RUEL DICKINSON -- 16th ARTILLERY4 MONTHS IN ARMY 1865 -- PENSIONS RECEIVED UNTIL 1949 - In March 31,1865, Ruel J. Dickinson who was born near Lake George to farmers,Denslow Dickinson and Lydia Culver, enlisted in the 16th Artillery.Although he enlisted to serve for a 1-year term, he was destined toserve for only 4 months and 21 days. Two days after he enlisted for atown bounty of \$66, Petersburg fell.The 16th Artillery had been recalled from North Carolina in February1865 and had been supporting operations there. Ruel and two other menwho enlisted on the same day, didn't arrive on the battlefield until thesurrender on April 9th at Appomattox Courthouse.After the Confederate Army left the field and went home, the equipment,ordnance and ammunition had to be retrieved, organized and taken off thefield. This is what Ruel and his comrades did until they were musteredout on August 2, 1865, in Washington.Ruel returned to Warren County where he lived for the rest of his life.He and Amelia Putnam married and lived on their 100-acre farm with theirchildren. In 1889, he applied for a pension and in the 1890 VeteransSchedules it showed that he was suffering from the common veterans'complaint of chronic diarrhea. Ruel died that year when he was only 44years old and was buried in the Caldwell Cemetery in Lake George. Hismother, Lydia, lived until 1900 after being a widow for 40 years.Amelia's Widow's Pension went on until she died in 1949 and was buriedbeside him.
