January 1861 was full of disgruntled southern and western states that were seceding like flies. One state after another was joining the Confederate States of America. Abraham Lincoln had won the Presidency with his Vice Presidential candidate Hannibal Hamblin. Every day from the 2nd of January to the 19th of January 1861, one state representative per week left the congressional hall in protest.
This was the beginning of such turmoil and division that it was hard to see the future of the United States of America. The last state seceding during the month of January was Louisiana on Jan. 26. The 1st of February saw the great state of Texas drop out. The first week of February saw the south putting in place the Rules of the Confederacy followed by a Confederate Constitution. Jefferson Davis was named President of the Confederate States, while the rebuilding of the south was beginning.
Feb. 18 Jefferson Davis’ inauguration was held. By Feb. 23 newly elected President Lincoln had arrived in Washington DC for his inauguration on March 4 to become the 16th President of the United States of America.
All of this turmoil was leading up to the next five years of tragedy, war, call to arms, and family against family. In our area of Upstate New York; Colonel Joseph Corning, Captain Henry Draime, Captain John Corning, and Liet. Joshua White were all preparing to create a fine fighting group that would be ready by late spring with their marching orders.
Preparation to leave loved ones home and build a regiment and all that entailed was no small job and took months to coordinate. The Companies from A to K stretching from Buffalo east to Rochester and taking a turn towards the Finger Lakes area all ending up in Elmira, N.Y. to wait for training and orders.
By early June 1861 everyone was settled in and orders began to filter through the channels. Elmira had become a community of different folks, different ages, walks of life, professions, and economic status. But, finally orders were coming through and once the rotten food, lack of clothing and uniforms, lack of shoes, and hours and hours of waiting coupled with the cholera had taken their toll on these soldiers they were divided into their respective companies and set out with orders.
This was the beginning and some of the 33rd Regiment became known as the Army of the Potomac. We will follow them and then change to the 111th Infantry, 1st NY Calvary, and 8th NY Calvary and their battles that lead to Gettysburg. We will cover the home front as well as the field.
January 1861 was full of disgruntled southern and western states that were seceding like flies. One state after another was joining the Confederate States of America. Abraham Lincoln had won the Presidency with his Vice Presidential candidate Hannibal Hamblin. Every day from the 2nd of January to the 19th of January 1861, one state representative per week left the congressional hall in protest.
This was the beginning of such turmoil and division that it was hard to see the future of the United States of America. The last state seceding during the month of January was Louisiana on Jan. 26. The 1st of February saw the great state of Texas drop out. The first week of February saw the south putting in place the Rules of the Confederacy followed by a Confederate Constitution. Jefferson Davis was named President of the Confederate States, while the rebuilding of the south was beginning.
Feb. 18 Jefferson Davis’ inauguration was held. By Feb. 23 newly elected President Lincoln had arrived in Washington DC for his inauguration on March 4 to become the 16th President of the United States of America.
All of this turmoil was leading up to the next five years of tragedy, war, call to arms, and family against family. In our area of Upstate New York; Colonel Joseph Corning, Captain Henry Draime, Captain John Corning, and Liet. Joshua White were all preparing to create a fine fighting group that would be ready by late spring with their marching orders.
Preparation to leave loved ones home and build a regiment and all that entailed was no small job and took months to coordinate. The Companies from A to K stretching from Buffalo east to Rochester and taking a turn towards the Finger Lakes area all ending up in Elmira, N.Y. to wait for training and orders.
By early June 1861 everyone was settled in and orders began to filter through the channels. Elmira had become a community of different folks, different ages, walks of life, professions, and economic status. But, finally orders were coming through and once the rotten food, lack of clothing and uniforms, lack of shoes, and hours and hours of waiting coupled with the cholera had taken their toll on these soldiers they were divided into their respective companies and set out with orders.
This was the beginning and some of the 33rd Regiment became known as the Army of the Potomac. We will follow them and then change to the 111th Infantry, 1st NY Calvary, and 8th NY Calvary and their battles that lead to Gettysburg. We will cover the home front as well as the field.
