ADOLPHUS LIGHT – 69(th) INFANTRYLIVED TO BE 105 YEARS OLD - In 1863, forty-three-year-old Elric LyndeNichols, a prominent merchant and businessman, had his name put on theDraft Registration List in Plattsburgh. The next year, he paid $300 toAdolphus Light to become his substitute.Over forty men were recruited to serve in the 69(th) Infantry inPlattsburgh in the late summer of 1864. The regiment, known as the“Fighting Sixty-ninth”. was originally recruited in New York City wherethey preferred to enlist men of Irish descent and their motto was,“Gentle When Stroked – Fierce When Provoked.” By 1864, men of allethnicities were gratefully mustered in.The Plattsburgh group was sent directly to Virginia about five milessouth of Petersburg where the regiment had just received 52 casualtiesat the Battle of Ream’s Station. Just after arriving in the area,thirteen of the men were captured by the enemy and taken to prison campsfurther south while still in camp. The 69(th) wasn’t engaged againuntil they reconnoitered Hatcher’s Run in December in preparation forthe battle in the following February.After winter quarters, the 69(th) came out fighting at Skinner’s Farmin February, the first real battle for the new recruits. During thebattle, they suffered 58 casualties. After that they went on theAppomattox Campaign, and was finally mustered out at Alexandria, June30, 1865.The Plattsburgh Sentinel of April 3, 1923, carried his obituary – Mr.Adolphus Light died March 18, at the home of his daughter inBeekmantown, at the age of 105 years. He leaves to mourn his loss oneson, Nelson of Plattsburgh and one daughter, Mrs. James Ducatte ofBeekmantown and also 25 grandchildren and 70 great grandchildren. Six ofhis grandsons were pall bearers, as follows: Fred, Frank and Sam Bouvia,William Bouvia, William Ducatte, George Brown and Ernest Light.Mr Light was born in Varennes, Quebec, in 1818, to Adolphe Petit ditLalumiere and his wife Emelie Racicot. In 1836, he came to this countyat the age of 18 and has resided here ever since. He was employed by F.Baker as a teamster who had the contract to handle freight fromDannemora to Keeseville, up to the year 1863, when he came toPlattsburgh to make his home. In the summer of 1864, he went as asubstitute for Elric Lynde Nichols, leaving a wife and seven children athome. After the War, he got into the employ of Mr. Norton as a teamster,which place he held until Mr. Norton went to Colorado. He then went toAltona to farm and stayed on said farm until about 14 years ago when,after the death of his third wife, he went to live with his daughter,Mrs. James Ducatte until his death.”Elric Nichols lived until January 1914 when he was ninety-two and wasburied in the Riverside Cemetery in Plattsburgh. He had been one of thedevelopers of the iron industry in the Saranac Valley and had, inpartnership with Henry Miller and J. D. Kingsland, formed the SaranacHorse Nail Company in 1874.
