TRUMAND DEFOREST BOWEN -- 118th INFANTRYTHANKSGIVING WITH THE 118th INFANTRY - The 118th Infantry celebratedtheir first Thanksgiving away from home near the earthwork fortificationof Fort Ethan Allen in Alexandria, VA. The remains of the fort can stillbe seen in Fort Ethan Allen Park on the Potomac.Truman Deforest Bowen who enlisted in Saranac on August 11, 1862, wasone of the men who was there. For several days before the celebration,the men went about their duties in the cold and "shivery" weather. Theirduties consisted of regular guard duties and also fatigue dutiesreinforcing the earthworks. They raised redans, which were arrow-shapedembankments on which they placed gunbeds at Fort Ethan Allen and nearbyFort Marcy. On November 15th, General Abercrombie and some of his staffcame across the river to watch the men work and chatted with them"pleasantly" for half an hour.Truman suffered all the tribulations and joys of the 118th and musteredout on June 19, 1865, at Richmond, VA, to return to his wife, Julia, anda daughter, as well as his parents, Amos Bowen and Lydia Cromack.His lengthy obituary was in the Plattsburgh Sentinel of October 30,1908. The first portion of which is shown here:Truman D. Bowen, one of Saranac\'s most esteemed and most highlyrespected citizens, passed away at 9 o\'clock Tuesday morning, Oct. 13,1908, at his home in Saranac. Mr. Bowen had been in failing health forsome time. About twelve years ago he suffered a severe attack ofpneumonia, and his recovery at that time was a great surprise to allattending physicians. Again, about three years ago he passed through acritical period of severe illness, from which he never fully recovered.His death, however, came as a sudden and unexpected blow to his familyand friends. Mr. Bowen\'s career was a long and eventful one from thecradle to the grave, his life was full of hard and steady toil. His wasa life of activity, of care and of responsibility. He Was born March28,1832 in Plattsburgh, where he lived until he was 16 years of age;then came to Saranac. From this time until he was 28 yean of age histime was spent in pursuing the trade of carpenter in Saranac andvicinity, with the exception of 5 years spent in the west.On January 1, 1S61, in his 28th year, he married Julia A. Haynes,daughter of the late Samuel Haynes of Saranac, who with 8 of their 12children still survive him. On the 11th day of August, 1862: he heardthe anxious call of his country for strong young manhood, and leavinghis young wife and newly-born child at the home of his wife\'s parents,he responded with all the patriotic love and zeal of an Americancitizen, and he enlisted as a private; in Co. B, 118 Regt. NY Volunteersto sacrifice three of the very best years of his life on the altar ofhis country. He was prominent at the Battles of Cold Harbor, Petersburg,Fair Oaks, Drury\'s Bluff and the capture of Fort Harrison and waspresent at Richmond when Lee gave over his sword to Grant. On May 16,1864, he was promoted to Corporal and on Dec. 24 of the same year he wasmustered in as Commissary Sergeant, which position he held till theclose of the war. He was honorably discharged June 19, 1865. When theterrible conflict was over and sweet peace again settled over the land.He came back from the war broken and feeble in health to again take upthe duties of life where three long and terrible years before he hadlaid them down. The second half of his obituary can be seenat: http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn88075736/1908-10-30/ed-1/seq-7/If you have a subscription to Ancestry, you can see many pictures abouthis life by clicking on his picture at;https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/43154964/person/12626096027/story?ssrc
