ROBERT WILSON LIVINGSTON – 118(th) INFANTRYRAISED A COMPANY OF MEN - At 52 years old, Robert Wilson Livingstonenrolled in the 118th Infantry. He became the captain of his Company Fon August 20, 1862 and was with the regiment until he received twosevere wounds at Drewry’s Bluff on May 16, 1864. He was captured andthen paroled and spent over a year in hospital at Fortress Monroe, VA,before he was mustered out on June 13, 1865. His young lieutenant,William H. Stevenson, was killed while attempting to help Robert fromthe field.While he was in the 118th, he tented for a while with John Cunningham,the author of, “Three Years With the Adirondack Regiment”, theregimental history.John wrote this on December 31, 1862 – “Thus varied were the days of ourlife, weather having most to do with the question of whether the servicewas pleasant or otherwise. Rain or snow or cold was trying, especiallyon picket. In camp most of our tents had sheet iron stoves or small openfires. Captain Livingston and I tented together, and we had acomfortable tent with an open fire, and during the long evenings hadplenty of visitors. Captain Livingston was a college man, a lawyer, aneditor, a well read and entertaining gentleman. He could repeatShakespeare, Byron and other poets and literary men; had a largeknowledge of history and an excellent memory. So it was, that sitting byour fire with calling officer-friends, many an evening was delightfullyspent in just enough conversation to keep the Captain, who was naturallyreticent and modest, entertaining us. He was a dear, lovable man;honest, sincere and patriotic. His white hair and beard and pinkcomplexion added to the attractiveness of his genial manner. We allloved the "Old Captain" and he deserved it. While not a disciplinarian,he took no liberties with military rules and regulations so far as theyapplied to himself. As to himself, he was a martinet.”After his time in hospital, he returned home to his wife, the formerLucy Maria Reynolds. Robert died in 1886, five years after Lucy. Bothare buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Elizabethtown.His 2-column obituary can be found starting on the top left of page 3 ofthe Elizabethtown Post of February 4,1886, http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061913/1886-02-04/ed-1/seq-3/
