PREFACE.
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Our object in giving to the public a full, true, and concise history of Company A, 50th Regiment National Guard, State of New York, better known to the citizens of Ithaca as the DeWitt Guard, is to show as honorable a record as can be produced by any similar organizationso far as the membership of this Company was connected with the army and navy of the United States during the late rebellion. We shall show that the total membership of the Company from the time of its organization, in December, 1851, to the present time, has been two hundred and two, of which eighty-two served either in the army or navy during the war against eighty-eight who did not; twenty-nine names appear on the Company roll, of whom it is not known to the writer whether they were or were not in the army, and nine who died previous to the war. We have undertaken a brief personal history to each, which we believe will be interesting to the reader.
We also wish to show that the Company has been, from the time of its organization to the present, a self-supporting and self-sustaining institution, until recently receiving nothing from the State but arms, and that the individual members have contributed the sum of two thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars and fifty-six cents, to which amount should be added a liberal percentage for disbursements which do not appear on Company records.
We propose to give the name of each member of the DeWitt Guard from its organization, the date of his enlistment, his profession, with such incidents as we think will be of interest to the reader, after which we shall give the history of the Company collectively. There may be those who have belonged to the Company whose names will not appear in these pages. This must be attributed to the fact of their not signing the muster-roll of the Company, as every name there recorded is introduced in the following history.
HISTORY.
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Arch. H. McNeil , Merchant, enlisted November 5th, 1851. At the first election of company officers McNeil was chosen second Lieutenant, which position he honorably and creditably filled to the time of his death, which occurred November 28th, 1855. To Lieutenant McNeil the Company were much indebted. To him more than any other one man, belonged the credit of organizing the Company.
He was loved, respected, and honored by both officers and men, and his death caused a breach not easily repaired. Upon receiving intelligence of his death, the Company were immediately called together and the following resolutions unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That in the death of Lieutenant A. H. McNeil the members of this Company have not only lost a commissioned officer in whom a zealous, lively and effective interest for the welfare of the Company always prevailed, but an officer whose military bearing commanded our respect, and a fellow soldier whose conduct and kindness has merited and won our esteem. That we deeply feel his loss, and mourn his untimely departure from our midst,
Resolved, That we tender to the widow and relatives of our deceased officer our sincere condolence in this their great affliction.
Resolved, That we accompany the remains of our late officer to the depot on the morrow, and that a delegation of seven men accompany his remains to the city of Auburn as an escort and attend his funeral.
Resolved, That on all parades we will wear the usual badge of mourning for one year.
At a special meeting held on the return from Auburn of the escort which accompanied the remains of Lieut. A. H. McNeil, and after hearing the report of the officer commanding said escort, the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted:
Whereas , An escort from this Company having been delegated to accompany and perform the last sad duties over the remains of our esteemed friend, Lieut. A. H. McNeil, at Auburn, and while there having met with reception and attention which ever characterize the true and tried friend and soldier, be it therefore
Resolved, That to General Segoin and Colonel Jenkins, and their respective staffs, to the Auburn City Guard, Willard Guard, and to the delegation from other Companies, we as a Company return them our sincere and heartfelt thanks for the manner in which they cared for them, and the kindness with which they were every where greeted by them while there, and in the admirable arrangements for the funeral made at such short notice, and for the cheerful and handsome manner in which they were carried out; gratified as we are, words can only attempt a description of our feelings of the manner in which they alleviated our sorrows in the burial of our dead. And although the deceased had not resided among them for years, yet like us they appreciated his many virtues and remembered his uniform kindness to all, and when they but learned of his decease, their tears mingled with ours at our irreparable loss.
Resolved, That in future, should it be possible for us to repay them in any manner that it will be forthcoming, feeling, as we do, that no sacrifice will be too great in attempting a return of their kindness in the hour of our affliction, and as individuals, as citizens and as soldiers, we hope that the choicest of Heaven's blessings may be theirs, and that their respective staffs and Companies may ever meet with prosperity.
George H. Collins , Merchant, enlisted November 5th, 1851. Mr. Collins was permitted to serve but a short time as a member of the Company, as he was selected by the Colonel and commissioned Adjutant of the Regiment, which position he held for many years. Changing his residence to the city of New York, his connection with the 50th Regiment was dissolved.
Ben. B. Wilcox , Hotel keeper, enlisted November 5th, 1851. Served with the Company but a short time; removed to Owego; was for a time proprietor of the Ah-Wa-Ga House, but more recently of a hotel at Saratoga Springs.
William M. Smith , Brewer, enlisted November 5th, 1851. Served but a short time.
H. F. Randolph , Shoe Merchant, enlisted November 5th, 1851. Mr. Randolph had more than served his time, and reached the rank of Captain, in the old militia before joining this organization. He was an officer of no common attainmentsprompt, active and generous. The interest he had always manifested, and now felt, in military matters, compelled him to join this new enterprise; he enlisted as a private, and is to this day an honorary member of the Company. He has accompanied them on many an excursion, and is always invested with the command of the honorary members. The Captain has now attained the age of sixty-three years, and is still as smart, hale and hearty as a lad of sixteen.
J. C. McWhorter , Merchant, enlisted November 5th, 1851. Remained but a short time with the Company, but the soul-stirring strains of music, as rendered by him on the snare drum while he was a member, will long be remembered by those associated with him during his short military experience.
