The feeling in favor of sustaining the goverment in pitting down the rebellion of 1861, was very strong in Sharon. If there wer any who favored weak measures and a vacillating policy, in dealing with the insurgents, they were very few and scarcely known to the body of people. During the first year of the war, volunteering was very prompt to the full number required to answer the calls of the government. When in 1862 the government found it necessary to require of the volunteers a longer term of service, a draft from the military subjects was resorted to to supply the demand, and the following names persons were the first conscripts from Sharon: --
|
Gorden J. Peet, |
Frederick Northrup, |
All the Above names procured substitutes, except William Chapman, who was a son of the late Lovell W. Chapman,
and who died in the hospital in Washington within a few weeks after being mustered into the service.
The town of Sharon had in the field, at differant times during the war, more than two hundred of its citizens or
thir substitutes, and her quota of soldiers was never deficient.
The Following is a roll of the soldiers who served in the army, and were credited to Sharon in the Adjutant General's
office. Many of the names were borne by substitutes.
|
John Anderson, |
Harvey Johns, |
At a town meeting held at the Town Hall in Sharon July 26, 1862, Samuel Roberts, Esq., Moderator, the following
preamble and votes were passed:-
Whereas, Under the late call of the President of the United States for the additional force of three hundred
thousand volunteers to put down The unrighteous and wicked rebellion, to restore the supremacy of law and order
in our land, and happiness to our beloved country ; it becomes the duty Of this town to raise about thirty volunteers
as her quota ; and whereas it is desirable and necessary that said number shall be put into the field without delay—
Therefore, as an expression of the loyalty of the citizens of this town and of their willingness and determination
to meet this and all other demands made upon them either by the chief magistrate of the Republic, or the executive
of our State, to support and sustain our government in this the hour of its peril, and to enable the government
(so far as it is our duty) to prOsecute the war to a speedy and triumphant issue—to expedite volunteering to the
number aforesaid,.
Voted, 1. That the selectmen of Sharop. be. and are hereby authorized to pay to each volunteer, who shall
enlist to make the quota of Sharon, under the late call of the President the sum of one hundred dollars, and to
pay the same, as soon as they are mustered and accepted by the United States, and that the selectmen draw their
orders on the town treasurer for such
sums.
Voted, 2d, That in case the Secretary of War, or the Executive of the United States, or of this State, shall
fix or recommend a sum to be uniformly paid to volunteers, as boUnty, through this State, or the United States,
the selectmen are hereby directed to comply with such request, provided that the bounty of any volunteer in this
town shall not be reduced after he has enrolled his name.
Voted, 3d. That, if there shall not be sufficient money in the town treasury for the aforesaid purpose,
the treasurer be and is hereby authorized to borrow, on account of said town, so much as will make up such deficiency
for theperiod of one year.
Voted, 4th. That the selectmen and the town clerk elect some person who shall be an inhabitant of this town,
and reccommend him tb the Governor of this State as a suitable person to be appointed as a recruiting officer in
this town, and a commissioned officer in such company as the Sharon quota may be placed; and in making such choice
they shall consider his efficiency as a recruiting officer, his ability to command and his probable acceptance
by such company.
Voted, 5th. That our representatives, Asahel A. Hotchkiss and John Henry PerLee, be and are hereby appointed
a committee to co-operate with and assist said recruiting officer.
Voted, 6th. That the selectmen make a written report of their doings in the premises at the next annual
town meeting.
The following resolutions were adopted, as expressive of the sense of the meeting:-
Resolved, That we look upon the present as the the crisis of the rebellion, a crisis from which we see no
deliverance other than in the most prompt and energetic action.
Resolved; That every person and every community of doubtful loyalty should be regarded as disloyal, and
the announcement should be made that we rely on no qualified Unionists to aid in this contest for great principles,
but must only in the truly loyal, who will sacrifice property, life and even opinion for the common good.
Resolved; 'That the time has fully come when we must strike for our national life, using every weapon God
hath given us, and calling to our aid every person who can be drawn from the rebels or added to our cause. That
a proclamation of the commander-in-chief declaring the provisions of the recent law of Congress to he the sentiments
of the government, and that they will be 'enforced, would secure to the Union; cause thousands of laborers, thousands
of fighting men, and Millions of cooperating well-wishers, that the welfare of our country, the lives of loyal
soldiers, and the happiness of loyal families all over the free States, demand the proclamation.
Resolved, That every day's delay complicates our relations, both foreign and domestic, gives the rebels
strength, and is wasting hundreds of good and true men, and it is far better that every rebel should perish than
that one more loyal soldier should die.
And, therefore, it is that we, with entire unanimity, most respectfully and earnestly call upon the President to
act in his capacity as Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and immediately issue the
order which will take from the rebels their great source of strength, while it will diminish their army by calling
to the defence of their homes large numbers of rebel officers and jnen, and to assure the President that in this,
as in every act of his administration, the people of the free States will sustain the policy, while the whole civilized
world will applaud the Proclamation of Emancipation.
Recorded by HARRY LOCKWOOD.
Town Clerk.
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