Many of the cemeteries I have visited are well-kept, heavily landscaped, with monumental monuments to then-famous men. This year I happened upon an all-but abandoned local cemetery on the Hudson River an hour north of New York City. The site is the resting place of some veterans of the famous “Orange Blossom Regiment.” The regiment was the 124th New York which was formed in 1862 in Orange County. Many men from New Winsor and Kingston joined the regiment. The cemetery is located next to 3126 Route 9W New Windsor, N.Y.
Recently, the site was marked with a New York State historical marker.
People from nearby have been buried since the time of the Revolution. New Windsor was settled by Scots immigrants in 1665. Later Scots built the local Presbyterian Church. During the Revolution, Washington built the New Windsor Cantonment where as many as 6,000 Soldiers were camped.
The view of the cemetery next to the Hudson River across from Breakneck Ridge is Gothic on a foggy day after the trees have shed their leaves.
The Presbyterian burial ground has not been maintained but on Halloween it is a good place to encounter people from the Civil War Era.
The Orange Blossoms fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Appomattox.
Col. Augustus van Horne Ellis, who commanded the regiment, was killed at Gettysburg. He led his men while mounted because he wanted his men to see him to inspire them. After commanding them, he was hit in the head by a bullet and was killed.
All color photos were taken by Pat Young. To see more sites Pat visited CLICK HERE for Google Earth view.
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“because he wanted his men to see him to inspire them” – If political (not military) leaders did this today, might they think twice about war?