ISRAEL AYOTTE -- 96th INFANTRYDECIDED NOT TO RETURN TO HIS REGIMENT - Israel Ayotte was in the 96thInfantry for 2 years and 4 months - from December 10, 1861 when heenlisted to when he deserted on April 5, 1864. He was mustered intoCompany B in Plattsburgh on December 10th, under the name Ayott, withJulius Real and Nicholas Lapierre from the local area, they expected toserve for 3 years.The regiment didn't leave Plattsburgh until March 1862, with 3 companiesfrom Warren County, 3 from Clinton, 3 from Essex, and 1, Company K,which was made up of men from all 3 counties. They spent the timedrilling on the Military Reservation in Plattsburgh before they took asteamer up the lake to take a train at Whitehall.The 96th was with the Army of the Potomac until September 1862. Assoon as they arrived in Washington, they were sent to the Siege ofYorktown. They didn't lose any blood until the end of May at the Battleof Seven Pines in Virginia. A day or two later, they were at the Battleof Fair Oaks where 11 men were killed or mortally wounded, 27 wereinjured and 20 went missing or were captured. During the Seven Days'Battles, they had only 1 killed and 1 injured, but 79 men were capturedor went missing.After a hiatus until early October and a battle at Blackwater, VA, theyfound themselves on the Expedition from Goldsboro to New Berne in NorthCarolina in December. They stayed in North Carolina for the rest of 1862and all of 1863 receiving no further casualties.On January 1, 1864, Israel re-enlisted as a veteran and three monthslater, was promoted to corporal. Things seemed to be going well for him,but, suddenly, on April 5, 1864, at the end of his veteran's furlough inPlattsburgh, he decided not to go back to his regiment and, on hisMuster Roll Abstract, was listed as a deserter. The regiment went on totwo of their worst battles -- Chaffin's Farm and 2nd Fair Oaks inSeptember and October of 1864.On the 1890 Veterans Schedules, Israel is listed as living in Michigan.He had married a Canadian-born woman, Marie Pelland, in Michigan about1870. They had one child of their own and Israel had one from a priorrelationship. He died on December 16, 1921, in Banks, MI, and was buriedin the Lakeview Cemetery in Eastport, in the same state.
