ORRIN SUTHERLAND -- 118th INFANTRYINJURED IN HAND AND SIDE - LATER DIED - Orrin Sutherland, Jr. enlistedon July 30, 1862, in the 118th Infantry in Schuyler Falls when he was 18years old, although relatives say he was only 15. He didn't muster in toCompany H until a month later in Plattsburgh, when he promised to servefor 3 years. His recruitment officer was David F. Dobie, 1st Lieutenantof the company under Captain William H. Bailey.The 118th had 1,040 men who left for Washington on September 3rd. Johnand his companions served in the defenses of Washington until April1863, before going to Suffolk, VA, in March 1863. For the next year anda half, he fought with the regiment fought through Virginia. In June 1864, they arrived at Cold Harbor, the battle the Army of thePotomac regarded as its, "Descent Into Hell". It was here that John waswounded in the hand and the side and later died in hospital. Two of hiscompanions from Company H, were also wounded, but survived. The 1865Town Clerk's Record says that Orrin was buried near City Point, VA,although no record of his grave can be found.The 118th's Records note that their casualties were, "1 officer and 8men killed, 23 men wounded, of whom 5 died -- a small loss consideringour circumstances -- our position chanced to be favored."In his history of the 118th Regiment, John Cunningham wrote, "I am onlymentioning what occurred along our small part of the miles-long battleline of our army at Cold Harbor, all, also, constantly engaged. Manyhard things are said of General Grant. He is called a \"butcher,\" \"aslaughterhouse boss\" and much else, because of his hurling men againstwhat plainly appears to us as impossibilities. An army is supposed to bean autocracy where men obey and keep their opinions to themselves, butit doesn\'t need a ballot to find out what soldiers think about ColdHarbor.We did not then know the reasons for keeping the enemy engaged were toprevent Lee from sending reinforcements against Hunter who was marchingdown the Shenandoah Valley against Lynchburg, and also to prevent hisearly discovery of Grant\'s flank movement to the James. So it was thatour fierce criticisms of our Commander came through ignorance of his\"reasons why.\" General Grant in his Memoirs said: \"I always regrettedthat the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made.\"Orrin, son of Orrin Sutherland and Rhoda Stickle, was a descendant ofRogart Sutherland from northern Scotland born in the early 1600s.Although, he had no children, his name, like his father's, has come downthrough several Clinton County Sutherland families.
