D.

REGIMENTAL ROSTER AND

STRENGTH OF COMPANIES IN

THREE MONTHS' SERVICE.

The regiment left the Strand by the steamer Manhattan, with a barge alongside, on Sunday, April 28th, and after a stay of some days in New York City, during which it was the first regiment to occupy the Park Barracks, it proceeded to Annapolis, Md., where it was mustered into the United States service by Lieutenant Putnam, United States Engineers, and then went to Annapolis Junction, relieving Schwatzewalder's Fifth New York in guarding the line of railroad from Annapolis to the Junction and a portion of the road from Baltimore to Washington, with its headquarters at the Junction.

The strength of the regiment when it left home was 815.

Field Officers.-Colonel Gorge W. Pratt, LieutenantColonel Hiram Schoonmaker, Major Theodore B. Gates.

Commissioned Staff-Jacob B. Hardenburgh, Adjutant; John S. Griffiths, Quartermaster; Peter B. Overbagh, Paymaster; William Lounsbery, Commissary; Major A. Crispell, Surgen; Captain Leonard Ingersoll and Lieutenant R. Loughran, Assistant Surgeons; Daniel T. Van Buren, Captain of Engineers; William Darrah, Chaplain.

Non-Commissioned Staff.-P. Freeman Hasbrouck, Sergeant-Major; Charles Schryver, Quartermaster's Sergeant; Henry Mick, Sergeant Standard Bearer; Augustus Geoller, Drum-Major; A. Webster Shaffer, Sergeant of Sappers.

Line.-Company A, 73 men; J. B. Webster, Captain; A. G. Barker, First Lieutenant; James Stevens,

Second Lieutenant. Company B, 113 men; George H. Sharpe, Captain; Jacob Sharpe, First Lieutenant; Cornelius J. Houtaling, Second Lieutenant. Company C, 91 men; J. Rudolph Tappen, Captain; W. A. Van Rensselaer, First Lieutenant; Peter S. Voorhees, Second Lieutenant. Company D, 74 men; Davis Winne, Captain; John Hussey, First Lieutenant; John M. Schoonmaker, Jr., Second Lieutenant. Company E, 68 men; William Lent, Captain; Jacob A. Blackman, First Lieutenant; Nicholas Sahn, Second Lieutenant. Company F, 63 men; Patrick J. Flynn, Captain; Edward O'Reilly, First Lieutenant; John Murray, Second Lieutenant. Company G, 80 men ; James T. Hendricks, Captain; James D. Balen, First Lieutenant; S. W. Millar, Second Lieutenant. Company H, 87 men; John Derrenbacher, Captain; Jervis McEntee, First Lieutenant; Lawrence Stoker, Second Lieutenant. Company R, 109 men; Wade H. Steenbergh, Captain; George Wheeler, First Lieutenant; Cornelius C. Bush, Second Lieutenant; Ambrose N. Baldwin, Jr., Second Lieutenant. There was also a squad of sappers and miners consisting of nine men.

On the first of June Lieutenant-Colonel Schoonmaker resigned and Major Gates became the Lieutenant-Colonel, Adjutant Hardenburgh became the Major and M. W. McEntee was commissioned Adjutant.

E.

FLAG PRESENTATION BY THE LADIES OF SAUGERTIES—REV. MR. GASTON'S ADDRESS-ION. T. R. WESTBROOK'S REPLY-LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS—

COLONEL GATES' LETTER ON RECEIPT OF COLORS.

On the 15th of December, 1862, the ladies of Saugerties, Ulster County, N. Y., presented to the regiment a magnificent banner, made by Messrs. Tiffany & Co., of New York City. The ceremonies took place in the lecture-room of the Reformed Dutch Church, before a large and intelligent audience. The exercises were opened by the Rev. S. Fitch, former chaplain of the Twentieth, in a fervent and patriotic prayer.

The presentation address was made by the Rev. J. Gaston.

He commenced by saying, that before he entered upon the discharge of the service which the patriotic ladies of the town had devolved upon him, he desired to call attention briefly to a few of the prominent features of the gigantic rebellion, which had necessitated such ceremonies as those in which they were about to engage.

He then proceeded to show the monstrous iniquity of secession, and how utterly unjustifiable it was, and how disastrous its consequences would be in any event. He concluded as follows:

"Where is the man among us so unpatriotic, and so lost to the political happiness of himself and posterity, that wishes to outlive this dire calamity? Our country is worth preserving. Here our fathers lived, labored and died. Here their graves are kept green by the careful hands of filial affection. Here are all our earthly hopes. And shall we let this noblest of all

republics perish, founded by the united wisdom, and cemented by the blood of our sires? Shall we consent to throw away the land of happy homes and Christian privileges? No! let the thought perish; this war, if needs be, must go on. It is a holy cause; a war of defence, not of aggression; not of invasion, but of resistance to intensified wrong.

"To draw back, in this the day of our nation's peril, would be ungrateful to our country, unjust to ourselves, and untrue to our children. We dare not suffer it to be rashly broken up without a patriotic struggle to defend and maintain it.

"In this fearful struggle for constitutional integrity, which has been waging for the past eighteen months, our noble Twentieth Regiment has borne a conspicuous part. On the outbreak of this wicked rebellion, when patriotic thousands rushed to the defence of the Government, Colonel George W. Pratt felt that it was his duty to tender his services and the services of the Ulster Guard, the corps which it was his pride and honor to command, to his imperilled country. Possessed of a large amount of military knowledge, which peculiarly fitted him for the field, and realizing that the cause of the Union was entitled to the earnest efforts of every true patriot, he felt it to be his duty to engage in the struggle. The offering that he laid upon the altar of his country was not that of impulse or necessity. With him patriotism was not a blind instinct or passion, but of logic, of high and holy duty.

"It was with this just appreciation of duty and obligation, that he went forth at the head of his command, on an errand involving principles most dear to his own heart and to the heart of every true American citizen. The most of us are familiar with the peculiarly efficient services rendered by our noble Twentieth Regiment, the pride not only of the county, but also of the State.

1862.]

66

It

Upon the expiration of the three months service, the Colonel immediately tendered the services of himself and his regiment to the Government-the tender was accepted and the regiment soon after started for the seat of war. The regiment formed a part of General Patrick's brigade, and was ever found prompt and efficient in obeying all orders, frequently being detailed for special and highly responsible duties. It was in the retreat under General Pope, from near Cedar Mountain to Bull Run, enduring much hardship and engaged in constant skirmishing. The regiment played a conspicuous part in the battle at Manassas, losing 280 men. was in this engagement that Colonel Pratt and Captain Ward were mortally wounded, but not until they had nobly vindicated their manhood and their country's honor. We do not forget that the Regiment fought at South Mountain and at Antietam, under the gallant leadership of Colonel Gates, who, it was expected, would be with us this afternoon, to receive, at the hands of the patriotic ladies of the town of Saugerties, the most significant token of gratitude and confidence which it is possible for this community to bestow; but he was unexpectedly summoned to the command of his Regiment, in order that it might bear its part in that terrific battle now waging in the vicinity of Fredericksburg.

"It is enough to say, in closing this imperfect record of the services of the Regiment of our county, that at the battle of Antietam, being detailed for the special duty of guarding an important battery, so faithfully was the duty discharged, that out of 137 men on duty, 47 fell before the murderous fire of the enemy. From such officers and men we may expect substantial benefits for the glorious cause so nobly espoused. Such men deserve to live in the hearts of a grateful posterity, and we cannot refuse to cherish and reward them.

"That the valiant corps, of whose exploits on the battle-field we have so much reason to be proud, de