HENRY FRANCIS NICHOLS COLLINS -- 2nd VETERAN CAVALRYKICKED IN THE TIBIA -- DIED OF TETANUS - Henry Francis Nichols Collinswas born in Clintonville in 1846. When he enlisted in the 2nd Veterancavalry on September 25, 1863, he gave his age as eighteen although hewas just a little over seventeen and working as a nailor in Keeseville.His father, Merrill, who was a mail carrier had been drafted in 1863,but never called to service, but his brother, Edwin, also a nailor, hadjoined the 22nd Infantry in 1861. So, when Henry left for war, hisfather was left at home with his mother, Charlotte Grover, and hermother, Harriet.Thirty-three men enlisted for the 2nd Veteran Cavalry in Keeseville thatSeptember. They went to Saratoga Springs to mustered into the newlyformed regiment which became known as the Empire Light Cavalry. The menleft by detachments for Washington and Henry, who was in Company I, leftin November. By December, the regiment was at its full strength oftwelve companies. They served in the Department of Washington, DC, untilthe were assigned to the Department of the Gulf in February 1864.On their arrival in Louisiana, they were attached to the 5th Brigade,Cavalry Division, 19th Army Corps, and embarked on the Red RiverCampaign during which they suffered seventy-seven casualties inseventeen engagements.After the campaign, they were assigned to patrol along the MississippiRiver and by June 24th were at Morganza where a regimental tent hospitalwas set up. They patrolled within a thirty-mile radius of Morganza forthe next few months, and sometime during that time, Henry got kicked inthe tibia by a horse. He was sent to the hospital in Morganza where hedied on October 10th after tetanus set in.The Chesterfield Town Clerk's Record of 1865, report that Henry wasburied in Morganza near the field hospital, but no record can be foundof a gravesite. His brother, Edwin, returned home safely from the war.
