Family History

(Source)

As Memorial Day approaches, I think back...

That opening photo shows Company A of the 22nd New York Volunteer Militia, my great-grandfather's regiment in which he served for two years during the Civil War. He was, according to the muster rolls at the New York State Department of Military and Naval affairs, mustered into Company K of this regiment as follows -

MUSTER ROLL of Captain Miles P.S. Cadwell's Company (K), in the 22d REGIMENT of the New York Volunteer Militia (Foot), commanded by Colonel Walter Phelps, Jr., organized under a law of the State of New York, entitled, "An Act to authorize the embodying and equipment of a Volunteer Militia, and to provide for the Public Defense," passed April 16, 1861 and called into the service of the United States by the President, under the act of Congress approved February 28, 1795, from the 6th day of June, 1861, (date of this muster) for the term of two years, unless sooner discharged.

There, at number 28 is my great-grandfather, 18 years old (supposedly, my records indicate he was 20), enlisted as a private, Goodrich, Joseph.

This source has this to say about his regiment -

22nd Infantry Regiment

Civil War

Second Northern New York Regiment; Second Troy Regiment; Second Northern Tier Regiment 

History

Mustered in: June 6, 1861

Mustered out: June 19, 1863

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912. 

This regiment, Col. Walter Phelps, Jr., was accepted by the State and numerically designated May 14, 1861; organized at Troy and there mustered in the service of the United States, for two years, June 6, 1861. The three years' men of the regiment, but a few, were in June, 1863, transferred to the 76th and 93d N. Y. Volunteers. The companies were organized: A at Waterford and Cohoes; B and I at Fort Edward; C at Keeseville; D at Cambridge; E and F at Glens Falls. The first Company G was organized May 7 and disbanded June 1, 1861; the second Company G, originally The Whitehall Light Guards, was organized at Whitehall; Company H at Sandy Hill, and Company K at Port Henry. The men were recruited principally in the counties of Albany, Clinton, Essex, Saratoga, Warren and Washington.

The regiment left the State June 28, 1861; passing through Baltimore, Md., it had one man killed by a mob; it served at and near Washington, D. C, from July 1, 1861; in Keyes' Brigade, Division of Potomac, from August 4, 1861; in same brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of the Potomac, from October 15, 1861; in Augur's Brigade, from January, 1862; in 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac, from March 13, 1862; in 1st Brigade, King's Division, Department of Rappahannock, from May, 1862; in 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3d Corps, Army of Virginia, from June 26, 1862; in same brigade and division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac, from September 12, 1862; and it was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Colonel Phelps, June 19, 1863, at Albany.

During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 7 officers, 42 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 4 officers, 19 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 27 enlisted men; total, 12 officers, 88 enlisted men; aggregate, 100; of whom 1 enlisted man died in the hands of the enemy.

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908.Twenty-second Infantry.—Col., Walter Phelps, Jr.; Lieut.-Cols., Gorton F. Thomas, John McKee, Jr., Thomas J. Strong; Majs., Johrr McKee, Jr., George Clendon, Jr., Thomas J. Strong, Lyman Ormsby. The 22nd, known as the 2nd Northern New York regiment, was composed of four companies from Washington county, three from Essex, two from Warren and one from Saratoga county and was mustered into the U. S. service at Camp Rathbone, Troy, on June 6, 1861, for two years. A fortnight later it moved to Albany, where it remained until June 28, when it left for Washington. It encamped on Meridian hill until July 24, when it moved to Arlington heights, where it was assigned to Gen. Keyes' brigade, which in March, 1862, became the 3d brigade, 3d division, 1st corps. Winter quarters were occupied at Upton's hill until March 10, 1862, when the regiment joined in the movement to Centerville, but returned to Upton's hill immediately afterward, and proceeded to Falmouth in April. In June the regiment became a part of the 1st brigade, 1st division, 3d corps, Army of Virginia, and in Sept., 1862, the same brigade and division, was made part of the 1st corps, Army of the Potomac. This brigade was known as the Iron Brigade before the Iron Brigade of the West was formed. At Manassas the loss of the regiment was 180 killed, wounded or missing, out of, 379 engaged, of whom 46 were killed or mortally wounded, or over 12 per cent. of 24 officers present, 19 were killed or wounded, 9 mortally, among them Lieut.-Col. Thomas. The first week of September was spent in camp at Upton's hill and it next advanced to South mountain, where it was closely engaged, then to Antietam, where again the loss was heavy. About the middle of November,; the command arrived at Falmouth and participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, being stationed on the extreme left of the army. It then returned to camp at Falmouth and joined in the "Mud March," after which it went into winter quarters at Belle Plain, On April 28, 1863, camp was broken for the Chancellorsville movement, during which the regiment was held in reserve and met its only loss at Pollock's Mill creek, where 10 men were wounded while acting as rear-guard. The regiment was mustered out at Albany, June 19, 1863, having lost 72 men by death from wounds and 28 by death from other causes.

I noted that the regiment had marched through Baltimore on their way to Washington where it was caught up in the riots which occurred in that city in 1861. There were many southern sympathizers in Maryland. One man of the regiment was killed by the mob. I had read of those riots when I was a young boy, little realizing at the time that my great-grandfather was an eyewitness to that.

The regiment lost heavily at both Second Bull Run and at Antietam. Again, I read of those battles when I was young, now I marvel that my great-grandfather was there to participate in that carnage. I wonder that he survived when so many others fell.

From an old regimental roster -

GOODRICH, JOSEPH . — Age, 18 years (sic). Enlisted , May 25, 1861, at Port Henry, to serve two years; mustered in as private, Co. K , June 6, 1861; mustered out with company, June 19, 1863, at Albany, N. Y.

Family tradition has him staying in or rejoining the Army after leaving this regiment. I haven't found evidence to support that yet, but I'm still looking. Fascinating what you can find on the Internet. Most of what I found about my great-grandfather tracks closely to what I heard growing up.

There's a bit of family tradition surrounding great-grandpa Joseph's family...

My grandfather, Louis Goodrich, United States Army

My father, Robert Goodrich , United States Army

Then of course, there's my kids and I, United States Air Force and United States Navy -

Both of my Dad's brothers served in World War II, Uncle Louis in the Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater and Uncle Charlie in the Army, an infantryman in Europe. Uncle Louis' son, my cousin Bobby, served in the Air Force in Vietnam, and my cousin Joe, Uncle Charlie's son, was also in the Air Force. Interestingly enough, cousin Joe's son Kyle is currently in the Air Force.

The tradition continues, I wonder what my great-grandfather would make of what his descendants have done?

There's a military tradition on my Mom's side of the family as well, Civil War and World War II, I'll talk about them in my next post.