1861.]

MAGNITUDE OF THE WAR.

27

first two years of the war, armies quite as large, and sometimes larger than our own.

The magnitude of the attempt to coerce these people, and constrain them to acknowledge and respect the federal authority, can only be measured by the vast area of their territory, the number and the circumstances of the population, and the severity and duration of the contest.

CONSTITUTIONAL

CHAPTER III.

FORETHOUGHT

MILITIA DECADENCE THE 245THCOLONEL CHRISTOPHER FIERO-TWENTIETH REGIMENT DISTRICTROSTER-LETTER FROM COLONEL FIERO-HISTORICAL AND BIO

GRAPHICAL-GENERAL

SAMSON AN EARNEST MAN-A FAITHFUL FRIEND-AUSTERE BUT KIND-A SCENE WITH CAPTAIN HAULENBECK-ANOTHER WITH THE OFFICER OF THE DAY-REQUIESCAT IN

PACE.

THE Constitution of the United States declares that a well-regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free State. The Constitution and Laws of the State of New York provide for the creation and maintenance of a militia organization. But there had been nothing to arouse the military ardor of our people for more than a quarter of a century after the close of the last war with Great Britain, and our militia organizations drooped and degenerated until they became mere burlesques. Long years of peace and habits of thrift and industry had practically extinguished the martial spirit, except in our cities, where favorable conditions enabled the organizations to flourish.

The war with Mexico stimulated the military sentiment in a gentle way, but produced no permanent results. Again, a long period of peace ensued, and it seemed as improbable that war should visit our peaceful land as that the sun should cease to shine upon it, or that its rich soil should refuse to return to the husbandman the rewards of his industry. We were at comity with all the world, and never dreamed of treason. Why then, should our artizans and farmers, our merchants and lawyers, play their brief hour at soldiering once or twice a year? Why should our intensely practical people mimic the "pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war," who never more should see "battle's magnificently stern array ?''

1847.]

TWENTIETH REGIMENTAL DISTRICT.

29

The militia organization of which the "Twentieth " was the successor, was known in its day as the 245th Regiment, and it did nothing to impress itself upon the annals of its time. The very number it bore proves its absurdity. Like its fellows, it had neither cohesion or discipline, uniforms or equipments. It occasionally helped to amuse the people at "general trainings,' which events usually resulted in a general train.

This was not the fault of its commanding officer, but of the system upon which these regiments were organized and maintained, and the inevitable demoralization resulting therefrom. The 245th was the peer of any of its fellow country organizations, and probably superior to many.

Colonel Christopher Fiero, then and now a resident of Saugerties, Ulster County, was commissioned by Governor Silas Wright, colonel of the 245th, January 13th, 1845, and continued to command it until a re-organization took place, under an act of the Legislature, passed in 1847, whereby the counties of Ulster and Sullivan were constituted a new regimental district, to be known as the "Twentieth Regimental District," and Colonel Fiero, as the senior commandant, was commissioned colonel of the new organization, April 28th, 1848.

The two counties were sub-divided into eight company districts, according to population, and with the following result: First Company-Saugerties and Woodstock. Second-Kingston and Shandaken. ThirdHurley, Olive and Marbletown. Fourth-Rosendale, Esopus and New-Paltz. Fifth-Rochester and Warwarsing. Sixth-Lloyd, Plattekill and Marlborough, for Ulster County; and Sullivan as follows: SeventhRockland, Neversink, Callicoon, Liberty and Fallsburgh. Eighth-Cochecton, Bethel, Thompson and Lumberland. There were to be two flank companies raised in the district at large, one of artillery and one of rifles.

The first regimental roster was as follows: Christopher Fiero, Colonel; Henry A. Samson, of Samsonville, Lieutenant-Colonel; John D. O'Neil, of Fallsburgh, Major; John L. Butzel, of Saugerties, Adjutant; Jason Gillespy, of Saugerties, Quartermaster; William Hornbeck, of Ellenville, Paymaster; Abram Crispell, of Rondout, Surgeon; Rev. Silas Fitch, Rondout, Chaplain.

The line officers were: First Company--Francis Haber, succeeded by Abram H. Martin, Captain; Seaman G. Searing, First Lieutenant; William B. Dubois, Second Lieutenant. Second Company-George F. Von Beck, Captain; soon after promoted to Brigade inspector, and succeeded by Adam Metzger. Nicholas Kreitel, First Lieutenant. Third Company-James A. Gillespy, Captain, Stone Ridge. Fourth Company-John Van Ostrand, Rosendale, Captain. Fifth Company-M. D. Freer, Ellenville, Captain. Sixth Company--John Bodine, Modena, Captain.

An additional company was organized at Kingston, with Teunis H. Haulenbeck as Captain, T. V. G. Folant as First Lieutenant, and George Van Keuren as Second Lieutenant. A company was organized at Samsonville, of which James E. Gay was Captain, J. P. Schoonmaker, First Lieutenant, and Samuel Penneman, Second Lieutenant. Of the artillery company, Dennis Carroll was Captain, Michael Maher, First, and James Diamond and Patrick Kinney, Second and Third Lieutenants. John Derrenbacher was Captain of the rifle company, and Jacob Hersch was First, and F. G. Horst was Second Lieutenant.

On the nineteenth of May, 1855, Gideon E. Bushnell, of Clarryville, Sullivan County, was commissioned colonel, in place of Fiero, resigned. Colonel Bushnell had some time previously been appointed lieutenant-colonel in place of Samson, who had been promoted to the command of the eighth brigade.

1855.]

COLONEL FIERO.

31

To show the interest still felt in the organization by its first regimental commander, I take the liberty to copy the concluding paragraphs of a letter recently received from Colonel Fiero :

'My active connection with the regiment ceased on my resignation in 1855, when I was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bushnell. Your intimate acquaintance with the period immediately succeeding, will no doubt furnish you abundant materials for further details after that date.

"I must, however, be allowed to express the great degree of satisfaction afforded me in learning of the probable speedy completion of the story of the old 20th, in whose early history I indulge a pardonable pride, which is intensified by the fact, that in its subsequent career, it more than fulfilled the hopes of its friends and outdid the expectations of its founders.

"It is a source of hearty congratulation to those interested in the organization, that it is to find a historian, not only from among those who are familiar with its career during the piping times of peace,' but in one who was actively connected with it in the days that tried men's souls,' and who was in a position to learn the facts which will now enable him to do full justice to its merits. Wishing you abundant success in your undertaking,

I remain yours very truly,

CHRISTOPHER FIERO,

Late Col. 20th Reg't, N. Y. S. M."

On the eighteenth of October, 1878, an anonymous writer published in the Kingston Journal an article on the early history of the Twentieth, which contains so many interesting historical and biographical facts, that I insert it. It is as follows:

"The brief history of the Twentieth Regiment given