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ENOS SULLIVAN is the proprietor of a fine livery and feed stable at the
corner of Kearsley and Harrison Streets in the city of Flint, where he has been
engaged in his line for the past four years. He is the owner of a fine brick
stable, which is 48x125 feet and which is thoroughly equipped for the comfort
and care of equine charges. Mr. Sullivan was born in Rochester, N. Y., October
5, 1842. He is the son of Roger and Nellie (Linnahan) Sullivan.
Our subject received his education in his native place and there lived until
thirteen years of age and then moved to Caledonia, Livingston County, N. Y. His
father was a contractor and builder and he was engaged in constructing railroad
bridges. They remained in that place for five years when our subject went South
to New Orleans when he was seventeen years old, being engaged as brakeman on a
railroad. He also drove a coach for a city hotel and remained South until the
breaking out of the war.
On returning North Mr. Sullivan enlisted in Company K, Eighth New York Cavalry
and was sent to the front August 18, 1862. He served under Sheridan and Custer
and was in every fight that the regiment participated in. He never reported to
the sick call and was never absent from the company until he was wounded at
Gettysburg, when he was sent to the Chestnut Street hospital at Little York,
Pa., and then to Patterson Park Hospital at Baltimore and from that place joined
his regiment, meeting them at Stevensburg, Va., after which he was with his
regiment until Lee's surrender and did much hard fighting. He was taken prisoner
at Winchester but managed to get away the same night and with the exception of
that he was never absent from the front.
When at Winchester our subject had a horse shot from under him and one at the
contest which resulted in Lee's surrender. After being mustered out of the army
in the summer of 1865 Mr. Sullivan returned to his home in New York, remaining
until 1866, when he came to Flint, arriving here in the month of July. He
undertook the part proprietorship of the old city hotel, maintaining it for two
years, then he went to Clio and kept an hotel there for some time, after which
he engaged in speculating in real estate. He moved back to Flint about eight
years ago and has considered it his home ever since. In 1886 he went to Oregon
and Washington and after looking over the land he returned to Flint, satisfied
with his future prospects. He has ever since been in the livery business.
Our subject married Miss Martha E. Gay, of this city, a daughter of Martin R.
and Catherine Gay. Socially, he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic
and also of the Knights of Pythias. Our subject's father, Roger Sullivan, was a
native of Ireland, and came to Michigan from Rochester, N. Y., in 1832, and
after looking over the ground and working at Dearborn and Detroit, he took up
one hundred and sixty acres of land. He was killed by the cars directly after
moving to Livingston County and left a family of six children, of whom our
subject is one. Those surviving are Hannah, Mrs. James McDermott; Edward A;
Enos; Carrie J., Mrs. E. J. Castle, of Chicago; and Nellie, wife of Peter
Morris. 1892 Portrait &
Biographical Album of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Chapman Bros.
Pages 270 - 273
Iinscribed
on the monument at Gettysburg:
"Pickets of this regiment were attacked about 5 a.m., July 1, 1863, by the
advance skirmishers of Heth's Confederate Division; the regiment engaged the
enemy west of Seminary Ridge, with the brigade stubbornly contesting the ground
against great odds until about 10:30 a.m., when it was relieved by the advance
regiments of the 1st Corps."
GAR: Governor Crapo Post, Grand Army of the republic, was organized on June 5,
1883.
1894 Veteran's Census: Sullivan Enos Flint City Third Ward Genesee
SULLIVAN ENOS M 10/03/1917 V5 238 728
Co. K&F 8th NY Cav., Invalid Pension App, 1877 Mar 13; 232499; 146926
Enos SULLIVAN
Sex: M
Marriage(s):
Spouse: Martha P. GAY
Marriage: 8 Dec 1869
Genesee, Michigan
Except from ?
The next morning, July 1, as the first shots of battle rang out about 7:30 am,
the two companies that had been sent east moved in closer to town, posting
pickets on the various roads connecting with the Baltimore Pike about two miles
from town. They would listen to the battle from their position. Three
squadrons of the 8th were sent forward as skirmishers in support of the vedette
line. On one of the battle lines west of town on Herr's Ridge, Lt. Colonel
Markell observed the regiment as it fought to delay the Confederate advance. He
noted later that "The fighting soon became general and sharp along the whole
line, our skirmishers stubbornly resisting every inch of the enemy's advance
although the Confederates were there in overpowering numbers. In a short time
the line was compelled to fall back to the next ridge, less than a quarter mile
in the rear." Withdrawing in orderly skirmish lines with the rest of their
brigade, the 8th drew back to the main battle line on McPherson's Ridge.
Fighting began to grow more desperate as the Federal line was pressed. Captain
Albert Mills of the 8th feared that he and his troopers would "hear the rebel
yells and see the swift charge of their superior numbers which would sweep us
from our position. We held our line down there along Willoughby Run as best we
could, hoping that reinforcements would come, fearing that they would not..."
The troopers were doing their job splendidly, however, of delaying the
Confederates until Union infantry support could arrive. As Markell observed,
"...the skirmishers fighting stubbornly... behind fences and trees, and our
artillery doing good execution, the advance of the enemy was retarded..." It
was now almost 10 am and the brigade had been battling with the Confederates for
nearly 3 hours. Shortly, Union infantry under Major General John F. Reynolds
would arrive in the nick of time to take their place in the line that the
troopers fought to exhaustion to hold.
Just as the brigade's line reached the breaking point, Union Brigadier General
James Wadsworth's Division of the 1st Corps came up at the double-quick to
relieve the tired troopers. Coming into line, the foot soldiers parted ranks to
allow the cavalrymen to fall back. Men of the 8th exhorted the infantry to "Go
in and give them hell!" Retiring to the south side of the Fairfield Road to
guard the left flank of Brigadier General Thomas A. Rowley's division, the men
of the 8th and the rest of the brigade made constant charges at the enemy to
retard their advance.
Retiring in the afternoon to the southwest of the town, the brigade covered the
left flank of the army. They would have to make the first of two bold maneuvers
to check the advance of the enemy and protect the line. About 4 pm, General
Buford led the 1st Brigade to a low stone wall just south of the Seminary
building to hold a Confederate advance and buy time for the Federals to rally on
the ridge behind them. Dismounting and crouching behind the wall, the 8th and
the brigade fired their carbines until they were forced to withdraw. As Markell
recalled, "The enemy being close upon us we opened an effective, rapid fire with
our breech-loading carbines, which killed and wounded so many of their first
line, that after a short heroic struggle to continue the advance, they could
stand it no longer and fell back on the second line." In a letter to his
parents on July 6, Private Daniel Pulis of the 8th wrote, "We went to popping at
them... They fell like rain. The ground soon got covered with them. The front
column broke and started to run but their rear column pressed on."
After being driven from the wall, the brigade fell into line along the
Emmitsburg Road, where Devin's Second Brigade later joined them. Just a short
time later, Gamble's troopers would have to execute their second maneuver to
protect the final line on Cemetery Hill and Ridge. Around 5 pm, marching to a
request to delay advancing Confederates in front of the hill, Buford directed
the troopers to form lines between the opposing infantries. In the formation,
the cavalrymen sat atop their mounts and stared down the Confederates. Their
enemy halted at the show of force and began forming hollow squares, a textbook
infantry maneuver designed to receive a cavalry assault. Precious time was
bought for the Union infantry to rally and strengthen, and the mounted command
then turned and resumed its place on the left of the army. As darkness drew in,
the fighting slowed and the troopers were able to encamp. The men of the 8th
had fought for nearly 12 continuous hours that day. Companies H and M, detached
to the east, rejoined their regiment the next morning. General Buford had high
compliments for the regiment on their performance on the field.
On the morning of July 2, as the troopers were placed in line on the left flank
to support skirmishers, one man of the 8th would fall to a bullet. Private
Jonathan MacComber (of Livingston County NY) was struck in the forehead and died
instantly, "without a word or a groan." The brigades were ordered off the field
around noon to march toward Westminster to guard the trains. The long campaign
had taken its toll on both men and horses. As the 8th's regimental historian
noted, "Our horses (are) about starved." The men hadn't had a decent meal for
days and forage was scarce.
In camp on the 4th, the men of the 8th anxiously awaited any news from the
front, as they could hear the battle raging to the north. They took note of
their casualties: 1st Sergeant E. A. Slocum of Company A, and MacComber of
Company M had been killed. Many had been wounded. Captain C. D. Follett, of
Company D, was left on the first day's field, severely wounded, as the advance
of the enemy prevented carrying him away. The men assumed he had been taken
prisoner.
The 8th would do further battle with its division against Confederates during
the retreat of Lee's Army southward, marching and fighting almost daily. From
Gettysburg to the end of November, when the year's campaign ended and camp was
established near Culpeper VA, the regiment would suffer over 150 casualties.
Riding under General Sheridan in newly-promoted Brevet Brigadier General Devin's
1st Division, the veterans and re-enlistees of the 8th would participate in the
destructive raids throughout Virginia, destroying railroads, warehouses,
bridges, and all kinds of Confederate materiel. On February 27, 1865, the
regiment marched southward from Winchester and encountered the enemy in force at
Waynesboro VA on March 2. A sharp battle ensued with the Confederates
(commanded by Major General Jubal A. Early) in which the Federal victory took
1500 prisoners, 5 pieces of artillery, and 10 rebel battle flags. Commanding
the regiment in this engagement was Major Hartwell B. Compson, who was awarded
the Congressional Medal of Honor for capturing a flag belonging to Early's
headquarters. Compson, from Seneca Falls NY, was issued his citation on March
26.
The regiment's march to Petersburg continued, and they would participate in the
final campaign of the war through Appomattox, fighting gallantly at the massive
battle at Five Forks. At Appomattox Court House, the 8th New York received the
flag of truce sent in by General Lee.
Residence: Occupation:
Service Record:
Enlisted as a Private on 21 August 1862 at the age of 19
Enlisted in Company K, 8th Cavalry Regiment New York on 21 August 1862.
Transfered on 01 November 1862 from company K to company F
Wounded on 01 July 1863 at Gettysburg, PA
Promoted to Full Corporal on 16 February 1865
Mustered out Company K, 8th Cavalry Regiment New York on 06 June 1865 in
Alexandria, VA
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