Go Here for a listing of our Military Ancestors:
Colonial Indian Wars
To quote from Dr. Stiles' records in speaking of the first Indian war in New England:
"The danger was imminent (to the settlers), and so complete the victory that it caused universal rejoicing throughout New England, and a grant of land was given each soldier and officer, and to this day the memory of an ancestor who was in the Pequod fight, is an honorable heirloom in every Connecticut family".
There is no doubt that our ancestors represented us in nearly every battle and war fought in colonial America. Our grandfathers William Thrall, Nathan Gillett, and Thomas Buckland were in a group of 30 men dispatched from Windsor to join in the fight against the Pequot Indians in 1637, a war-like sect of the Algonquin tribe. The indian village in this case was so completely destroyed that for many years the settlers had no further trouble with the Indians. Some years later, the participants were given land grants.
Cousin Joseph Gillett (b. 1641), a son of Uncle Jonathan, brother to Nathan, is killed at King Philips Indian massacre at Bloody Creek Ma. in Sept. 1675. Another son of Jonathan is killed by Indians the following spring, Samual (b. 1643) is killed in the battle at Peskeompsinson (now Turner Falls), Ma. A year and a half later, Samual's widow, Hannah, and two children are captured by Indians and taken to Canada. Hannah has a daughter in captivity and is eventually ransomed back.
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French & Indian War and the American Revolution
The rolls of Windsor men serving in the French and Indian War and the Revolution are littered with such as Messenger, Phelps, Gillett and Winchell. In the book, "The Winchell Genealogy" by Alexander Winchell (our cousin and the first president of Syracuse University) At least 11 of our Winchell cousins, uncles and grandfathers are listed as seeing service in the French and Indian war including our grandfather Thomas Winchell. Our grandfather Elisha, son of Thomas is listed among the more than two dozen Winchell relatives serving in the American Revolution. Our uncle, Elisha's brother Thomas, dies in 1776 "in the Revolution".
Daughters of the American Revolution
Through my daughters, the following ancestors are listed in the records of the DAR
Our grandfather Nathaniel Messenger served in Captain Stanley's Co. in 1776 in response to the Lexington Alarm. His son, our grandfather, Lemuel Messenger served on five different occasions during the Revolution.
Excerpts of Lemuel's American Revolution pension application of June, 1833
Sept, 1777 drafted as a private in the company commanded by Captain David Phelps of Simsbury, Connecticut. that he marched in said Company to Stonington (near New London) in Connecticut and was there stationed. his duty was to keep Garrison. that he was discharged at Stonington in the month of December following, having served the full term of three months. That in the month of June 1778. he was drafted as a private and entered the service in the Company of Captain Lemual Bates in Colonel Haskins Regiment of Connecticut Militia and marched to Horse Neck (Greenwich CT) and was there stationed as a Guard. and was discharged at said Horse Neck in the month of August having ( ---- ) not up than two months the term for which he was drafted. That in the month of April 1779 he was Drafted at Simsbury where he resided and Marched through Litchfield to Nelson Point (Robinsons farm, near West Point) and Joined the Regiment commanded by Colonel Bradley in General Huntington Brigade, the captains name he has forgotten. at Nelson Point he was Employed in building a fort a part of the time ( --a little?) East on a hill and a part of the time in making Gabions (baskets constructed of sticks and filled with earth, a colonial version of todays sandbag). from Nelson Point he marched to Morristown in New Jersey. was there employed in building huts on bearskin ridge and (other ment?) into winter quarters. and was discharged at said Morristown on the 8th day of January 1780 having served the full term of nine months. While at Morristown he saw General Washington. On the first of April 1780 he volunteered under Captain Benjamin Mills of New Hartford in Colonel Beebe's Regiment and Marched from Simsbury in Conn to Horse Neck and was there stationed to Guard the Coast. The Enemy and the Cow boys do call a atac during this Service he was in a skirmish with the Cow boys one man was killed. that he was discharged on ( -- ) the ( --- ) January 1781. (The moniker of "Cow boy" was given to the Loyalist soldiers who conducted various foraging expeditions, raids, and reconnaisances in the New York area, particularly in Westchester county. The best known group was "Delancy's Cowboys" commanded by Oliver Delancy.) That in the year 1781 he went as a substitute for his father who was Drafted. his Captains name was Jonathan Case cannot recollect the (field) officers. he Joined the Company at Simsbury as a private in the Month of October and Marched to New Havin in Con. to Guard the Coast. that he served in this term two Months the full term of the Draft and was discharged at New Havin th ( --- ) part of December 1781. Saw General Washington at Morristown .
Civil War
Our civil war heritage encompasses nearly every major battle of the Civil War.
Sebastian Hamberger, our gr. gr. grandfather enlisted, August 26, 1862, at Utica at the age of 21.On October 10, 1862, he was mustered in as a private in Co. A, 146’th Regiment of the NY Volunteers. He served three years and was mustered out with his company near Washington D. C. on July 25, 1865.
As a member of the 146’th, Sebastian and his comrades took part in the campaigns at Fredricksburgh, Chancellorsville, Gettysburgh, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersberg and others. We can be fairly certain that on the evening of June 3, 1863, Sebastian was with his unit while they defended Little RoundTop, scene of one of the bloodiest battles at Gettysburgh. The numbers of casualties the 146'th suffered at these battles seem relatively light until the battle of the Wilderness. The Wilderness was the first major confrontation in the spring of 1864 as Grant moved his troops south to confront General Lee. In this battle which took place on May 5th and 6th, Sebasian's unit lost 312 men, including 52 killed.
Nearly all civil war veterans received disability pensions, Sebastian received a pension based on his partial disability due to deafness and rheumatism.
On August 1, 1862, our Gr. grandfather, Charles Lange., was mustered into Co B, 122'nd regiment of the NYS volunteers in Syracuse, NY at the age of 23. The 122’nd took part in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, including, Antietem, South Mt. Fredricksburgh, Shanendoah Valley, Harpers Ferry, Cedar Creek, The Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and others.
The 122’nd also took part in Gettysburgh, however Charles had been recorded as a deserter on the march from Fredericksburgh to Gettysburgh. 10 months later he is back on the rolls and it is noted that he was at a hospital in Washington D. C. It may be that dysentery was the cause of his illness as his pension is issued for the disability he acquired at Fredericksburgh…chronic diarrhea causing bleeding piles!
Both the 122nd and the 146th were attached to the Army of the Potomac. After the war both our grandfathers were members of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), the forerunner of today's American Legion.
Spanish American War
While none of our Grandfathers took part in the Spanish American War, at least one of our uncles represented us. John Lange (b. 1881), brother of our grandfather Charles Lange, Served during the Spanish-American war in Company B. of Utica, and the Forty – first United States Volunteers, and saw actual fighting in several battles. Following the war he served the regular army as trumpeter. He was a member of the Fifty-second Company of Coast Artillery. He was stationed for some time at a fort just outside of New Bedford, Mass.
We may have also been represented by Bart Roach (b. 1867), brother of our gr. grandfather, John Roach. Little is known of this, the second of three Bart Roach's, however family history say's that he was a soldier of fortune who traveled extensively and ended up somewhere out West. I have in my possession a Springfield 45-70 Trapdoor rifle which was said to have been left by him at his brother John's home on Grove Pl. This rifle is the same model used by Custer's troops at Little Big Horn. The number 14 is stamped into the stock which I assume would probably be a unit or regiment designation.
World War I
Our Grandfather, Norbert F. Bankert (b. 1892), served with a medical unit in France in WWI. I believe his brother Ray also served. I cannot say whether the remaining two brothers Albert and Anthony served. I have been told, however, that it was expected that this generation of Bankert's served America to show their allegiance and patriotism to the adopted country of their father and grandfather. The speaking of German is also reportedly forbidden out of respect for America.
It is said that the unit our grandfather was in dealt with the dead collected on the battle field and being shipped for burial. It was apparently a gruesome job dealing with much death and gore.
World War II
Our Father, Norbert F. Bankert (b. 1927), left high school to join the Navy in WWII. He served on the USS Block Island utilizing his trade of a butcher in the kitchen. The USS Block Island was on its way to the islands of the Pacific and Japan when the war officially ended. Norb returned to High School after the Navy. It's been said that he was a member of the class of 45, 46, 47, etc.
Esther's Father, Hugh Graber (b. 1921), served in the Army in WWII with a supply unit. Hugh's brother Jack was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and spent the remainder of his time as a guard in an American POW camp. Esther's Uncle Al Pennick, was shot down and captured and spent some time in a German POW camp.
Korea
While we had no fathers or grandfathers of age, our Uncles, John and William (Bill) Bankert both served in the Army in Korea. Uncles John served with an artillery unit which saw some heavy fighting. Uncle Bill served in an American POW camp.
Vietnam
I (Norbert Bankert b. 1951) was stationed with the 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles), 501'st Signal Battalion, headquartered at Camp Eagle near Hue. I was in Vietnam from June, 1971 to February, 1972. I spent time at different areas north of DaNang and south of the DMZ including Camp Evans, Camp Eagle, Phu Bai, DaNang, Dong Ha, Fire Base Bastogne, Normandy etc. In February, '72, I was awarded the Bronze Star, sent home and discharged with the rank of Sp.4.
Other
Our Grandfather, Charles Lange (b. 1879), was in the National Guard at least from 1900 to 1906, and then from 1915 to 1917. His service may have been continuous as he is referred to as a Corporal in 1913. He is discharged in 1917 as a Sergeant for the reason of having dependents that needed his support. His discharge states that his character is excellent.
Our Uncle, Reg Lange (b. 1911), son of Charles, also serves in the National Guard.
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