ABELARD DESROCHERS -- 153rd INFANTRYDIED IN CALIFORNIA - Abelard Desrochers was 21 years old when heenlisted in the 153rd Infantry in Champlain in September 1862.Abelard, who was born in Montreal, was a bookkeeper which helped him atthe end of his military career. He and 76 men in Company I went toFonda, NY, where the regiment was organized and they left for Washingtonin mid-October.For the remainder of 1862, the 153rd patrolled the capital area as aprovost guard and continued to do the same duties on both sides of thePotomac in 1863.In February 1864, the regiment was ordered to join the Department of theGulf in Louisiana to take part in the Red River Campaign. From March tothe beginning of July, they fought along the Mississippi beforereturning to Fortress Monroe in the East. The 153rd were sent toWashington to repulse General Jubal Early's troops which they did beforeseeing action in the Shenandoah Valley. On October 19th, Abelard waswounded at Cedar Creek.When he came out of hospital, he was on detached duty for the rest ofhis military career. He was an orderly in Divisional Headquarters untilApril 1865, then he was in General Dwight's Headquarters until June. Hewas a mounted orderly in Dwight's 2nd Brigade Divisional HQ untilAugust and, when the regiment moved to Savannah, he continued hisdetachment to the Divisional HQ. He was mustered out with his company onOctober 2, 1865.Subsequently, Abelard spent some time with 4th U. S. Infantry. In oldage, he was in the Soldiers Home in Yountville in the Napa Valley inCalifornia where local newspapers reported an increase in his pension in1895..
