New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-15
PAST COMMANDER JAMES A. coLvIN.

PAST COMMANDER JAMES 4. COLVIN.
Prominent among the charter members of the
post is Colonel James A. Colvin. who was It's first
commander. From the day of lis organization in
l--4 he has never missed roll-call. Colonel Col
win was born in 1887. iIs father was the late
State Senator A. j. Covn who represented Albany
County in the upper house of the Legislature in
ls60'Gl. Young Colyin was graduated AZ the
Albany Law School at twenty-onc and was admitted
10 practice in the supreme Court lie went 10 the
war in April l-6l. as private IN the Albany
Burgcses Corps" became captain of Company 4,
l6gth New York Volunteers. i'll SOP, was promoted
10 major in 1854 then 10 lcutcnant-co loncl. and
was hrcyeed colonel for bravery at Fort Fisher.
He was in twenty nine hard-fought battles ana
more than 100 lesser actions. lie won fame at
Balls BuT. Cold llarbor, the "Cratcr.' Fort
Fisher, the bombardmcnt Of Fort Sumter and Pc
tcrsburg and closed his military career with >hcr-
man al the surrender of the Confederate army
under Joseph f. Johnston. His regiment lost 554
officers and men killed and wounded IN the month
of June ls6i and was claS,ed among the 500
fighting regiments Of the war.
Colonel Colyin has been Grand Army man
since 500. when he joined Phil. kcarny Post. No.
= of which he was senior vice commander. lie
was commander of Hamilton Post for two terms.
In 1918 he was member of The Tribune
Politically he is outspoken Republican. and Is
the present president Of the Harlem Republican
Club.
The posts second commander. who served three
terms in that Office, was Andrew tndcrhiu,
one OF the most popular men in the Grand Army
and the present member Of the National Council
Of Administration for the State of Ncw-lork lie
entered the army in 1861 and went TO the front
as a lieutenant in the 18th Ncw-Nork Volunteers
lie was for many months prisoner of war andrwas
! held AS "A hostage in Libby Prison in hourly eN
pectation OF being led ont of his pen 10 be shot
! in retaliation tor the death of an eminent rebel
But after suffering thousand imaginary cAecu-
tons he was fortunate enough 10 I've paroled. Past
| Commander lnderhlll is the senior member OF the
| firm of A. VI lnderhill a Co. agents Of tie Gulon
steamship Line. No. 30 Broadway.
| THE ro~rs PRESENT COMM NNpER.
| The present commander OF Hamilton Post Is
I William T. Wood. one OF the most influential and
| respected among the comrades upon IT'S roster.
Commander Wood is now serving his second term
lie was a member of the LIST Illinois Battery and
took part with that gallant command IN all the
battles of the Army of the Tennessee under Grant,
Sherman. MACPHERSON and Logan. Ills record Is
not a whit behind the chiccst of those who lou9ht
with the Army of the Potomac and won rcho"h
under Met lellan Burnside, Hooker and Meade
The Oldest member is Major-Gcncral AleAaiuer
Hamilton age seventy five. of larryiowh 'n'
oldest living grandson of the great Statesman" an"
general of Revolutionary fame for Whom tue
post is named At the outbreaks oil the wal VIZ"
eral Hamilton was commissioned coIo"'i ~
Governor Morgan. and assigned 10 the WORK oi
raising men for the army. He oreahl%eu '"e i9'
| Ncw-York Artillery in forty-l>e days t"o '''',
| New-York Infantry in hfynnc days. an" '"v ~
Ncw-Yorx Infantry III scvcnty-One days i''i'
| dent Lincoln at the request OF Lieutenant
oral Scott Amounted him Il brgadler-Scher'i' an"
| no was assigned to duty by General McOehah III
| command Of the regular artillery. In May iooo'
| Mfr Lincoln appointed him maJorgenerai' ic
| s.rvod with distinction to the end Of the war;
and stiu carries a rebel bullet in his breast re-
coived in hattie General Hamilton still retains
| remar1sabe yicor and is usually able to march
with the post on Memorial Day.
| prr,xrx AFTER ESCAPING FROM PRISON
| Tho records Of few soldiers OF the war are
! mor. remarkable than that of Edward hehurich'
| mast senior yicccommander lie was II thrtc
mon,bs, volunteer in '6l re-enllsting III September
| ~ that vcor in the 10th New-Jersey Volunteers
| nj which H. became adjutant On May IA, loo''
| he was taken prisoner at Spottsylvan Nouro
| House and for eleven months was conhnea III
| various prisons in Virginia, North and South
| Carolina and Georgia. Starvation reduced MN
| In n skeleton and he became desperate To escape
| Five unsuccessful attempts only added seVerer
penalties and tortures for his daring In Deem
| her. 1864. he emded the vigilance of the guard at
! Columbia. S. g.. and almost naked began his