THE NORMAL SCHOOL COMPANY IN THE WAR
When, in July, 1862, the Union forces were defeated in the "seven days’ battle" before Richmond and there came up from the cpital of the nation a new call for men- soldiers to drive back the rebellious invaders- the young men of the State Normal school felt that it was time for them to shoulder their muskets and do what they could to save the land they loved and preserve the institutions for which their fathers fought. Professors Kimball and Husted, of the faculty, volunteered to go with and lead them. With the graduates and students of the school as a nucleus they commenced recruiting and, on the 25th of September, their company of one hundred true, brave, earnest men were "mustered into the service of the United States for three years, or the war." They were at once fully armed and equipped. The faculty of the school presented each of the officers with a valuable revolver, while contributions from graduates and friends purchased a rubber blanket for each Normal member of the company.
After three weeks of drilling and guard duty, at the barracks west of Albany, the company was, on request of its officers, attached to the Forty-fourth New York Volunteers- a regiment in high standing, but much reduced in numbers by service in the field- forming a part of the Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps. And was afterwards known as Company E of that regiment, joining it October 23d at Antietam Ford, Maryland, where the Army of the Potomac was resting after the battle of Antietam.
The company, as an organization, participated in the following engagements:
Lieut. Albert N. Husted participated in all the above-named engagements; was slightly wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville by a fragment of shell; was promoted to a captaincy and was honorably discharged because of expiration of term of service of regiment October 14, 1864.
The following members of the company were graduated or undergraduates of the New York State Normal school and served with the company in the battles whose numbers are set opposite their respective names:
Sergt. James O. Blakely, 1,2,3; commissioned as first lieutenant 19th U. S. Colored Troops December 8, 1863.
Sergt. Samuel McBlain, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17; also in battles of Hatch’s Run, March 5, 1865; Skunk’s Hollow, March 31, 1865; Five Forks, April 1, 1865; Appomatox Court House, April 9, 1865; promoted to second lietuenant 140th N. Y. Volunteers January 16, 1865, and to first lieutenant March 14, 1865.
Sergt, John H. Ostrom; left at Albany barracks, acting quartermaster, October 16, 1862; commissioned first lieutenant 176th N. Y. Volunteers December 30, 1862.
Corp. Thompson Barrick, 1, 2, 3 (bullet wound in neck); commissioned first lieutenant U. S. C. Troops March 26, 1864.
Corp. Franklin Cogswell; left sick at Albany barracks October 16, 1862; transferred to Invalid Corps April 1, 1863.
Corp. Robert B. Darling, 1, 2, 7; killed in action at Petersburg, Va., June 19, 1864.
Corp. Andress B. Hull, 2, 3; commissioned as captain 20th U. S. C. Troops January 14, 1864; served in "Department of the Gulf" until October, 1865; mustered out with the regiment at New Orleans October 7, 1865.
Corp. Hirah F. Olmsted; health failed; discharged on surgeon’s certificate of disability January 7, 1864.
Corp. Frank A. Wilder, 1, 2; discharged on surgeon’s certificate of disability April 25, 1864.
Private John L. Barrick; died of fever in hospital at Washington, D. C., November 26, 1862.
Private Elbert Traver, 1, 2, 3; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863.
Private Orrin G. Moore, 1, 2, 3; transferred to Signal Corps January 12, 1864.
Sergt, Horace F. Mills, 2, 3; commissioned captain 9th U. S. C. troops December 8, 1863.
Sergt. Rodolphus G. Warner, 1, 2, 3; commissioned as second lieutenant in company January 28, 1863; honorably discharged August 22, 1863.
Private Sidney W. Burroughs, 1, 2, 4; killed in action at battle of Wilderness May 5, 1864; commission as second lietuenant U. S. C. Troops received at the regiment after his death.
Private George H. Dickson, 1, 2; served as adjutant’s clerk and clerk at brigade headquarters.
Private Frederick Eastman, 1, 2, 3; transferred to Signal Corps January 12, 1864.
Private George McBlain, 1; died in hospital at Washington, D. C., February 11, 1863, of wound received at battle of Fredericksburg December 13, 1862.
Private Cyrus S. McDuffie,1, 2; health failed and he spent a large part of his time in hospital.
Private Albert Smith; died of fever at camp near Falmouth, Va., December 7, 1862.
Private Charles E. Thorne, 4, 6, 13; severely wounded at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864.
Private Gould J. Travis; health poor; was much in hospital.
Private George B. Wolcott, 1, 2, 3; killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863.
The term of enlistment of the 44th Regiment expired August 8, 1864. At that time the effective force "present for duty" of the original one hundred men numbered only ten. The remaining members of the company, both present and absent, were transferred to the 140th N. Y. Volunteers in October following, served with that regiment in the closing campaign- some of them to the surrender of Lee at Appomatox- and were mustered out in June, 1865.
The following brief summary but imperfectly exhibits the company’s usefulness in aiding to suppress the "Great Rebellion:" Of the one hundred men seventeen died of wounds received in battle; eight died of disease contracted in the service; twenty received wounds which did not prove fatal; seven were commissioned as officers of U. S. colored troops, five of them as captains; seven received commissions in New York volunteer regiments; twelve were discharged because of physical disability; nine were transferred to the invalide corps and three to the signal corps.
The record of the Normal school in the war would be incomplete without the following additional facts: Besides those already mentioned seventy-nine others served, with rank from brigadier-general to private. Four served in the Confederate army, one of whom was killed in battle.