The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-05-22
EIGHT SONS IN ARMY
Remarkable Record of ormsbee Fam
lily of Montpelier


Civil war has been the subject of
many articles recently in the newspa-
pers about the country, but thus far
that of the Ormsbee family of Mont
pelier, which so far as known eclipses
any yet brought to light, has escaped
attention. One member of the family
who helped to make the record COM
plete, is Charles E. Ormsbee of Will
Jamestown. the new commander of e.
p Hopkins post, G. A. r., and for this
reason the remarkable record of this
family has a particular local interest,
says the North Adams Transcript
At the breaking out of the Civil war
there lived in Montpelier, Hosea X.
Ormsbee. who had eight sons, Charles
E., William H., Freeman K, Landon
c., Myron, Mansel A, George W., and
Hosea X. Ormsbee. When the call
for volunteers came, all of the eight
young men enlisted in the service and
shouldered their guns or entered the
navy to defend the principles which
were the cause of the strife. All of
the eight served to the credit of nis
country and all but one lived to re-
ceive an honorable discharge. One
died in the service and of the five now
living, four are commanders of the
Grand Army posts of which they are
members, while the fifth was comman-
der of post last year.
The first of the eight, so far as 10
cal interest is concerned, If not in age,
is Charles +. Ormsbee for many years
a member and quartermaster of Z. p.
Hopkins, 209, of Williamstown, and
this year commander of the post by
the unanimous choice of his comrades.
He was born in Montpelier, is now Ga
years old and for the past 80 years
has been resident of Williamstown.
He joined Hopkins post soon after the
organization of the post and has been
an active member IA or Is years. Be
fore going to Williamstown he was a
member of Wheeler post of Saratoga
Springs, N. Y. In Hopkins post he
has served three years as quartermas-
ter and three years as adjutant.
The record of Commander Ormsbee
in the service was of the best. He en-
listed in Company II. End Vermont
and altogether served four years and
so days. His company saw active SER
vice throughout the war, participating
in many of the principal battles. He
was at First Bull Run, Antietam, Sew
en- Days. Williamsburg. Yorktown,
Gettysburg, Spottslvania, Cold Harbor
Petersburg, Cedar Creek and Appom-
atox, besides the numerous other con-
fiicts of less importance. His corps
supported Sheridan on many of his
raids and saw many hard marches dur
ing the four years.
OF tne other brothers, five are liv-
ing. The three who have died are
William H., who was member of the
18th Vermont regiment and died few
years ago; Myron, who enlisted in the
59th regiment, New York, served a
year, was discharged and died one
month after reaching home, and Tru-
man X. who was in the navy and died
at Port Hudson while in the service.
The-four brothers living besides
Commander Ormsbee of Williamstown
are Landon, Mansel, George and Ho-
sea
Landon lives i'm Albany. n. Y. and
was commander last year OF the post
there to which he belongs. He enlist
ed in the 10Th Vermont regiment and
later served in the Ninth Massachu
sets
Mansel was a member of Company
| II, End Vermont, the company and reg
iment to which Charles belonged. He
lives in Sioux City. Ia, where he is
commander of his post.
George served in Company H., 9th
Vermont He also lives in Sioux City
but belongs to another post of which
| he is commander.
Hosea was enrolled in the 18th Yer
mont regiment. He resides in Sara
toga, N. Y, and this year was elected
commander for the second time OF
Post 92 of that place.
| All of the eight brothers saw more
or less active service during their en-
listment, but only Freeman died in
the service. William was working In
| Whitehall, n. Y, wnen the war came
which explains his having enlisted tC
| the credit of New York rather than Il
the credit of his native state. He haC
served only a year when he was dis
charged on account of illness and liv
ed only a month after reaching home
All remained in the regiments in which
they were enrolled at enlistment ex
cept Charles, who was transferred t
the Massachusetts regiment when hi!
own had been so badly shattered il
battle that it became too small to con
tinue as a separate body.
1t is doubtful if another family car
be found with more remarkable re
cord. Several cases have been report
ed where six members of the famil,
went to the field, but none so far a.
known WITH eight Hosea, the father
was a sturdy Vermonter. and all o
the sons were strong, healthy youth
when the call to duty came. Thos
living today are in good health con
sidering their age, and the suffering
they endured during their period O
service. Commander Ormsbee of Wi
Jamestown is a carpenter, regularl
employed and the other brothers ar
engaged in the active vocations O
life.
Besides being commander of Hor
kins post, Mr.. Ormsbee of Williams
town has been elected marshal TO
Memorial day and will have charge O
the observances