Wednesday, February 15, 2012

150 Years Ago: To Albany!

Judson Cheney
Born: May 11, 1838, Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, New York
Died: September 29, 1864, Chaffin Farm, Virginia
Relation to Author: 2nd Great Grand Uncle

On (or about) this day 150 years ago Judson Cheney and the 98th NY Regiment were mustered and inspected, and left camp in Malone and headed for Albany. Kreutzer tells us:
About the middle of February the different companies arrived at Albany and went into barracks at camp Rathbone. The quarters had been occupied by thousands before; they were fearfully filthy and dirty...

To many it was a treat to visit the city, the large stores, the saloons, the Delavan [hotel], the capital, the legislature. Hundreds came to visit us daily. We saw a great many officers flitting about in gay uniforms, and were forcibly reminded that fine feathers make fine birds...
I try to picture Judson walking with his fellow troops through Albany. I assume it was the biggest city he had seen.

Kruetzer goes on to talk about the shopping they did, though he is likely talking about his fellow officers and not the enlisted soldiers like Judson who probably didn't have money to spend.  But for the next month, Judson and the 98th NY will be in Albany.

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