LEWIS HENRY CRARY -- 16th INFANTRY and 16thCAVALRYIN TWO "16ths" -- INFANTRY AND CAVALRY - By the 1850s, Lewis Henry'sCrary's parents were established in Saranac. His father, Andrew Crary, aWar of 1812 veteran, supported his family by working as a bloomer in theiron mining industry. Within the next few years, he and his wife, HannahBullis, would have three sons in the military -- Chauncey, James, andLewis.Lewis enlisted in the 16th Infantry in September 1861, about fivemonths after they formed. He met up with his regiment while they werefighting on the south side of the Potomac, about 20 miles downstreamfrom Washington at Pohick Church.After spending the winter at Fairfax Court House, the regiment was sentto the Virginia Peninsula in May 1862. During the first of the SevenDays' Battles at Gaines' Mill, they suffered 231 casualties including 41killed in action and 17 mortally wounded. Going over Crampton's Pass ontheir way to Antietam in mid-September, the received another 63casualties and the next spring, just before they mustered out, they had154 more casualties at Marye's Heights and Salem Church which included24 men killed in action and 12 mortally wounded. Louis came home afterhe was mustered out on May 22, 1863, at Albany.About 18 months later, Lewis re-enlisted -- this time in the 16thCavalry. For his enlistment, he received a town bounty of \$850. Hepatrolled and fought in northern Virginia, then known as "Mosby'sConfederacy", until the end of the war, and was mustered out inWashington on May 29, 1865.In 1870, Lewis was working as a sawyer and was boarding in the house ofwidower, Andrew Darrah, in Saranac. Andrew's daughter, Jane, was keepinghouse for her father and five brothers and sisters. Lewis and Janemarried in 1872. Jane died in 1910 and was buried in the IndependenceCemetery. Lewis moved into his brother-in-law Nelson Darrah's home wherehe lived until he died in 1912. He was buried near his wife.
