Michigan. After my graduation I practiced law for a number of years at Luddington, Michigan, where I was elected to Congress from the Ninth District and served for twelve years."
The Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon, MI, March 5, 1920
Represented 9th District Twelve Years
Former Congressman Roswell P. Bishop Dies at California Home
Roswell P. Bishop of Ludington, who represented the Ninth Congressional District in the lower house of Congress for six terms, is dead at his home in Pacific Grove, California, according to word received here yesterday. Mr. Bishop was defeated by Congressman James C. McLaughlin of Muskegon in 1906. Mr. Bishop was naturally well-known in Muskegon.
Mr. Bishop was a resident of Ludington for 35 years. He was born in Sidney, N.Y. in 1842, and served in the Civil War. He lost his right arm during one of the early engagements of 1862 but remained with his regiment for several months. It was after the war that he took up the study of law. He attended the University of Michigan and later came to Ludington.
He held other offices. He was prosecutor of Mason County for six years and served two terms in the State Legislature. He was also a member of the last Constitutional Convention.
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