JEFFERSON COUNTY NEW YORK
CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS' BIOGRAPHIES
George H. Dryden
Union Soldier - Distinguished Service
George H. Dryden, son of John H. Dryden and Lydia M. Clark, was born in 1846 in Lyme, NY.,and at the age of 15 years enlisted in Company K, 94th New York Volunteer Infantry, in November, 22,1861, and participated in the battles of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsvlle, Gettysburg, and others, and served to the close of the war. George was mustered out June 28, 1865 in Albany, NY. He married Salina, daughter of Henry White, in 1867, and they had children as follows: Ella L., Burt J., Jennie M., Pearly G., and Lewis G. Mr. Dryden resided in Adams Center village. George died January 2, 1927 in Adams, NY.
Jefferson County Journal, Wednesday, January 5, 1927
CIVIL WAR VETERAN PASSES AWAY
GEORGE H. DRYDEN
George H. Dryden passed away Sunday morning, January 2, at 3:30, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H. E. Wilson, Adams, at the age of 80 years. Mr. Dryden was born in the town of Lyme, Jefferson county, in 1846, the son of John and Lydia Dryden. The family moved to Adams Center in 1855. When the Civil war broke out he went with his father as a volunteer at the age of 15 years and walked nine miles to Sackets Harbor with his father to enlist on Nov. 22, 1861, in Co. B, 94th Regt. N. Y. Vol. Infantry, and served through to June 28, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. He was a member of DeAlton Cooper Post, G. A. R., of Adams, in which he took an active part. He has been officer of the day a great many years and held that office at the time of his death. He married Salina White of Watertown, August 15, 1867, and lived at Adams Center where he ran a barber shop for 40 years and also carried the U. S. mail for 28 years. His wife died Feb. 17, 1921, and at that time he came to live with his daughter in Adams where he resided until his death.
He is survived by two daughters and three sons, Mrs. Ella Stevenson of Barnes Corners, Mrs. Addie Wilson of Adams, Bert and Perl George of Rochester and Lewis of Syracuse; also eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren; two brothers, Clark of Syracuse and Frank of Adams Center. The funeral was held Tuesday at 2 o'clock at the M. E. church in Adams, Rev. W. A. Gardner, pastor of the church officiating. The remains were placed in the vault in Elmwood cemetery to await burial in the State Road cemetery in the spring. The bearers were Will Jones, Arthur Greene, Dr. Babcock, Chester Williams of Adams Center, D. F. Griggs and Herman Denney of Adams.
Jefferson County Journal, Wednesday, February 9, 1927
Story of George Dryden and his Company
An interesting letter concerning Civil War days in Jefferson county from Charles H. Sprague, of Denver, Colo., was printed in the Watertown Daily Times last week. Mr. Sprague, formerly a well known realtor and clothing merchant in Watertown left this section several years ago, to take up his residence in Colorado. While here he was prominent in the activities of the G. A. R., and the Lincoln League. His communication follows:
Denver, Colo., Jan. 10, 1927. To the Watertown Daily Times:
I was grieved to read in your issue of the 3d inst. the notice of the death of my old Comrade Geo. H. Dryden of Adams. It recalled to my mind the inspiring spectacle of that 15 year old boy wallowing through the snow fully three feet deep, by the side of his father, John Dryden, both members of my company, K, 94th N. Y. Vols. It was on the 14th day of March, 1862, when the regiment was ordered te leave Madison Barracks for Washington. It had been snowing hard for 24 hours previous, and when we marched out the sallyport of the old stone barracks at Sackets Harbor early that morning, bound for Watertown Junction, it was still snowing and blowing hard. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the Junction where we entrained. This was our first battle. While it was a bloodless one, nevertheless, it was a long and tedious one, in which much suffering was endured.
We encountered our second battle the next day. This was with the ice and water of the Hudson River. While our train was crossing a small bay, on a
trestlework bridge, the baggage car, the car containing the horses and two coaches filled with men and their equipments, left the track and plunged into the river. In this battle, we lost five killed and several wounded. As I remember it, three of the killed were a father and two sons from the town of Worth. Their names, I cannot recall the battles of this regiment thus early begun, continued throughout the war with increasing casualties.
The regiment was all shot to pieces first year, so during the winter of 1862-63 it was consolidated with the105th N. Y. Vols., which had served in the brigade with us and was likewise depleted. The 105th lost its identity. The two regiments thus put together, numbered far below the maximum of a full regiment. Many raw recruits were added, to the regiment after this. Notwithstanding its heavy losses and hard service, continuously at the front, this old fighting regiment reinlisted, as a whole, for another three years, or as much of that term as its services would be needed to suppress the rebellion. It had the honor, the glory and the joy of witnessing the surrender of Gen. Robt. E. Lee and the rebel army, to Gen. U. S. Grant at Appomattox court house, Va., Apr. 5, 1865. The happiest day of my life. The regiment was mustered out at Albany, July 31st, 1865. As I was adjutant of the regiment at that time, the muster out rolls all passed thru my hands, thus I know the names of fourteen men were bourne on those rolls of the nearly 1000 men that left Sackets Harbor with the regiment in March 1862.
When I sat down to write this letter, I had but one thought in mind in regard to it. That was to correct an error in the notice of Comrade Drydens' death. These few old reminiscences have crept in. The notice of Georges death stated that he was the last of the 94th. - Now I have no desire, or intention of leaving this good old earth for some time yet. I know of three other old bullet proof veterans of the regiment who seem to be of the same opinion. Namely, Joe DeMarse of Mannsville, Delos Tripp and Joseph Fields, both of Watertown. Poor Joe, he failed to dodge all the bullets that came his way in the battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30th, 1862. He caught one of them in his right eye. But Joe never knew he stopped that ball, or whatever became of it, until several years after the war, when one day, while he was working at Sloat & Greenleafs planing mill in Watertown, his throat get so stopped up with dust it put him into a violent cough during which, that bullet flew out of his mouth. Joe can show the identical bullet, and his eye shows for itself where it went in. ln looking back to the day of my final discharge, 62 years ago, it is with pride and satisfaction I view the great prosperity and growth this nation has since enjoyed. Today it is the richest, one of the most powerful, the most influential and the best governed nation on the face of this globe. This is a rich reward for the bit which I did, in helping to preserve and perpetuate the legacy our continental forefathers by their sacrifices and suffering transmitted to our care and keeping nearly 100 years before that.
Very respectfully,
Chas. H. Sprague
1512 Steele Street
Sources:
Hamilton Child's Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N.Y., published in 1890, TOWN OF ADAMS
Newspaper - Jefferson County Journal - Wednesday, January 5, 1927
Newspaper - Jefferson County Journal - Wednesday, February 9, 1927