WILLIAM O'BRIEN -- 118th INFANTRY2 YEARS TEN MONTHS AND 2 DAYS IN THE ARMY - William O'Brien, the son ofWilliam and Judy O'Brien, enlisted in the 118th Infantry in Peru inAugust 1862, twelve years after his father was buriedThe regiment organized in Plattsburgh and started for Washington withWilliam in Captain John Stone's Company K with 92 privates, a drummer, afifer, a wagoner, 8 corporals, 5 sergeants, and two lieutenants -- allexpecting to serve for three years.It took three months to get to the capital because they were detailed toguard train infrastructure near Baltimore When they got to theirdestination the men had to improve their living conditions by working incold rainy weather.In the spring of 1863, they were sent to the Virginia Peninsula andfought in coastal towns and cities never traveling up the Potomac. In1864, the 118th fought from March to the end of October and sufferedabout 500 casualties. They remained in the Richmond area for the winterof 1864/65 and were there on April 3rd, when the city fell.The regiment camped in Manchester, VA, across the river from Richmonduntil June 4th and they were put on transports to go downriver toFortress Monroe, New York City and then Albany and home.William returned to Clinton County where he married Marie Hammersley. Hetook jobs where he could to support his family and died in 1912. He wasburied in the Immaculate Conception cemetery with his father. Marie diedin 1928 and was buried under the same stone.
