Boys from Cato fought at Gettysburg

In August 1862, the 111th New York Volunteer regiment was called to duty. Company H of this regiment, also known as Ezra Northrop's Company, was comprised of recruits from Cato, Ira, Sterling and Victory. The group predominantly consisted of farm boys with no military experience. A newspaper article from August 1862 notes that 1st Lieutenant Frank Rich from Cato thanked the citizens of Ira and Cato for assistance in raising the company and for a sword presented to him. The regiment was whisked away and traveled by rail and boat. During a march through Baltimore the regiment was commented to be “one of the finest bodies of men that had passed thru these cities since the war began.” The regiment finally arrived in Virginia at the end of August. By Sept. 14, barely having had any training, the men were engaged in one of the most well known battles of the war at Harper's Ferry and were forced to surrender to the Confederates. On this day, Horace Acker from Cato was a casualty.