John B. Van Petten

    JOHN BULLOCK VAN PETTEN.
Career in War and Peace of a Red Creek
       Academy Graduate.
 Editor of the Lake Shore News:
 Sir--Though General John B. Van-
Petten was not a native of Wolcott,
he came very near the old township,
since Sterling was his native town
and I understand his college prepara-
tory work was had in that time-hon-
ored Red Creek Academy, in its day
the most useful institution of learn-
ing in eastern Wayne and northern
Cayuga counties.
 Born June 19, 1827, he must have
been in his early teens when he un-
dertook the tasks of the academy.
At any rate he entered Wesleyan
University, at Middletown, Conn., in
1846 and was graduated thence in 1850.
 Entering the ministry of the Meth-
odist church, he joined the old Black
River conference and was assigned 
two or three times to stations, but, 
feeling his vocation to be that of
teaching, he soon enetered on what
proved to be his life work, save for
two interludes of war and politics.
 For five years immediately preceed-
ing the war he was principal of the
seminary in Fairfield, Herkimer coun-
ty, and thence the war of the re-
bellion drew him into the chaplaincy
of the 34th Infantry whose fortune
he followed until, in 1862, he ex-
changed his bible for a sword and be-
came the Lieut. Colonel of the 160th
Volunteers, the third Wayne and
Cayuga regiment raised in the 25th
that year.
 Its field of operations was in the
Gulf Department, through Port Hud-
son and Red River Expedition. In
cammand of his regiment he led the
same at the immortal charge on the
fortifications at Hudson.
 Coming north with the regiment in
the summer of 1864, he was severely
wounded in the campaign through the
Shenandoah Valley and was recom-
mended for promotion by Generals
Sheridan and Emory.
 Organizing the 193d N.Y. Volun-
teers at Albany in the winter and
spring of '64 and '65, he led the same
to the South, but not in time to par-
ticipate in the final campaign.
 He came home from the war a
Brevet Brig. General. Later he was
Commissary General of the State of
New York, again principal of Fairfield
Seminary, and in 1868 and '69, State
Senator from the Herkimer District.
Many following years were spent in
teaching and superintanding schools
in Missouri.
 Returning to his native state, his
later years have been spent in Caz-
enovia, where he passed away on the
31st day of October, last, at the ripe
age, it seems, of more than 81 years.
While his career was somewhat de-
sultory, those who followed him close-
ly will agree that he did well what-
ever he undertook and had he stuck
to any one line of work, would have
reached the very highest pinnacle.
 His army associates always spoke
in the highest terms of  efficiency
and he certainly was an excellent
teacher. I am of the opinion that he
was the only brigadier whom the acad-
emy at the Creek furnished to the
service. If I am wrong in this as-
sumption, I shall be glad to be cor-
reacted.
                      Alfred S. Roe.
     Worcester, Mass., Jan. 13, 1909.