Reuben Harvey
Reuben P. Harvey was born in the Southern Tier in November 1842, to Norman and Lois Harvey. The Harvey’s made their way to North Clarkson, and were listed on the 1860 Federal Census as farmers.
At age 19, Reuben answered the call for volunteers for the Civil War, and enlisted on October 18, 1861, at North Parma. He mustered in as private, in Company K. on November 23, 1861. Although we have no photographs of Reuben, according to the U.S. Civil War muster roll abstracts, he had blue eyes, brown hair, a dark complexion, and was approximately 5ft. 15 inches in height.
New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center
He was transferred from Company K to Company H on December 9, 1861. He re-enlisted on December 1, 1863. He appears to have transferred companies again to eventually end in Company G. According to the muster roll, his duties were as a saddler. A saddler is charged with repairs of all harness, horse, and other leather equipment. The type of saddle used in the Civil War was the McClellan saddle, adopted by the U.S. War Department in 1859. It was developed around 1855 by Captain George B. McClellan, as a modification of the Hungarian model used in the Prussian service. It’s also considered a modification of the Spanish tree saddle in common use in Mexico at that time, which had also become common in some parts of the U.S. This saddle was used up through WWI and WWII, with some modifications, and today the McClellan saddle is used by ceremonial mounted units in the US Army.
Reuben’s regiment left NY State on November 29th, 1861 and served in the defenses of Washington, D.C. on December, 1861. The regiment first came under fire at Winchester in May, 1862, where five dismounted companies were engaged. It distinguished itself during the siege of Harper’s Ferry in September by escaping through the besieging lines at night, capturing some of the enemy’s trains while on the way. It fought under Pleasanton in the famous cavalry battle of Beverly ford in June, 1863, where it sustained the heaviest loss of any regiment in the field—12 killed, 31 wounded and 7 missing. At Gettysburg it fought in Gamble’s brigade, Buford’s division, which opened that historic battle. Its casualties at Gettysburg amounted to 40 killed, wounded and missing. In the subsequent campaigns in Virginia it saw constant hard service, its list of casualties in Oct., 1863, amounting to 48 killed, wounded and missing. In Sheridan’s raids and the Shenandoah campaign in 1864, it served in Wilson’s division. It was with Wilson in the raid on the Weldon railroad in June, 1864, in which its losses were 117. Soon after in July 1864, Reuben came ill and died on October 10, 1864 at Hammond Hospital in Port Lookout, MD, before the regiment’s final battle at Appomattox in 1865. Altogether the 8th participated in over 130 battles and skirmishes and lost by death 13 officers and 92 men, killed in action and mortally wounded; 6 officers and 213 men died of disease (including Reuben), accident and other causes, a total of 19 officers and 305 men, of whom 3 officers and 70 men died in prison.
Reuben most likely succumbed to one of the many illnesses spreading around the military camps. More soldiers died of disease during the Civil War than were killed in battle. Intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, typhoid fever, and dysentery were rampant in the camps, along with various types of fevers, measles, chicken pox, mumps, whooping cough, and smallpox. In 1862, a hospital was established for the Union under the direction of Captain L.C. Edwards, Assistant Quartermaster. It was called Hammond Hospital and completed in 1863. It was located at Point Lookout, the southern end of the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. The hospital could hold 1400 patients and patients arrived to the hospital aboard ships. Shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, the federal government set up a prisoner of war camp nearby and Hammond Hospital also began treating sick and injured Confederate prisoners.
Reuben’s family was lucky in that his whereabouts were known and his body intact, to be transported back here to Parma for burial. Not all soldiers who perished in the war were able to be located, and therefore some families were never able to recover their loved one. Reuben Harvey sacrificed his life for the Union and we share his story to honor that sacrifice.