Lewis Dennis Warner and the Civil War
Recently we have had several stories about the descendants
of Ruth and Rene Cossitt or their spouses serving our country
during WW I and WW II. In this story we will learn about a
Cossitt spouse who served with honor during the American Civil War.
Lewis Dennis Warner was a young man when he was bound out as an
apprentice to a tanner. In 1845, at the age of 23, he returned
to Portville, New York where he started working in the lumber
industry. Every year he rafted lumber to Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Lewis and Mary
Miranda Cossitt were married in December of 1857 in Pompey, Onondaga
County, New York. Mary was the 2nd great granddaughter of Ruth
and Rene Cossitt. In
December of 1858 their first child, Clarence, was born in Portville.
Their second child, Charles, was born in January of 1862.
Later in 1862 Lewis recruited a company and formed a regiment in
Jamestown as Captain of Co. C, 154th New York Volunteers. On
May 2, 1863 they were in the Battle of Chancellorsville as part of
the Eleventh Corps. Because of the brilliant tactics of
General Lee, over 200 of Lewis's regiment were either wounded or
killed. Lewis later said that "they should have learned to run
with they ought to have done so."
Only two months later he was at
Gettysburg where his losses were also substantial, but at least the
Union could claim a victory. In October and November of 1863
they took an active part in the battles of Chattanooga and
Missionary Ridge which opened the door to General Sherman's move to
take Atlanta. They then marched to the relief of Knoxville.
In 1864 they took an active part in the campaign to take and occupy
Atlanta. After the war was over, they marched all the way back
to Washington and on July 1, 1865 he was mustered out as a full
Colonel. In
March of 1866 his 3rd child, Ralph was born followed by Bertha who
was born in May of 1868. After the
war Lewis resumed his trade as a carpenter and joiner.
He also served for eighteen months as the Cattaraugus County Clerk,
ten terms as Portville Supervisor, and twenty years as Justice of
the Peace and an Election Supervisor.
