RICHARD O. WEBB -- 16th INFANTRY At 31 years old, Richard O. Webb, who was born in Plattsburgh, enlisted in the 16th Infantry, or the 1st Northern New York Regiment, which was recruited mainly in St. Lawrence and Clinton Counties, with one company from Franklin County. He enlisted in Plattsburgh to serve for two years as a private.They were mustered into the service of the United States at Albany on May 15, 1861, and went into camp near Bethlehem, NY, and left the state by train for Washington on June 26th. The regiment was assigned to the Army of Northeastern Virginia, and, on July 11th, they went to Manassas or 1st Bull Run, where they were engaged for a short time on the 21st and returned immediately to Alexandria. Two months later, the regiment was ordered to Fort Lyon and attached to the Army of the Potomac. The Winter of 1861-62 was passed at Camp Franklin near Fairfax Seminary in Alexandria where they remained until April 6th, before being ordered to Catlett's Station about 40 miles southwest of the capital but returned to camp immediately and were then ordered to Yorktown on the coast, where they arrived on May 3rd. The regiment saw action at West Point and at Gaines' Mill on June 27, 1862 and received over 200 killed and wounded. The 16th was present through the remainder of that week of battle but was not closely engaged, then encamped at Harrison's Landing until August 16th when they returned for a brief period to Alexandria. In the battle at Cramton's Gap on September 14th, they were in the advance and lost heavily in a brilliant dash with 63 casualties including 18 killed in action. The regiment was held in reserve at Antietam three days later, but still had one man mortally wounded. At Fredericksburg in December, they were on picket duty and after the battle went into winter quarters near Falmouth. They joined Burnsides' ill-fated "Mud March" in January 1863 and were active in the Chancellorsville Campaign, with a loss at Salem Church of 20 killed, 87 wounded and 49 missing. A few days were spent at Bank's Ford, then a short time back in the old camp at Falmouth, and on May 22, 1863, the regiment was mustered out at Albany. About a year after returning to Plattsburgh and his parents, Horatio Webb and Polly Winters, he was married to Alfarat Laflin in Watertown where he lived until shortly before he died.The Watertown Herald of January 18, 1902, carried his death notice --"WEBB -- In the city of Syracuse, on January 15, 1902, Richard O. Webb, formerly a resident of this city."
