RICHARD BETTS -- 83rd and 97th INFANTRYTRANSFERRED FROM THE 83rd TO THE 97th IN THE FIELD - In answer toour comment on a Facebook page dedicated to the 83rd NY Infantry,Richard Heisler from Washington, mentioned Richard Betts who enlisted inPlattsburgh in the 83rd Infantry with about 100 other men from theClinton County area. Mr. Heisler's comment led us to a site dedicated toCivil War veterans from both sides who are buried in Washington State,Richard among them. Several men who enlisted in Clinton County are also buried in thisstate.According to the Crown Point Town Records of 1865, Richmond/Richard wasborn in Moncton, VT, in 1846 and he was living in Crown Point when heenlisted in the 83rd Regiment in Plattsburgh in July of 1863, as asubstitute for George Hawley Phelps. The record also says he was the sonof Jesse Betts and Joanna Kilbourn who were farmers near Crown Point. Inthe remarks section, it says that Richmond was transferred to the 97thInfantry in June 1864, and that his Post Office address after the warwas Crown Point.The 83rd Infantry was organized to serve for three years, and at theend of their term, they were formally mustered out at New York City inJune 1864. The spring of 1864 had been a particularly hard season forthe regiment -- about 250 casualties in battles such as The Wilderness,Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor, the 83rd's last battle.Before the regiment left for New York, the men who decided to re-enlist,or men like Richmond who had served less than one year of their promisedthree years, were transferred to the 97th Infantry while bothregiments were at Cold Harbor. The 97th fought for ten more months,mostly in the Petersburg area. In March 1865, they joined the AppomattoxCampaign and their war ended on April 9, 1865.Richmond was mustered out in the field in Virginia on July 18, 1865, asa sergeant. He came home, married, had several children and, by 1880,the family was living in Wisconsin. By 1900 Richmond was living inEverett, WA, about 25 miles from Seattle. He died and was buried therein 1901 at 55 years of age. His wife, Lodisa, lived until 1941.For a comprehensive overview of Richmond's life, including his struggleswith the government about his pension, go to the aforementioned siteabout soldiers buried in Washington which carries a whole page dedicatedto him at:[[https://www.civilwarvetswastate.com/veterans/detail.html?veteranid=17]{.underline}](https://www.civilwarvetswastate.com/veterans/detail.html?veteranid=17)Thank you, Richard Heisler, for brining Richmond to our attention.
