FABIAN and HENRY MAYO -- 16th INFANTRY and 2nd VETERANCAVALRYONE BROTHER CAME HOME - Henry Mayo (Henri Mailloux) was the first childborn in the United States to Charles Mailloux and Madeleine Gingras. Heenlisted in the 16th Infantry in West Chazy in May 1861 and wasmustered into Company K which was filled with men from West Chazy andMooers. On June 26th, the 16th left for their 2-year adventure afterdrilling in Bethlehem near Albany. At first, they were assigned to theArmy of Northeastern Virginia under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell.The Army soon became known as the Army of the Potomac and it was theywho fought, and lost, the war's first major battle - the First Battle ofBull Run at Manassas, VA.The regiment went into winter quarters on the south side of the Potomacand wasn't in the field again until the next May. During their time incamp, Henry's brother, Fabian, enlisted in October and was assigned tobe in the same company. They had three engagements before the SevenDays' Battles began on June 25th. Two days later, their first majorbattle began -- the Battle of Gaines' Mill. Fabian went missing and waspresumed dead.Henry carried on without his older brother. He survived Crampton's Passand Antietam in September and Fredericksburg in December. The fightingstarted again at the end of April and by May 3, 1863, just a couple ofweeks before he was due to muster out, he found himself at the Battle ofMarye's Heights and Salem Church. He was wounded and captured but laterparoled and was mustered out in Albany with his regiment on May 23.According to Henry's Muster Roll Abstract, Henry had subsequent servicein the 7th Artillery and the 2nd Veteran Cavalry. Although the 7thArtillery Roster shows he enlisted on July 18th, he served with the2nd Veteran Cavalry after enlisting in July and deserted while onfurlough on November 17, 1864.In later life, Henry moved to Maine. He applied for an Invalid's Pensionon November 21, 1898 and his widow, Sophia, applied for a Widow'sPension less than a month later. Neither were granted.
