CaptHerendeen
Private
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2015
- Location
- Rochester, NY
Recently my family and I found out that we are related to a Civil War Captain (mom's side). Warning: Lengthy...
His name was Orin J. Herendeen. He was born in 1835 in the town of Farmington, NY and was a Quaker.
He was mustered as the Captain of Co. H of the 126th NY when the war broke out. At first, I though that he was a distant grandfather of some sort, but after doing research, I soon found out that he was my 4th great grand-uncle (close enough haha). He participated in the battles of Harper's Ferry (where he was surrendered, paroled and exchanged) and Gettysburg (he died on July 3rd). He wrote many letters to his brother (my other distant uncle) and his sister (my 4th great grandmother) describing the every day life in camp and on pickett duty.
At Gettysburg, he was ordered to skirmish (with, I think 2 other companies in that Regiment) along the Emmitsburg Road. They were under horrible fire and trying to push back the enemy in a wheat field. There was apparently a concealed regiment in it that opened fire, and hidden enemies were also shooting from a nearby barn. He was then shot by a sharpshooter in one of the worst places possible... the femoral artery. The poor man fell and bled out in minutes!
He died childless at age 28 but had a wife.
EDIT: He also captured (or recaptured?) a gun and rolled it back to their lines on July 2nd! Couldn't really glory in it, however...
I do have other relatives, such as Francis Aldrich, who was in the war. He deserted after Harper's Ferry however. Another would be my 3rd great grandfather Lyman Aldrich, but I do not believe he entered active service...
Orin's letters (and pictures of his family, can't find his sister however):
http://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p15109coll6/searchterm/Herendeen letters/order/title
A photograph of him (4th one, just click the arrows):
http://m.mpnnow.com/article/20141116/News/141119757
An interesting story of him receiving his sword by the ladies of his hometown:
http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers 21/Shortsville NY Enterprise/Shortsville NY Enterprise 1954-1956/Shortsville NY Enterprise 1954-1956 - 0593.pdf
Obituary:
http://www.newyorkroots.org/ontario/military/civilwarobits.htm
His name was Orin J. Herendeen. He was born in 1835 in the town of Farmington, NY and was a Quaker.
He was mustered as the Captain of Co. H of the 126th NY when the war broke out. At first, I though that he was a distant grandfather of some sort, but after doing research, I soon found out that he was my 4th great grand-uncle (close enough haha). He participated in the battles of Harper's Ferry (where he was surrendered, paroled and exchanged) and Gettysburg (he died on July 3rd). He wrote many letters to his brother (my other distant uncle) and his sister (my 4th great grandmother) describing the every day life in camp and on pickett duty.
At Gettysburg, he was ordered to skirmish (with, I think 2 other companies in that Regiment) along the Emmitsburg Road. They were under horrible fire and trying to push back the enemy in a wheat field. There was apparently a concealed regiment in it that opened fire, and hidden enemies were also shooting from a nearby barn. He was then shot by a sharpshooter in one of the worst places possible... the femoral artery. The poor man fell and bled out in minutes!
He died childless at age 28 but had a wife.
EDIT: He also captured (or recaptured?) a gun and rolled it back to their lines on July 2nd! Couldn't really glory in it, however...
I do have other relatives, such as Francis Aldrich, who was in the war. He deserted after Harper's Ferry however. Another would be my 3rd great grandfather Lyman Aldrich, but I do not believe he entered active service...
Orin's letters (and pictures of his family, can't find his sister however):
http://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p15109coll6/searchterm/Herendeen letters/order/title
A photograph of him (4th one, just click the arrows):
http://m.mpnnow.com/article/20141116/News/141119757
An interesting story of him receiving his sword by the ladies of his hometown:
http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers 21/Shortsville NY Enterprise/Shortsville NY Enterprise 1954-1956/Shortsville NY Enterprise 1954-1956 - 0593.pdf
Obituary:
http://www.newyorkroots.org/ontario/military/civilwarobits.htm
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