Greene, New York is a small town today and it was even smaller during the Civil War. Lying along the Chenango River, up until 1812 it had been occupied by the Oneida people. In 1860, Greene village only had a population of 846. The larger Town of Green had a population of 3,809. Please note that while the village and the town are named Greene, they are not part of Greene County. They are part of Chenango County.
The Chenango Canal was opened in 1836, linking the Susquehanna River and the Erie Canal. Much was the work in digging the canal was done by Irish immigrant laborers. When the canal opened, it also opened trade routes throughout the Northeastern United States,
The Lyon Iron Works was founded in 1840 and it manufactured cannon balls during the Civil War. The iron works was later renamed the Raymond Corporation which became a major manufacturer of forklifts.
After the outbreak of the Civil War
