JOHN ADAMS -- 65th INFANTRYIN MILITARY FOR LESS THAN 4 MONTHS - Seventeen-year-old John Adams, wholived in Beekmantown, enlisted in the 65th Infantry in Plattsburgh onMarch 20, 1865. He was mustered in on the same day to serve for 1 yearin Company F. George W. Larkin of Beekmantown, who was born in 1821,paid John to be his substitute in the Army. Most of the 30 other men whoenlisted with him so late in the war were substitutes and weredistributed through the many regiments in the 65th. In the Union Armywere 927 men by the name John Adams - New York sent 104 of them.By the time he joined the United States Chasseurs, as they were known,with the Army of the Potomac, they already had 517 casualties, most ofwhich were from wounds received in action. They needed men to performthe guard and garrison duties, so they could send the tired 3-year menhome. In all, 3,557 men served in the regiment -- some for longer thanothers. Many of the men who enlisted in 1865, took the bounty anddeserted. It was like trying to fill a bottomless pit.John was not one of the deserters. All of the men with whom he enlisted,also came home with him. They mustered out on July 17, 1865, at Hall'sHill, VA, across the Potomac from Washington, in Arlington, VA.After his sojourn of 3 months and 27 days in the 65th, John returnedhome to farm with his parents, John and Sarah Adams. They owned 100acres in Beekmantown.Does anyone know when John died and where he is buried?George Larkin died on May 22, 1886, and was buried in the SheltersCemetery on the Turnpike.
