Captain Orin J. Herendeen (126th NY)- Civil War Ancestry

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
 
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Greetings from Memphis! Both my husband and I have Quaker ancestors in our tree, from Pennsylvania. I had no idea until I started researching my Civil War ancestry.
 
Greetings from Memphis! Both my husband and I have Quaker ancestors in our tree, from Pennsylvania. I had no idea until I started researching my Civil War ancestry.
Awesome! It's weird because aren't they usually Pacifist? It's amazing that people like my relative still rushed to recruit a company (he was known for how fast he did it!) or simply join despite their beliefs etc)
 
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

You already have this, it seems to imply that his brother, Levi also served, but I can't locate him ?

- New York: Report of the Adjutant-General 1893-1906
- These Honored Dead: The Union Casualties at Gettysburg

Orin J. Herendeen

Residence was not listed; 27 years old.

Enlisted on 8/15/1862 at Geneva, NY as a Captain.

On 9/10/1862 he was commissioned into "H" Co. NY 126th Infantry
He was Killed on 7/3/1863 at Gettysburg, PA


He was listed as:
* POW 9/15/1862 Harper's Ferry, VA
* Paroled 9/16/1862 Harper's Ferry, VA
(Brother of Levi Herendeen)

21 Members of the 126th KIA July 3, 1863. Name, Rank, Enlistment Age & Enlistment Date They had 100 wounded, 4 captured, & one missing. On July 2nd they had 19 killed, 88 wounded, 1 missing.


1 William H Adams Priv 18 08/02/62

2 Jacob H Bachman Corpl 34 08/06/62

3 Cornelius L Bailey Priv 18 08/04/62

4 Robert Burns Priv 18 07/28/62

5 Abraham C Cadmus Priv 20 08/09/62

6 Henry P Cook Sergeant 25 08/05/62

7 Charles C Crandall Priv 27 08/04/62

8 Orin J Herendeen Captain 27 08/15/62

9 Joseph Hollowell Priv 44 07/26/62

10 Rufus P Holmes Sergeant 30 07/10/62

11 George Kelly Priv 31 08/08/62

12 Samuel A Nichols Priv 19 08/02/62

13 John K Phillips Priv 27 08/11/62

14 Joshua B Pursel Priv 20 08/05/62

15 Eliakim Sherrill Colonel 49 08/20/62

16 Isaac Shimer Captain 38 08/15/62

17 Tyler J Snyder Priv 21 08/14/62

18 John W Thompson Priv 25 08/11/62

19 Edwin W Tyler Sergeant 24 07/31/62

20 Elisha D Vaughan Priv 25 08/05/62
21 Charles M Wheeler Captain 24 08/20/62
 
You already have this, it seems to imply that his brother, Levi also served, but I can't locate him ?

- New York: Report of the Adjutant-General 1893-1906
- These Honored Dead: The Union Casualties at Gettysburg

Orin J. Herendeen

Residence was not listed; 27 years old.

Enlisted on 8/15/1862 at Geneva, NY as a Captain.

On 9/10/1862 he was commissioned into "H" Co. NY 126th Infantry
He was Killed on 7/3/1863 at Gettysburg, PA


He was listed as:
* POW 9/15/1862 Harper's Ferry, VA
* Paroled 9/16/1862 Harper's Ferry, VA
(Brother of Levi Herendeen)

21 Members of the 126th KIA July 3, 1863. Name, Rank, Enlistment Age & Enlistment Date They had 100 wounded, 4 captured, & one missing. On July 2nd they had 19 killed, 88 wounded, 1 missing.


1 William H Adams Priv 18 08/02/62

2 Jacob H Bachman Corpl 34 08/06/62

3 Cornelius L Bailey Priv 18 08/04/62

4 Robert Burns Priv 18 07/28/62

5 Abraham C Cadmus Priv 20 08/09/62

6 Henry P Cook Sergeant 25 08/05/62

7 Charles C Crandall Priv 27 08/04/62

8 Orin J Herendeen Captain 27 08/15/62

9 Joseph Hollowell Priv 44 07/26/62

10 Rufus P Holmes Sergeant 30 07/10/62

11 George Kelly Priv 31 08/08/62

12 Samuel A Nichols Priv 19 08/02/62

13 John K Phillips Priv 27 08/11/62

14 Joshua B Pursel Priv 20 08/05/62

15 Eliakim Sherrill Colonel 49 08/20/62

16 Isaac Shimer Captain 38 08/15/62

17 Tyler J Snyder Priv 21 08/14/62

18 John W Thompson Priv 25 08/11/62

19 Edwin W Tyler Sergeant 24 07/31/62

20 Elisha D Vaughan Priv 25 08/05/62
21 Charles M Wheeler Captain 24 08/20/62
I don't think his brother served. There aren't any records of it that I can find! And he was pretty old at the time- almost 40. Although I know some preeettty old guys participated in the war.
 
I don't think his brother served. There aren't any records of it that I can find! And he was pretty old at the time- almost 40. Although I know some preeettty old guys participated in the war.

My paternal 2nd great-grandfather was a Confederate conscript in 1864 at age 40. A 2 x great-grand uncle in east Tennessee was well into his 40's, and served as a teamster in the Union 1st Tennessee Cavalry. He lied about his age and enlisted with his 18-year old son in March, 1862. Told them he was 30 ! Maybe Levi's last name in his record, is spelled in some unusual way ? I've seen that happen before.
 
My paternal 2nd great-grandfather was a Confederate conscript in 1864 at age 40. A 2 x great-grand uncle in east Tennessee was well into his 40's, and served as a teamster in the Union 1st Tennessee Cavalry. He lied about his age and enlisted with his 18-year old son in March, 1862. Told them he was 30 ! Maybe Levi's last name in his record, is spelled in some unusual way ? I've seen that happen before.
That would be pretty cool, but I have my doubts since all of Orin's letters were written at least twice a month to his brother and addressed to home. Plus, Levi had to make a trip to get his brother's body from the field. It would be cool to have more CW relatives but I don't have many for some weird reason.
 
Awesome! It's weird because aren't they usually Pacifist? It's amazing that people like my relative still rushed to recruit a company (he was known for how fast he did it!) or simply join despite their beliefs etc)
I was surprised by that too. My ancestor, Moses Umstead, was a shoemaker. He not only enlisted but volunteered at the beginning of the war for one year, served as a musician, which may mean that he still had pacifist beliefs, and then reenlisted when his term was up as a regular soldier. His brothers and father also served, and it appears (Umstead and variations is a surprisingly common name in that part of Pennsylvania, which makes it hard to be sure it's the same person) that one of his brothers may have been a member of the regular army before the war started. Later members of the same family were Lutherans, and then Episcopalians, which makes me wonder when exactly the family converted.

On my husband's side it appears the Griffiths had moved West and become Methodists by the time of the war. But at the time of their arrival in America from Wales by way of Ireland and Jamaica, they were not only Quakers, but serious enough about it to face persecution in three countries before traveling to Pennsylvania.
 
Throughout American history there have been incidences of Quakers and other members of pacifist communities choosing to abandon those beliefs and enlist in military units. Not the least of these was Major General Nathaniel Greene, the noted Revolutionary War commander. Many were expelled from their congregations as a result.
 
Oh, this is more recent, but it pertains to fighting Quakers. General Smedley Butler, a hero of the Marine Corps, was a Quaker. He was definitely practicing and a member of the culture, used thee to speak to family members and so on. His father was apparently disappointed in him for joining up, but he did anyway.

I looked it up, and although conscientious objection by means of paying a fine had been recognized in Pennsylvania at the time of the Revolutionary War, for Quakers in particular, the same laws did not apply in the Union during the Civil War. However, the usual thing for Quakers was to hire a substitute.
 
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