New-York tribune., 1868-10-07
SEYMOUR'S WAR RECORD.

the Union. Is 1t possible That one volunteer
whose heart was in the National cause can read
it and then vote for him ?
From The Utica Herald Sept o.
HORATIO SEYMOUR AND THE ONEIDA SOLDIERS.
On the occasion of the visit of the Democratic State
Committee TO this city in July last and of Horato
Seymours taking up his headquarters at the Butter
field House. serenade was given them by few
soldiers of our city. and Mr.. Seymour made brief
speech. He addressed them as Soldiers Of Oneida
County" and said Il sac your regiments as they
went forth to war, their ranks filed with in the
vigor and prime of manhood. 1t was my official prju
ilege 10 thank tbem in the name of the State, when
they returned with thnned ranks and torn banners"
&c. We propose TO show how much he saw" of
the Oneida soldiers, as they went forth" and to
what extent he avaed himself of his ." official priv
ilege to thank them" when they returned.
Five regiments in all were raised in Oneida County
which freely sent forth her sons to fight in defense of
the Constitution and the Union and for the preser
vation of our national existence. The 14h was or
ganzed at Albany, in May 1861 under the State law
and the 26th at Elmira few days after Both regl-
ments contained companies from other counties, ont
they were mainly made up with men from oneida
County. We are not aware that Mr.. Seymour put
himself to any trouble to either of these two reg
iments Off, or that he spoke to them one word OF
farewell
In April 1851 meeting of the citizens of Utica
was called without distinction of party, to aid the
families of sud as should volunteer. HOratio Sey-
mOur was not presel t nor was anything heard from
him. though large contributions were made, amount
ing to nearly $200O0, and distributed by the Com
mittee appointed for that purpose John F. Seymour
(Horato's brothcrl member of the Committee
of Distribution and as such wrote letter TO Mr. o.
b. Mattison who was absent and received contrl-
button of ST. 600 in reply. Did be write to Horatlof
If So it is not known that he ever responded. Yet
at that meeting carmen, truckmen, laDorerS
and mechanics. who put their names down Tor sums
ranging from g. upward. Judge Bacon, who was pres
ent not only contributed literally IN money Du'
gave his only son as private to the CAUSE VI INC
Union. That son returned to him a corpse having
fallen in battle while gallanty filling the once OF
Adiutant of the 26th Regiment, to which his own
merits had elevated him. Horatio Seymour did not
contribute dollar to that fund. At public meeting
held at the City Hall in 1862 for the purpose OF con-
sjdering the subject Of raising bountles' ne SUD
scribed S2O0 with the understanding that III would
not be collected if the county consented TO pay the
bounties. The county did so consent, and Ihe S|VV
were never called for.
For some unknown and inexplicable reason, MI
Seymour was appointed Chairman OF the Recruiting
Committee of Oneida County, in 1862, by Gov Nor
gan He had done nothing to entitle him TO The
honor or recommend him to the position, while
Others who had been active in raising troops and had
always supported the Government by word and deed
felt hurt by this unfit appointment. Mr.. Seymour
met but few times with the Committee, and neither
said nor did anything worthy of record. Two regl-
ments-thel17th and l46th-were raised by this Com
mttee. Mr. Seymour not present when they
were mustered in. nor did he speak single parting
word TO either of them The parting address TO the
1l7th was delivered in this city by Judge Bacon. No
words Of parting cheer were spoken TO the li6th
they leaving Rome 50 suddenly and passing through
our city so hurredy to not permit OF that tribute
of kindness and respect. Their commandant, Col
Garrard when they were mustered ill., was intro
duded to them 10y Judge Bacon
The 18th and 26th Regiments returned from the
scene of war in May 1863 They did noble service in
the field and came home with thinned ranks, covered
with glory and crowned with laurels They went
out with full ranks. The 18th returned with $40 to
be permanently mustered out and the 26th with $50
and this Notwithstanding the ranks of both had
been LARGELY recruited. They reached our city on
the Goth of May 1863 and citizens turned out to
receive them in manner somewhat commensurate
with their merits and suitable to the mOmentOus and
welcome occasion of their return. Tnumpha arches,
decorated with flowers. and covered with patriotic
and appropriate mOTtOeS. were erected across our
arches to sing songs of glad welcome 1t proud
day for Utica whose citizens and those of the sur
rounding country had assembled en- masse TO dc
VI honor 10 the brave The Scared and waTwOrn veer
ans bore their tattered and bullet-Tiddled cOlOrs
proudly aI,(t and their martial bearing and smiling
faces sent thrill TO the heart Of every admiIer Of
heroic patriotism.
The Committee Of Reception, Of which the Hon.
Alrick Hubbell was the efficient charnel, had made
every necessary preparation Cor all who wished to
welcome Oneidas returning sons. In the procession
was place allotted to Gov. Seymour and his staff,
to whom an invitation was extended to participate
in the ceremonies but they were neither present
nor represented that occasion. nor did the Com
mittee receive any reply to their invitation. few
words were addressed to the 18th, as they passed
through Albany, by Gov. Seymour, who received the
tatterod flag which when and bright was pre-
sented to the regiment by Gov. Morgan. These are
the only words that We aware of his ever having
addressed to an Oneida regiment. The 14th was
welcomed to or city by the Hon. Ward Hunt and
the 26th by the Hon. c. H. Doolittle, both of whom
delivered pertinent and eloquent speeches.
In the battle Of the Wilderness, in 1864, the l4Gth
Regiment then in Gen. Wadsworth's Division, lost
heavily. Both Col. Jenkins and Leut.-COl. Cuuan
were killed. The command devOlyed upon MAJOR
Grindley who galantly led his regiment through
all the subsequent battles Soon after Gov. Sey-
nour filed the vacancy caused by the death OF the
Iamented Col Jenkins not by promoting the officers
of the regiment in line but by commissioning the
son of Bishop Potter over all the heroic sons of
Oneida County. But the insult so palpabe and
the outrage so gross that Mr.. Poters own sense of
propriety prevented his ever joining the regiment,
and Immediately after the Inauguration of Gov Fen
ton, in 1865, Senator Campbell, Mr. G. b. Anderson,
L. a. q 4,l 4laa 81,