In last week’s edition of The Register Herald, the interesting coverage given the antique artillery shoot west of Pine Plains was a timely reminder that Memorial Day is approaching. Jim Shockley’s painting of the 150th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, “Timid Youths to Hardened Veterans,” was described briefly. Those who have not seen it or a reproduction and wish to, should get in touch with Stanford Town Historian Dot Burdick or Jim.

Obviously a labor of love and devotion to the men of Stanford in 1863 who fought at Gettysburg, Jim’s artwork is such a remarkable testimony that its creation deserves some additional reviewing. After reading roughly 10 accounts by 150th veterans, Shockley visited the field – for photographs and to familiarize himself with the terrain – 6 times. He also spoke with historians as well as “buffs” to get a clear idea of what was worn by the officers as well as their weaponry and other equipage. Members of today’s 150th NY, reenactors, also provided photographs.

As Jim Describes it, “The painting depicts the early morning of July 3, 1863, around 6:30 AM. The sun shines through the smoke and trees as the men of company C are loading and firing as quickly as their inexperience will allow. At the time of the battle Company C contained 35 men from the town of Stanford. Three of these men are depicted in this print. They are: Corporal William E. Gurney reloading his weapon, just left of center (Jim’s great-granduncle); Pvt. Albert Knapp at center, firing over the breastworks, just the other side of the colour guard (great-grandfather of Dot Burdick, Stanford Town Historian); Pvt. Talmadge Wood on the ground just right of center, who has just been hit in the left shoulder blade. Talmadge lived in the house on Rt. 82 now lived in by Mr & Mrs Charles Mahoney, just south of town. Talmadge died of his wounds on July 14, 1863, and is buried in the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pa. “It is Talmadge who is quoted from one of his letters home, on the plaque at Freedom Square Park: ‘Our Cause is a good and just one.’”

The name or title of the painting comes from a comment made by one of the 150th veterans who put pen to paper, and wrote his memories down for a book entitled As Seen From the Ranks by Charles Benton of Amenia. In his book Benton describes the nervousness of the 150th soldiers when they arrived on the battlefield, July 2, 1863. Benton was a musician, and as such was detailed as a stretcher bearer and assistant to 150th 1st Surgeon Cornellius Nase Campbell (Stanford Town Supervisor 1858-1860). Campbell was in charge of (one of) the 12th Corps Field Hospitals on the Baltimore Pike, just behind Culp’s Hill, where the regiment saw its first action.

The battle opened the morning of July 3 at around 4 AM, the 150th relieving another regiment that had preceded them in the line (102nd NY, or 28th Penn Inf.). Sometime after 6:30, Dr. Campbell told Pvt. Benton he “better get on over the hill, Charlie, and see how the boys are doing.” Benton went thru the smoke and dense foliage, bullets rattling overhead, and came out directly behind the 150th’s firing line.

“My painting is an attempt to depict what Benton saw – some men down, but most reloading and firing with calm and deliberate determination. Benton’s comment was: ‘What magic art had transformed these timid youths into hardened veterans?’ To the best of my knowledge, it is the first work depicting the Dutchess County Regiment in action.” But not the last; currently another painting, again of the 150th, is underway, showing the regiment as it recovered the guns of Bigelow’s 9th Massachusetts Battery which had been captured during Confederate General Longstreet’s assault on the Federal left at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Titled “Go In Dutchess County,” it should be completed in Fall of ‘99.