The Civil War came to Niagara Falls on Monday, April 15th 1861, by telegraphic dispatch. Rumors had been circulating of the surrender of Fort Sumter all weekend. Niagarans had been gathering on the street corners excitedly discussing the news. At noon a public meeting was called. The president was asking for the support of his nation. Niagarans were answering the call to arms in great numbers.
Specifically, President Lincoln wanted 100,000 New Yorkers by the end of 1861. It seemed an impossible number, however, by the deadline New York had provided an astounding 107,000 men. At least 1,000 were from Niagara Countyy. This was an incredible number as the total population of Niagara Falls was only around 3,500.
The first recruiting office was at the Frontier Mart on Falls Street. It was here that Company I of the 28th NY Infantry was formed. These were the first volunteers who heeded the president’s call to arms. Most of them had never seen a battlefield. They would end up seeing many battlefields and losing over 46% of their men at Cedar Mountain.
There were other regiments that also formed out of recruiting offices in Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge: the 66th Regiment State Militia, Co. D, the 44th NY Infantry (Ellsworth’s Avengers - formed by 14 year old boys), the Porter Guards, the 50th New York State Volunteer Regiment, the 78th New York Infantry ... and, of course, the 8th NY Heavy Artillery. There were rumors that each volunteer would receive 160 acres of bounty land; that the war would only last a few weeks. They were gravely mistake. The men were sent to Lockport for training and then off to Albany. Many women (mothers, wives and sympathizers) accompanied the soldiers into war. They were there through thick and thin, providing every sort of assistance in the hospitals of Baltimore and on the front lines. Some barely survived to tell their tale and in the end many a story was taken to the grave.
Oakwood Cemetery is the final resting place for many Civil War Veterans. Each year, tours and celebrations of the Cemetery honor those who fought for their country.
Angels on the Battlefield, A Tour of Niagara's Civil War Past," was performed
at Oakwood Cemetery on Saturday, July 21, 2011. Filmed by Robert Borga.
Underground Railroad
Niagara Falls, New York, was the last stop on the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman, herself, brought hundreds of men, women and children to freedom in Canada by crossing the Suspension Bridge at Niagara Falls. It was from this bridge that they could see the mist from the falls. It inspired hope for the future. There were many individuals in Niagara Falls who risked their own well-being by becoming active participants in the Underground Railroad.
It is believed that a great portion of the African American hotel workers at the world renowned Cataract House and International Hotel were actively pursuing activities that included bringing enslaved individuals into Canada. There are some newspaper accounts that include so called "abductions" of slaves by African American hotel workers. As many southern gentlemen often brought their body-servants (house slaves) with them while traveling, it was a common occurrence to have them "abducted" by the hotel workers (brought to Canada).
Some of the individuals from Niagara Falls who have been found to be associated with the Underground Railroad include several residents of Oakwood Cemetery. WH Childs, an insurance man, was known to harbor runaways in a secret room in his home. He found his life threatened at times for doing such work was against the law. Upon his death he left much money to African American charities - which was quite unusual for the time.
Some other Niagarans (also buried in Oakwood) include Peter and Elizabeth Porter. This brother and sister team was from one of the most prominent families in Niagara Falls. As their mother, Letitia Breckinridge, was a Kentuckian by birth, Peter and Elizabeth were raised in a household containing slaves. Even after slavery was officially abolished in New York by 1827, they inherited numerous slaves and released them all upon their arrival and even provided jobs and homes. Elizabeth actually publicly declared herself an abolitionist. It was said that while riding with a gentleman during a holiday in Florida they passed a tree with a noose hanging from the branches. The gentleman proudly proclaimed that "this is a hanging tree for abolitionists..." Elizabeth proudly declared that "if this is a hanging tree for abolitionists than you may hang me from that very branch."
Legends abound in Niagara revealing the leader of the Underground Railroad to be "Col. P." It has been ascertained by many historians that "Col. P." was actually Colonel Peter Porter. The leader was proclaimed to be wealthy and untouchable and had a great amount of power reaching all of the way to the top. There was no one else it could have been. One particular story exists to this day involving "Col. P." Apparently, a young African American woman (who had been a runaway) was spotted by a bounty hunter in Niagara Falls. Just as he was about to take her back into slavery, "Col. P." led him on a wild carriage chase in a well-planned ruse that led the bounty hunter into Youngstown - while Cassie, the runaway, found her way safely into Canada. Sadly, Colonel Porter lost his life on a battlefield at Cold Harbor, Virginia, in 1864. Strangely, upon his wife Josephine's death, a great sum of money was left to African American causes. Josephine, herself, raised on a southern plantation, had come from a family that had owned a great number of slaves in South Carolina.
