AARON and RUEL BOYNTON – 96th INFANTRY and15th and 2nd PROVISIONAL CAVALRYBROTHERS WENT IN SEPARATE DIRECTIONS - Two sons of Aaron Boynton and Abigail Cochrane, who were farming in Ellenburg Center, fought in the Civil War.Their second son, Aaron Hall Boynton, was the first to enlist. He was recruited by Levi Smith, the 1st lieutenant of Company D of the 96th infantry, under the name Hall Boynton. Aaron was with the regiment until they mustered out on February 6, 1866, at City Point, VA. In April 1862, the 96th was on the Virginia Peninsula for a few months, followed by more than a year in North Carolina. In 1864, like so many New York regiments, they were near Richmond and Petersburg before the city fell. Right after the fall of the city, Aaron became ill and was sent to hospital at Point of Rocks, VA, but he rallied and mustered out with his company.Aaron’s older brother by 6 years, Ruel K. Boynton, who was born in 1830, enlisted in Churubusco in December 1863, in the 15th Cavalry as it was organizing. He was mustered into Company M. Between January and December 1864, the regiment had 37 engagements in northern Virginia and had over 180 men captured by the enemy with all other casualties amounting to less than that. In June 1865, the men who had served their term went home after the Appomattox Campaign and Ruel was transferred to the 2nd Provisional Cavalry. This new regiment was mustered out on August 9, 1865, at Louisville, KY.After the war, the men went their separate ways. Aaron went to New Hampshire where he died in Manchester in1909 and Ruel went West and died in Empire, MI, a hamlet on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, in 1910. Their parents are buried in the West Hill Cemetery in Ellenburg Center.
