79^th New York Highland Regiment

THE HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK CALEDONIAN CLUB
Captain Robert Gair

"How the Seventy Ninth New York Highland Regiment responded in the year 1861 to President Lincoln's urgent call for volunteers."

This record is specially recorded in these pages of this Club record by the writer for the future clansmen of our beloved Caledonian Club.

In an interview with Captain Robert Gair (President of the "Robert Gair Incorporation of Brooklyn.")

The following particulars were obtained of Captain Robert Gair's experience during the period of the American Civil War of 1861-1865 and no doubt will be of interest in the years to come for the future clansmen of our Club. Captain Robert Gair was elected to membership of our Club in the year 1860 and was elected honorary clansman in the year 1913. He is a member of the military order of the Loyal League and of the Grand Post. It is of interest to have a veteran of the American Civil War tell us how "The Boys of 1861" responded to President Abraham Lincoln's urgent call for volunteers and we will assume our clansmen of the present and the future will follow with fraternal eagerness the true story as told by Captain Robert Gair, himself of the mustering of that gallant New York Highland Regiment "The Seventy Ninth".

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"We had a regimental drill the night we received the news of the firing of General Beauregard on Fort Sumter, and the gallant defense of Major Anderson. The newsboys on the street were yelling "Extras" "War Declared," "Extras". When Colonel Thomas McClay (at this period in command of the regiment) ordered us to form a square, he then read to us the dispatches and the urgent call of President Abraham for 75,000 volunteers. After this reading, Colonel Thomas delivered a thrilling speech and made a motion:

"For The New York Highlanders to respond and offer our services to the Government for three years or the duration of war."

By a unanimous vote The Highlanders responded, thus giving "The Seventy Ninth New York Highlanders the distinction of being "The First Regiment of New York" to answer Abraham Lincoln's call for volunteers.

After our acceptance by the Government we were ordered to recruit four new companies and be ready with all speed to leave for the defense of Washington D.C. On the Thirteenth day of May 1861 we were mustered into the United States Army. I shall always remember that Sabbath day we left Jersey City for the front and my parting with my widowed mother, my father having died a year before (here, teardraps were in Captain Gair's ee'n.) The citizens of New York gave us a grand send off all to Cortland Street Ferry, where we entrained for Jersey City. Yes laddie, how few of us realized the task we had undertaken, for out of one thousand and eighty seven that left in such high spirits, less than one hundred and ninety of the original muster were left to be mustered out on their return to New York.

One of the most striking remembrances was the great veneration for President Abraham Lincoln on the part of our men. Indeed it did much help and keep up the spirit of the whole Union Army and encouraged them to victory. How the army loved and trusted him, after some of our awful disasters he would leave Washington D.C. for the front, and you would find him ministering to the wounded. If there ever was a man of sadness, never thinking of himself but always thinking and doing for others, it was President Abraham Lincoln. The soldiers worshipped him, his clear vision led to placing power in the hands of the General in command of the Union Army. Previous to this the senate committee sitting in Washington D.C. had all the plans of battle submitted to them for approval. Before a Commander could attack and rebel sympathizers in Washington D.C. gave out these plans to General Robert E. Lee enabling him to lay out his defense in advance. This was all changed to the great advantage of the Union Army, and the senate committee was abolished.

"The Seventy Ninth" served under General Grant in his Vicksburgh campaign as part of the Ninth Army Corp's having gained a reputation for moving quickly. We saw a great deal of war service when the blow was to be struck in another area and things were quiet at our rendezvous, we were hustled off to the busy spot. Our campaigns after General Morgan to drive the guerillas out of Kentucky and Tennessee, also in Mississippi and Louisiana were examples. We also accompanied Admiral Dupont with the fleet to the capture of Port Royal, and took part in the Charlestown and James Island campaign. It was a memorable day on the twenty-second of September in the year 1862 when the Emancipation proclamation was read before every Regiment, Brigade, and Division of the Army and the vow every soldier took "That the Union must and shall be preserved." was made with solemn determination. This was the rock that Abraham Lincoln could not be moved from, and it was the one the Union Army fought for. The vow was grandly vindicated when General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of the South to General Grant at Appomattox in the year 1865.

All real soldiers desire an active campaign; nothing demoralizes an Army more than lying in camp. So, "The Seventy Ninth New York Highlanders" had very little to complain of on that score. We saw much of the country, a man might live to the age of Methuselah in Civil life and not get the insight into human nature as soldiers gain. You hear people talk about what a mule can endure, a man with a head upon his shoulders and one who can say "No" when tempted, can outwork and outlast a dozen mules if he takes no chances.

What a school war service is. The success I achieved in business I owe to my service in "the Seventy Ninth New York Highlanders". Face the music every time, never duck. I could have resigned but much as I would have like to have gotten out of the scenes, I just had to go through. I said "No," you were mustered in with the Regiment and you will stay with it until you are mustered out, or you are knocked over. This was the finest medicine I ever took.

I was presented by my brother officers with the only Regimental medal on which was inscribed the seventeen engagements in which I participated with the Regiment. I was twice in command of the Regiment, at Fort Sanders, Knoxville and again after General David Morrison was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania. In the last instance I was in command of the Colour Company. Here the Colour Bearers fell mortally wounded, all was excitement for, the adjutant sent for me, and I rushed back to where the surgeons were dressing the shattered hand of General David Morrison. When he saw me he said, "Well Bob, they have winged me at last." and he fell in a faint. When the Regiment knowing that General Morrison was wounded saw me running back to my command, the men all along the firing line yelled out "GAIR" "GAIR". Such a confidence at such time was to me a great inspiration".

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