WILLIAM R. WEBSTER -- 34th INFANTRY 44 YEARS OLD AT ENLISTMENT - When he was 44 years old, William R. Webster enlisted in the 34th Infantry in May 1861 in Champlain with 71 other men. The 34th, the \"Herkimer Regiment,\" included one from Clinton County and was mustered into the U. S. service at Albany June 15, 1861, for two years. It left the state for Washington on July 3rd from Albany where it was mustered. They stayed in their encampment at Kalorama Heights until July 28th, then marched westward to Seneca Mills where they were assigned to Gen.Stone's brigade. The regiment moved westward on the Potomac until mid-October and stayed at Camp McLellan near Poolesville, MD, until February 1862. In May 1862, the regiment moved to Washington in the 2nd Corps of the Army of the Potomac and got on boats bound for the Virginia Peninsula. After the Siege of Yorktown, the regiment had one minor engagement before it got to Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) on May 31st. During this battle, William was wounded and was sent to hospital. He rejoined his regiment in February 1863 while they were at Falmouth, VA, just north of Fredericksburg. While a prisoner, he missed the Seven Days' Battles, Antietam, 34th's bloodiest battle, and the Battle of Fredericksburg. After a few forays, early in the year, the 34th remained in Falmouth until the Chancellorsville Campaign. In early April the regiment moved to Bank's Ford and was active at Chancellorsville but suffered no casualties. On the 18th of April the regiment broke camp. From this time until the expiration of its term of service on the 8th of June 1863, it was in no serious engagement. On the 8th of June the men left for home and were escorted to their railroad cars by the 82nd New York and the 1st Minnesota. They proceeded to Albany via Washington. Upon their arrival there an invitation was extended to them by the citizens of Herkimer County to visit Little Falls before being mustered out. It was accepted, and the 27th of June fixed upon as the day. The arrangements were carried out, and the event was a joyous one. On the 30th of June the regiment was mustered out and the men returned home, sustaining a proud record. The regiment went out 786 men strong and they mustered out only 400 of their original number. There are no other records for William. Maybe he went back to Canada after his time in the military.
