Miscellaneous

Occupations

(Page numbers in parents after each segment)

The breaking out of the rebellion, in April, 1861, seriously crippled the company by the depletion in its ranks caused by the enlistment of several of its members in Company F, Second Vermont Regiment, and by others who had obtained positions in various departments of war. The ranks, were, however, partially filled by the accession of other young men who arrived at the age of maturity at about that time. But the continuous enlistments of its members in response to successive calls for troops had a telling effect upon it, for in September, 1862, after the raising of Company B, Tenth Vermont, Company I, Thirteenth Vermont, the Eleventh Infantry and First Cavalry regiments, it was reduced to eighteen members; and then, in order to continue its existence, it was obliged to admit men who were mainly too old to fight for their country. foreman Crossman, having been among the first to enlist in 1861, was succeeded by George S. Robinson, who, in turn, in September, 1862, "buckled on the sword" presented him by Capitol, No. 5, mentioned hereafter, he being succeeded by Oliver R. Dutton. Continuous changes were made all through the rebellion, no less than sixty of its members having volunteered their services in the defence of their country. Of these, five (Omri S. Atherton, Selden B. Harran, Charles W. Storrs, gilman D. Storrs and Lorenzo E. Stowe) lost their lives in the service; and four others, (Horace F. Crossman, Oscar H. Sears, Charles Henry Clogston and Elverton W. Loomis) lost a limb--the two former a leg and the two latter an arm. In addition to the sixty members who enlisted, the company has had in its membership sixty others who were veterans of the war, which shows what material it had been composed of. By a vote of the company passed in the early days of the rebellion, the names of all members who enlisted without withdrawing from the company were kept upon the active list, to have their places upon their return home rom the army. November 30, 1861, Jerome E. Ballou, a member of the company who was then at the front serving in Company F, Second Vermont Regiment, sent home and presented to the company a handsome speaking-trumpet, which was most thankfully received, and a vote of thanks was extended to him. (15-16)

Horace F. Crossman, [Foreman,] Elected March 5, 1860, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. [Henry] Barnes; held the office until the expiration of his term, November 29, 1860, when he declined a re-election. At the breaking out of the rebellion in April, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Second Vermont Regiment. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant May 20, 1861; as First Lieutenant January 24, 1862; as Captain October 1, 1862. He was severely woudned at the battle of Marye's Hights (sic) May 3, 1863, which necessitated the amputation of his leg. He died in Washington, D.C., August 5, 1867, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in Virginia. (29-30)

Robert J. Coffey, [Foreman,] Elected November 29, 1876; re-elected November 28, 1877, serving until November 29, 1878. Foreman Coffey was the first man in Montpelier to offer his services in defence of his country, which he did at the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861, joining the First Regiment, Vermont Volunteers. After the expiration of his term of service he re-enlisted in the Fourth Vermont Regiment, and was made Orderly Sergeant of Company K. He was severely wounded in September, 1864, which disabled him for further service in the army. In March, 1881, he removed from Montpelier, and now resides in Windsor, Vt.(31-32)

William H. Clark, [First Assistant Foreman,] Elected February 13, 1871, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. [Orville] Dewey; re-elected November 28, 1871, serving until November 27, 1872. December 1, 1878, Mr. Clark suddenly left town for the purpose, it is supposed, of joining the United States Regular Army, since which time nothing definite has been learned as to his whereabouts. He was a veteran of the war of the rebellion and seemed to enjoy army life. It is believed by his friends that he is now dead, as a Sergeant William H. Clark was reported among the list of killed in an engagement with the Indians in the Summer of 1879. (33)

Edgar P. Sloane, [First Assistant Foreman,] Elected November 30, 1870; re-elected in November, 1871, serving until November 27, 1872. His present residence is Montpelier. (35)

J. Corwin Taplin, [Treasurer,] Elected at the time of the organization of the company, January 4, 1860; served until November 29, 1860. Removed from town in 1876, and now resides in Philadelphia, Penn. (38)

Henry C. Lull, [Treasurer,] Elected November 29, 1871; re-elected in November, 1872, serving until November 26, 1873. Resides in Montpelier. (38)

Lucius S. Goodwin, [Steward,] Elected November 24, 1880; re-elected in 1881 and 1882, and served until November 28, 1883. Removed to Dakota in April, 1884, where he now resides at Fargo. (41)

James J. Young, [Steward,] Elected November 28, 1883; re-elected in 1884 and 1885, holding the office at the time the company disbanded. Residence, Montpelier. (41)

See also Colby Rucker's Members of a Montpelier Fire Department in the Civil War for more a detailed list of Civil War veterans from this Fire Department Company.