12th New York
Volunteer
Infantry

"Onondaga County Regiment;
Independence Guard; the Dozen"

History and Campaigns

This regiment, Col. Ezra L. Walrath, was organized at Elmira; accepted by the State for a service of two years and numbered May 8, 1861; mustered in the service of the United States, at Elmira, for three months, May 13, 1861. At the request of the general government, it was ordered by the Governor of the State, August 2, 1861, to be mustered in the United States service for the unexpired period of its term of State service. February 3, 1862, it was consolidated into five companies, A, G, H, I and K; Company B being merged into H; C into K; D into I and K; E into A; F into H. The nucleus of this regiment was of members of the 51st Regiment, State Militia, and the companies were recruited principally: A, B C, E, H and I at Syracuse; D at Homer; F at Liverpool; G at Canastota; and K at Batavia. The regiment left the State May 29, 1861.
Colonel Henry A. Weeks received, on the return of the 12th Militia from its three months' service, authority to reorganize it for a service of three years. While the regiment as a body did not re-enter the service, a majority of the officers and enlisted men of the new organization, which was named - 12th Militia - were from the original regiment. The men were recruited principally in New York city, Patchogue and Buffalo, and mustered in the service of the United States for three years in October, November and December, 1861, and January, 1862. In January, 1862, Company A was transferred to the 102nd N.Y. Volunteers, and the seven remaining companies of the regiment consolidated into five, B, C, D, E, and F; Company G being merged into Company B, and K into E. These five companies left the State February 5, 1862.
February 8, 1862, the companies of the 12th Militia joined the battalion of five companies of the 12th N.Y. Volunteers, and completed the regimental reorganization of the latter, all the companies retaining their alphabetical designation. May 1, 1863, the two years' men were returned to Elmira and there honorably discharged and mustered out May 17, 1863; the three years' men were consolidated into a battalion of two companies, D and F, and this battalion, commanded by Maj. Henry W. Ryder, was, June 2, 1864, transferred to the 5th Veteran N.Y. Volunteers, as Companies F and E, respectively, of the latter.
The regiment served at Washington, D.C., from May 31, 1861; in the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Northeastern Virginia, from July, 1861; in Richardson's Brigade, Division Potomac, from August 4, 1861; in Wadsworth's Brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of the Potomac, from October 15, 1861; in Butterfield's Brigade, Porter's Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March 13, 1862; in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Corps, Army of the Potomac, from May, 1862; the battalion as Provost Guard, 5th Corps, from May 1863.
During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 3 officers, 44 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 22 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 67 enlisted men; total, 4 officers, 133 enlisted men; aggregate, 137; of whom 4 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy; and it took part in the following engagements, etc.:

Officers of the Regiment

Co1one1s.

EZRA L WALRATH,from May 13 to September 25, 1861.
HENRY A. WEEKS, from January 24, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Lieutenant-Colonels.

JAMES L. GRAHAM, from May 13 to June 30, 1861.
ROBERT M. RICHARDSON, from June 19, 1861, to February 6, 1863.
AUGUSTUS I. ROOT, from February 6 to May 17, 1863.

Majors.

JOHN LOUIS, from May 13 to October 21, 1861.
HENRY A. BARNUM, from October 25, 1861, to September 26, 1862.
AUGUSTUS I. ROOT, deom September 22, 1862, to February 6, 1863.
HENRY W. RYDER, from May 26 to June 2, 1864.

Adjutants.

SILAS TITUS, from May 13, 1861, to August 22, 1862.
STEPHEN A. ESTES, from September 21, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
GEORGE F. WATSON, from February 4, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Quartermasters.

EDMUND B. GRISWOLD, from May 13 to July 15, 1861.
PORTER R. ALGER, from February 3, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Surgeons.

ROGER W. PEASE, from May 13 to August 27, 1861.
AZARIAH B. SHIPMAN, from September 13, 1861, to April 10, 1862.
CHARLES L. HUBBELL, from April 12 to October 6, 1862.
CHARLES C. MURPHY, from February 12 to June 30, 1863.

Assistant Surgeons.

GEORGE B. TODD, from May 13, 1861, to October 6, 1862.
GEORGE V. SKIFF, from September 23, 1862, to May 17, 1863.
JOHN L. EDDY, from December 22, 1862, to June 30, 1863.

Chaplains.

CHESTER S. PERCIVAL, from May 13 to October 14, 1861.
HENRY B. BARTOW, from October 29, 1861, to April 20, 1862.

Of Company A.

Captains:
MORRIS H. CHURCH, from May 13 to September 20, 1861.
IRA WOOD, from September 21, 1861, to October 16, 1862.
THOMAS J. BEHAN, from October 30, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
IRA WOOD, from May 13 to September 21, 1861.
PORTER R. ALGER, from September 21, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
THOMAS J. BEHAN, from February 3 to October 30, 1862.
COURTLAND CLARK, from October 16, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
CHARLES BERTAND RANDALL, from May 13 to September 3, 1861.
ULYSSES D. EDDY, from October 11 (sic) to March 17, 1862.
ABRAHAM FREDENDALL, from March 17 to October 11, 1862.
ABRAM FAIRNIE, from October 13, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Of Company B.

Captains:
JACOB BRAND, from May 13 to October 25, 1861.
WILLIAM HUSON, from January 31, 1862, to June 30, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
PETER STRAUSS, from May 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
JAMES A. BOYLE, from January 31, 1862, to June 30, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
JOHN P. SPANIER, from May 13 to December 27, 1861.
CHARLES E. GOOLD, from January 31 to October 11, 1862.
JOHN M. SCANNEL, from October 13, 1862, to April 11, 1863.

Of Company C.

Captains:
DENNIS DRISCOLL, Jr., from May 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
WILLIAM FOWLER, from January --, 1862, to June 24, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
JAMES RANDALL, from May 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
RICHARD J. CLARKE, from January 8, 1862, to June 30, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
JOHN P. STANTON, from May 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
ELLIS SMITH, from January 9 to November 4, 1862.
CHRISTOPHER EDIE, from November 5, 1862, to June 30, 1863.

Of Company D.

Captains:
GEORGE WHITFIELD STONE, from May 13, 1861, to July 9, 1861.
WILLIAM H. HOAGLAND, from January 20 to December 13, 1862.
JAMES A. BATES, from December 14, 1862, to April 21, 1864.
PAUL A. OLIVER, from April 22 to June 2, 1864.

First Lieutenants:
LUCIUS CARROLL STORRS, from May 13 to October 23, 1861.
HENRY C. BURTON, from January 25 to June 27, 1862.
WILLIAM P. WALTON, from June 27 to September 26, 1862.
JOSEPH HILTON, from December 18, 1862, to June 2, 1864.

Second Lieutenants:
GEORGE SNYDER, from May 13 to October 23, 1861.
WILLIAM P. WALTON, from January 20 to June 27, 1862.
WILLIAM S. WOODS, from June 27, 1862, to January 1, 1864.

Of Company E.

Captains:
JABEZ MOSHER BROWER, from May 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
HENRY W. RYDER, from January 29, 1862, to May 26, 1864.

First Lieutenants:
FREDERICK HORNER, from May 13 to August 2, 1861.
SAMUEL J. ABBOTT, from August 3 to September 19, 1861.
THOMAS J. BEHAN, from September 21, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
WILLIAM F. GARDNER, from January 30 to May 17, 1862.
PAUL A. OLIVER, from May 17, 1862, to April 22, 1864.
WILLIAM S. WOODS, from January 1 to June 2, 1864.

Second Lieutenants:
SAMUEL J. ABBOTT, from May 13 to August 3, 1861.
THOMAS J. BEHAN, from August 3 to September 21, 1861.
FRANK W. CLOCK, from September 21, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
PAUL A. OLIVER, from January 29 to May 17, 1862.
EDWARD M. FISHER, from May 17 to June 27, 1862.
JOSEPH HILTON, from June 29 to December 18, 1862.
GUSTAVUS WEBBER, from December 18, 1862, to January 28, 1863.
JOHN L. MEASE, from December 14, 1862, to November 20, 1863.
WILLIAM THOMPSON, from January 17 to June 2, 1864.

Of Company F.

Captains:
MILO W. LOCKE, from May 13 to November 14, 1861.
JAMES CROMIE, from January --, 1862, to April 7, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
WILLIAM GLEASON, from May 1, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
JAMES A. BATES, from January -- to December 14, 1862.
HENRY A. DOWNING, from December 14, 1862, to February 11, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
STEPHEN D. CLARKE, from May 13, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
HENRY A. DOWNING, from January 16 to December 14, 1862.
JOHN CORNEY, from january 28 to June 30, 1863.

Of Company G.

Captains:
JOSEPH C. IRISH, from May 13 to September 3, 1861.
CHARLES BERTRAND RANDALL, from September 3, 1861, to September 22, 1862.
STEPHEN A. ESTES, from September 22, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
JOHN H. JOHNSON, from May 13 to October 10, 1861.
STEPHEN A. ESTES, from February 3 to September 22, 1862.
OLIVER TIBBITTS MAY, from September 22, 1862, to March 24, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
ERSKINE P. WOODFORD, from May 13 to December 1, 1861.
FRANK W. CLOCK, from February 3 to April 19, 1862.
OLIVER TIBBITTS MAY, from April 20 to September 22, 1862.
FREDERICK O. WATERS, from September 22, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Of Company H.

Captains:
GEORGE W. COLE, from May 13 to September 20, 1861.
GEORGE TRUESDELL, from September 21, 1861, to December 2, 1862.
PETER STRAUSS, from December 2, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
GEORGE TRUESDELL, from May 13 to September 21, 1861.
THOMAS GAFFNEY, from September 21, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
PETER STRAUSS, from February 3 to December 2, 1862.
JOHN P. STANTON, from December 3, 1862, to April 15, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
ALBERT M. WIBORN, from May 13 to October 19, 1861.
CHARLES S. COON, from October 20, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
JOHN P. STANTON, from February 3 to December 3, 1862.
GEORGE F. BOITEU, from December 3, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Of Company I.

Captains:
HENRY A. BARNUM, from May 13 to October 25, 1861.
HAMILTON R. COMBE, from October 22, 1861, to October 27, 1862.
EDWARD DRAKE, from October 28, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
HAMILTON R. COMBE, from May 13 to October 22, 1861.
EDWARD DRAKE, from October 22, 1861, to October 28, 1862.
MICHAEL AUER, from October 27, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
EDWARD DRAKE, from May 13 to October 22, 1861.
ANDREW V. URMY, from October 22, 1861, to February 22, 1862.
MICHAEL AUER, from February 22 to October 27, 1862.
DEXTER SMITH, from October 22, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Of Company K.

Captains:
AUGUSTUS J. ROOT, from May 13, 1861, to September 22, 1862.
CHARLES BERTRAND RANDALL, from September 22, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

First Lieutenants:
WILLIAM P. TOWN, from May 13 to August 6, 1861.
WILLIAM G. TRACY, from September 18, 1861, to February 3, 1862.
THOMAS GAFFNEY, from February 3 to October 22, 1862.
SAMUEL DEXTER LUDDEN, from October 22, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Second Lieutenants:
LUCIUS SMITH, from May 13 to September 3, 1861.
SAMUEL DEXTER LUDDEN, from September 4, 1861, to October 22, 1862.
JOHN B. FOOTE, from October 22, 1862, to May 17, 1863.

Officers who were Commissioned or Appointed, but did not Serve in the Grades Named.

SNYDER, GEORGE W., as Colonel.
WILLIS, BENJAMIN A., as Colonel.
OLMSTEAD, WILLIAM A, as Lieutenant-Colonel.
HILTON, JOSEPH, as Captain.
ELLIS, ROBERT J., as Second Lieutenant.

Officers of the (so-called) 12th Militia who were not Transferred to the 12th Infantry (Volunteers) at the Time of Consolidation.

BERKY, REESE B., Surgeon.
BURNS, WILLIAM L., First Lieutenant.
CARTWRIGHT, GEORGE W., First Lieutenant.
OAKLEY, JAMES M., First Lieutenant.

Medals of Honor Awarded by the President to

CROSS, JAMES E., Corporal, Company E, for most distinguished gallantry in action at Blackburn's Ford, Va., July 18, 1861.
RAND, CHARLES F., Sergeant, Company K, for great gallantry in action at Blackburn's Ford, Va., July 18, 1861.

Brevet Commissions of New York Volunteers, Granted by the Governor to Enlisted Men as Follows:

BARNES, GEORGE, Private, Company H, Captain.
COUCH, JOHN M., Private, Company I, First Lieutenant.
CROSS, JAMES E., Corporal, Company E. Second Lieutenant.
HOWLAND, HIRAM G., Corporal, Company a, First Lieutenant.

Sources

The Regimental Band

Congress, on July 22, 1861, passed an act authorizing a band of 24 musicians for each Regular Army regiment. Many volunteer regiments followed suit and recruited their own bands. The 12th NY Volunteer Regiment was apparently among that number, enrolling, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse, at least 13 men who are identifiable as members of the band of the 12th NY Infantry. One of these men, Lewis Bramer, Jr., of Fabius, kept a diary of his career in the regimental band. Sandra K. Walling has provided me with a copy of Lewis Bramer's diary, and I have been granted permission to post it. By July of 1862, with one of every forty soldiers a musician, Congress abolished regimental bands, and so the regimental band of the 12th NY Infantry ceased to exist. The men were discharged and most, if not all, returned home.

Those that have been positively identified from the diary and from the Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York for the year 1899. Albany: James B. Lyon, State Printer, 1900. include the men who are listed below.

Page 8
BALSEY, EUGENE.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, band, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862.

Page 10
BARNUM, WM. L.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, band, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862, place not stated.

Page 20
BRAMER, LEWIS.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, December 1, 1861, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862, place not stated.

Page 32
CHURCH, E. B.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as a musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862, by act of Congress.
[Name has been found elsewhere as Edgar B. Church.]

Page 51
DOUBLEDAY, E. STILLMAN.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as a musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862.

Page 57
EDWARDS, HARVEY.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862, by act of Congress abolishing regimental bands.

Page 77
GRIFFIN, CHARLES L.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged for disability, March 12, 1862, at Fort Ramsey, Va.

Page 77
GRIFFIN, DANIEL.—Age ,-- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862, place not stated.

Page 103
KELLOGG, CHARLES.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862.

Page 119
MARTIN, LEVI.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, band, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862.

Page 174
SLINGERLAND, B. F.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged to date, July 19, 1862, Special Order No. 28, Headquarters Department of the East, Philadelphia, Pa., February 6, 1868.
[Name has been found elesewhere as B. Frank Slingerland.]

Page 179
SQUIRES, ALSON M.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as musician, July 19, 1862, to serve seventeen months; discharged, same date, act of Congress abolishing regimental bands.
[I suspect that the "mustered in" date reflects an error in record keeping at some level. Name has been found elesewhere as Alson N. Squires.]

Page 184
SUTHERLAND, CHARLES H.—Age, -- years. Enlisted, December 1, 1861, at Syracuse; mustered in as band leader, same date, to serve seventeen months; discharged, July 19, 1862, act of Congress abolishing regimental bands.

Possibly there were others in the band. Willett Britton is an example of such a case. According to the muster rolls he first went into Co. I as a drummer. When the band was formed he seems to have been transferred to the band, and when the band was discharged he went back into Co. I. His name never actually appears in Bramer's diary.

Additional Information

In Print:

Online:

More

On January 28, 2001, I received the following e-mail from Vicki Kenyon:

My great-great-great-grandfather Elisha McCready Veeder, 1839-1925, belonged to company C or company H of the 12th infantry of NY volunteers. According to records I have found, he collected a pension in 1897 – application # 1187309. He enlisted December 13, 1861, in the town of Marcellus, Onondaga County. I would like to see him added to the list, please.

Elisha Veeder is one of those who did not enlist at the initial formation of the regiment, and consequently he is (as noted at the beginning of each roster) not included in the company rosters that I have on the site. He was, however, a member of the regiment. His entry on page 196 of the Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York for the Year 1899, Serial #19; James B. Lyon, State Printer, Albany, N.Y.; 1900, reads as follows:

VEEDER, ELISHA.—Age, 23 years. Enlisted, December 13, 1861, at Marcellus; mustered in as private, Co. H, same date, to serve unexpired term; transferred to Co. G, December 14, 1862; mustered out with company, May 17, 1863, at Elmira, N.Y.

For information about several other members of the regiment who may not be listed in my company rosters see the various entries in the guest book.

Still More

Subject: Location of Tombstone of John Snyder, Co A

On July 25, 2005, I received the following e-mail from Shawn Parsons:

My name is Shawn Parsons, and I'm a re-enactor with the 149th NYSVI (4th Onondaga) out of Syracuse NY.
We held a living history this past weekend at the Salt Museum near Onondaga Lake Park. One of the staff mentioned that there was solitary tombstone he remembered seeing some years ago in a piece of woods off of Buckley Road which is a short drive from my house in Pennellville, NY. He remembered the name as John Snyder and thought he may have been a veteran of the 149th.
Out of curiosity my wife and I drove out yesterday to take a look and found the tombstone. The inscription read:
    John Snyder
    Infantry
    Co A 12th Regiment NYV
    Died 1896
    Aged 57 Yrs
The tombstone is lying flat on the ground about 30 yards from the road, surrounded by roadside debris. It's hard to tell if it is the final resting place of Mr. Snyder or if someone had removed the tombstone and dumped it by the road. I spoke with the owner of the property who said she would check to see if the abstract lists the name of Snyder as previous owners of the property.
The reason I'm informing you of this is that I'd like to find out if you have any information on the final resting place of John Snyder, and if it turns out that the tombstone has been reported missing to help get it back where it belongs. If it is the burial site of Mr. Snyder, then I'd like to inform you that the property has recently been zoned for commercial and the owner will be selling off the property. I'd like to make sure that Mr. Snyder's remains are properly moved to a more suitable and honorable location.
I have no information about this subject. Perhaps some viewer does. How about it?

A Photograph from the 12th Infantry

In December of 2000 Janet Noble White Gibbens, jwgibbens2@yahoo.com, a great-grandaughter of Edward Allen Noble of Company I, sent the accompanying picture to me all the way from Australia. Edward Noble may be the man on the right. The others remain unidentified. Quite possibly they are also from Company I. For more detail, see the biography of Edward Noble that Janet sent to me February 26, 2001.

January 24, 2003, Conrad Bush, Bushresear@aol.com, identified the man in the middle with his arm against the tree as 2nd Lt. Edward Drake of the 12th NY, who was later to become Captain of Company I.

 

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