DAVID COLLINS -- 118th INFANTRYTHREE YEARS WITH THE ADIRONDACK REGIMENT - David Collins, who was alsoknown as Daniel, was working as a day laborer in Saranac when heenlisted in the 118th Infantry on July 29, 1862. He was born in 1827 inIreland, son of John Collins and Catherine Quirk. A month before theirfirst daughter, Ellen, was born in Saranac on November 27, 1856, Davidmarried Margaret Dwyer. It was Margaret's second marriage; she had beenmarried to Patrick Nash who died in 1853.David left his family at home when he went to war. The 118th were inWashington until the end of 1862 and then went to the Siege of Suffolkin April 1863.In the 118th's history, "Three Years With the Adirondack Regiment", JohnCunningham writes:"Monday, April 20. Having marching orders and six days' rations, we leftour pleasant and comfortable camp and boarded the transport Utica,starting at about noon down the Potomac. We were interested inAlexandria and very much so in Washington\'s Mount Vernon, which wepassed with tolling bell and uncovered heads.Coming on dark, we anchored at near the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. Asour orders were to proceed to Fortress Monroe, we quite easily guessedthat we were going to the relief of Suffolk, then besieged byLongstreet. It was somewhat rough on the Chesapeake and many were moreor less seasick. Stopping, next day, at Fortress Monroe for a while, wereached Norfolk late p.m. and entrained on platform cars for Suffolk. Itwas a warm, pleasant night and the boys were noisily jolly, hilariouslysinging and shouting."The 118th were engaged at Suffolk for a couple of weeks then had 4 morebattles in 1863 after May 4th, sustaining 11 casualties including 3deaths at South Anna Bridge in July.In 1864, they spent most of their time before Petersburg and Richmond.At Cold Harbor they had 55 killed. During the month of May, they had 199casualties including 42 who went missing. In 1865, they returned toPetersburg and Richmond until the end of the war. They were atPetersburg at its fall on April 2, 1865. They were on the skirmish lineof the 3rd Division when Richmond was finally occupied, and claim tohave been the first organized Federal infantry in that city.David died on March 4, 1895, at 72 years of age, and is buried in theIndependence Cemetery in Saranac. Margaret lived for 3 more years and isburied under a stone bearing both her husbands' names -- MargaretNash-Collins.
