Little was done, however, at West Point, but military companies of exempts were organized in several towns.
The glad news of the treaty of peace, concluded in December, 1814, was celebrated in every town of the county with great enthusiasm, and included illuminations, cannon firing, speeches, toasts, and thanksgiving services in the churches.
Peace with other nations continued from the close of the War of 1812 until the war with Mexico, 1846-8. For this war New York City regiments drew a number of volunteers from Orange, but only one company was recruited in the county, and this was in Goshen, and it became Co. K of the 10th Regiment U. S. Infantry. Its captain was Alexander Wilkin and its lieutenant, Francis M. Cummins. Captain Wilkin resigned in April, 1848, and Lieutenant Cummins was promoted to the captaincy. The regiment with this company was attached to the Army of the Rio Grande under General Taylor.
[CHAPTER X.]
THE CIVIL WAR.
The patriotic services of the people of Orange County in the four-years' Civil War of 1861-5 were as praiseworthy as those of their ancestors in the two wars with Great Britain, which founded the Republic upon a lasting basis of unparalleled prosperity and progress. It was as necessary for the continuance of that prosperity, and as a lesson of our republican experiment to the world, to defeat the efforts of the slave-holding States to rend the Union in twain, as it had been to compel the kingly power across the ocean to let us establish it. This Orange County was quick to perceive and act upon.
Its Co. B, Third Regiment of Infantry, was the first company recruited and ready for muster in the State. Recruiting for it was commenced in Newburgh immediately after the passage by the Legislature, April 16, 1861, of an act to authorize the equipment of volunteer militia for the public safety, the movement being started by Hon. Stephen W. Fullerton, Member of Assembly, and placed in charge of James A. Ramney. There were seventy-seven men enrolled when the company was mustered in for two years, May 14, 1861—less than one month from the day the first man enlisted, and it had then been ready several days for mustering in.
The following regiments and companies were recruited in Orange for the Civil War, and there were many other enlistments from the county in other regiments and in the Navy:
Infantry: Third Regiment, Co. B, 1861; 18th, Co. D and Co. H, in part, 1861; 36th, Co. B, 1861; 56th, Cos. A, B, D and E, 1861; 63d Regiment, 1864; 70th, Co. F, 1861; 87th, Co. C, 1861; 98th, Co. C, 1864; 124th Regiment, 1,047 men in 1862 and one company in 1864; 168th, 335 men, 1862; 176th, 272 men, 1862.
Mounted Rifles: First Regiment, Co. C, 1861.