Are there any group photographs of the 126th NY?

CaptHerendeen

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Joined
Feb 15, 2015
Location
Rochester, NY
This probably isn't worth making an entire thread over but I was wondering if anyone has been able to find group pictures of the 126th NY Reg. that my 4th ggrand uncle was a Captain in. So far, I have only been able to find individual photographs and survivor veteran photos with other NY regiments.
 
This probably isn't worth making an entire thread over but I was wondering if anyone has been able to find group pictures of the 126th NY Reg. that my 4th ggrand uncle was a Captain in. So far, I have only been able to find individual photographs and survivor veteran photos with other NY regiments.


Oh my gosh, hi! I just noticed you’re from Rochester and had to delete an entire post I wrote all about the area the 126th was from- duh. Like you did not know!

My user name is in honor of ( or because I’m awfully proud of him ) an uncle, James Polk Knox Huson ( He gets listed as James Knox Polk sometimes, if you look at the regimental rosters ), 126th NY, killed Day 2 at Gettysburg literally in Plum Run, when the 126th stopped Barkdale’s incredible sweep. We’ve been looking for a photo for an awfully long time- if you have then you’ve looked in the usual places, too?

Since you’re in Rochester, have you really scoured the library? I could not get over how amazingly, astonishingly helpful those people are, my goodness! The woman I spoke to said they have such an extensive collection of Civil War items you just can never get through them- and the photo collection features New York troops. I’m convinced there’s a regimental photo somewhere. You know the area they mustered, the make-up of the 126th, seems like a no-brainer there would have been one? Such a patriotic area almost across the board, highly political. Plus, even if the 126th’s isn’t identified, one of the ways we were finally able to identify our photo of JPK was the sslightly ingular uniform of the 126th.

If you tell me where you have looked, might save some time- we'll pick up the search again, too! Wonder how many of us are out here?

And I think it was worth an entire thread…..:smile:
 
Oh my gosh, hi! I just noticed you’re from Rochester and had to delete an entire post I wrote all about the area the 126th was from- duh. Like you did not know!

My user name is in honor of ( or because I’m awfully proud of him ) an uncle, James Polk Knox Huson ( He gets listed as James Knox Polk sometimes, if you look at the regimental rosters ), 126th NY, killed Day 2 at Gettysburg literally in Plum Run, when the 126th stopped Barkdale’s incredible sweep. We’ve been looking for a photo for an awfully long time- if you have then you’ve looked in the usual places, too?

Since you’re in Rochester, have you really scoured the library? I could not get over how amazingly, astonishingly helpful those people are, my goodness! The woman I spoke to said they have such an extensive collection of Civil War items you just can never get through them- and the photo collection features New York troops. I’m convinced there’s a regimental photo somewhere. You know the area they mustered, the make-up of the 126th, seems like a no-brainer there would have been one? Such a patriotic area almost across the board, highly political. Plus, even if the 126th’s isn’t identified, one of the ways we were finally able to identify our photo of JPK was the sslightly ingular uniform of the 126th.

If you tell me where you have looked, might save some time- we'll pick up the search again, too! Wonder how many of us are out here?

And I think it was worth an entire thread…..:smile:
I have looked at google pictures and old local newspapers and have only been able to find veterans! I also tried to look in the national archives but I don't think anything showed up there! There's a book on the regiment though, and I bet there are photographs in it. Maybe they would have our relatives! Seems obvious that the library is a good place haha. I also checked the local historical society. I'm thinking they only had individual photographs which is why it wasn't so hard to find just the captain!

I saw your thread on JPK (wow, he's so darn cute!). What company was he a part of? My uncle captained company H and died in the same battle but on the 3rd day. Literally bled to death!
 
I have looked at google pictures and old local newspapers and have only been able to find veterans! I also tried to look in the national archives but I don't think anything showed up there! There's a book on the regiment though, and I bet there are photographs in it. Maybe they would have our relatives! Seems obvious that the library is a good place haha. I also checked the local historical society. I'm thinking they only had individual photographs which is why it wasn't so hard to find just the captain!

I saw your thread on JPK (wow, he's so darn cute!). What company was he a part of? My uncle captained company H and died in the same battle but on the 3rd day. Literally bled to death!


Yes, I figured the member living in Rochester would be living in library- how lucky! Lost my head there for a moment, please excuse! Been at this search for photos on anything and anyone to do with the 126th New York for so long it scrambles things up there.

Wasn't he cute? Looked at the camera so kind of arrogantly, like a young man who was just bursting to go off and prove himself would. His whole family looked like that, or at least nearly- his sister Susan is my icon, only because I decided I'd rather have a female icon, and she lost her husband in the war too. JPK was company B, have had some help figuring out where he most probably died, gives you chills being there. Have you been to Day 3's battle field? OH my gosh, and it's awfully hard to read. I listen to it on my Kindle which is even tougher- I've seen your Captain's name on the list of fallen. Sherrill fell that day, too. Sinc eyou're from Rochester you'll have heard the name ' Eliakim ' before, but no one really has elsewhere unless the Dutch settled there.

I see members here have left links, when it comes to research this forum is ridiculously amazing, it's crazy the help people have given in the past- will tool around those. I have the book! My husband gave it to me for Christmas one year- no regimental pics so if there are any they're still hard to find or undiscovered. Not giving up- there are so, so many regimental photos collected through the years by the National Archives and the LoC, who knows what might be there? Something I keep meaning to do and haven't is to see if Sherrill's family has an Ancestry account? Sometimes you can track down photos that way. If anyone had a regimental photo it would have been he- and if any family kept it, bet it was his. Came across an article in an old Rochester paper covering his funeral and it was such a huge, big deal, laying their man to rest. Such a sad funeral it showed through 150 years.

Will dig out the book and get back later- can't remember what photos the author used.
 
I would contact the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. They have a ton of photographs of individual soldiers and sailors as well as group photos.

R

Thanks very much, I'd never even heard of this one!



Thanks Barry, and wow, these always make me wonder who on earth put all these together. What a task! Really good info here, much appreciated!
 
Yes, I figured the member living in Rochester would be living in library- how lucky! Lost my head there for a moment, please excuse! Been at this search for photos on anything and anyone to do with the 126th New York for so long it scrambles things up there.

Wasn't he cute? Looked at the camera so kind of arrogantly, like a young man who was just bursting to go off and prove himself would. His whole family looked like that, or at least nearly- his sister Susan is my icon, only because I decided I'd rather have a female icon, and she lost her husband in the war too. JPK was company B, have had some help figuring out where he most probably died, gives you chills being there. Have you been to Day 3's battle field? OH my gosh, and it's awfully hard to read. I listen to it on my Kindle which is even tougher- I've seen your Captain's name on the list of fallen. Sherrill fell that day, too. Sinc eyou're from Rochester you'll have heard the name ' Eliakim ' before, but no one really has elsewhere unless the Dutch settled there.

I see members here have left links, when it comes to research this forum is ridiculously amazing, it's crazy the help people have given in the past- will tool around those. I have the book! My husband gave it to me for Christmas one year- no regimental pics so if there are any they're still hard to find or undiscovered. Not giving up- there are so, so many regimental photos collected through the years by the National Archives and the LoC, who knows what might be there? Something I keep meaning to do and haven't is to see if Sherrill's family has an Ancestry account? Sometimes you can track down photos that way. If anyone had a regimental photo it would have been he- and if any family kept it, bet it was his. Came across an article in an old Rochester paper covering his funeral and it was such a huge, big deal, laying their man to rest. Such a sad funeral it showed through 150 years.

Will dig out the book and get back later- can't remember what photos the author used.
I don't think i've ever been to the exact site where the 126th was in Gettysburg but the description was awful! My uncle and a few other officers were picked off all about the same time :/. It was defintely dangerous being out in the open (not to mention near a wheat field) where the sharpshooters could easily pick you off (I think a random enemy regiment was concealed in it too!). The enemy had such an advantage also because they had a nearby barn to hide in/behind!

I totally forgot about Sherrill too. He's definitely gotta have some photographs of the regiment. I guess i'll start looking at ancestry or something!
 
I don't think i've ever been to the exact site where the 126th was in Gettysburg but the description was awful! My uncle and a few other officers were picked off all about the same time :/. It was defintely dangerous being out in the open (not to mention near a wheat field) where the sharpshooters could easily pick you off (I think a random enemy regiment was concealed in it too!). The enemy had such an advantage also because they had a nearby barn to hide in/behind!

I totally forgot about Sherrill too. He's definitely gotta have some photographs of the regiment. I guess i'll start looking at ancestry or something!

It essentially was a skirmisher fight between elements of Willard's and Smyth's Brigades and Posey's Brigade at the Bliss Farm. Prior to Pickett's Charge, there was a constant back and forth between the two sides for possession of the farm with one side taking possession of the house and barn, being driven back, then counterattacking until the farm was razed to prevent its possession by anyone.

R
 
It essentially was a skirmisher fight between elements of Willard's and Smyth's Brigades and Posey's Brigade at the Bliss Farm. Prior to Pickett's Charge, there was a constant back and forth between the two sides for possession of the farm with one side taking possession of the house and barn, being driven back, then counterattacking until the farm was razed to prevent its possession by anyone.

R
Was this farm fought over on both July 2nd and July 3rd? (and then burned in the morning of July 3rd?) Makes me wonder what my relative's company was still doing there after it was burned then... (It says he died at about 3 PM (Jul. 3) which was after the burning I guess ) but I guess it was still important to kill the Rebs in the field nearby.
 
Was this farm fought over on both July 2nd and July 3rd? (and then burned in the morning of July 3rd?) Makes me wonder what my relative's company was still doing there after it was burned then... (It says he died at about 3 PM (Jul. 3) which was after the burning I guess ) but I guess it was still important to kill the Rebs in the field nearby.

The Bliss fight was primarily on the morning of July 3 and the farm was burned early in the afternoon.

If Herendeen was killed about 3 pm, most of the fighting was done around the Bliss buildings and the skirmishing had died down and most of the men were hugging the dirt, praying to avoid the artillery fire preceding Pickett's Charge. Are we certain about the time?

R
 
The Bliss fight was primarily on the morning of July 3 and the farm was burned early in the afternoon.

If Herendeen was killed about 3 pm, most of the fighting was done around the Bliss buildings and the skirmishing had died down and most of the men were hugging the dirt, praying to avoid the artillery fire preceding Pickett's Charge. Are we certain about the time?

R
That's what it said on his obituary i'm pretty certain, well "about 3 PM." Winfield Scott of the 126th made a mention of him in writing... But it says 11 AM. Hmm...
 

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Here is what John Michael Priest says about the Bliss fight on the morning of July 3 in Into the Fight (pages 16-17).

The incoming Confederate small arms rounds which passed over their intended targets along the Emmitsburg Road plopped harmlessly among the sleeping soldiers of the 1st Delaware without disturbing them to any great extent. At 7:00 a.m., after enduring about two and a one-half hours of harassment Brigadier General Hays, their division commander, decided to clean out the Bliss farm yard as he had done the day before. He personally ordered First Lieutenant John L. Brady (Company E, 1st Delaware) to drive the Rebels out of the barn and to hold it "at all hazards."

The lieutenant gathered up twenty-seven men from his regiment and three or four volunteers from the 12th New Jersey. Slipping to the right, with the stone wall covering their flank, they halted just north of the Brian barn, near the eastern end of the farm lane which fed directly into the Emmitsburg Road. Stripping themselves of all of their superfluous equipment, except their belts, cap boxes, cartridge boxes, and weapons, they raced toward the road. Striking it, they jigged left, then right into Bliss' long farm lane. They dragged Captain William Kenney (Company B), acting major of the 8th Ohio, and Companies G and H with them. On the way to the rise west of the road, Company B, 8th Ohio joined in the movement. "...as far as I know," Sergeant Thomas Galwey later wrote, "without any orders, we charged straight ahead."

The Confederates in the barn let them cover all but the last fifty feet of the track when they opened fire from slits in the upper story. On the Federal left, all but six of the Yankees went down in the blast. the raiders, hurriedly dragging their wounded with them, limped back toward their lines, leaving Corporal John B. Sheets and Private William J. Dorsey (both Company D) dead upon the field. The three companies of the 8th Ohio managed to push the Confederates back onto the ridge west of the Bliss farm house. Captain James W. Wyatt's Virginia Battery (three 3-inch rifled pieces) and Captain Joseph Graham's 1st North Carolina Artillery (two 12 pounder Napoleons) responded quickly to the threat. Several rounds of canister and the appearance of Confederate reinforcements not 200 yards to the west abruptly stopped the three companies. Halting, they reformed, and, firing as they went, they inched their way back to the fence rails west of the road. They took cover behind the destroyed fence and settled down to steady skirmishing. Their foray cost them eleven wounded and two dead, one of whom was Sergeant John G. Peters.

One hundred skirmishers under Captain Sebastian D. Holmes (Company D, 111th New York) and a couple companies from the 125th New York rushed to the relief o Companies F and G, 111th New York, south of the Bliss farm lane. Simultaneously, Companies C, F, H, and K from the 126th New York with Companies A and C of the 108th New York (Sherrill's brigade), on the far right of the line, supported the 8th Ohio's withdrawal by deploying in extended order west of the Taneytown Road. they were going to dislodge Confederate skirmishers who had infiltrated the Northern end of the Emmitsburg Road beyond the Ohioans' right flank.

The two regiments charged the rebels. A round dropped the orderly sergeant of Company A, 108th New York. First Lieutenant Dwight H. Ostrander immediately replaced him with the skinny Corporal William H. Raymond. Coming on line with the 8th Ohio, they ran into a prone Confederate brigade. The Confederates met them with a withering fire. The 126th New York went to the ground in a futile effort to protect themselves. In short order, the Rebels killed Captains Charles M. Wheeler (Company K) and Orin J. Herendeen (Company H). Captain Isaac Shimer (Company F), while lying between two of his men, raised his head to see where the fire was coming from when a bullet slammed into his forehead. He died without making a sound. Four of his men hurriedly rolled him onto their muskets and carried him off the field as soon as the Confederates loosed the next volley at them. Captain Winfield Scott (Company C) lost his only lieutenant, Sidney E. Brown, and over one-third of his company in one of the bitterest "scrapes" he had ever experienced. He retired to the Emmitsburg Road with bullet holes in his hat, his pants and his coat. The two companies from the 108th remained on the forward line despite the loss of three killed and four wounded.

As the four companies from the 126th New York pulled back, Colonel Eliakim Sherrill dispatched the picket reserves to the eastern side of the Emmitsburg Road on the brigade's right front. Company A, 126th New York, under Captain Morris Brown and Captain Samuel C. Armstrong (Company D) quickly occupied the Emanuel Trostle house and yard.

Based on this account, it seems Captain Herendeen was shot in the mid-morning.

R
 
Here is what John Michael Priest says about the Bliss fight on the morning of July 3 in Into the Fight (pages 16-17).



Based on this account, it seems Captain Herendeen was shot in the mid-morning.

R
This makes a bit more sense than what the other sources said! I hope I can go back to the battlefield some day and see this area for myself, since I had no idea we were related before! Thanks for your help :smile:.
 
There's a section in Sear's ' Gettyburg', after Sherrill is killed where Hancock asks about him post-battle, saying he guesses he better go back and apologize to that young officer he was so tough on. I forget who it was, said " That's the d*m problem with you, Hancock, you go off half cocked without getting the facts of the situation and then it's too late. The man is dead. " ( not an exact quote ). Winfield Scott Hancock was the general directing them Day 3, not known for his patience no matter how fabulous a general. Have to go look up exactly what transpired but Hancock got the wrong end of the stick on something.

That's what it said on his obituary i'm pretty certain, well "about 3 PM." Winfield Scott of the 126th made a mention of him in writing... But it says 11 AM. Hmm...

The men were pretty good at those seconds and minutes ticking by. We were able to have an admittedly morbid idea of when JPK was killed, no idea why it matters, just seems to- especially when we go there to pay respects. ' Respects' may not be the right word, it lacks depth and breath and intent. Perhaps bearing witness to all of them, standing where he was killed, then listening to Gettysburg's hills and trees and wind. You know, Barksdale himself is there, and the man who killed my uncle probably, Sherrill saw one more campfire before joining all of them. His men and the Confederates strewn across that wide and violent front. Sickle's leg.

Day 2 and the 126th's casualties transpired as a result of Sickles hanging them out ( along with however man other regiments ) naked and out of place with a sign nailed to all their foreheads " Please come blow us up. " He disliked his place in the Federal line that day so just poof- decided to move it- creating far too many flanks to cover and all our men out there like blue-coated sitting ducks without eggs. I was never able to wrap my head around Day 2 until Robert P, one of our members really painted a word picture- gives you chills, with his relative in Barksdale's Brigade, sweeping through Federal troops from the Southern perspective, towards the 126th New York, which is where the assault was stopped. JPK was probably killed right in Plum Run, from descriptions, and almost certainly we think now found by his brother. Lewis was in the 120th New York, the regiment Barksdale had just decimated, whose fractured, battered remnants were flung almost literally back onto 126th's position. Should have been the opposite- brother Lewis should have been killed and JPK survived that Confederate sweep- which is what it was. It's an awful, awful story. 2 brothers, Lewis by far the eldest, knowing the baby of the family by far is over there somewhere, 2 other brothers already dead to the war.

I do understand the need to wrap your own head around this Captain's story. Like a lot of us here it goes deeper than History or the war or family pride- they're so close sometimes there's an absurd inclination to imagine ourselves genuinely there, or they here. Or I don't know, maybe not so absurd nor imaginary, who knows?
 
Y
There's a section in Sear's ' Gettyburg', after Sherrill is killed where Hancock asks about him post-battle, saying he guesses he better go back and apologize to that young officer he was so tough on. I forget who it was, said " That's the d*m problem with you, Hancock, you go off half cocked without getting the facts of the situation and then it's too late. The man is dead. " ( not an exact quote ). Winfield Scott Hancock was the general directing them Day 3, not known for his patience no matter how fabulous a general. Have to go look up exactly what transpired but Hancock got the wrong end of the stick on something.



The men were pretty good at those seconds and minutes ticking by. We were able to have an admittedly morbid idea of when JPK was killed, no idea why it matters, just seems to- especially when we go there to pay respects. ' Respects' may not be the right word, it lacks depth and breath and intent. Perhaps bearing witness to all of them, standing where he was killed, then listening to Gettysburg's hills and trees and wind. You know, Barksdale himself is there, and the man who killed my uncle probably, Sherrill saw one more campfire before joining all of them. His men and the Confederates strewn across that wide and violent front. Sickle's leg.

Day 2 and the 126th's casualties transpired as a result of Sickles hanging them out ( along with however man other regiments ) naked and out of place with a sign nailed to all their foreheads " Please come blow us up. " He disliked his place in the Federal line that day so just poof- decided to move it- creating far too many flanks to cover and all our men out there like blue-coated sitting ducks without eggs. I was never able to wrap my head around Day 2 until Robert P, one of our members really painted a word picture- gives you chills, with his relative in Barksdale's Brigade, sweeping through Federal troops from the Southern perspective, towards the 126th New York, which is where the assault was stopped. JPK was probably killed right in Plum Run, from descriptions, and almost certainly we think now found by his brother. Lewis was in the 120th New York, the regiment Barksdale had just decimated, whose fractured, battered remnants were flung almost literally back onto 126th's position. Should have been the opposite- brother Lewis should have been killed and JPK survived that Confederate sweep- which is what it was. It's an awful, awful story. 2 brothers, Lewis by far the eldest, knowing the baby of the family by far is over there somewhere, 2 other brothers already dead to the war.

I do understand the need to wrap your own head around this Captain's story. Like a lot of us here it goes deeper than History or the war or family pride- they're so close sometimes there's an absurd inclination to imagine ourselves genuinely there, or they here. Or I don't know, maybe not so absurd nor imaginary, who knows?
Your uncles story is very sad! And he was pretty young yeah? His poor brother and family :frown:. He must have lingered for a while in immense pain!

And i'm glad you understand me when I say i'm trying to figure out when exactly he died. There's so many sources it's hard to tell what is completely accurate! I do know, however, the general area where he skirmished, where he was shot (he completely bled out in minutes). I wish I knew if someone was comforting him, or if he had any last message to deliver to his family through someone before the blood loss sent him into shock. I can't explain why it's important to me, it just is :smile:. When I visit there, my biggest hope is to get an accurate idea where and when it happened.
 
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