One of the recruits from Tioga County
volunteering to serve in New York's Third Regiment, Company H, was Lyman Powell.
According to the National Park Service on-line records, this unit was organized
at Albany, N. Y., and mustered in May 14, 1861, for two years' service. Briefly,
this unit left the State for Fortress Monroe, Va., May 31, 1861, and served
there till July 30. This unit moved to Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Md., July 30, and
served there until June
6, 1862. Attached to Fort Monroe and Camp Hamilton, Va., Dept. of Virginia. to
July, 1861. Dix's Command, Baltimore, Md., to June, 1862. Mansfield's Division,
Newport News, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to July, 1862. Weber's Brigade, Division
at Suffolk, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to September, 1862. Fortress
Monroe, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to April, 1863. Suffolk, Va., 1st Division, 7th
Army Corps, Dept of Virginia, to July, 1863.
The Third New York participated in the Battle of Big
Bethel on June 10, 1861, the first land battle on Virginia soil. It was a
disaster for the Federal army. The following account of the battle comes from
the Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War.
This early engagement in
southeastern Virginia was one of 3 during June 1861 in which the Union army
cautiously felt out Confederate positions. Big Bethel caused some embarrassment
for the North, ended the life of Union Maj. Theodore Winthrop-a brilliant young
author-and brought Confederate Maj. George W. Randolph, commanding an artillery
battalion, to the attention of his superiors, who marked him for advancement;
Randolph became a brigadier general and Confederate secretary of war.
Union Col. Joseph B. Carr, later a
major general, called it "the disastrous fight at Big Bethel-battle we
scarce may term it." The Federals proved too green, especially against the
Confederate earthworks toward which they blundered during the night, even
dragging one cannon by hand. Some of the Northern regiments had gray uniforms;
thus the 3d New York drew fire from the 7th New York, whose commander, Col. John
Bendix, had not been given the watchword. The attacked Federals continually
shouted the watchword "Boston," but Bendix, unaware of its
significance, assaulted. After a short retreat the error was discovered, but
meanwhile the 2 Federal regiments in the vanguard, hearing the firing, concluded
that the Confederates had reached their rear and immediately retired. Now, with
hopes of any surprise gone, the Northern commanders regrouped piecemeal.
One Union colonel recalled
that "for at least one mile from the scene of the action the men and
officers were scattered singly and in groups, without form or organization,
looking far more like men enjoying a huge picnic than soldiers awaiting
battle." The Confederates fired at first inaccurately but soon found the
range. After an hour's hesitant and confused attack, the Union troops retired,
having engaged over 2,500 men arid lost 18 killed, 53 wounded, 5 missing. The
Confederates had engaged 1,200 with only I killed and 7 wounded. Elated and
encouraged, Southerners displayed trophies of the fight in Richmond store
windows.
Two letters [that have survived] that were
presumably sent to the
Goodrich family are shown here [see links above]. The letters are not addressed
to anyone specifically but it is assumed they were intended for Stephen Goodrich
(brother of Augusta), in whose home they were later found, and who was
approximately the same age as Lyman Powell and the other "boys of Tioga
County" who enlisted.
