ROYAL CORBIN -- 16th INFANTRYRESIGNED HIS COMMISSION AFTER MALVERN HILL - On May 15, 1861, threeyoung friends mustered in the 16th Infantry in Plattsburgh, just a monthafter Lincoln's call for 75,000 recruits -- Royal Corbin as 1stlieutenant, Pliny Moore as sergeant and Frank Palmer as captain. Theywere assigned to Company C to serve for 2 years. Pliny and Frank stayedthe whole 2 years, Royal resigned his commission and came home afterabout 15 months.You can see a history of the 16th NY Infantry on page 61 of DuaneHamilton Hurd's, "History of Clinton and Franklin Counties"- https://books.google.com/books?id=rk4MAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=history+of+clinton+and+franklin+counties&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5o6bnsvHYAhWJu1MKHRQCAsAQ6AEIJzAA#v=snippet&q=shakspeare&f=falseRoyal, the son of Josiah Corbin and Margaret, was a teacher at thePlattsburgh Academy before the war and was in 11 engagements before heresigned including 1st Bull Run in July 1861, and Gaines' Mill, theregiment's bloodiest battle, in June 1862.The Plattsburgh Sentinel of August 22,1913, contains his obituary -- "Royal Corbin for many years a member ofthe Clinton County Bar, died at the Physician's Hospital at aboutmidnight Tuesday after a week's illness.Up to the time of his death, the deceased was exceedingly active inbusiness and city affairs, being corporation counsel of this city andengaged in the duties of his office at the time he was taken ill.Mr. Corbin was born in Champlain in the year 1834, where he received acommon school education. Finishing the High School course there, heentered Middlebury College from which institution he graduated withhonors. After completing his course at College, he taught school forseveral years and, for a number of terms, he was principal of the oldPlattsburgh Academy.At the breaking out of the war, he enlisted in one of the firstcompanies raised in this section, it being Company C of the 16th NYInfantry. After 18 months of service in the army, he resigned hiscommission and returned to Plattsburgh to take up the study of law. Hefirst practiced his profession at Champlain, and in 1870, came to thiscity where he remained an active member of the bar until his death. Fora number of years, he was associated in the law firm of Dobie andCorbin. The deceased was an active member of the Walter H. BenedictPost, G. A. R.Mr. Corbin was stricken with his fatal illness about a week ago, priorto which time he was in comparatively good health. His is survived byhis son, John Corbin, of Chicago, two brothers, George Corbin of thiscity, and Josiah Corbin of Champlain, two sisters, Mrs. Harvey Bosworthof this city and Miss Hanna Corbin of Champlain. His wife, the formerJeanette Evans Averill, died in 1910.\The funeral was held Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock at Trinity Church.Interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Champlain with his wife who died in1910."Photo courtesy of the Saranac Chapter of the D. A. R. in Plattsburgh.
