THOMAS DOWNEY -- 118th INFANTRYThomas Downey's Muster Roll Abstract says he was 5'4" tall and was a30-year-old bloomer who was born in Wilmington, NY. It also says heenlisted in the 118th Infantry on August 12, 1862, at Black Brook, wasmustered into Company K a week later. On August 30th, the day beforethe regiment boarded the steamer for Whitehall to get the train toWashington, he was promoted to corporal.Thomas was destined to be with the regiment until he was mustered out onJune 13, 1865, at Richmond, VA, and suffered along with the regimentthrough all its battles and skirmishes.Before the 118th got to Washington, they served near Baltimoreguarding the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad facilities. In April 1863, theyleft Camp Adirondack just north of the Capitol, and went to the Virginiapeninsula around Suffolk before going to the Petersburg/Richmond area inJuly. For the rest of the year, they fought back and forth in Virginiaand spent the winter near Portsmouth and Newport News in garrison andguard duties.In 1864, they were on the march again to engage in six months of heavyfighting -- Drewry's Bluff, Bermuda Hundred, Cold Harbor, Chaffin's Farmand Fair Oaks interspersed with minor battles. From March to the end ofOctober, the 118th sustained over 400 casualties. Their most bloodybattle wax at Drewry's Bluff in which 40 men were killed in action and15 were mortally wounded. The day before the Battle of Chaffin's Farm,they received their Spencer repeating rifles and the next day had 7 menkilled and 53 men wounded.After Fair Oaks, the regiment marched to their camp across the riverfrom Richmond. On the second day of April they watched the city's falland entered the city the next day. The 118th stayed in the Richmondarea until June 14, 1865, when they got on boats to go down the Jamesand up the coast to New York City. Five days later they were inPlattsburgh and were finally mustered out on June 26th.Charles was mustered out in June as a private having been returned toranks. In 1863, he spent a stretch in Hampton Hospital but recovered andwas well enough join his company and return to his home in the Town ofSaranac.Thomas took up his job as a bloomer again and, he and his veteranbrother, Lorenzo, both sons of Lorenzo Downey and Sylvia Washburn,worked together. Sadly, Thomas only lived a few more years. He died onJanuary 16, 1871 and was buried in the Independence Cemetery in Saranacwhere his parents are also buried. In 1874, a woman named Rebeccaapplied for a Widow's Pension based on Thomas' service, however, itwasn't granted.
