BERNARD and THOMAS DUFFY -- 65th and 98th INFANTRYONE CAME HOME EARLY - Two brothers enlisted in the 98th Infantry inChurubusco in the fall of 1861 and were assigned to Company B. Bernardand Thomas Duffy were the sons of Bernard Duffy, who was born in CountyCork, Ireland, and Helena Murray, also an Irish immigrant, born inWestmeath. Bernard and Helena married in Boston and soon moved toHemmingford, Quebec, where their first 5 children were born. Thomas wasborn in Hemmingford and Bernard was the first child born in the UnitedStates.Thomas was promoted to sergeant a month after enlisting. After drillingin Malone, the brothers went to went to Albany and left for Washingtonon March 8, 1862, for their 3-years' service.By April 16th they were at the Siege of Yorktown with the Army of thePotomac and, until the beginning of July, fought in Virginia. Their onlymajor battle was at Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines, as the South called it,with 71 casualties -- 26 captured by the enemy. The 98th was held inreserve during the Seven Days' Battles in late June and early July andit was right after this that 19-year-old Bernard was discharged and wenthome to the farm.In December 1862, the regiment was transferred to the Department ofNorth Carolina. Thomas stayed with them until June 8, 1863, when he wasdischarged on June 8, 1863, at New Bern, NC.On March 20, 1865, Thomas was enlisted in the 65th Infantry and assignedto Company C as a substitute for William H. Breed of Moriah, NY. He waspart of the Army of the Potomac until July 17th when he was mustered outwith his company at Hall's Hill, in what is now, Arlington, VA. Did hearrive in time to see the Surrender of Lee?Thomas' obituary was in the Chateaugay Record and Clinton County Farmerof April 2, 1920 -- "Thomas Duffy, an old and respected citizen, died athis home on River Street on Monday, Evening, at the age of 86 years. Hehad been in declining health for some time, due to infirmities of oldage. Mr. Duffy was a veteran of the Civil War and had been a resident ofthis village for a great many years. He is survived by his widow, theformer Katherine Cox. Funeral services were held at St. Patrick's Chapelon Wednesday morning, the Rev. Raymond Fitzpatrick officiating."Bernard never married and died five years before his brother, onSeptember 24, 1915, in Jay, VT. He was buried in the Jay CenterCemetery. William Breed, for whom Thomas had substituted, only liveduntil 1870 and was buried in the Brick Cemetery in Crown Point.
