Ambrose S. Cassidy

     GEN. AMBROSE S. CASSIDY DEAD.
  His Sudden Demise Early This Morning.
       ____ Sketch of His Life.
 In a city where he was so well known, the
announcement of the sudden death early this
morning of Gen. Ambrose Spencer Cassidy at
his rooms in the Antwerp apartment house,
on the corner of State and Park streets, will
cause widespread sorrow. Gen. Cassidy was
apparently in his usual health yesterday when
he attended church at St. Mary's, and enjoyed
a hearty dinner at 3 o'clock. In the afternoon
he began to complain of illness, and by even-
ing was obliged to take to his bed. A priest
and physician were in attendance  as his illness
increased, and the last rites of the Catholic
church for the living were administered.
Later on he lapsed into unconsciousness and
between 2 and 3 o'clock peacefully breathed
his last.
 Gen. Cassidy was born in April, 1821, and
was a son of the late John Cassidy, who lived
then in the large house on the northeast corner
of Chapel street and Malden lane, the first
house sold out of the Van Rensselaer estate,
from which Mr. Cassidy purchased it. Gen.
Cassidy as a boy lived here and was educated
in the Albany academy. He did not attend
college, but entered at once upon the business
life which occupied him until nearly the be-
ginning of the war. His first position was one
in Draper's auction commission house in New
York, afterward he received an appointment
under the Buchanan administration to a re-
sponsible in the New York custom
house.
 In 1861 he enlisted in the Ninety-third New
York volunteers, joining and subsequently be-
coming captain of Co. I. Before the close of
the war he became major and at the close of
his service was brevetted brigadier-general.
He served under McClellan, _____ with
bravery and distinction at Fredericksburgh
and elsewhere and was for some months a
prisoner in Libby and Andersonville prisons.
A compound _________ fracture of the leg
troubled him then and his prison experience did
not better it at all. He was confined in Libby
prison when the "On to Richmond" proceed-
ing was instituted, and was conveyed in an
open car, suffering as he was, to Anderson-
ville. He then suffered from prison fever, and
was in very poor physical condition when
finally released.
 After the war he returned to New York
and received a municipal appointment to the
street department. Ten or 13 years ago he
returned to Albany and has lived here 
since, though not actually in business life.
 He leaves a widow and four children--two
sons, two daughters--the oldest a daughter
of about 15. The children are at school in Can-
ada. Mrs. Cassidy was a Miss Simmons, a
descendant of an old Breton family, though at
the time of her marriage she resided in New
York. Gen. Cassidy was publicly spirited,
patriotic and generous, beloved by all his
many friends and acquaintances. He was a
Democrat.