SIMON LAPORT -- 91st INFANTRYJOINED THE 91st INFANTRY TWICE - On September 12, 1861, Captain Revereswept through Redford and enlisted 25 men. One of them was SimeonSorel-Laporte, the 21-year-old son of Paul Moise Sorel-Laporte andMarie-Isabelle Bissonnette. He enlisted as Simon Laport and was musteredinto Company C on September 18th. After drilling in Albany for a few months, the 91st, also known as theMcClellan Chasseurs, left for Washington on January 9, 1862. They servedin the capital for a few months before being transferred to Key West,FL, then in Pensacola. Soldiers from the 91st took part in the raid onBagdad near Pensacola and even were part of a raid into southernAlabama. While they were in winter quarters, Simon was discharged fordisability on February 26th at Pensacola.After his recovery and his marriage to Virginia LaFountain-Potvin, hereturned to the 91st in 1864. For his re-enlistment, he received a townbounty of \$300, and was reassigned to his old company. In 1864, the 91st returned to Albany from Florida with 354 men. Theyreorganized and recruited and, 1,600 strong, became part of the defensesof Baltimore, MD, as in the Middle Department, and stayed there untilFebruary 1865. At that time, the regiment was transferred to the Army of the Potomacuntil June. They took part in the Siege of Petersburg and the AppomattoxCampaign, including the Battle of Lewis\'s Farm, Battle of White OakRoad, Battle of Five Forks, the Third Battle of Petersburg and pursuedLee\'s Army of Northern Virginia to Appomattox Court House, VA, whereLee surrendered his army on April 9, 1865. Part of their post-war dutiesincluded patrolling Washington until July 10th, when they were musteredout. Simon returned to the Saranac/Redford area to work and the couple hadseveral children. He started receiving an Invalid's Pension in 1872 andhe received it until he died on June 16, 1897, the year after hisfather. Virginia's Widow's Pension started in October. Lots of theirdescendants in Clinton County today. Please share with your LaporteFriends in Facebook.
