JAMES REAY -- 118th INFANTRYDIED IN LIBBY PRISON - Men from Chazy, Ellenburg and Saranac wererecruited for Company B of the 118th Infantry in the summer of 1862.James Reay, who was born in Northern Ireland in 1812, enlisted at 45years of age on August 4th. He expected to serve for 3 years when he wasmustered in as a private on August 13th.He left his wife, Jane Adora Beggs, at home with 9 children, includingtheir last child, Charlotte, who was less than a year old.The 118th formed in Plattsburgh and on September 3rd, left by steamer onthe first leg of its journey to Washington and reached the capital inlate October with stops in Baltimore and Relay House, MD. The 1,000+ menserved in the defenses of Washington until the April 1863, when theywere ordered to the Siege of Suffolk with the Department of Virginia.They didn't lose their first blood until July 4, at South Anna Bridge,and, after one more minor battle, were sent to the Portsmouth area toperform garrison and guard duty.In March 1864, the 118th was in the field again at Ballyhack, VA, andthen stayed in the area until April 19th performing small raids. Theywere taken by steamer up the James River, landed at Bermuda Hundred onMay 6th, and two days later started May's non-stop battles -- FortWalthall and Chester Station on May 6th and 7th -- Swift Creek on May9th and 10th -- Proctor's Creek on May 12th and 13th -- and Drewry'sBluff that was fiercely fought from May 14th to the 16th.It was at Drewry's Bluff that James was taken prisoner on the 16th andtaken to Libby Prison in Richmond. During the battle 5 men from hiscompany were killed including his sergeant, Wesley Kent, from Ellenburg.Thirteen of his comrades were injured and 3 went missing and presumedcaptured. James died of disease in prison on May 29th and was buried inwhat would become Richmond National Cemetery. James is also commemoratedon a stone in the Ingraham Cemetery in the Town of Chazy. Did the familybring his body home?Jane started receiving a pension in December 1864 and received it until1891 when she died. After his father's death, one of James' sons, John,who was born in 1844, enlisted in the 5th Veteran Infantry on March 15,1865, in Plattsburgh.
