GEORGE O'CONNELL -- 26th CAVALRYIN 26th CAVALRY FOR 5 MONTHS - George O'Connell's grave is in RiversideCemetery in Plattsburgh, but he was born in Brandon, NY. Brandon, ahamlet in Franklin County, was named after Brandon, VT, and settled bypeople from that town.He spent 5 months in the war in the Company I of the 26th Cavalry, alsoknown as the 1st Frontier Cavalry on February 8, 1865. He and 73, other19-year-olds enlisted that winter. There were two young men who saidthey were 16, and were allowed to enlist, 30 17-year-olds, 10518-year-olds, and 30 20-year-olds. Of the 733 men who enlisted in theregiment, one third were under 21. Thirteen of them were promoted tocorporal which helped with their pensions. The oldest 2 men were 44years old. They all received generous bounties.The 26th stayed in northern New York and patrolled from Buffalo toRouses Point in 5 companies - A, H, I, K, and L. Companies I and L weremustered out in Ogdensburg. Company H mustered out at Madison Barracksat Sackett's Harbor, Company K at Fort Porter in Buffalo, and Company Gat the Plattsburgh Barracks under Captain Pliny Moore. The other 6companies were raised and mustered out in Vermont and Massachusetts toguard the northern border.After the war, George moved to Plattsburgh, married Henrietta Monroe andhad 4 children. He worked hard all his life and died when he was 81years old in 1927.His obituary was in the September 6, 1927, issue of the PlattsburghSentinel -- "George O\'Connell, 81, Civil War veteran passed away at hishome, 53 Main Mill street, Friday afternoon following an illness of morethan a year.Mr. O\'Connell was born in Clinton Countyand has made his home in this city for a great many years. He was amember of Plattsburgh Lodge 828 Free and Accepted Masons and Walter H.Benedict Post 366, G. A. R.Surviving Mr. O\'Connell are his widow and three children Monroe ofPlattsburgh and Clarence of Watertown, and Mrs. Clinton Myers of BluffPoint."George was buried with his wife, Henrietta, who died in 1905, inRiverside Cemetery, under a stone bearing the Masonic emblem.
