California Biographies, Alameda County 
William Henry Harrison Hussey

History of Alameda County, California
Publisher: Oakland, Calif : M. W. Wood

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 


William Henry Harrison Hussey.�The subject of this sketch, whose portrait
appears in this volume, was born in Olive, Noble County, Ohio, August 28, 1840.
His father, Asa Hussey, married Mary Cunningham, both of Augusta,, Maine, and to
them were born seven children, namely: Samuel, Simon, Susan, Sally, Charles, William
(our subject), and David. Sustaining the irreparable loss of his mother when
but thirty-two years of age, the future life of the family, so carefully fostered by his
father was changed. The children were kept together on a farm, and in the log cabin
which served the purpose of a school, they there received their early scholastic
training and as they grew older started out to do battle with the world the two
sisters married and settled in the county of their birth. In 1854 the father and two
youngest boys removed to the State of Iowa, improved a prairie farm in Delaware
County, and there dwelt together until 1858. Having obtained permission from his
father, in the month of April of that year, our subject started for California. On his
way to New York he passed a month in Chatauqua County, and finally sailed from that
city in the steamship Star of the West by way of Panama for San Francisco, where he
arrived June 3, 1858. The beauties of the Bay City, which he had heard so extensively
lauded, and one night passed in the "What Cheer House," at once created a desire
for the rural districts to arise in his breast; he, therefore, without further delay, took
passage to Vallejo, Solano County, and there sought and obtained employment on a
ranch not far from that city, the property of Welcome Fowler, a gentleman generous
and kind. Late in that year Mr. Hussey visited the redwood forests of San Mateo
County, whence he proceeded to Sacramento, returning subsequently to Solano
County, and going to Mr. Fowler, who had meanwhile taken up his residence in
Green Valley. Here Mr. Hussey improved the opportunity by attending school during
the winter under Professor George W. Simonton. The spring and summer of
1859 he passed on a farm in Solano County. At this time the fever for mining suddenly
dictated a change of life. Mr. Hussey therefore betook himself to Rich Bar,
Feather River, Plumas County, but a short lesson of ill-luck brought him back to the
valleys in company with Samuel Kitto, Captain Hansen, and Gus Campbell (a brother
of the Hon. F. M. Campbell), and a Newfoundland dog, the pet of Rich Bar. This
was a severe journey. In crossing the mountains our subject and his companions
encountered a snow-storm that quickly obliterated all traces of the trail; they therefore
left the highlands and followed the course of the North Fork of the Feather
River, only leaving it at Shore's Bar to ascend the mountain in the hope of finding a
trading-post of some kind, but the storm which still raged in the hills with unabated
fury, defeated their purpose and forced a return to the river's bank. Thus five days
and nights were passed in the Sierra Nevada, poorly clad, with nothing to eat save
poor " Poison"�which was the dog's name�who was sacrificed to satisfy the cravings
of his masters. On the morning of the sixth day they struck the Yankee Hill Flume
whence they traveled to Cherokee Flat, thence by stage to Oroville, afterwards
to Sacramento, and finally to Vallejo, where Mr. Hussey found himself comparatively
at home. Here he was variously employed, and took part in the troubles that
occurred on the Suscol Rancho in i860. But soon a wider field for his operations
was to show itself, and one which was not only to test his loyalty to his country but
also his courage and endurance. The War of the Rebellion, which had been inaugurated
by the firing on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, created a desire in Mr. Hussey's
breast for military distinction. He had learned something of a soldier's duties as a
member of the Vallejo Rifles, an independent organization then commanded by Capt.
J. B. Frisbie, and resolved to "go for a soldier;" the opportunity to proceed to the
seat of war, however, did not offer itself until the fall of the year 1862, at which time
the "California Hundred" was recruited by Capt. J. Sewell Reed. In the -month of
November our subject was enrolled in San Francisco, and on the 9th of December
the company sailed for New York, by way of the Isthmus of Panama,
where they landed January 4, 1863. They immediately took the route for Readviile,
Massachusetts, where they went into camp, and were mustered into the service of the
State as Company A, Second Massachusetts Cavalry. On the 12th of February the
First Battalion, Major Caspar Croninshield commanding, departed for Gloucester
Point, opposite Yorktown, Virginia, where our subject and his company went into
camp, being assigned to the command of Major-General Keyes. Here they were
detailed on picket and patrol duty for a short time, with an occasional skirmish with
General Wise's men, who were encamped a few miles out on the Richmond road. Mr.
Hussey was here instrumental in making the first capture of the notorious guerrilla
captain, Allen, and his two orderlies at the Backhouse plantation near Lower Guinea.
He served in the Department of the Peninsula until May 23d, when the battalion, in
company with the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, Colonel Spear commanding, took
transport at Yorktown for White House Landing, whence they marched to Hanover
Court House, captured a rebel supply-train, burned the bridge over the South Anna
River on the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad, after two hours hard fighting,
killing and taking prisoners some seventy-five of the Fifteenth South Carolina
Infantry. Here Gen. William E. Lee�a nephew of Gen. Robert E. Lee�a cavalry
officer who had been wounded at Fredericksburg, was captured. Our subject now
returned to White House Landing, where General Dix had concentrated his forces,
and afterwards marched with General Getty's division to Hanover Junction, and on
the evening of July 4th engaged the enemy, withdrawing after a sharp artillery duel,
and joining General Dix at White House Landing. Mr. Hussey's company now took
transport for Washington, joined his regiment at Centreville, Virginia, under Colonel
Lowell, and during the remainder of the year served in the Department of Washington.
On January 1, 1864, he went into camp at Vienna, Fairfax County, Virginia,
with the Thirteenth and Sixteenth Regiments of New York Cavalry, but here the
service performed was unsatisfactory owing to the fact that the country was infested
with General Mosby's command, who carried on a guerrilla warfare. They were all
well-mounted, and being among friends could not be brought into open battle, but
would strike at dead of night upon picket posts, or lie in ambush for favorable opportunities
to fall upon small and isolated detachments. On January 24th William E.
Ormsby, of Company E, deserted his post while on picket duty and joined Mosby's
Guerrillas, but on the 6th of February was captured by his former comrades while
leading an attack near Aldie. On being taken into camp he was tried by a drum-head
court-martial, sentenced- to be shot, and suffered death on Sunday, the 7th, in the
presence of the brigade. On the 22d February, while Captain Reed was returning
from a scout with about a hundred men, he fell into an ambuscade of Mosby's men,
near Danesville, and with twelve men were slaughtered. Captain and Lieutenant Manning
and fifty-five men being taken prisoners. Early in June Mr. Hussey marched
with his regiment into the wilderness with an ambulance train, and brought off a
number of wounded that had been left there after the battles of the 5th and 6th of
May. On the10oth of July they were ordered to Washington, and took a prominent
part in the defense during the rebel invasion of Maryland. In the many engagements
that followed, the command suffered severely in killed, wounded, and prisoners,
while for some twenty-five days during the month of August they were under fire.
On the 2Sth Capt. Charles E. Eigenbrodt was killed while leading his company in a
charge near Charleston. This gentleman was a brave and gallant soldier, highly
esteemed by both officers and men. He was an old resident of Alameda County, and
many of its citizens remember him for his kindness of heart and his patriotic devotion
to his country. On September 9th General Sheridan organized the Middle
Military Division, better known as the Army of the Shenandoah Valley. The
Second Massachusetts Cavalry was assigned to the Reserve Brigade of the First
Cavalry Division�familiarly known as General Bufort's old command�composed of
the First, Second, Fifth, and Sixth Regiments of Regulars. Colonel Lowell, of the
Second Massachusetts Cavalry (Mr. Hussey's regiment) being given command of the
brigade and General Merritt being placed in chief command of the division. The
Second and Third Divisions of Cavalry were commanded by Generals Custer and
Wilson, and formed the Cavalry Corps under General Tarbet. On the 19th of September
a general advance of the army was made, encountering General Early's forces
at Opequan Creek, where a hard day's fighting was begun, and ended just at dark with
a glorious victory at Winchester. By why particularize; suffice it to say that Mr.
Hussey took part in all the general engagements of that splendid campaign, from
Winchester to Waynesboro. On July 19th he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant,
and the regiment being short of officers, took command of Company C. He had
his 'horse shot under him at Waynesboro when charging, and was wounded at the
battle of Cedar Creek, on October 19th, by a Minnie-ball in the left shoulder, which
now entitles him to a pension of ninety-six dollars per annum. Having been carried
off the field and ,the ball extracted, in company with some five hundred wounded,
our subject was sent to Sheridan's Field Hospital at Winchester, where he lay on the
ground for four days; thence he was sent to Martinsburg, on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, and after a month proceeded to Armory Square Hospital in Washington,
and finally to the Annapolis rendezvous in Maryland. Having by this time sufficiently
recovered to travel, Mr. Hussey now requested an order to join his regiment,
which was accorded, and on reaching camp at Stevenson's Station, Virginia, was granted
sick leave of absence to visit his relations in the Western States. On recovering from
his wound our subject reported for duty at Remanat Camp, near Harper's Ferry,
where he was detached as Acting Quartermaster and Commissary for the Sixth and
Seventh Michigan Cavalry stationed at Point of Rocks, Maryland, and it was not until
the close of the campaign that he rejoined his old brothers-in-arms at Appomattox
Court House. With his regiment he proceeded to Washington for the Grand Review
in which it took part. On April 29, 1865, Mr. Hussey received his commission as
First Lieutenant of Company I, and on the i6th of June was promoted to the rank of
Captain. This is but a summary sketch of our subject's part in the great, war; to
exemplify that his was no carpet soldier's lot, we would state that among the principal
engagements in which he took a part were: South Anna Bridge, Ashley's Gap,
Danesville, Aldie, Fort Stephens, Rockville, Poolsville, Summit Point, Berryville,
Charleston, Haletown, Opequan, Winchester, Luray, Waynesboro, Tom's Brook, and
Cedar Creek. Mr. Hussey was discharged at Fairfax Court House, Virginia, July 20,
1865, the regiment proceeding to Boston, Massachusetts, where they were mustered
out of service. So soon as a settlement with the Ordnance and Quartermaster's
Department could be made, our subject returned to Ohio, his native State, and for a
few months attended the Beverly Academy, and subsequently entering the Ohio University
at Athens there studied for a year. He now embarked in school-teaching for
a short time. On January 1, 1868, he was united in marriage to Miss Abigail,
daughter of Edward T. and Ann Way, of Noble County, after which he moved to
Cherry Valley, Illinois, in the month of April, where he taught school for a few months.
In the spring of 1869 we find Mr. Hussey once more in California, and entering the
Civil Service was one of its members until February 1, 1883, save two years passed
in San Joaquin and Solano Counties. On the last-mentioned date he resigned his
position as Impost Bookkeeper of Customs to engage in the manufacture of blasting powder
known as the Excelsior Powder Company, whose office is at No. 3 California
Street, San Francisco. Mr. Hussey has always been identified with the Republican
party and has ever taken an active part in politics. He is a young man yet and has a
brilliant career before him, as his honesty, industry, rectitude of purpose and high principles
entitle him to. He now resides at No. 667 Thirty-fifth Street, Oakland, and
has been blessed with a family of six children, two of whom, Simon Otho and Thurza
Beatrice, were called away at an early age. There remain to Mr. and Mrs. Hussey
four children; Abbie Mabel, Ida Benicia, Willie Way, and Minnie Ethel, the two eldest
of whom are attending the public schools of Oakland.