New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-23
.T THEIR COUNTRY'S CALL.
THE BOYS OF THE COLOR COMPANY.
vyr WAY THE REGIMENTS WERE RAlsED-THE
MEN WHO COMPARED THEM-FATE OF
THE BOYS OF A COMPANY Oh
THE 18TH N. Y.

'"D MEN WHO COMPARED THEM-FATE OF
THE BOYS OF COMPANY OF
THE 18TH N Y.
,...,, TIL. Weekly Tribune Of January 49,
u,,, Moon, n Y. Jan. l4.-In July. 1862.
A.. vr;ter of this sketch, then rosycheckcd boy,
" '.. ral,ing and binding rye in field ON his
e.,b.r'. farm in Saratoga County, n. Y and
LOS in deep study over President Lincons
'.asrt PROCLAMATION calling for 100000 men to
~. down the Rebellion. | was descended from
r.,,,otic ancestry. On my mothers side they
ff.,aht for liberty in the Revolution On my
,.,hs,,s side my great grandfather was SOL
Ale, and lost his cyesight during Il great sand
.,orr, on the desert of Arabia. l inherited love
:, country: and the firing Fort Sumter
~.r,.d nv patriotic blood. l relate mlnutiac in
a..su because they fairly describe thu situa-
.;o, in thousands of homes all over the North;
"a thousands upon thousands Of other boys
.,e led to go out in defence OF their country
- mlar way facts and sentiments. / began
. 10. that the work the farm was tame
I'D Of small Importance. 1t was With great
nmcultv that I restrained the fire OF youthful
;nnatlence and patriotism AS l moved along
!, nv nonotonous work, my mind became made
an Suddenly turning around to my cousin, VINO
was raking and binding rye at my side ana
Who was a much younger boy, said; Lenry'
win YOU enlist if l do?
.Yes." replied Henry, with spirit. "f you
enlist l Will A.
sticking the handle Of my rake into the
c-ound and remarking that l had bound my
las. sheaf Of rye, ! started for the house, meet
inc father on the way. lie looked surprised tiat
had Quit work at that time Of day and IN
such hurrying time; but he said nothihs'
neither did l say anything to him about "hat
intended to do, although l wondered what
\. would think when ne found out that ne
had lost both of his boys. with nearly all OF
the harvest still to be gathered
rpon reaching the house l had not the heai'
=. sav ANYTHING to mother about II, aithough
ou,t. sure that she would approve OF my purpose
.,,houoh IL would cause her many pang. Hur-
,sdlv changing my clothes, made my way rapid
r. N the little village of Clifton ParK Close az
hand and securing team ana wagon msoe at
,aprements for taking load Of men ana ooSs &C
Commanded by fifers and drummers and nass ana
.nrers to q war meeting. which was TO oe heid
tbat night in the church in the village OF nan
Moon only a few miles away Similar meetings
we're being held in the churches in all the neigh
boring villages to secure volunteers Ior |ap'ain
Smiths new company NV
,ulnt and walls were covered with flags Stir
,,ns sneecbes were made by George B, Lorrimer'
=, postou. and Captain Smith. Patriotic songs
-.,. .una nv the glee clubs, the bands played,
AVA tha na,tor of the church kissed the flag
drsn.a behind tho pulpit. pedsing himself as
v.lunteer In the company, and his congregation
q. .,.,r,l Aa.lity TO the Union There was wild
.n.husiasm. and the scene was understandable.
Voluntner, were then called for. and enlistment
p.pers were passed. down the allies for the pur-
nos. ef sdvinr the boys chance to enlist. All
were Watching with intense interest to see who
would volunteer. Some Of those who did enlist
v.re uretty old men, nevertheless we called them
all sboys.n The pastor of tho church passed
down tho aisle where I was seated with one
uausr. but did not offer 1t to me as he did to the
others had come down on purpose to enlist
and needed no urging, but suppose he Thought
boxed too young and boyish for soldier. His
ideal Of . soldier was great broad-chested stall
wart man about forty years Of age This ideal
he slighty modified later on. The supeTintend-
ont Of the Sunday-school. Samuel Peters, who was
also the leading physician, was going out as ono
Of the surgeons Of tho regiment The neighoor-
ins Methodist preacher, Rev S. w. Clemins, an
eloouent speaker and patriotic man, put his name
down a. q private. afterward becoming the only
CHAPLAIN tie regiment ever had The superin-
tendent of his Sundayschool followed his exam,
ple These enlistments Oh representative NEIL hau
was indignant; Father Abraham was call
ing for the boys to come and help save me
coSnt t and ] was not even asked to enlist
Subduing my feelings as much as ,possinle', u
called the pastor back and asked him to iet
his paper which ne reuc1Ea n1S,ed d 10;
three three Years, or during the war; supposng, how.
ever. that It was only for two years MY
cousin, who said he would enlist II ana was srd
sea%ested s him to put his name down. but he
quietly said he guessed not: However. .ns
next morning. before I was out OF bed, ne was
in my. BEDROOM and then ana d. 'n are rerrmit
/ confess that there were times IN tne years
that followed when ] almost regretted having
called the pastor BACK.
RECRUITING FOR MEN.
BRIGHT and early the next morning. a1ter In
forming father and mother OF what l had done
and gaining their approval. / started out with
enlistment papers to visit the Doys ana iio'
of Inv acquaintance on the surrounding farms
,old them the simple story of my enlistment, and
asked them to volunteer, which they nearly all
did although the farmers would be obnged 70
cali upor the mothers and daughters to help
secure the harvest, since the ooSS "e'0 "''''
II is indeed a wise and merciful provision OF
Providence that men cannot foresee the events
Of the future, although some OF the boys VINO
enlisted that day did not fare so badly. ,,.
Orlando Swartwout got up from his dinner
table and. while talking at the door for 2
moment. put down his name, served clean throusn
the war, was wounded twice, ana is now
prosperous barker in an ONO city.
lanes w Hicks. son Of the patriotic Justice OF
the Peace. | found in the barn; he said ne
would go he was only seventeen we S WTI,e"
over 10 his fathers Oficc 10 get ms wr'.tn
consent which was readily given, although the
Judge thought james pretty young; our comrade
hal Lop,. in
Peter Butler lived the fourth mouse rom us
and although Peter became ore OF the COMPANY
cooks COO he always carried a gun in battle, and
at the charge of Fort Gilmer seized 19e I Lay
when the color sergeant fell. and CALAMITY mo
ing back home again, like many more, he found
his occupation gone with a.. large ia ss,
Of small children he moved to inc cty, 10 taii
his home. One night. coming, home SICK f had