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crossed over to Pokeepsie on the ice. Mary and Julia met me on the other side although the walking was wet, and we walked up to be home together. I meant to have come down by our evening train as I had an appointment with the dentist at 9 this morning but they begged me to stay and I telegraphed Dr. Brown I would not be there. Old Mr. Gifford was there with Mary and I had a most delightful and satisfactory visit as I always do with these old friends and genuine people. I came down by the Hudson River train this morning and got here about 11. Found a most friendly and satisfactory letter from Booth in answer to one I wrote him last week. I am sure he esteems me and respects me and I am also sure that I regard him as a true and generous friend. There is also a letter from Strese offering me 175 for the picture which I told him he might have for $200. I suppose I had better swallow my pride and let him have it although I sincerely dislike this haggling. I wish I were in a position promptly to reject it. A feeling of discouragement is again possessing me and I dread the coming summer. I wrote a short note to Booth acknowledging his letter and telling him it was what I expected from him. In the as they were all going out from Marys feeling forlorn I went to see Dixie in Adonis. He is very amusing but I really reproached myself for spending the money it cost.

Monday 4 March 1888 Commenced a little twilight picture 15x18 but I have no enthusiasm left. I feel sad and anxious. Calvert called and a little later Bonyer. We are all worried. Called at Warrens in the evening. There were there a Mrs. Morton (I think and a Mr Spencer who has written 

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EEMAN THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 188

ULSTER'S NAVAL HEROES.

The Services of Some Who Participated in the Rebellion——Other Brief Sketches.

The war of the rebellion was the means of sending forth many men from Ulster county to defend the old flag that had been fired upon at Fort Sumter, and of late the historian of the "land forces" has been presenting through the columns of the Freeman a series of articles showing that no county in the Empire State did more to protect the flag of Washington than did the sturdy sons of Ulster's soil. But the historian who writes these papers, which are so interesting to every patriot, seems to forget that there was another class of men who fought under the old flag with Porter, Dahlgren, Dupont, Farragut, Foote, Drayton, Bailey, Morris, Marchand, Stringham and others of the navy who are deserving of some little credit for their achievements.

It is not the intention of the writer of this paper to enter into details and show up what each individual member of the navy did during the dark days of 1861-2-3-4-5, but to place on record the names of a few from Ulster county who, forsaking their business and the pleasures of home, tendered their services to the government, and served throughout the war with fidelity and zeal. The most deserving of these men were the boys who were not commissioned by the Hon. Gideon Wells, Secretary of the Navy, to wear stars, shoulder straps and gold lace, but those who enlisted for a definite period of time to carry out the orders of their superior officers. It would please the writer of this article to enumerate the names of all the "blue jackets" who served in the navy from Ulster county, but he is aware that the Freeman's space is too limited for such an enumeration. Suffice it to say that all to him known served their country faithfully and well, and took active part in some of the most memorable naval engagements the world ever saw.

Perhaps the outside world is unaware of the magnitude of our navy, or at least its magnitude during the years of the rebellion. Since 1797 up to 1881 there have been 351 sailing ships and vessels and 723 steamers owned by the United States government. During the war not less than 500 of this number were engaged on the blockade and in active fighting service, but since then most of these vessels have been sold, and at the present time our navy is small and insignificant as compared with the navies of the old world.

At the outbreak of the war a few of the Ulster county men were attached to the regular navy, and were the earliest to take part in the conflict. Among them was our highly respected townsman, C. M. Schoonmaker, son of Hon. Marius Schoonmaker. He entered the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1854. He served as midshipman till 1859, and in August, 1861, was appointed Lieutenant. In December, 1865, he was appointed Lieutenant-Commander, and was made a full Commander in 1873. During the entire war Commander Schoonmaker did noble service. He took part with Commodore Stringham at the capture of the forts at Hatteras Inlet in 1861, and shortly afterwards was assigned to duty in the Gulf. He served with distinction as executive officer on the Octorara and other fighting ships, and at the great battle of Mobile Bay, Aug. 5th, 1864, with Farragut, was attached to the monitor Manhattan. It was here and in the fight with the rebel ram Tennessee that Commander Schoonmaker achieved the greatest naval triumph, although the services of his vessel were never properly recognized by his superior officers or at the Navy Department. The writer of this article well remembers the morning when the Manhattan came up to the ram in close combat, with the muzzles of the huge cannon of both vessels not more than 20 yards apart, and the severe handling the Tennessee received from Commander Schoonmaker's 15-inch guns. The first shots deliberately aimed by the Commander's own hands had no effect whatever, but when he ventured to increase his charges of powder to 70 pounds the armor of the Tennessee was pierced, and havoc reigned supreme in the rebel stronghold of Admiral Buchanan's flag ship. The traitorous Admiral was wounded, several of his men were killed, and Commander Schoonmaker's heavy shot compelled him to surrender his vessel to the conquering Yankees.

Robert W. Shufeldt, son of the late George A. Shufeldt of Kingston, was another Ulster county gentleman who took an active part in the War of the Rebellion. In 1839 he was a midshipman, a passed midshipman in 1846, and a master and Lieutenant in 1853 in the regular service. He resigned in 1854, and for several years was in command of mail steamers sailing between New York and South American ports. At the outbreak of the rebellion he tendered his services again to the government, and was appointed an Acting Lieutenant in 1861. He was promoted to Commander in 1862, to Captain in 1869, and Commodore in the regular service in 1876. He commanded one of swiftest steamers in Wilkes's Flying Squadron in 1862-3, and his vessel captured many blockade-runners. He was a bold, brave Commander, popular with the rank and file, and before the close of the war saw considerable fighting. He is still in the navy, and Ulster county people may well feel proud of his gallant services.

LaRue P. Adams, another Kingston boy, and son-in-law of the late Judge William B. Wright, was a veteran of the late war. He was appointed from this Congressional District to the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1859, and before he was graduated was taken from the school and assigned to active service in consequence of the breaking out of the war and a scarcity of officers at that time. His first duty, if we remember rightly, was Midshipman on board the steamer R. R. Cuyler. He was made an Ensign in September, 1862, a Lieutenant in 1864, and Lieutenant-Commander in 1866. He served with distinction during the entire war and was always attached to fighting vessels. He was with Admiral Farragut on board the Hartford at the great battle of Mobile Bay. He commanded the second division of the Hartford's spar deck battery in the fight with the forts and iron clads, and was wounded. Two of his large guns were disabled and several of his men were killed. He was a noble and brave officer, and beloved by all who knew him in the service. He died in Kingston January, 1868, and was buried beside his father-in-law, Judge Wright, who died at the same time. He was a true friend to the writer of this sketch, who has never failed on Decoration Day to strew his grave with flowers.

Maurice W. McEntee, son of James S. McEntee, Esq., of Kingston, was appointed to the Naval Academy at Annapolis while the Hon. Marius Schoonmaker represented this district in Congress. He left the school before graduating and entered the merchant service. At the beginning of the war he tendered his services to the government with the thanks of the Navy Department, on the 15th day of August, 1865.

The foregoing embrace the names of all the commissioned officers in the navy from Ulster county who served during the Rebellion. There may be others, but if so they have escaped the observation of the writer of this paper. There are two or three others who, had they been old enough, would have added lustre to the galaxy. We refer to the following: Abm. Bruyn Hasbrouck Lillie, son of the late Rev. Dr. John Lillie of Kingston, was appointed a Midshipman in 1862. He graduated at the Naval Academy in 1866. He was assigned to active duty at sea and in 1868 was promoted to Ensign. He was made Master in 1869, and Lieutenant in 1870. He is still in the regular navy and a very efficient officer.

Charles Winans Chipp, son of Warren Chipp, Esq., of Kingston, was appointed a Midshipman in 1863. He graduated at the Naval Academy in 1868. After considerable sea service in foreign waters he was made an Ensign in 1869, was promoted to Master in 1870, and Lieutenant in 1872. He was an accomplished young officer, one who loved his profession, and was a strict disciplinarian. Hs principal service to the government was in exploring vessels to the Arctic regions, although we believe he took part in the expedition to Corea several years ago. For his executive ability he was selected by the Secretary of the Navy as one of the officers of the ill-fated steamer Jeannette recently lost in the Arctic sea near the Lena Delta. His reputation is not only national but universal, therefore he needs no further introduction from the writer of this sketch.

Washington Irving Chambers, son of the late Jacob Chambers, of Kingston, was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1871. He was recommended to the Secretary of the Navy by the late Hon. Joseph H. Tuthill, Member of Congress from this district. He graduated in 1876. He was made an Ensign in 1878. His principal sea service has been rendered on the coasts of Africa and Brazil. He accompanied the recent expedition to Arctic waters in search of the Greely party, and distinguished himself as a young officer of the first rank. At present he is assigned to duty on the Isthmus survey.

It has been the object of the writer in this paper to present truthful sketches of men who have served and who still serve in the Navy of the United States from Ulster county. If he has failed, the failure has been unintentional.

H. D. BALDWIN.
Kingston, Feb. 24, 1885.
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Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-27 20:34:51 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-03 13:22:55. The newspapers clipping was pasted out of order, but was transcribed in order, i.e., left column, right column, center column.