GEORGE R. BRIGGS – 34th INFANTRYDESERTED AFTER 15 MONTHS - On May 22, 1861, George R. Briggs enlisted in the 34th Infantry in Champlain with seventy-one other men. The 34th, called the "Herkimer Regiment," was composed of five companies from Herkimer County, two from Steuben, one from Albany, one from Clinton and one from Essex County, and was mustered into the U. S. service at Albany June 15, 1861, for two years.George was mustered in as a private but was soon promoted to corporal. The regiment left the state for Washington on July 3rd and was quartered at Kalorama Heights in the capital until July 28. They served along the northern shore of the Potomac in Maryland west of Washington. After four minor engagements, the camped near Poolesville, MD, until February 1862.They were ordered to march 30 miles northwest Harper's Ferry to become part of the Army of the Potomac. In the early part of March 1862, the 34th was in camp at Berryville, VA, and later in the month before sailing for Yorktown on the Virginia Peninsula.The regiment moved up the Peninsula and by the end of the Seven Day’s Battles on July 1st had received about 150 casualties 97 of these casualties were at First Fair Oaks at the end of May. They were then in camp at Harrison's Landing until Aug. 15th, when it was ordered to sail to Newport News, and there embarked for Acquia creek.After reaching Yorktown, George decided to leave the regiment on his own accord and deserted from there on August 19th before they were sent to the Maryland Campaign and their disastrous battle at Antietam. Could he be the George R. Briggs who enlisted in May 1863 in Grand Rapids, MI, in the 7th MI Cavalry as it was forming and who died as a prisoner of war December?
