Yvonne DIVAK of Johnstown, NY wrote about how she had been
fascinated by a tombstone in a local cemetery marking Thomas
JOYCE, 19 Yr. old who had been killed on Nov. 3, 1861; "A veteran
of the war of 1861-65".
She has apparently done quite a bit of research on the 77th.
which was mustered in to service at Camp Schuyler Nov. 23, 1861.
The article gives a nice, brief history of the forming of the
regiment.
It seems young Thomas had bet a friend that he could cross in
front of a cannon between the time the fuse was lit, and when the
ball left the barrel. He lost the bet.. and his life.
I just wanted to share this. Partly for anyone studying the
JOYCE family, partly because of Camp Schuyler [because we had
just discussed *Fort* Schuyler], but mostly because Veterans day
is coming up and it's a good time to think about what all those
veterans in our trees and others went through to give us this
Great Nation.
thanks
jim
-- jjelbrec@aol.com or elbrecht@worldnet.att.com >From beautiful, upstate NY. Near Schenectady, the city that used to 'Light and haul the world'.