ROBERT DOWNING (BROMLEY) -- 11th CAVALRY and 1st VERMONT CAVALRYUSED THE NAMES DOWNING AND BROMLEY - Robert Downing who enlisted in the11th Cavalry on March 13, 1862, in Au Sable Forks, was born as RobertBromley, the son of William Bromley in Lewis, NY. William died whenRobert was two years old and, when his mother, Louisa, remarried, herhusband insisted that Robert change his name to Downing.The 11th Cavalry left for Washington from Staten Island where itorganized on May 2, 1862, and the eighteen-year-old was ready to servefor three years. Before he even went out on their first foray innorthern Virginia, Robert was discharged for disability on June 12thand sent home after three months in the military.Robert next enlisted in the 1st Vermont Cavalry in Shelburne, VT, inDecember 1863, and remained with the regiment for the rest of the war.In 1864, the were part of the second Shenandoah Valley Campaign, theGettysburg Campaign, the Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg,plus many skirmishes not connected to a particular campaign. He wasmustered out on August 9, 1865The 1st Vermont Cavalry's regimental heritage continues to becelebrated to this day with a State legislative decree naming the Corpsof Cadets at Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont, asmembers of the regiment. Members of the NUCC wear the crossed sabers onall of their uniforms and their insignia.When he returned to the North he lived in Jay in Essex Country for therest of his life with his wife, Juliet Peck, who he married in Jay tendays after his return, and their children using the name Bromley. Hedied in 1895 when he was about 50 years old and was buried in theCentral Cemetery in Jay under the name Downing.
